CREATING AN EXEMPLARY ONLINE COURSE Dr. Beth L. Vealé Midwestern State University

Objectives  Objectives  Define the term exemplary as it relates to online course development  Identify factors within a course that can be improved to move towards an exemplary course  Assess course components as to exemplary course status

Introduction  Teaching Online versus F2F  Why the scrutiny?  Who cares? I know my course is great!

What is Exemplary?  ex·em·plar  i ɡˈ zempl ə r,i ɡˈ zemplär/  noun  a person or thing serving as a typical example or excellent model.  "he became the leading exemplar of conservative philosophy"  synonyms:epitome, perfect example, paragon, ideal, exemplification, textbook example, embodiment, essence, quintessence;epitomeparagonidealembodimentessencequintessence

Factors that Contribute to “E” Status  Wait a minute!!!  Who Says?  Colleges & Universities  CSU Chico  Univ of West Georgia  Texas Tech  ion  Corporate Entities  Quality Matters  Blackboard

Common Factors/Areas  Goals and Objectives  Content Presentation  Learner Engagement  Development of Learning Community  Interaction Logistics  Expectations  Assessment Design

Common Factors/Areas  Self Assessment  Orientation of Course and LMS  Software Support  Instructor Role and Information  Course/Institutional Policies and Support  Technical Accessibility  Accommodations for disabilities  Feedback

Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts  Goals and Objectives  What do you want the student to do? If possible, provide examples.  Content Presentation  Who are your learners? Traditional? Trendy?  Who are you? How do you want to be viewed?  Don’t rewrite the textbook.  Do enhance the tough parts.  You tube.

Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts  Learner Engagement

Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts  Learner Engagement  I am all alone  I’m online, I need something to do.  Do provide interactive/reactive assignments  Don’t assign only reading and quizzes.

Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts  Learning Community  Not about group work, necessarily  It is about connecting the students, topic to topic, course to course, area to area.

Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts  Interaction logistics  Do provide details about levels of participation (quantity) and quality of the communication  Tell them what constitutes a “good answer”  Include a grading rubric

Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts  Do actively participate  Don’t lurk  Do use course communication tools for updates  Don’t use more than one address or update method unless absolutely necessary  Make yourself available, really!

 Expectations  Do make sure the tests match the objectives.  Provide rubrics or models for “good work”.  Make sure instructions are clear. Have someone else tell you what they think you expect. Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Assessment Design  Tests need to measure the performance they claim they will, that is, activities are explained using appropriate vocabulary and reading level.  Assessments require higher order thinking – analysis, problem-solving  Assessments are frequent throughout the course  Multiple types of assessment are used such as research projects, objective tests, discussions, etc. Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Self Assessment  Do give the students opportunities to assess themselves  Self assessments should provide constructive, meaningful, feedback.  Journals, periodic self tests, etc.  Checklist for achievement Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Orientation to Course and LMS/CMS  Do include tutorial materials and links to internal/external help files  The fewer clicks, the better  Required software is linked (Adobe pdf, Webquest, Evolve etc.)  Links are located in proximity to materials requiring its use. Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Software Support  Do provide clear explanations of optional and/or required software including costs  Do provide links for capture of software and place those links inside the material. Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Instructor Role and Information  Do provide contact information.  Do not provide personal details (address, home phone, etc).  Instructor should be easy to find, but students should be aware of instructor operating guidelines Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Instructor Role and Information  Explain your role. Who will respond to technical difficulties if not you?  Do clearly explain methods of collecting and returning work. Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Course/Institutional Policies and Support  Links to institutional policies, materials, and forms relevant for learner success (e.g. plagiarism policies) are clearly labeled and easily found.  Easy back and forth from course-information-course  Do provide decorum/netiquette policies  Do provide links to institutional services (library, writing center, etc.) Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Technical Accessibility Issues  Do use standard formats  Do provide alternate formats when using software. (PC vs Mac)  Identify large file sizes for download expectations  Provide smaller pieces  Stream videos whenever possible to optimize graphics and display to limit scrolling. Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Accommodations for Disabilities  Do provide supportive mechanisms that allow disabled students to participate fully.  Integrate alternative resources (transcripts for verbal/sound files, voice recognition software, etc.  Provide highly visible links to institutional policies, contacts, and procedures for disability support  Design color, text size manipulations, audio and video controls, and alt text that reflect university accessibility considerations. Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

 Feedback  Do provide opportunities for learners to give feedback to the instructor regarding course design and content during and after course.  Make it anonymous! Suggestions for Getting There Dos and Don’ts

Examples

Conclusion

Questions/Discussions  Question One  Discussion  Question Two  Discussion  Questions Three  Discussion