Course Revision and Improvement | Origin: EL103
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Teaching Online: A Student-Centered Approach --> Course Revision and Improvement
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
This module emphasized that course revision and improvement is not a one-time task, but an ongoing cycle that’s essential to maintaining instructional quality and student success. One key takeaway for me was how valuable student feedback, assessment data, and instructor reflection are in identifying what’s working and what needs to change.
I’ve come to understand that even small adjustments—like clarifying assignment instructions, updating resources, or reordering content for better flow—can significantly enhance the student experience. The idea of using formative feedback throughout the course (instead of waiting until the end) was especially helpful, as it allows for real-time improvements that benefit current learners.
Going forward, I plan to:
Review course objectives and align assessments and activities more closely each term.
Collect and analyze mid-course feedback to make timely adjustments.
Keep a running log of ideas for improvements based on my reflections and student performance.
Revisit my course materials at the end of each term with a critical eye—not just to fix problems, but to innovate and improve.
This module reinforced that good teaching means being open to change and always looking for ways to grow.
I learned that each course can ebb and flow which will require revisions. I have to be considerate of my 'audience" and give them a fighting chance to succeed.
Because my course is just starting up anew since Covid it definitely need revision, and I am grateful for these suggestions.
Analyzing course outcomes and student performance can be a valuable tool for identifying areas that need improvement. When students struggle in a particular course, it highlights the need to reassess and refine the teaching methods and expectations to better support student success.
I learned the Importance of multiple evaluations.
Comment on Susan Larsen's post: Do you find it challenging to make changes though? We have to start from scratch with every course so it takes hours to set up the basic shell -- time we could be using to change and improve the shell.
I will seek a peer evaluation of my online course
It takes multiple tools and data sources to complete the course review process. One needs to include both quantitative data and qualitative data from multiple stakeholders to continuously make necessary adjustments and improvements to the course structure and close the loop!
I really like the idea of the one minute paper and the three muddy points.
I love the idea of the 3 clear points, 3 muddy points assessment. I had never heard of this before, but it makes sense that it would be a great informal evaluation tool for students to identify areas of weakness. This will alert the instructor about a need for a plan to be developed to address the "muddy points" before a formal assessment of student knowledge is conducted. This can assure that the students can be successful on summative/formative assessments.
Evaluations should be multifaceted, considering all stakeholders and not limited or one dimensional. The biggest takeaway is that evaluations serve as a means to gain real feedback and help to determine if change or adjustments are needed.
It is pertinent that educators use multiple avenues of evaluation to assist in revising courses. This ensures that the educators receive quantitative and qualitative data from students, colleagues, and other professional stakeholders. Doing so will help the instructor create and deliver courses that align with the mission and values of the organization as well as industry standards and best practices.
Evaluation serves as a catalyst for measuring student-instructor performance in an online educational setting. It explicates students performance vis-à-vis tutors measurement gauge in the process of imparting knowledge.
Feedback from multiple sources is a good idea. Typically I only get student feedback but it's good to know of the other ways to get it.
You cannot just use student evaluation to improve your online course
You need multiple points of view for an effective evaluation of a course.
Evaluating students using various applications is more beneficial in overall grading.
An online instructor must continuously evaluate feedback from multiple sources and stakeholders to close the loop, thus enhancing the program over time. This is an ongoing process as multiple factors can change over time impacting the need to update the online course to fit changing needs.
I liked the statement "What does it mean to “close the loop”? The strict definition is that the output provides feedback to change the system’s inputs." this is why evaluation is so important.
