What is Good
Online Course
Design?
Kim N Stevenson
&
Loretta B. Powers
What is the process you
go through to design a
face-to-face course?
Instructional Systems Design
Models
• ADDIE
• ASSURE
ADDIE
•
•
•
•
Analyze
Design
Develop
Implement
Evaluate
The ASSURE Model - Basic Instructional
Design Model for Online Instruction:
• Analyze Learners
• State Learning Objectives (or Outcomes)
• Select Methods, Media and Materials
• Utilize Method, Media and Materials
• Required Learner Participation
• Evaluation and Revise
Analyze Learners
• Good instructors prepare course
materials with their learners in
mind.
• Identify learners and the
contexts/environments in which
they will be learning.
• Analyze your audience based on
the following:
– General characteristics.
– Specific entry competencies –
knowledge, skills, and attitudes
about the topic at hand.
– Learning style. In online learning
situations, self-direction on the part
of the learner is especially critical.
Verbal-Linguistic
Focus thinking on language: speaking,
writing, reading, listening
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Involves physical movement and
knowledge of the body; usually
large muscle activity;
Interpersonal
Oriented toward social or
group relationship
Visual-Spatial
Organizes things spatially; thinks in
images; imaginative
Logical-Mathematical
Reasoning & thinking: inductive and
deductive logic, numeration, abstract
patterns
Nine
Patterns
Of
Thinking
Naturalist
Loves the outdoors, appreciates
flora and fauna species, nature
Musical
Responds to acoustic patterns,
sounds, rhythms, and tempo
Intrapersonal
Intuitive & introspective: self-knowledge
(not introverted but reserved)
Existentialist
Learn in the context of where humankind
stands in the “big Picture” of existence
(Howard Gardner –
Harvard University 1983 & Rev 2004)
Multiple Intelligence Resources
• There are 9 Multiple Intelligences now. Read more
about it here:
http://surfaquarium.com/MI/nine_intelligences.pdf
http://surfaquarium.com/MI/mi_domains.htm
• Determine your Learning Style by taking this
Learning Style Inventory:
Print Out Survey:
http://surfaquarium.com/MI/inventory.htm
Online Survey:
http://www.berghuis.co.nz/abiator/lsi/lsitest1.html
Analyze Learners
True
or
False
Students who enroll in an online
course will be comfortable with the
technology they need to use.
Analyze Learners
True
or
False
Students will enter the course with an
appropriate degree of literacy.
Analyze Learners
True
or
False
Student access to technology will vary.
Analyze Learners
True
or
False
Students know how to find resources
on the World Wide Web.
Analyze Context
• Performance setting
• Transfer
• Don’t be limited by being online
Analyze Technology
•
•
•
•
Ask your students
Ask the Help Desk
Don’t get carried away by “zippies”
Explore alternatives
State Learning Objectives
• State in terms of what the learner will be able
to think, do, or feel as a result of the
instruction.
• Outcomes guide all subsequent teaching
activities.
• Measurable, succinct, and use specific action
verbs and simple (not compound) sentences.
• Include conditions of “performance” and the
minimum degree of acceptable performance
• Focus on what the learner needs to know, not
the instructor!
• We will be using the ABCD Model to write
objectives.
ABCD Objectives Format
• Audience
– Audience, Who are your Students?
• Behavior
– Behavior to be demonstrated
• Condition
– Conditions under which the behavior will be observed
• Degree
– Degree to which the learned skills are to be mastered
Examples of ABCD Format
• Given all the basic shapes - cone, cylinder, cube,
and sphere (condition), each second-semester
geometry student (audience) will identify
(behavior) orally each shape (degree).
• Using tape recorded readings of the tryout
sessions for the school play (condition), students
in the drama class (audience) will select
(behavior) the proper voice for each character as
indicated in the drama text (degree).
Writing Objectives Activity
1. Increase the student's ability to visually identify and
note white cells on a differential.
2. Know what effects symbolism has in the short story
"Young Goodman Brown".
3. Students will type text using home key methods.
(Keyboarding class)
4. Find articles on the Internet to use in methods research
paper.
5. Student will enjoy working in groups.
#1 Increase the student's ability to visually
identify and note white cells on a
differential.
• Poor: Increase the student's ability to visually
identify and note white cells on a differential.
• Better: By the conclusion of this lesson, the student
will identify and label correctly all white cells on
differentials using a microscope and photographs of
white cells found on the CD ROM that accompanied
the assigned text book.
#2 Know what effects symbolism has in
the short story "Young Goodman Brown".
• Poor: Know what effects symbolism has in
the short story "Young Goodman Brown".
• Better: The student will identify and discuss
the effects of symbolism in the short story
“Young Goodman Brown” using their text, and
PC with word processing software in one
hour.
#3 Students will type text using home key
methods. (Keyboarding class)
• Poor: Students will type text using home key
methods. ( Keyboarding class)
• Better: After four weeks of keyboard
instruction, students will type four paragraphs
of text in five minutes using the home key
method. Three errors or less will be
considered as meeting the objective.
#4. Find articles on the Internet to use in
methods research paper.
• Poor: Find articles on the Internet to
use in methods research paper.
• Better: Given the criteria of what
research articles are, the student will
use the Internet and a search engine to
locate and select three articles for a
research paper.
#5. Student will enjoy working in groups.
• Poor: Student will enjoy working in groups.
• Better: Given the opportunity to work in
groups during several sessions of the class,
the students will demonstrate an increase in
positive attitude towards working in groups,
as measured by an attitudinal survey given by
the end of the class.
Select Methods, Media & Materials
• Crucial!
• First, choose the best instructional methods.
(Lecture, Group work, Field Trip)
• Then select available media and materials,
modify existing media and materials, or
design new ones. (images, photos,
multimedia, video, audio.)
MERLOT
• MERLOT is a free and open resource
designed primarily for faculty and students
of higher education. Links to online
learning materials are collected here along
with annotations such as peer reviews and
assignments.
Merlot Video
http://www.merlot.org
Utilize Methods, Media & Materials
• Plan how to use materials.
• Media and materials always need
to be previewed and tested ahead
of time.
• Especially in new courses and
when new technologies are used.
Helpful Tips
• When using Blackboard course management system,
post a welcome announcement with descriptions of
all navigation buttons and encourage exploration.
• Make sure all hyperlinks are current and working.
Post Discussion Board questions ahead of time.
• Check to be sure Chat Room is working properly and
you are familiar with the controls.
• Post Discussion Board questions ahead of time.
• Check all posted/added multimedia files to be sure
they are loading and working appropriately.
• Update your faculty information (i.e., office hours)
Tips Continued
• Make sure Syllabus is updated (i.e., new grading
scale, etc.)
• Prepare test and quizzes ahead of time.
• Be sure you have blocked off time on your daily
calendar to provide timely feedback to student email,
discussion board postings, and grading of
assignments. You are their guide and facilitator and
your presence should be felt.
• Save email text and announcement text in a word
processing document so that you can reuse and
revise this information from semester to semester
rather than composing from scratch. This is a time
saver!
Require Learner Participation
• There are three major types of
interaction in distance learning and the
best online instruction facilitates all
three types (Moore & Kearsley, 1996) :
– Learner-to-Instructor
– Learner-to-Learner
– Learner-to-Content
• Prompt feedback is a must!
• Collaborative learning can be helpful in
creating the feeling of a virtual learning
community.
Guidelines for Discussion
• I will "listen" to others respectfully.
• Online learning is devoid of physical cues that often support
communication. I will strive to utilize language that is thoughtful,
respectful, and collegial when communicating with my fellow
students.
• When I disagree with someone, I will critique his or her ideas in a
respectful and constructive manner.
• I will direct my comments to my fellow students, rather than to the
professor.
• I will try to understand other people's behavior and perspectives rather
than simply criticizing them.
• I will avoid stereotypes and humor that are disparaging of others.
• I will intervene politely if I notice people are being disrespectful or
unfair to others.
Tip #32
Expect learners to contribute
to class discussions.
• Make your expectations clear
• Encourage divergent opinions
• Watch out for the pitfall of judging
quantity not quality of postings
Hannah, D. E. , Glowachki-Dudka, M. and Conceicao-Runlee, S. (2000)
147 Practical Tips for Teachng Online Groups- Essentials of Web-Based Education
Tip #33
Expect learners to teach others
and facilitate the experience.
•Student as leaders
•Ask students to bring in
personal/professional experiences
Tip #36
Expect learners to provide
timely, meaningful feedback to
you and their fellow learners.
• Beginning online learners need
structure to keep them on task.
• Don’t be afraid to set due dates.
Tip #38
Expect learners to “listen” to
others.
•Make sure all are participating in the
conversation and not just one person up
there on a soap box.
Tip #39
Expect learners to
communicate by addressing
each other, not just you.
•Don’t try to control the conversation.
•Don’t need to respond to every posting, in
fact, your absolutely shouldn’t.
Lead by Example
Model the behavior you want to see
• Introduction
• Respond to student introductions
• When responding, include a student’s
relevant remarks in quotes
Provide space for social
interaction
• Unrelated to course topic
• Let students “socialize” before class
• Examples: Tea Room, Coffee Shop,
After Hours
Online Conflict
• Wait
• View it as a positive development
• May want to suggest students wait 24
hours before responding to a post they
perceive as negative
• Extreme problems should be dealt with
outside the public forum
Chat
• Assessment
• Virtual office hours
• Be aware of time differences
Evaluate and Revise
• All instruction, no matter how well designed,
should be evaluated in terms of its
effectiveness and quality.
• Ask question like:
– Did the learner meet the objectives?
– Did the instructional strategies and media assist the
learners in meeting intended outcomes?
– If not, why not.
• Formative and summative evaluations can both
be helpful in revising instruction for the next
time around.
Evaluate and Revise Continued
• How will you determine whether or not
your students met the lessons objectives?
• How will you determine the media
effectiveness?
• How will you determine whether or not
your own performance as
instructor/facilitator was effective?
• http://www.getfast.ca
What is Good Online
Course Design?
Kim N. Stevenson
Elizabeth City State University
knstevenson@mail.ecsu.edu
Loretta B. Powers
Elizabeth City State University
lbpowers@mail.ecsu.edu