Introduction: Map The Big Picture

 

Designing your class for the online environment presents you with unique opportunities (and online tools) to engage learners in strategic ways that may not have been available in the traditional face-to-face classroom.

What’s the big idea? In the introductory video for this module, Matt Fajkus shares how sometimes an environmental challenge can be an opportunity for innovative design.

In this module, you will discover:

A digitized image of the rough sketch of the Tree House

This is the concept diagram for the Tree House by Austin architect and UT Associate Professor Matt Fajkus Links to an external site.and his team Links to an external site.. Matt's work exemplifies the Modernist architecture principle that form ever follows function: the house is designed to make the most effective use of the space and resources so as to stimulate and encourage certain movement, connections and experiences.

Keeping the end goals in mind is an effective strategy whether you are designing a house, or designing a course.

How do online courses compare with face-to-face?

In all classes, there are times in which the students and instructor will meet and times in which students study and complete assignments on their own. A well-designed online course should not significantly upset that two-part structure. Students will continue to study course materials, complete assignments, get feedback and prepare for exams, and instructors will continue to facilitate learning and discussion. The distinction will be that these processes will now be mediated through technology.

A comparison of face-to-face and online course delivery models

How do I think about designing an online course?

Before you start mapping the big ideas and learning outcomes of your course, there are questions to consider about the logistics of your course like the ones below. To help you think through these, use this Download "First Steps" worksheet

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Design Questions

Design Strategies

When Will You Teach This Course?
  • Work backwards to plan a timeline
  • Consider time constraints when deciding where to invest energy creating or curating

Who Is This Course Designed For?
  • Background of your students - what prior knowledge can you assume they have?
  • Number of students in the class - is the class small enough to give written assignments?
  • Accessibility - what is the technological proficiency of your students?

How Will You Organize This Course?
  • Synchronous/asynchronous - will you be facilitating live class sessions at certain times? Will you be hosting office hours online?
  • Self-paced/incremental - how "together" do you want to keep your class? How often will you give assignments that need feedback?

Where Will You Find Good Resources?
  • Curating materials - what digital materials are already available (e.g., OERs, libraries, museums)?
  • Outside "voices" - can you connect with experts who would participate in course discussions or other online assignments?

What Materials Will You Produce Yourself?
  • Creating materials - are there print materials you need to digitize? Will you make your own personal resources (videos, podcasts, multimedia presentations, animations)?

Which Technologies Will Meet Your Needs?
  • Communication - which tools help convey information?
  • Learning - which tools will help you assess students?
  • Community - which tools will facilitate collaboration among students?

UT Featured Snapshot: Course Redesign & Planning Process

Matthew RussellMatthew Russell (Rhetoric and Writing) redesigned a course for online delivery. The goal in this redesign was to ask students to produce content on their own, to discuss that content in detail during low stakes, frequent discussions, and work in project-based teams to create collaborative work. It took approximately two months of focused work to redesign the course. There were three main rounds of edits.

Snapshot Details

Round One: In the first round, Matthew revisited what was "core" to the class: learning outcomes, assignments, course materials and grading schemes. He took this opportunity to review the original course by asking himself these initial questions:

  • What are the prerequisites for the course and general expectations of the students' capabilities?
  • What should students know and be able to do by the end of the semester?
  • How will students demonstrate that they have learned and are able to do these things?
  • How do students acquire the content of the course? What form should it take online?
  • What learning activities are appropriate?
  • How will students communicate with the instructor and the content, and collaborate with each other?

Round Two: After reflecting upon the course design of the class, he then addressed the structure of the course in an online format. General questions to consider:

  • Now that the "core" of the class has been identified, how should the online components of the course be structured (synchronous, asynchronous)?
  • How many modules should there be? What is going to be in the modules?
  • What are the best tools for assessing students, delivering content and facilitating social presence and communication?
  • What pathways will the students need to move successfully through the content?
  • What visual aesthetics will be most effective?
  • Will any of the content need to be modified for student accommodations?

Round Three: After the sequence and structure of the class had been constructed, he had to consider whether or not this sequence was manageable both for himself and for his students. This final round reflected back on the second round and allowed for adjustments to be made to the course structure. General questions to be considered:

  • How long will it take for students to move through a module of work? Are the modules similar? Do you need to go back and revise the content and/or assessments? Is there a variety of ways in which students acquire knowledge, engage in community, and are being assessed?
  • What kind of guidance and support (both pedagogical and technological) will students need? Do you need to provide supplementary materials to support my students (demonstration videos, how-to guides, etc)?
  • What policies and procedures need to be articulated for the students?
  • How often should I provide updates and announcements to the students?

At the end of round three, he was ready to write his syllabus.