Summer 2014 Online Teacher Training
Introduction
Welcome to the Online Teacher Training Summer 2014 course. This course is
an introduction, not just to D2L and course design, but how to teach
online. Online learning, like classroom learning, is complicated. Learning the
instructional management system is one step. Learning best practices in
course design is another step. Learning the intricacies of online teaching and
learning is another step.
Content Overview
In this brief four day class, we will introduce new or relatively new online
faculty to all of these steps, which are intertwined. We’ll look at how to
create a logical, welcoming course design and tone that lets the instructor’s
personality come through and meets best practices in accessibility and
engagement. We’ll look at communication, which is the most important
component of online learning. We’ll look at ways to deliver, assess, and
collect, and communicate information and create meaningful learning
experiences.
Course Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
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Review the basics of D2L features such as the quiz tool, news features,
discussion creation, grade book, and drop box.
Create assignments that incorporate best practices for online learning
and course design
Recognize and implement ADA best practices into online course
design, assignments, and communication
Distinguish the similiarities and differences between online teaching
and course design
Debate issues regarding online learning interaction, communication,
and demeanor
Successfully create discussion questions, quiz questions, and other
assignments that align to the outcomes in their courses
Demonstrate how to access D2L and online education resources for
further instruction and assistance

Construct meaningful assessments techniques in their online courses
and learn how to use D2L tracking to gauge effectiveness of
assignments and other course elements
Expectations
Since the class will only meet together for 20 hours, some readings and
assignments will need to be completed in between class sessions. Every day,
there will be one or two assignments to complete before the next morning.
In addition, there will be at least two follow up sessions later in the summer
to discuss course content and address lingering questions.
The instructors, Val Lundberg and Amy Jo Swing, will provide many
examples, best practices, and resources for online teaching. This class is
only meant to be an introduction to all these complicated concepts. The
resources provided in this class as well as future workshops, trainings, and
mentoring, will give more detailed information and instruction to help
instructors complete or improve their online courses and teaching.
Follow Up
Those who complete the training will be expected to have their course peer
reviewed the second time they teach it or the semester following the
training, whichever comes first.
Schedule for Online Teacher Training: Summer 2014
Day One: Setting Assignments
the tone for your
online class
Complete Online
Teaching Survey
Location
Teaching
Philosophy
Class discussion
board
Welcome Page
Teaching
Philosophy
Discussion
Create Welcome
Quizzes
In your D2L shell
Due
Before or
during class
Tuesday, May
27
Before class
Wednesday, May
28
In class
Page Message
Look of Course
Discuss ADA in
design
Introductory
Materials
Resources
Change course
colors and
customize links
Practice ADA best
practices in font
size, colors, and
picture tags
Look at samples—
In your D2L shell
In your D2L shell
Review resources
Link on content
for online teaching
page of our class
and D2L, especially
Online Peer Review
rubric
Afternoon: When
Discuss why and
In your D2L shell
and how to use the how to use the
D2L gradebook
gradebook and
configuration
options.
Tuesday, May
27
In class
Tuesday, May
27
In class
Tuesday, May
27
In class
Tuesday, May
27
In class
Tuesday, May
27
Create one or two
gradebook
items/configure
grades
Day Two:
Controlling the
Content
Modules or Tasks
Assignments
Logic Course
Design
Create outline of
Put in your D2L
first three weeks of shell and submit
class
outline to course
dropbox
Discuss deadlines Class discussion
and how to set
board
them
Look at samples of In our D2L shell
Multimedia
Location
Due
Look at samples of Class content page In class
organizing content
Before first up
session.
Before class
Thursday, May
29
In class
Options
media and Panopto and best practices
(and talk about
site
ADA compliance)
Assignment in your
Record a short
D2L shell.
audio clip to go
along with a
homepage message
or other assignment
or embed a video
Afternoon: When
Create a dropbox
In your D2L shell
and how to use the assignment with
D2L dropbox
directions and links
to content page
directions
Wednesday,
May 28
Day Three:
Engaging
Students Online
Assignments
Due
Look at best
practices for
communication
Communication
Guidelines
Discussion on
In class
OPAC
recommendations
Write a statement In your D2L shell
for students about
your participation
and communication
guidelines and
expectations (for
students and for
instructor)
Thursday, May
29
Respond to
In our D2L
discussion question discussion board
about instructor
interaction called
“How much
Before class
Friday, May 30
Location
In class
Wednesday,
May 28
Before class
Friday, May 30
communication?”
Communication
Review
Options
communication
possibilities for
online learning
How to
Respond to a
Communicate with difficult student
Students
email
Communicating
Software needs
Afternoon: When
and how to use
D2L quizzes
Day Four:
Discussions and
Groups
In our D2L shell
In class
and best practices Thursday, May
site
29
In class
Thursday, May
29
In class
Thursday, May
29
Review ways to
In our D2L shell
In class
make sure students and best practices Thursday, May
have correct and
site
29
updated software
Create two quiz
In your D2L shell In class
questions: one auto
Thursday, May
graded and one
29
long answer
Assignments
Class discussion
board
Location
Due
When and why to Discuss discussions In your D2L shell In class Friday,
use discussions
and look at best
and best practices May 30
practices
site
Create discussion
forum and topic
Discussion
guidelines
Interactive
Write discussion
In your D2L shell
and grading
guidelines for your
class
Write one
Class discussion
Before follow up
session
In class Friday,
discussions
discussion question board
that engages
students and gets
them to interact
May 30
Instructor
participation
Answer discussion In our D2L shell—
questions about
discussion board
How much
instructors should
participate in
student discussions
Before follow up
session
Discussion Groups Discuss how to use In your D2L shell In class Friday,
groups for online
and best practices May 30
learning
site
Revised teaching
statement
Create a discussion
group
Revise your initial
teaching philosophy
statement and
respond to
discussion question
about online
teaching
In our D2L class
discussion area:
Week four
discussions
In class Friday,
May 30 or
before follow up
session.