Planning an online course

Planning an online course

• 1.
  Planning an OnlineCourse 01. Understand the audience’s needs 02. Use a ‘backward design’ approach 03. Apply a pedagogical framework 04. Create a course structure 05. Adopt appropriate formats of delivery
• 2.
  01. Understand theaudience’s needs Needs & Objectives ● Why is the program needed? What issue does it need to address? ● What is the gap in the market? ● What outcomes will the course deliver? Participants ● What are participants interest, background, role and professional level? ● How many participants are we expecting, 10, 50, or 500? ● What is participants’ motivation in taking the course? ● What are participants’ prior knowledge? ● If a similar course is taught f2f, what worked and what didn’t? Educational Outcomes ● What will participants will get out of the course in terms of knowledge, skills and attitude? ● What core questions will be addressed? ● How will the the outcomes be applicable to participants’ personal life or work?
• 3.
  02. Use a‘backward design’ approach 4 3 2 1
• 4.
  03. Apply apedagogical model to learning design Engage Capture participants’ interest, activate prior knowledge and make connections between known and unknown Explore Carry out experiential activities to explore the concept or skill. Form a common set of experiences Explain Provide the concepts and instructions after participants have had the initial experience Evaluate Review and reflect on learning, provide evidence for changes. Elaborate Participants apply what they have learned to new context to develop a deeper understanding. 05 01 02 03 04 Diagram: The 5E’s instructional model Other pedagogical models Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction Bloom’s taxonomy
• 5.
  04. Create acourse structure The document provides the scope of the course design and ensure constructive alignment of ‘objective-evidence-content’. Key information to include: ● Program/Course objectives ● Weekly or module level objectives ● Topics and sub-topics ● Assessment/evaluation plan (if required) ● Resources (existing & new) ● Content & activities ● Facilitation plan (if required) A template: Online Course Planner
• 6.
  05. Adopt appropriateformats of delivery More automation Lower running cost More facilitation Higher running cost Self-paced activities ● videos/podcasts ● readings ● infographics ● interactives ● case studies ● exercises/quizzes ● self-reflections Assessment/Measurement ● automated assessment ● self-assessment ● journals/portfolios Educator-led activities ● live sessions ● mentoring/tutorials ● Q&A ● moderated discussions Assessment/Measurement ● facilitated discussions ● written assignment ● project-based evaluation ● problem-based evaluation Peer activities ● social learning activities ● group-based collaborative activities ● polling/wordcloud/group ideation ● Group discussions Assessment/Measurement ● peer evaluation ● group evaluation/presentation