Workshop: Setting the Foundations for an Iterative Course Evolution Model – A Practical Guide to Exemplary Course Design | Alex Wu - Blackboard | TLCANZ17

Workshop: Setting the Foundations for an Iterative Course Evolution Model – A Practical Guide to Exemplary Course Design | Alex Wu - Blackboard | TLCANZ17

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  Setting the Foundationsfor an Iterative Course Evolution Model A Practical Guide to Exemplary Course Design Alex Wu, PhD Senior Educational Consultant (APAC) Blackboard Global Consulting Services
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  22 Workshop Introduction andDynamics • Originally a 3-day workshop… • In 90 minutes, this workshop is designed to: – Raise awareness of a framework and roadmap approach to course development that is executable and implemented at a personal level. – Facilitate the process of direction-setting in the planning, deployment, and evaluation of course improvements. • Dynamics: – Brief introduction – 4 activities: some group, some individual – Summary and wrap up
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  33 Personal Experiences • Seniortutor and casual lecturer in Chemistry (UNSW) 2006 – 2011 • Research Group Leader/Lecturer in Chemistry (UniMelb, T&R Academic) 2011 – 2015 • Observed shifts in graduate attribute/skills: – Critical thinking and analysis skills – Effective research and curation skills – Professional communication and presentation – Etc…
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  44 Our Responsibilities asTeachers/Academics “Expecting teachers to be instructors, content experts, distance education instructional designers, and technology experts, in addition to their other responsibilities, is asking too much” “The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web.” Techtrends, Moller, L., Foshay, W. R., & Huett, J. (2008)
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  55 Our Responsibilities asTeachers/Academics “Expecting teachers to be instructors, content experts, distance education instructional designers, and technology experts, in addition to their other responsibilities, is asking too much” “The Evolution of Distance Education: Implications for Instructional Design on the Potential of the Web.” Techtrends, Moller, L., Foshay, W. R., & Huett, J. (2008) While this is true and is a sizeable request, it is inevitably our responsibility.
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  6 How would wetackle this? What can we do? How do we succeed?
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  77 Practice Activity: Let’sClimb Mount Everest! As a team, name and briefly describe 3 things you believe will be critical to the success of your team in reaching the summit of Mount Everest. Time allocated: 5 minutes
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  88 Roadmap to Success •Where am I starting from? • Where am I going? • What do I need?
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  99 Roadmap to Success– Everest vs Course Design • Where am I starting from? • Where am I going? • What do I need? • My proficiency/confidence My current course setup • Requirements Learning Outcomes Graduate Attributes Course Design Rubrics • Time Resources Professional Development
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  1010 Coming Back toour Responsibilities… • Instructional Guidance/Facilitation/Mentoring • Content Expertise • Instructional Design • Technology Expertise • Data Analysis “Expecting teachers to be instructors, content experts, distance education instructional designers, and technology experts, in addition to their other responsibilities, is asking too much”
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  1111 Activity 1: Wheream I Starting From? Individually, please look at your score sheet. The first two entries of each section has already been filled out. Feel free to write 2-3 additional priorities/requirements that are relevant to your needs. Rate your own level of proficiency/confidence from 1 – 10 for each individual item, and then rate yourself overall for each section. Time Allocated: 10 minutes
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  1212 Activity 2: Wheream I Going? In Groups Write down 3 goals or outcomes relevant to a course you are currently teaching or have taught. Time Allocated: 10 minutes
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  1313 Activity 3: WhatDo I Need? In Groups What do you need in order to succeed in delivering or achieving the given learning outcomes/goals? Consider: Technology Tools Proficiency Time investment Time Allocated: 20 minutes
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  1414 Activity Summary • Activity1: Confidence/Proficiency evaluation – Identifies knowledge gaps – Clarity over barrier to implementation – Contextualizes future training and skills development • Activity 2: Identify specific goals and requirements – Encourages holistic analysis over course requirements – Prevents tunnel vision into tools and features • Activity 3: Detailed evaluation of barriers to implementation – Time investment – Knowledge gaps – Alignment with requirements
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  1515 An Iterative CourseEvolution Approach – Expected Outcomes Objectives Students will:  Learn how to navigate your course with appropriate guidance.  Understand course expectations.  Begin to develop independence in online learning  Learn to provide feedback on overall course experience. Phase 1: Content and Layout Objectives Students will:  Begin developing a sense of ownership in their learning with respect to online courses.  Explore avenues of communication with other students.  Develop deeper analytical thinking through new assessment approaches. Phase 2: Learner Interactions 3 – 6 months Objectives Students will: Develop the ability to utilize rubrics for guidance and self- evaluation in assessments. Receive a ‘reward’ or ‘instant gratification’ upon completion of specific tasks. 3 – 6 months Phase 3: Fostering Learner Independence
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  1616 An Iterative CourseEvolution Approach – Expected Outcomes Objectives Instructors will: Have time to develop high quality content that is simple and consistent. Reduce time spent on weekly and ongoing course maintenance and monitoring Collect baseline data on course satisfaction for future reference. Phase 1: Content and Layout Objectives Instructors will: Divert efforts to fostering communication between students. Have a clear view of student progress. Begin to shift focus from course management to learning management. Phase 2: Learner Interactions 3 – 6 months Objectives Instructors will: Have time to focus on refining course materials, assessments/assignments . Rely on the LMS to provide notifications of students at risk. Become mainly focused on learning management rather than course management. 3 – 6 months Phase 3: Fostering Learner Independence
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  1717 An Iterative CourseEvolution Approach Expected time commitment: ~2 weeks To-Do Checklist:  Design a ‘welcome’ landing page.  Provide course overview and introduction.  Provide learning objectives for each major course component. Phase 1: Content and Layout Expected time commitment: ~2-3 weeks + weekly monitoring To-Do Checklist:  Review course.  Upskill in:  Adaptive release  Discussion Boards  Blogs  Course groups  Revise assessment types. Phase 2: Learner Interactions 3 – 6 months Expected time commitment: ~2-3 weeks To-Do Checklist:  Review course.  Upskill in:  Rubrics  Achievements  Retention center  Advanced grade center configurations Phase 3: Fostering Learner Independence 3 – 6 months
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  1818 An Iterative CourseEvolution Approach Expected time commitment: ~2 weeks To-Do Checklist:  Highlight where help and support is available.  Upload/prepare instructional materials.  Create relevant major assessments and assignments.  Design and deploy course evaluation survey for students. Phase 1: Content and Layout Expected time commitment: ~2-3 weeks + weekly monitoring To-Do Checklist:  Deploy learning assurance gates.  Deploy simple adaptive release rules.  Deploy discussion boards, and blogs with appropriate guidelines and monitoring.  Deploy group assignments.  Deploy course evaluation surveys. Phase 2: Learner Interactions 3 – 6 months Expected time commitment: ~2-3 weeks To-Do Checklist:  Deploy at least 1 rubric in an assessment/assignment. Provide guidance to students.  Deploy at least 3 achievements within course. Provide guidance to students.  Establish simple retention center rules  Configure grade center using smart views and colour coding. Phase 3: Fostering Learner Independence 3 – 6 months