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Course Design and Development Guide
(includes information on instructional design)
Developing a course for online delivery involves more than simply applying an interactive technology to traditional course offerings. Instead, an online course should capture what teachers do in the traditional classroom and present it in a way that can be understood by online students. Instructors must have an understanding of how students learn, and also how the content should be reorganized so students can effectively meet the course objectives. The online environment relies heavily on interaction – perhaps the most important element in a web-based course. To explain and clarify difficult concepts in a distance delivery course, the instructor must utilize different approaches.
Online teaching may require research, re-training, and professional development on the part of the instructors, but remember: effective teaching practices are fundamentally the same regardless of the delivery method. While the traditional oral lecture may be taken from written notes in an abbreviated form, the online version of the same material must be written clearly and succinctly to achieve maximum benefit for the student (and instructor).
Many NETnet member institutions use WebCT or Blackboard to deliver web-based instruction, while others offer their online courses using FrontPage, Dreamweaver, or a similar platform. If your school offers training sessions for these, be sure to take advantage of them. Links to tutorials and more information on these platforms can be found in NETnet's Resources Module.
This Unit is designed for those who are just beginning to integrate welcome pages or small web sites into their existing courses. It contains basic guidelines for Web Page Design and layout, including the use of graphics and animation, as well as tips for creating an online syllabus. Be sure to visit the other Available Topics (in the left hand menu) to get more information on web course development.
Check
out the links for Web Page
Development, too!
When designing your course web page:
Analyze and understand the strengths and weaknesses of your delivery systems in terms of how they deliver the instruction and in terms of student’s needs and course requirements
Use technology because it enhances the delivery; not because it’s there
Select technology based on technological constraints; make sure the students have access to the required delivery technology (make sure they have the software they'll need - RealPlayer, PowerPoint, etc.)
Design the course to take into account the slowest network connection available to your students
Suggest other possible locations where students might be able to connect at faster speeds or as a back up in case they have computer problems at home – at local libraries or other schools
On your syllabus, remind students that technical difficulties are no excuse for failure to complete assignments on schedule, and they should plan their work schedule to allow sufficient time to complete all course requirements
Continue with Web Page Design
The Northeast Texas Network Consortium
Coordinating Office / 11937 Hwy 155 at Hwy 271 / Tyler, TX 75708
phone (903) 877-7510 / fax (903) 877-7430
