Teaching and Learning

Preparation for Development

Getting Ready to Build

Once the ideation and design phases of the Course Development Process have been completed, course development can begin in earnest. This next phase begins with the drafting of the course syllabus and schedule.

Drafting the Course Syllabus and Schedule

Using the Course Design Storyboard and Assessment, Grading, and Course Workload, the following documents are intended to support instructors in thinking through best practices around the creation of the course syllabus and schedule. 

Additional support for drafting accessible and inclusive versions of these documents can be found in Phase 3: Development.

 

Developing and Sharing Course Materials

Once the syllabus and schedule are drafted, it is time to curate or create course materials and activities. It is also time to decide when, where, and how learners will interact with these materials and activities. Regardless of modality, the following documents and resources can offer insight into the creation and curation of accessible course materials, communication, and interactions as well as the development of a welcoming and inclusive learning environment.

 

Course Syllabus & Schedule Considerations

The course syllabus and schedule offer students their first impression of the course, presenting course logistics, conveying instructional values and goals, and communicating expectations to learners. These documents also contain key information for the development of the course, including the course grade scale/scheme, the grade calculation plan, and key assessment titles, descriptions, and due dates.

Although there are many tools available to support instructors in the development of accessible and learner-centered syllabi, the optional templates below can offer a solid place to begin. See also Syllabus Accessibility and Design.

When developing the syllabus and schedule, the following recommendations can also help to support a positive experience for learners and instructors.

Welcome learners to the course, acknowledging the value their experiences bring and encouraging their connection to the work, the instructor, and their peers.

Include course-specific and university resources to proactively address academic, technological, and personal wellness needs.

Highlight the purpose and goals of the course for learners, note opportunities for learner autonomy and choice, and explicitly encourage interaction with instructor and peers.

Consider the semester calendar and obligations that might impact instructor or learner capacity; build in flexibility where possible.

Explain the design of the course, how it can best be navigated, and consider presenting some basic “tips” for success to support learner self-directedness.

Ensure consistency of titles, naming conventions, dates, and grading policies.

Share with learners what is expected and what they can expect relative to instructional approach, feedback, and support for development.

Create a separate, print-friendly schedule to allow for easy reference and updating.

Incorporating Universal Design Principles

Accessible and impactful learning experiences don’t just happen, they are intentionally designed to proactively address the needs of all learners. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is an instructional framework that can provide more equitable learning experiences by reducing physical, cognitive, intellectual, and organizational barriers.

To incorporate UDL principles in the design and development of the course, instructors should consider ways to:

  • Include pre-reflection activities to gauge prior knowledge, prime interest in a topic, and identify potential misconceptions.
  • Engage learners in goal setting, finding connections between course outcomes and their own interests and aspirations.
  • Scaffold materials and activities to meet learners where they are, anticipating various levels of experience, need, and interest.
  • Allow flexibility with timelines and pacing when possible.
  • Present course content in multiple different ways, such as through text, audio, and video.
  • Offer a variety of content and options for interaction, allowing learners to be guided, when possible, by interest, need, or experience level.
  • Make course materials accessible across devices and assistive technologies.
  • Provide rubrics and exemplars to clarify expectations and provide equitable evaluation regardless of format.
  • Build content and activities with awareness of physical and mental differences, planning for potential challenges.
  • Develop assessments that allow choice in how learners demonstrate knowledge.
  • Teach, model, offer resources and/or explicitly explain language, tone, and formatting expectations for assessments.
  • Solicit learner feedback and create opportunities for learner self-reflection.

Incorporating Universal Design principles is an iterative process, not something that needs to be done all at once. The key is to regularly evaluate and enhance course practices around accessibility to meet the needs of learners.

 

Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) Defined

Instructor to learner interaction is an essential element of the functional course design. For online/distance education courses, “regular and substantive” interactions, as defined below, are also a federally regulated requirement of the U.S. Department of Education.

  • Regular interaction is predictable, built into the course design, and responsive to learner needs for feedback and support.
  • Substantive interaction is intentional, instructor-initiated, and directly related to course content and/or learner performance in the course.

Together, the goal of these interactions is the integration of regular touchpoints, interactive dialogue, and opportunities for questions, clarification, feedback, and support relative to course content and learner performance.

Throughout the development of a course, regardless of modality, instructors can incorporate interactions that benefit learners by:

  • Integrating regular opportunities for learners to respond to open-ended questions, ask for clarification, reflect, and offer ideas during direct instruction.
  • Scheduling announcements, reminders, and/or using Elearning tools to encourage learner progress and success.
  • Responding to questions about course content or learner performance.
  • Providing regular and individualized feedback on learner coursework.
  • Facilitating group discussions focused on the advancement of content understanding or learner performance.
  • Monitoring student progress, providing instructional support, and/or connecting learners with institutional support as needed.
  • Holding regular conferences with learners to discuss course goals, content, and/or performance.

When designing and developing a course, it can also be helpful to create a definitive plan for RSI, highlighting course materials and activities that will support intentional and impactful connections between learners and instructors. To that end, it can be helpful to clarify in the syllabus, and throughout the course, how the instructor will approach interactions with learners, e.g. outlining expectations, encouraging two-way communication, and explaining how and when feedback will be shared.

Benefits of Using Elearning in All Modalities

Whether instruction is taking place in-person, synchronously or asynchronously online, or in a hybrid format, the use of Elearning (WMU’s Learning Management System) can provide significant organizational and instructional benefits. If intentionally designed, Elearning can enhance teaching and learning by:

  • Centralizing all course components into one shared, easily accessible, and navigable online space for learners and instructors.
  • Providing learners 24/7 access to the information they need to complete course requirements.
  • Offering analytic tools and intelligent agents that can support instructors in monitoring student progress.
  • Supporting instructor-learner interaction through features like the news tool and instructor bio widget, as well as audio/video options for feedback.
  • Making grading and learner-to-learner collaboration more efficient for group assignments through communication features for group discussion and assignment collection.
  • Including multiple tools for supporting instructors in the ongoing design and delivery of accessible content, specifically Ally.
  • Offering access to alternative downloads of resources to better meet learner needs

The following documents can be helpful in preparing to build out the online components of any course in Elearning:

  • Step 4: Course Design Storyboard
  • Course Syllabus and Schedule Considerations
  • Step 7: Syllabus Accessibility and Design
  • Step 8: Activity Development and Descriptions

The Instructional Technology Center (ITC) has a number of step-by-step guides for supporting instructors in building in and using Elearning. They also offer in-person and virtual support and can assist instructors with a variety of educational technology tools and publisher content, including support for building in Elearning.

Other resources, information, and support for developing in Elearning (known as D2L/Brightspace outside of the university) can be found through the D2L/Brightspace Community and Brightspace Tutorials.

The IDD Elearning Course Template

The IDD Elearning Course Template is a framework that can be copied into any Elearning course shell, providing a pre-built structure for more efficient course creation and development. This template supports instructors by incorporating functional course design components including clear navigation, opportunities for interaction, alignment, and accessibility. This structure also helps create consistency for learners.

Instructors are encouraged to use the IDD Elearning Course Template, in full or in part, to develop template courses of their own in which no students are enrolled. Creating a template course allows instructors to work outside of their live courses to design, iterate, and make improvements for future courses at any time. Once developed, the individual components of the template course or an entire course can be transferred into live course shells for use with students.

  • A Bio Widget that introduces the instructor and promotes community
  • A “Welcome” News Item to support learner navigation
  • A “Start Here” module with accessible syllabus and schedule templates
  • Accessible Module Description that can be modified for each week/module
  • Links to WMU resources for learner and instructor support
  • Discussion, assignment dropbox, and quiz tool templates
  • Example rubrics to aid in assessment grading and formative feedback
  • Surveys for collecting learner feedback on course design

To request an IDD Elearning Course Template or for support building your course in Elearning, contact the Instructional Technology Center.

For support in thinking through design and delivery of content within Elearning and using the IDD Elearning Course Template as a starting point for your own template course, contact the Instructional Design and Development Team.