Developing Course Material for eLearning January, 2004 Cristina Oliver Liverpool Hope University College

Liverpool Hope University College 2 Overview of Session Planning Collecting Designing Writing

Hope University College 3 Overview of Planning Planning 1.1 Understanding your learners4 1.2 Aims and objectives5 1.3 Outline the content6 1.4 Choosing your media6 1.5 Plan for support7 1.6 Existing materials7

Hope University College 4 Overview of Collecting Collecting 2.1 Sequence the material8 2.2 Develop activities and feedback9 2.3 Find examples12 Designing 3.1Tips on the content13 3.2Tips on the formatting style13 3.3Tips on the writing style14

Hope University College 5 Overview of Designing Writing 4.1 Start your first draft Complete and edit Write assessment material Pilot and improve16

Hope University College 6 Planning: The learners What do you need to know about your learners? Just as in systems analysis website or software development, identify your audience in a statement or scenario.

Hope University College 7 Planning: Objectives 001/contents.htm 001/contents.htm  State  Describe  Give examples of  Suggest reasons why  Explain  Evaluate  Identify  State  Describe  Give examples of  Suggest reasons why  Explain  Evaluate  Identify  Distinguish between  Analyse  Carry out  Summarize  Show diagrammatically  Compare  Demonstrate  Distinguish between  Analyse  Carry out  Summarize  Show diagrammatically  Compare  Demonstrate Activities and feedback can more easily developed from these explicit objectives.

Hope University College 8 Planning: Outline the content Question: When creating a new module, do you start with “What students should know” or “What students should do” Often it is easiest to redesign current materials.

Hope University College 9 Planning: Choosing the media Video and sound are time consuming Students who do not know how to ‘turn on their computers’ need specially written guides Computer graphics may require software guides History will require access to journal articles. Not all users can read pdf files …..

Hope University College 10 Planning: Support I can’t log in I don’t remember my password I can’t upload to my folder space Error using AOL What do you mean ‘Harvard Reference?’ I’m on campus can I come and see you?

Hope University College 11 Planning: Existing materials Design or redesign? Existing module guides Activities (groupwork, case studies) Examples of student work (past)

Hope University College 12 Collecting QAA review Materials in one place! Staff resources Schedule resourcing

Hope University College 13 Collecting: Sequencing Structure is important “week to week” preparation not good in eLearning Develop the schedule Identify sequence

Hope University College 14 Collecting: Activities and feedback Activities Discussion questions Peer feedback Restate Research Examine existing materials Interaction Think Write Tick Fill in Multiple choice Draw Sequence Complete

Hope University College 15 Collecting: Feedback Peer, peer, peer Timely (week, 2-week, activity) Relate to objectives continually Identify strengths Identify weakness

Hope University College 16 Collecting: Examples Past student work (the good, the bad, and the ugly)* Sample questions w/ responses Jokes, cartoons Analgies Calculations Images (drawings, photo’s, diagrams, maps, etc.)

Hope University College 17 Designing: Structure Tips on structure In navigation, less is more (not the ‘3 click rule!’)

Hope University College 18 Designing: Content Use manageable chunks Once screen per topic Don’t include ‘extra’ information, leave that to extra links Repeat the objectives and map to the content

Hope University College 19 Designing: Format Use plenty of visually empty space Use imagery if possible Visual chunks as well as manageable chunks A 3-section document is better as three pages than 1 larger document. Build for Accessibility dex.asp dex.asp Develop a template

Hope University College 20 Designing: Writing style Use casual style and tone Check your facts, your spelling, and proofread. Understand copyright Provide timeline and/or pacing strategy

Hope University College 21 Writing First draft Edit, edit, edit Write assessment materials Pilot and improve