Jonida,
Thanks for forming these as questions so we all have something to think about. Good job.
Three things to consider are:
the skills of the students; Are they tech people?
Is the course easy to navigate?
The generation of the student; baby boomer, gen X, etc
Bruce,
Great list. I love it when they are presented as questions so we can all think about key things to ask. Nice job.
I would consider the following three things:
- who my students are.
- what the learning objectives are.
- the delivery format and functions
Robert,
Yes, knowing your audience is where to start. And, we have to follow up with what we expect the students to do and how we teach them.
1. Who are your students? You have to know who you are dealing with so you can design appropriately.
2. What do they need to know? Be aware of course content so you can plan lessons to match objectives.
3. Why do they need to know it? Purpose is key. It will remind you to emphasize the critical information while minimizing less important info.
Sarah,
Nice job. You've brought up the point taht you need to get to know your audience, your students, and think about how to provide the appropriate content to them. Thanks!
An important aspect is determining the depth of information to be presented to students. The number one goal is for students to learn what is within the framework of the course. Sometimes an instructor can overwhelm students in the online environment so providing an overabundance of information is not learning condusive. Providing supplemental material is critical but there certainly is a fine line when determining the correct amount of information-the length is important, too long and you will loose the attention of the student. Taking into consideration, the specfiic program, depth of information and length of course are all vital components to create a well-rounded learning environment.
Leyann,
You bring up a very good point. We have to know how much content is appropriate and how deep we can go into the content. This also is an important thing to think about if this is a prerequisite course or if this is a capstone course. Thanks for your input.
I think that authoring an online course is a serious undertaking and must done very carefully. There are many things to consider, however, I think that the three most important things are: what, who, and how.
1) What is the content of information that I want the students to learn?
2) Who is the audience that I intend to deliver the information to. This is very important because not knowing or understanding the target audience may negatively impact the audience ability to learn the materials.
3) How do I deliver the material so that the audience will learn the materials in the most efficient and effective way. Simply put, how can I hit a “Home Run�
Augustine,
Definitely. So many things must be considered and understood. It's not just about the content, but so much more. I use the Quality Matters guidelines/rubric which is extremely helpful.
I believe that the three most important things to consider when authoring a course are: 1) Content - does it compliment the course objectives; 2) Appearance - is the content presenting in a pleasing and easily accessible manner; and 3) Functionality - the videos, photos, links, and buttons function like they're supposed to. If any of these components are missing students can get frustrated and give up.
Matthew,
Good list. These all are key factors in the success of an online course. You are right in your statement abour frustration. Students who are frustrated don't engage in the learning process and many times "shut down." Thanks!
I find that the three most important things would be:
A. Make sure that the content delivered to the students is clear, concise and stays on topic.
B. Make sure to make it that all the information given using Graphics, Audio or video that they relate to the topic and are not boring. I find that a students attention span watching a video or listening to audio can not exceed 5 min or you have lost them.
C. Follow up with the students to make sure they understand what they are learning by using a testing method that reenforces the message of the class.
Elie,
This is a good list. Thanks for sharing. You are so right in the follow-up with the students. Thanks for brining that into the conversation.
When authoring a course I try to break down to the core information that I hope the students to retain. I like the term "chunking" the information into smaller portions they can stay focused on and digest at one setting. If I take a big topic and try to get in depth into the different aspects, interest is lost easily and my objective is lost.
As with the two posts above me, Elie and Matt, the videos, graphics, and even the assignments need to be straight to the point and at the same time keep their interest.
Also the ability to give feedback regularly is a great motivator to the students as they progress through the course.
Tim,
Good job. Breaking the info down helps the students see the content as manageable to learn. Thanks also for connecting your thoughts to those of others in this forum.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
When Authoring an online course there are many things to consider. The top 3 most important elements that need to be considered are 1) who the students is 2) what are the goals of the course 3) how do you want the students to reach these learning goals.
Aubrie,
That's a great list of things to think about. Thanks for commenting on this forum.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
When I have developed online course the three things that I consider are:
1. The content of the course, teaching the objectives of the course in a way that will work with the delivery methods of the course. With developing technology this is an ever changing aspect. The materials that are used need to be compatible with computers, notepads and even smart phones.
2. I consider the aspect of the content and the delivery method. In an online course the majority of the material is visual. Information and instructions need to be clear and concise. I take the time to review and make sure that instructions and expectations are easy to follow and understand.
3. I also consider the resources that the students have and present clear expectations of what is needed in order to complete the course. Example if the course is teaching a software application, I need to consider that the students are able to obtain the software, and that is will be compatible to the device that the student is using for their learning experience.
These are just three of the items that I consider, and there are many others.
