Eclps Instruction Design Document

eCLPS Instruction Design Document

Needs Assessment

U.Va. provides UVaCollab ( an online collaboration and learning environment (CLE),to enhance face-to-face instruction. To create a course site in UVaCollab an instructor needs to know how

• To create a basic site,
• To upload content to the resources folder,
• To use the forums tool,
• To use the assignmentstool,
• Andto use the assessments tool (if utilizing online tests/quizzes).

The standard navigation provides students with access to the features implemented by the faculty. Instructors indicate that students get confused and complete the wrong assignments when using the standard navigation unless provided with detailed instructions. Feedback indicates that faculty members would prefer to have more control around the layout and presentation – the flexibility to design a layout around the course schedule, activities, workbooks, or whatever focal point is appropriate to their courses.

U.Va.’s Information Technology group implemented the Electronic Course Layout and Presentation System (eCLPS) framework to allow faculty to integrate their syllabus, assignments, discussions, etc. interactively in a layout best suited for their course to improve the student experience. A survey of courses indicated that most used a tabular layout for the schedule content.So the initial phase of eCLPS involved creating a predefined tabular template for laying out the schedule with its associated assignments, resources, etcetera.

In order to leverage the eCLPS framework, instructors need to enhance their UVaCollab technical skills so that they do not need to rely on predefined templates. They must have a good working knowledge of the page editor’s layout and presentation options. Instructional videos around the eCLPS framework as well as lesson featureand/or page editor in the UVaCollab will provide faculty with the flexibility to design appropriate course sites. Video content will be designed for just-in-time use when instructors are working on their course sites. Additional print materials will be created to provide an alternative to the video content and as supplemental materials for use in workshops if desired.

Goal Statement

Instructors using UVaCollab design interactive course sites using the eCLPS framework.

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Instructional Analysis

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Learner Analysis

Yitna Firdyiwek provided UVaCollab/Sakai faculty survey information from 2009, 2010, and 2013, which was used to compile the learner analysis. Additional demographics information was pulled from the U.Va. Vice Provost’s Web site.

Higher education faculty will have masters and doctorate degrees. In a 2006 Vice Provost report the majority of faculty rangedin age from 40 to 59 years old. In 2012-13 there were 2,704 full-time instructional and research faculty. In 2005 25% of the faculty were women. Faculty hires in 2006 indicate that 33% hired were female. UVaCollab faculty surveys consistently identify most instructors as being from the College of Arts & Sciences, School of Education, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Continuing and Professional Studies, or the School of Nursing.

U.Va. faculty members must have prior experience with the CLE and be able to create a course site and syllabus, as well as resources, forums, and assignments. Some of them will have prior experience with creating assessments, and those who do not can simply ignore the instructional content on assessment integration. In addition, instructors should have some understanding of linking Web content.In 2009 and 2010 surveys, the majority of instructors identify themselves as having intermediate technology skills.In 2010 the majority of those surveyed indicate that they use a moderate level of technology in their courses.The 2013 survey shows high faculty use of the syllabus feature (79%), as well as using the CLE for distributing their course materials (77%). About 56% of them surveyed distribute assignments using the CLE. About 35% of the instructors identified themselves as having linked external content in their courses.

Faculty members using the CLE seem to be interested in learning how to use it.Based on instructors’ educational backgrounds, they have experience in a wide variety of learning styles: courses, conferences, reading, et cetera. They take advantage of the CLE support.

In 2013, the majority of those surveyed have been using the CLE for 3 or more years.The 2013 survey results indicate respondents prefer brief instructional videos, just-in-time help (email or phone), and printed handouts. Hands-on workshops are the least preferred method of learning.

Instructors seem motivated about improving their course sites. Yitna mentioned that instructors see the value in UVaCollab, but they are frustrated with it because they want more control over some of the course features. In the 2009 survey, faculty indicated that they would like to see more design flexibility with34% of them recommending user interface improvements as most important. In the 2013 survey4% of respondents want more information on providing access to content/activities from a central page and 10% of them want to know more about creating web pages.

Context Analysis

Yitna Firdyiwek provided UVaCollab/Sakai faculty survey information from 2009, 2010, and 2013, which was used to gather some information for this section.

Performance Context

The University of Virginia encourages the use of UVaCollab, since it is the centrally supported online CLE. Some departments require their faculty to use the online CLE. UVaCollab faculty surveyed in 2009 had experience with one or two course sites in UVaCollab, which they access 3 to 5 days per week. In 2010, the majority of UVaCollab instructors had experience with 3 or more courses. Support is offered through several means: phone, email, workshops as well as just-in-time materials on the CLE site.

Instructors using UVaCollab will create and modify their course sites from any computer with an Internet connection and Web browser. They could use their computers, a department computer, or a classroom computer. They need to authenticate using an appropriate computing ID and password or have a digital certificate installed on the computer.UVaCollab requirements support Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari Web browsers. Browser issues are documented in the Known Issues Affecting UVaCollab section of the CLE’smain page where users log in.

Some faculty members team teach or have teaching assistants who may be given access to the course site. Access levels available for a course site are instructor, secondary instructor, teaching assistant, and student. The primary instructor must create the site before any additional participants can be added. Secondary instructors have the same access except that they cannot delete the site nor export grades. Teaching assistants only have access to their appropriate sections. So instructors and teaching assistants may collaborate together to implement the eCLPS framework.

Most of the features in UVaCollab have a common text editor interface, which may look similar to other editors that instructors have used. The skills that faculty learn during this instruction will help them when they use othertools in the CLE or other applications in general.

Learning Context

The UVaCollab siteprovides just-in-time learning resources. Some of the video and PDF resources are available on the portal Welcome page. When using a template to create a course site, other media resources are available after course site creation from the Template Help navigation selection. These instructional materials will be designed for just-in-time use like the others already created. Short videos will provide audio/visual instruction. PDF documents will support learners who prefer something that can be printed out as well as for self-assessment checklists.

By including the learning resources within the UVaCollab site, an instructor is able to learn in his/her preferred environment. S/he uses a familiar computer and Web browser. Since the CLE supports specific Web browsers and some may have compatibility issues with certain features, it is possible an instructor may have to use a different browser than preferred depending on the features they plan to use.

At certain times of the year UVaCollab workshops may be offered to faculty. The workshop location will vary depending on the availability of a suitable technology-enabled facility. A technology-enhanced facility at U.Va. will at minimum have a laptop computer hookup and projector for presenting information. Some facilities will include a computer as well as DVD and VCR players. There are a few classrooms that offer student computers. A review of prior faculty workshops suggests a facility without student computers is typically used. Most instructors would bring their own laptop computer to a workshop and use it. This provides a partial performance context since they would be using their own equipment.

Information regarding technology-enabled facilities was gathered from the U.Va. ITS as well as Library websites.

Objectives

Terminal Objective:

After having created a basic course site along with its associated resources, forums, assignments, and assessments, usethe UVaCollab editing features to link the resources, forums, assignments and assessments within a syllabus schedule or a lesson and adjusts the site navigation to place the access to interactive content toward the top.When finished, your course site will contain an interactive syllabus schedule or lesson feature and thesite navigation will have the interactive option prominently displayed near the top.

Steps, Sub-steps, and Subordinate Skills:

1. After logging into UVaCollab using your Web browser, choose a course site previously created to which you want to add interactivity.The name of the chosen course should be highlighted compared to other UVaCollab sites available to you.

2. After viewing the course syllabus schedule and activities, identify whether the presentation layout of the course will be based on the schedule or on the activities.Indicate either “schedule” or “activities.”

2.1 With your course site selected, choose the Syllabus option and examine its schedule and activities. The syllabus schedule or activities is displayed in UVaCollab’s main content area.

3 After viewing the course site syllabus schedule and activities, choose whether the course interaction will focus around the syllabus schedule or the activities.Indicate either “schedule” or “activities.”

4. After choosing to use the syllabus schedule for the course site presentation, edit the syllabus and add links to the course resources, forums, assignments, and assessments. When finished the syllabus schedule will contain hyperlinks to the resources, forums, assignments, and assessments in the course site.

4.1After selecting the Syllabus option in the course site and scrolling to the schedule section, identify the course resources mentioned in the schedule and select the first one. A course resource documented in the syllabus schedule will be highlighted.

4.2After identifying resources are listed in the syllabus scheduleand selecting the Syllabus edit option for the course, highlight the text of a resource and select the text editor’s Link feature and then choose Browse Server to find and select that course resource. Repeat for each resource listed in the syllabus. When finished, any text that references a course resource will be a hyperlink to the actual resource.

4.3 After selecting the Syllabus option in the course site and scrolling to the schedule section, identify the course forums mentioned in the schedule and select the first one. A course forumdocumented in the syllabus schedule will be highlighted.

4.4 After identifying forums are listed in the syllabus schedule and selecting the Syllabus edit option for the course, highlight the text of a forum and select the text editor’s Link feature and then choose Browse Server to find and select that course forum. Repeat for each forum listed in the syllabus. When finished, any text that references a course forum will be a hyperlink to the actual forum.

4.5 After selecting the Syllabus option in the course site and scrolling to the schedule section, identify the assignments mentioned in the schedule and select the first one. A course assignmentdocumented in the syllabus schedule will be highlighted.

4.6 After identifying assignments are listed in the syllabus schedule and selecting the Syllabus edit option for the course, highlight the text of an assignment and select the text editor’s Link feature and then choose Browse Server to find and select that assignment. Repeat for each assignment listed in the syllabus. When finished, any text that references a course forum will be a hyperlink to the actual forum.

4.7 After selecting the Syllabus option in the course site and scrolling to the schedule section, identify the tests and quizzes mentioned in the schedule and select the first one. A course test or quiz documented in the syllabus schedule will be highlighted.

4.8 After identifying tests or quizzes are listed in the syllabus schedule and selecting the Syllabus edit option for the course, highlight the text of a test or quiz and select the text editor’s Link feature and then choose Browse Server to find and select that test or quiz. Repeat for each test or quiz listed in the syllabus. When finished, any text that references a course test or quiz will be a hyperlink to the actual item.

4.9 After choosing to edit the syllabus schedule and using the Link feature to add interaction for resources, forums, assignments, and assessments, save the changes to the syllabus. When finished, selecting the Syllabus preview option will display the added links on the page.

5. After choosing not to use the syllabus schedule for the course site presentation, use the Lesson tool to create content and add links to the course resources, forums, assignments, and assessments. When finished, the course site will have an additional navigation feature, which contains the course activities with hyperlinks to the resources, forums, assignments, and assessments.

5.1 With the Site Info selected in the course, choose the Edit Tools option and add the Lessons tool to the course site. When finished, you will have an additional navigation option forthe Lessons content.

5.1.1With the course site selected, choose the Site Info option. The site information content will display in the main area with options across the top: Edit Site Information, Edit Tools, Page Order, Add Participants, et cetera.

5.1.2 After having selected the Site Info feature for the course, choose the Edit Tools option. A list of course site tools will be displayed with those tools already in use checked off.

5.1.3 After having selected Site Info feature and the Edit Tools option, check the box next to Lessons and choose to continue. When finished, you will be on the Configure Tool page with the option to change the name of the tool.

5.1.4 After selecting the Edit Tools option, checking the Lessons box and continuing in the course site, modify the Title field to label your central course content something other than “Lessons” if you prefer. When finished,you will see an additional navigation feature for the course site that is labeled using the wording you provided.

5.2 With the Lessons tool added and selected from the course site navigation, choose the Add Text option to create your content. At this point you will be in the text edit mode.

5.3 With the Lessons tool selected and the Add Text option chosen and your content entered, identify if any course site resources are referenced in the text. When done, the first instance of a course resource is highlighted within the Lessons tool text editor.

5.4After identifying there are resources referenced in the lesson text, highlight the text of a resource and select the text editor’s Link feature and then choose Browse Server to find and select that course resource. Repeat for each resource referenced in the lesson text. When finished, any text that references a course resource will be a hyperlink to the actual resource.

5.5 With the Lessons tool selected and the Add Text option chosen and your content entered, identify if any course site forums are referenced in the text. When done, the first instance of a course forum is highlighted within the Lessons tool text editor.

5.6 After identifying there are forums referenced in the lesson text, highlight the text of a forum and select the text editor’s Link feature and then choose Browse Server to find and select that course forum. Repeat for each forum referenced in the lesson text. When finished, any text that references a course forum will be a hyperlink to the actual forum.

5.7 With the Lessons tool selected and the Add Text option chosen and your content entered, identify if any course assignments are referenced in the text. When done, the first instance of a course assignment is highlighted within the Lessons tool text editor.

5.8 After identifying there are assignments referenced in the lesson text, highlight the text of an assignment and select the text editor’s Link feature and then choose Browse Server to find and select that course assignment. Repeat for each assignment referenced in the lesson text. When finished, any text that references an assignment will be a hyperlink to the actual assignment.