Choosing appropriate learning materials are a vital part of any course. Often the course uses a textbook, but increasingly online instructors are turning towards Open … [Read more...]
Discussion Best Practices
Discussions are a key part in many online courses. If we want students to demonstrate high levels of thinking in discussions, we need to ask questions that are designed … [Read more...]
What is a Commentary?
What is a Commentary? A typical unit in our online courses includes learning objectives, a commentary, and required assignments or activities. The commentary is our … [Read more...]
Accessibility in the Online Classroom
The following is our interpretation of accessibility law as it applies to our online courses. We will work with you to explore different options for using the materials … [Read more...]
Writing Smart Learning Outcomes
All of our courses start with learning outcomes—short statements identifying what the student will be able to do after the course or the lesson. Learning outcomes are … [Read more...]
Determining Credit Hours in an Online Course
In a face-to-face course, credit hours are generally based on the hours per week the students spend in the classroom or lab, or "contact hours" with the students. A … [Read more...]
Backwards Design
Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, the authors of Understanding by Design describe their instructional design technique as backwards, and it has come to be one of the most … [Read more...]
Designing Discussions
Online discussions are great. They help students develop community with their fellow learners, they let them explore a topic deeper than they could have by themselves, … [Read more...]