PBL: Online Course Design
PBL: Online Course Design
Begin with the End in Mind
Summarize the theme for this project. Why do this project?
What is a quality online course?
This project is designed for students in the Field of Education or existing faculty members. Students will design and create their own online course, and in the process will discover the elements required for a quality online course.
Identify the content standards that students will learn in this project (two to three per subject).
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance studentlearning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments. Teachers:
a. promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
c. promote student reflection using collaborative tools to reveal and clarify students’ conceptual understanding and thinking, planning,and creative processes
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
Teachers design, develop, and evaluate authentic learning experiences and assessments incorporating contemporary tools and resources tomaximize content learning in context and to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes identified in the NETS•S. Teachers:
a. design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and resources to promote student learning and creativity
b. develop technology-enriched learning environments that enable all students to pursue their individual curiosities and becomeactive participants in setting their own educational goals, managing their own learning, and assessing their own progress
c. customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning styles, working strategies, and abilities usingdigital tools and resources
d. provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments aligned with content and technologystandards and use resulting data to inform learning and teaching
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
Teachers exhibit knowledge, skills, and work processes representative of an innovative professional in a global and digital society. Teachers:
a. demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations
b. collaborate with students, peers, parents, and community members using digital tools and resources to support student successand innovation
c. communicate relevant information and ideas effectively to students, parents, and peers using a variety of digital-age media and formats
d. model and facilitate effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, evaluate, and use information resources to support research and learning
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit legal and ethicalbehavior in their professional practices. Teachers:
a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including respect for copyright,intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable access to appropriate digital toolsand resources
c. promote and model digital etiquette and responsible social interactions related to the use of technology and information
d. develop and model cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with colleagues and students of other cultures usingdigital-age communication and collaboration tools
Adapted from the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•T)and Performance Indicators for Teachers
Identify key skills students will learn in this project.
List only those skills you plan to assess (two to four per person).
- Collaboration
- Self & Peer-Assessment
- Evaluation
- Instructional Design
Identify the habits of mind that students will practice in this project (one to two per project).
- Self-Management
- Persistence
Craft the Driving Question
State the essential question or problem statement for the project. The statement should encompass all project content and outcomes, and provide a central focus for student inquiry.
Driving Question:
What is a quality online course?
Sub-Questions:
1. What is quality?
2. What values and elements are needed in an online course?
3. What do the experts say?
4. What organization and design elements should be implemented in online courses?
5. What considerations should be made concerning content and materials for online courses?
6. What type of assessments work best in an online format?
7. What usability issues should be considered when designing an online course?
8. What are some of the legal issues that come into play?
9. Why is interactivity important in online learning?
10. What technology issues should be considered?
Plan the Assessment I
Step 1: Define the products for the project. What will you assess?
Early in the Project:
Reflection or Self-Evaluation Journal
Assess Student’s:
Goals and plans
Resources
Progression and learning
Strategies and problem-solving skills
Gliffy:
During the Project:
Peer Evaluation
Students will modify and add to the overall online course checklist to make it meet the needs of their own course (course and discipline). They will do so by working with peers. Their peers will use the complete rubric to evaluate the progress of the course, and provide feedback, constructive criticism, suggestions, and encouragement.
Assess Student’s:
Collaboration skills
Progress
Skills used
Technologies used
End of the Project:
Overall Evaluation
The student, instructor, and peers will test and evaluate the course against the overall checklist and modified rubric. The course creator will then discuss the process, the final product, and overall course design with the instructor and his/her peers.
Assess Student’s:
Overall product; the course
Technologies used
Skills used
Course design
Quality of the course
Plan the Assessment II
Step 2: State the criteria for exemplary performance for each product:
Product: Self-Evaluation Journal
Criteria: Students will keep an ongoing journal using Microsoft Office OneNote or Google Docs. In one section of their journal they will record notes, resources, ideas, questions, images, screenshots, etc., and in the other they will document their own progress.
Students will add their own reflections and answer the following questions:
- What have I learned?
- What are my goals?
- What do I still need to learn in order to achieve my goals?
Product: Peer-Evaluation-Modified Rubric and Progress Evaluation
Criteria: Students will work with peers to create their own project rubric based on (and modified to their course design) an existing online course checklist. This activity will increase collaboration skills, provide rubric creation practice, and assist the student in keeping the course in alignment with the course objectives and outcomes.
Overall Course Checklist/Rubric:
Using the checklist above, students will add their own specific course components and requirements to a rubric. They will work with peers to evaluate each section of the course as it is developed. Peers will provide feedback, encouragement, and constructive criticism when needed.
The instructor will also monitor progress, and provide feedback.
Product: Overall Evaluation-Instructor, Peer, and Self-Evaluation/Debriefing
Criteria:The student, instructor, and peers will use the overall course checklist in addition to the modified checklist (rubric) to evaluate the finished product (online course). They will test the course to make sure all the components are present, and that it is in fact a quality online course.
Feedback will be provided by all parties, and the student will discuss the process, the results, and what was learned.
Formative Assessments:
Reflective Journal Sample
One Note: Create a notebook with notes, sections, and sub-sections to keep track of your online course development.
Googledocs: Create an online journal to easily share with others.
Rubistar:
Organization and Design ElementsI.A.1. The course is broken into meaningful learning modules. In a typical semester-length course, modules may represent single class sessions, a week of classes, or units of two to three (or more) weeks duration.
I.A.2. Each learning module begins with a specification of observable learning objectives for that module.
I.A.3. The learning objectives for each module should be consistent with curriculum requirements for this course, as determined by the college Educational Policy Committee (EPC), and/or the program or department, as appropriate.
I.A.4 Each learning module includes a brief orienting statement or paragraph. This statement should explain to students how the readings, activities, and assessments are intended to help achieve the learning objectives.
I.A.5 Each module includes transitional material connecting it to the prior modules.
Total number of checks for Design:
Rubric ID:1765138
Summative Assessment:
Online Course Checklist/Rubric
Use this checklist to evaluate your online course.
Content ElementsI.B.1. Any content or learning activities are closely aligned to the learning objectives.
I.B.2. The content and activities foster student engagement with the material.
I.B.3 The content and activities are appropriately targeted to the level of the learners.
I.B.4. The content and activities convey high expectations to the students.
I.B.5. The content and activities help develop student critical thinking abilities.
I.B.6 The amount of time students are expected to spend on the content and activities is reasonable given the level of the class and student preparation.
I.B.7 In a blended class, at least 50% of the student’s time devoted to this class will be spent in online activities. In a fully online class, 100% of the student’s time devoted to this class will be spent online.
I.B.8 The content and activities foster the global education mission of FDU.
Total number of checks for Content:
Assessments
I.C.1 Any assessments (exams, quizzes, papers, lab reports, or other graded work) are closely aligned to the learning objectives, and to the module content and activities.
I.C.2 The grading scheme to be used for any assessment should be transparent to the students. For example, rubrics should be provided for any essays or other open-ended activities.
I.C.3 Assessments are designed to provide effective feedback to the students.
I.C.4 The types of assessments selected are appropriate for the distance learning environment (for example, a fully-online course).
I.C.5 The method required for submitting each assignment is clearly articulated. A secondary method is provided in case the primary submission method fails.
I.C.6 A sufficient number of assessments are included to obtain a fair and valid measure of students’ achievement. However, instructors should also make sure that students are not over-burdened with too many assessments.
I.C.7 Students are encouraged to reflect on their learning in the course.
Total number of checks for Assessment:
Interactivity Elements
I.D.1 Students are requested to introduce themselves to the class.
I.D.2 Learning activities foster student-student and faculty-student interactivity.
I.D.3 Course materials should be designed to encourage and support interactivity.
I.D.4 Course activities should be designed to encourage students to explore external resources, especially for upper-level courses.
I.D.5 Any interactive activities, such as discussions, group projects, and the like are guided by the module’s learning objectives.
I.D.6 For each interactive assignment, requirements for the quantity and substance of interactions are clearly articulated (required if discussion board is used).
I.D.7 A rubric is provided if online discussions are part of the students’ grades (required if discussion board is used).
Total number of checks for Interactivity:
Legal Standards
II.A.1 All non-original materials used in the course have been cited using a citation format appropriate to the course discipline (e.g. APA, MLA). Copyright clearance has been obtained where necessary.
II.A.2 Web pages hosted outside of FDU’s course management system (Webcampus) must load into a new window (necessary for copyright compliance).
II.A.3 Course materials are aligned with ADA technical standards for accessibility.
II.A.4 Web pages have links that are self-describing and meaningful (assists the screen readers).
Total number of checks for Legal:
Usability Standards
II.B.1 Course materials are designed with ease of maintenance in mind (e.g., page numbers, due dates and the like are in a centralized location rather than scattered throughout the course content).
II.B.2 Written material is concise and easily scannable, if intended to be read online. Page design minimizes the need for scrolling. Longer content-heavy pieces are also included in a printer-friendly format.
II.B.3 The course includes navigation cues, such as graphic signposts or other indicators for students to use when finding their way through the course.
II.B.4 For each link that opens up in a new window or tab (depending on the browser), the text informs students prior to opening the link.
II.B.5 All technological elements (e.g. media, web links, and the like) are in place and function properly at the time of evaluation.
II.B.6 A conversational form of writing is used whenever appropriate.
Total number of checks for Usability:
Multimedia Standards
II.C.1 All course content will run on computers with the current minimal technology standards, and has been designed with student technology limitations in mind. For example, many of our students still rely on dial-up connections to access the Internet.
II.C.2 Students are given information and links to download any software, players, or plug-ins required to operate any technological elements included in the class.
II.C.3 Students are provided with information on receiving training and support in the use of any special technologies (i.e., other than the Webcampus shell) required for the class.
Total number of checks for Multimedia:
Required Structural Elements
III.1 An introductory greeting in the Announcements content area welcomes students to the class.
III.2 The “Course Information” area includes Syllabus, Contact information and statements concerning Course Policies.
III.3 The syllabus includes the basic course information, curricular information, course information, course resources, and other information as required by your academic department, school, or college.
III.4 The policy statement includes relevant information pertaining to the course.
III.5 The course includes a Faculty Information section.
III.6 The course includes a Student Resources section.
Total number of Required Elements present:
Adapted from the FDU Guide to Quality Assurance for Blended and Online Classes
Map the Project I
What do students need to know and be able to do to complete the tasks successfully? How and when will they learn the necessary knowledge and skills? Look at one major product for the project and analyze the tasks necessary to produce a high-quality product.
Product:
Knowledge and Skills Needed / Already Have Learned / Taught Before The Project / Taught During The ProjectInstructional Design Principles / x
Backwards Design; Wiggins & McTighe / x / x
Quality Course Design Principles / x
Technologies used in online and blended classes / x / x
What project tools will you use?
□ Journal
□ Task lists
Map the Project II
List the key dates and important milestones for this project.
Backwards Design
Quality Online Course Design Principles
Online Course Comparison
Technologies used in Online Course Design
Technology Exploration
Entry Event
Online Courses:
This semester you will be designing your own online course. Before diving into online course design and development, let’s take a look at several online courses. While exploring, think about what works within each course and what does not.
AIB Sample Online Class:
Username: aib\bbguest, aib\bbguest1, or aib\bbguest2 (choose one)
Password: blackboard
Connectivism & Connective Knowledge: (an open online course held in Ning; be sure to check out the other class resources including the class wiki, blog, Moodle, and recordings)
North Seattle Community College:
Liberty University Sample Course:
Thoughts to Ponder:
What platform is the course being delivered in? Do you think it’s effective?
What materials are provided for the student?
Have you taken an online class? Is this what you’d expect an online course to look like?
PBL Introduction Letter
What is a Quality Online Course?
Dear (Dean, Chair, Supervisor),
This semester we have an exciting new Project-Based course in Online
Course Design. Project-Based Learning encourages deep learning by allowing students to inquire, explore, research, create, and present while using the latest technology. We are inviting all future educators and present faculty members to join us in this exciting and creative journey.
What is a quality online course? The entire semester will be devoted to learning and quality online course design. Students will evaluate online courses, will determine what quality is in online learning, will have a firm grasp of backwards design, will explore technologies that work best in online learning, and will create their own quality online course.