1. Online Course Developer Course
What is a PMI Online Course
Developer?
This presentation will explain what online learning means at Pima Medical Institute, and what it means to be an online course developer.
Presented by PMI Online

2. MISSION: POSSIBLE Create a great online course
Our online team will work with you!
You must understand:
What works and what doesn’t work online
The basic structure of an online course
POSSIBLE
Create a great
online course
You don’t need to be FANCY
Contrary to what you might think, we don’t expect our online course developers to have any fancy technical skills. We have a whole team within the online department who can do that.
We do, however, expect you to understand two things.
Number one: We want you to learn what works and what doesn’t work in the online classroom,
Number two, We want you to learn the basic structure of an online course.
Your mission—if you choose to accept—is to master these two things so that together we can turn your knowledge into a great online course.
<<Note: How about some Mission Impossible Music>>

3. Where Do I Start? Familiarize yourself with the book Review the
Course Syllabus
Specific learning objectives
What’s a good starting point for developing a course?
Like all courses, online courses have a text book and a course syllabus with specific learning objectives. Begin your course development by familiarizing yourself with the book and reviewing the course objectives.
Do use:
Supplemental materials – Oftentimes, textbook publishers provide supplemental materials that can be found on their website
Video presentations – students expect a multi-media experience on the web. Video news clips, lab demonstrations, interactive animations and even YouTube videos can help clarify a complex topic.
Image banks – although there’s no added value to posting the same content that appears in the text, our instructional designers, can take an image and add audio and video explanations. <<show an example from another course >>
Case studies and useful web links
Do NOT use:
Multiple choice and other objective question test banks – Students learn and synthesize material better when they are required to analyze rather than just memorize.
PowerPoint slides – PowerPoint is a great presentation tool, but it is designed to be used as a supplement to a live speaker. Slides of animated bullet points or slides crammed with text aren’t very effective when presented live, and they’re even less effective when presented online.
Next, we’ll take a look at a developed class so you can see the component parts of a course. <<Use Advanced Modalities Course RA403>>
Familiarize yourself with the book
Review the
course objectives

4. Screen recording inside a Bb course
This is the student’s view of a course in PMI’s Bachelor of Radiographic Sciences program.
COURSE SYLLABUS
The official course syllabus is always posted in each course.
All lesson materials are located in the appropriately named Course Content section. Course content is always chunked into lessons.
COURSE CONTENT
INTRODUCTION LESSON
All courses include a two-part introduction Lesson. First: The Scavenger Hunt helps students familiarize themselves with your specific course—and earn a few easy points to get them started off right. You do not need to create a Scavenger Hunt because PMI uses the same one for all courses.
Second: The Introduction Discussion gives an instructor and students a chance to meet and greet each other and begin to form an online community. Your Introduction Discussion should ask your students to introduce themselves, but you should also have some fun with it. For example, in a Macroeconomics course, students are asked to tell of a time when they got something for free. Then they are instructed to determine if it truly was “free” and to use Lesson 1 to help them with their answer. Linking previous knowledge with new knowledge is a great way to help students learn.
LESSONS
After the Introduction lesson, you’ll see the course content is chunked into lessons. Depending on the depth and breadth of the content, each course can have anywhere from 4 to 10 lessons. Generally speaking one, and sometimes two related objectives will be grouped into a lesson.
Each lesson is also chunked. ((Click on Clinical Applications)), You’ll see there’s always an introduction and at least two topics. There will also be graded activities such as an assignment, discussion, or quiz, however you will use quizzes sparingly!
INTRODUCTION
((Scroll back up to the introduction.)) When students click on the introduction of a lesson, the objectives identify what they should learn after completing the entire lesson. You will need some way of determining—either through an assignment, discussion or a quiz--whether or not students have actually learned the objectives.
TOPIC
For topic notes, it’s your job to embellish, enhance, and add to the material that’s in the textbook. Relate the content to real world experiences and observations and connect new information to things that students have already learned. If something in the textbook isn’t explained thoroughly or you have a better way of explaining it, use the notes section to expound on that information. Provide useful resource links ((click Renal Cysts and Article)) that students can explore.
ASSIGNMENT
In the assignments section, you’ll see that students will click on Click to read this file. They’re prompted to save the file to their computer. All assignments are saved as Rich Text Format (RTF ) files. RTF files are universally readable documents that can be opened in any word-processing program. Posting RTF files ensures that both PCs and Macs can open and read course documents.
DISCUSSIONS
Class discussions help create a sense of community in an online classroom. Discussions are topical and provide an avenue for students to analyze course material and explore new ideas.
Good online assessments should require students to use critical analysis and other higher level reasoning skills. Avoid using low level questions like multiple choice, fill in the blank, and matching. It’s assumed that online students can and do have their notes and textbooks readily available while taking quizzes, therefore, quizzes should require them to APPLY what they’ve learned.
QUIZZES

5. Quiz1 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: Course Content
What is the purpose of the Introduction Discussion?
Allows the class to meet and greet each other.
Begins forming an online community.
Creates busy work for both you and the students.
Both a and b.
An online course should have _______ or ________ lessons.
four or five
six or seven
eight or nine
Online courses should rely heavily on multiple choice quizzes.
True
False
Good topic notes should
include the pictures, charts and tables that are already in the text.
use PowerPoint presentations with slide after slide of bullet points and flying text.
draw on your experience with the subject and include real world examples to help students synthesize the material.
What is the purpose of Rich Text Format files?
They help students flex their computer skills.
They provide universal readability from any computer using any word-processing package.
They cause hundreds of calls to the Online Help Desk.
include the pictures, charts and tables that are in the text.
draw on your experience with the subject and include as real world examples and other ways for students to synthesize the material.

6. Animation
Now that you’ve had a chance to see an example of an online class, here’s how to get started on your own.
Ask yourself “What do students need to know?” To answer this, look at the syllabus objectives. These objectives are the minimum requirements that a student should learn after completing the course.
Next, ask yourself, “How will we know whether or not a student learned these objectives?” Learning needs to be measured. Jot down at least one assignment or discussion idea for each objective. This step works best by brainstorming with one or more of your team members in the online department. Remember, we will NOT be using very many quizzes to measure learning.
Finally, decide “What content will students need to know to be able to complete these graded assignments?” Review the textbook. Try to align the textbook chapters with the objectives for each of your assignment ideas. When creating the topic notes, try to address all the different learning styles. Since all the students are reading for content in the textbook, give them other ways to learn and interact with the information–videos, animations, puzzles, charts, and so on.
This gives you a very basic outline for your course. The online term for this outline is a course map. ((Show sample course map)). Like a road map, it will guide you through your development, and when you’re done, it will serve as a blueprint for the instructional designers who build your course. You will edit and revise your map as you develop, but for now, you are ready to start filling in the course content.  

7. Quiz1 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: Course Development
Start developing your course by
writing and writing and writing as much as you can about everything you know about the subject.
reviewing the course objectives because those are what students need to learn.
surfing the web for hours looking for links.
both a and b.
Your team members in the online department will help you
brainstorm assignment and discussion ideas.
create custom graphics.
develop interactive content.
all of the above
Course maps
a. serve as a blueprint for building your course.
b. can’t ever be changed.
c. give you a basic outline for your course.
d. both a and c.

8. Animation Creating Assignments
You will create your assignments using PMI templates. The templates ensure that you and your team members in the online department can easily send files back and forth to each other.
Good online assignments have the following characteristics:
They require students to insert themselves into the assignment. Objective: Students will identify employee motivational techniques.
Which assignment do you think best meets the objective?
Bad assignment: Identify and describe three employee motivational techniques. Good assignment: In your own words, answer the following questions (450 – 500 words.) What motivates you at work? What policies or procedures does your place of employment have in place to motivate employees? Do you believe they are effective? What policy would you add (or change)?
Both assignments would meet the objective. However, the first assignment requires nothing more than looking up an answer in the textbook or online. The second assignment forces the student to think about their own situation, their work environment, and apply what they’ve learned from the course material. Additionally, the second assignment requires a unique response from each student. This greatly reduces a student’s opportunity for cheating.
If appropriate, provide an example assignment for students to model. This is especially helpful if diagrams or formulas are used. Be as specific as possible with your directions. Remember, the instructor won’t be physically present to clarify the directions!

9. Quiz1 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: Assignments Good assignments
can be developed using the questions found at the end of a chapter.
should be factual with answers that can easily be found in the book or online.
should require analysis and draw on a student’s perspective or experience.
both b and c.
Pick the best example of an assignment about retrograde amnesia.
Give one example of retrograde amnesia and explain its effect on memory.
Define retrograde amnesia.
Read the case study below and write a brief paragraph ( words) about how retrograde amnesia can affect the patient’s relationships and job performance.

10. Animation Creating Discussions
Online discussions are a great way to encourage students to reflect on a topic presented in the lesson. Just like good conversation, good discussions are more of an art than a science.
Good online discussions have the following characteristics:
Avoid asking yes/no questions Asking yes/no questions generates a thin discussion because it doesn’t allow students to reflect. Once the first person posts the correct answer, the conversation is over. Bad Example: Historically, has the U. S. Supreme Court upheld campus-based speech codes? Good Example: What reasons has the U.S. Supreme Court given for tossing out campus-based speech codes? Do you agree or disagree with those reasons?  Avoid questions that call for purely factual answers
It’s ok to pose questions that ask for purely factual answers, but be sure to mix in questions involve some debate, exchange, and discussion among students.
Bad Example: What is the First Amendment?
Good Example: In what ways does the First Amendment's statement on the freedom of speech appear to leave the door open for the debate on the legality of hate speech?
Target reflection, interpretation, analysis, and problem solving
The aim of a discussion is to prompt students to think in ways that stretch their understanding of a given topic/subject. For that reason, asking questions that call for reflection, interpretation, analysis, and/or problem solving leads to a much more instructive (and often more lively) learning experience.
Good Example: University of Pennsylvania student Eden Jacobowitz was punished for calling a group of African American women "water buffalo" during a late-night altercation. In his defense, Jacobowitz argued that he didn't intend for the phrase to be a racial slur, and that in fact, it did not qualify as one, since water buffalo are only native to Southeast Asia and not Africa. To what extent does/should the question of "intent" play a role in ascertaining whether speech is offensive or not? In other words, if the perpetrator (in this case, Eden Jacobowitz) never intended to inflict injury in making the utterance that he did, is he still culpable of wrong-doing if his words were construed as being malicious by an injured party?
Ask questions that solicit relevant personal opinion and/or personal experience
Students are generally very eager to share personal experiences, and they learn better when they can relate new knowledge to prior experiences. A discussion shouldn’t focus ONLY on student opinion, however, soliciting opinions is often a very effective way to get a conversation started, as well as an effective way to get students to understand the significance of the material discussed.
Good Example: Have you or a close friend or relative ever been the direct object of hate speech? What was your/their experience like? How has that experience (or the lack thereof) contributed to your own position on the issue of the legality of hate speech?
Ask questions that encourage students to engage with other students in the class
Online discussions can help build community in the online classroom. Design questions that require students to talk to each other.
Good Example: If you were an administrator at your local college, what measures would you take—outside of a formal list of speech codes—to foster an atmosphere receptive and welcoming of differences? Evaluate the pros and cons of the measures proposed by another student in the class.
Ask questions that require connections to be drawn between past and present course material
Encourage students to draw connections between material learned earlier in the course and material covered later in the course. These questions are not only thoughtful and "open-ended" in nature, but they also have the added benefit of forcing your students to review content and see it as relevant outside the scope of its original context.
Good Example: The first paper in this class asked you to discuss the different communication styles assumed by men and women in interpersonal relationships. The present paper asks you to take a position on the legality of speech codes on college campuses. In what ways are the two paper topics related, and how does the reading and research you conducted on the former topic inform, enrich, or otherwise affect your understanding of the latter topic?
Ask questions that prompt students to generate lists of information/data as a class
Discussion boards hold a lot of potential for collaborate learning activities. One way this potential can be harnessed is by asking questions that focus students on building research and/or data "pools" for use in other assignments.
Good Example: Use 5-10 sentences to explain one reason why hate speech should not be banned on college campuses. You may not repeat the same response as another student in the class. The purpose of this question is twofold: to fully explore the rationale behind this particular side of the hate speech debate and to generate content that will be useful to us when we write a draft our paper on this topic next week.

11. Quiz1 TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE: Discussions Good discussions
can be developed using questions that require short factual responses.
allow students to reflect on prior learning and apply it to knew knowledge.
give students a chance to earn easy points because they don’t involve much effort.
both b and c.
Pick the best example of a discussion about supply and demand.
Watch the video then answer the following question: How does insurance, either supplied by an employer or by the government, drive UP the price of health care?
Analyze the economic relationships that exist in a market economy.
Discuss the relationship between supply and demand.

12. Course enhancements COURSE ENHANCEMENTS
Your online department team can create many interactive tools for your students. Keep in mind that some tools (such as flashcards or puzzles) help reinforce learning while other tools (such as a video presentation or flip book) are presentation techniques.
Here are a few of the many options available:
Flashcards
Matching
Hang man
Puzzles
Labeled images
Flip books
Video presentations
Audio recordings (podcasts)

13. Hourglass?
Deadlines
As you take on this project, we want you to see yourself just like a writer for a large publishing house. We have deadlines to hit, and we are counting on you to deliver on time. We are working with many developers at the same time, and if you miss your targets, you could hold up the start of an entire online program. We mean business, and we hope you do too!

14. Questions? pmar@pmi.edu Pima Medical Institute Online
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Presented by PMI Online
Pima Medical Institute Online