Teaching and Learning

Phase 3: Development

Phase 3: Development

The third phase of Functional Course Design, which includes steps six through eight of the framework, is focused on supporting instructors in creating an online learning environment that supports clear alignment, learner navigation, access, and interaction with content, the instructor, and peers.

Phase Objectives

  • Develop course syllabus and schedule.
  • Build out a template course in Elearning.
  • Create/curate instructional content, materials, activities, and assessments.
  • Incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
  • Ensure syllabus, course schedule, and Elearning information is aligned.

 

Helpful Resources for Elearning and Materials Development

  • Instructional Design and Development: Reach out to discuss best practices in the creation and curation of materials and to discuss ways to use Elearning to engage learners and enhance instruction.
  • Instructional Technology Center (ITC): Reach out for support in building and troubleshooting in Elearning, incorporating publisher content into your Elearning course, or using various learning technologies to enhance instruction.
  • Accessibility Support: Reach out to request video captioning and transcriptions as well as guidance on the creation of accessible materials and resources for learners.

 

Step 6: Regular and Substantive Interactions

This document helps instructors to think through ways they might initiate and facilitate learner engagement with course content while creating opportunities for feedback and interventions that encourage and support learner development.

Development of an intentional plan for 1:1 interaction with learners throughout the semester.

Supports instructors in considering and making explicit how they will encourage and support learner development relative to course content and performance.

Step 7: Syllabus Accessibility and Design

This document offers instructors a self-review checklist for syllabus design that can help them to ensure the inclusion of university syllabus requirements and the consideration of basic accessibility and Universal Design for Learning principles.

Identification of university required and recommended elements for the course syllabus as well as accessibility and Universal Design for Learning practices and principles.

Supports instructors in ensuring all learners have access to the information they need in a format that supports their learning needs.

Step 8: Activity Development and Descriptions

This document offers best practice information for describing items and activities in Elearning, helping instructors to plan for the development of various components of their course.

Creation of a learner-centered structure for course activities.

Supports instructors in drafting activities for learners that highlight activity purpose, expectations, and instruction for submission or completion; the description structures are also intended to support ease of transcription into the IDD Elearning Course Template.

Guiding Documents

Step 6: Regular and Substantive Interactions
This document is designed to support instructors in thinking through ways they might intentionally incorporate regular and substantive interaction (RSI) with learners throughout the semester.

Step 7: Syllabus Accessibility and Design
This document contains information and a checklist to support instructors in the development of a syllabus that follows best practices for accessibility and inclusion and is considerate of required and recommended information.

Step 8: Activity Development and Descriptions
This checklist will help instructors to consider helpful information for including in descriptions for modules and various Elearning content items.

How to Use These Documents

These documents can be completed in order or according to individual interest or instructional need. Depending on where an instructor finds themselves in the course design process, whether the course is new to the program or new to the instructor, whether the modality has changed or an instructor is looking to update their course, the documents are intended to make the process of design or redesign more manageable. If more information or support is needed, instructors are encouraged to contact the Instructional Design and Development team.