Phase 2: Design
The second phase of Functional Course Design, which includes steps three through five of the framework, is focused on supporting instructors in deconstructing the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and/or practices that are needed to successfully complete key course assessments and meet course-level outcomes. This phase is also focused on helping instructors to determine what information and activities need to be included in the course and in what order to best scaffold learning and allow for developmental feedback and support to be offered before key assessments are completed. Another essential component of the design phase is the determination of how learner participation and development will be assessed and graded.
Important Definitions
Module-Level Objectives (MLOs) - Module-level objectives clarify the specific knowledge, skills, behaviors, or attitudes that learners need to demonstrate their preparedness for successfully completing key assessments. These MLOs guide the information and activities that will need to be included in the course to effectively introduce, reinforce, and support the development of necessary competencies within daily, weekly, or unit-based Elearning modules.
Formative Assessments - Formative assessments explicitly align with module-level objectives and can be used to gauge learner progress toward key assessments and course outcomes, support instructors in identifying potential gaps in understanding in order to adjust instruction at a whole class or individual level and offer instructors an opportunity to offer developmental feedback and support.
Phase Objectives
- Identify knowledge and skills needed to complete summative assessments.
- Determine daily, weekly, or monthly objectives and formative assessments.
- Outline materials and/or activities that support formative development.
- Develop a course plan and map.
- Establish grade scale, grade components, and calculation method.
Step 3: Module Objectives and Activities
What is it?
Deconstruction of key assessments into aligned module-level objectives and activities.
Why is it important?
Supports instructors in distinguishing the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary to achieve key assessments while considering the sequence of course content and activities that will best scaffold learning.
Building upon the previous two steps of the process, this document helps instructors to consider the ways in which knowledge, skills, and behaviors will be introduced, reinforced, and assessed. This document can be used to draft ideas for content and activities before mapping out specific weekly/unit plans in the Course Design Storyboard.
Step 4: Course Design Storyboard
What is it?
Creation of a course outline that illustrates alignment between course components: course outcomes, key assessments, module objectives, learning materials, activities, and interactions.
Why is it important?
Supports instructors in writing a plan for the course and modules that can be used to clarify content and material needs; the storyboard is also structured to support ease of transcription into the IDD Elearning Course Template.
This culminating development document helps instructors identify content, activities, and assessments that will need to be curated or created to support learning. Upon completion, the storyboard also serves as an outline for transfer into Elearning and can be used to create a course map for sharing with learners, making transparent how each part of the learning journey connects to the overarching course goals, no matter the modality.
Step 5: Assessment, Grading, and Course Workload
What is it?
Reflection on grading practices and development of a plan around graded activities.
Why is it important?
Supports instructors in considering ways grades and grading might be used to convey instructional values, encourage effort on assessment, and engage learners in development focused interactions.
This document serves as a reference and self-check for thinking through grading, helping instructors to consider the value of an assessment to the overall grade of a course and how the course gradebook, scale, and approach to calculation might be used to support and motivate learner effort and development.
Guiding Documents
Step 3: Module Objectives and Activities
This tool supports instructors in breaking down the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to successfully complete key assessments; brainstorming activities; and thinking through the order and number of activities needed in a given week.
Step 4: Course Design Storyboard
This tool creates a week-by-week storyboard breakdown that can help instructors visualize the structure of a course and make building in Elearning more efficient.
Step 5: Assessment, Grading, and Course Workload
This document is intended to support instructors in developing a plan for grading that aligns assessment purpose and value, instructor and learner needs, and department or program requirements while being sensitive to instructor and learner workload.
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.