Course Design for Blended and Fully Online Courses

1. Who are the learners and what are their needs?
2. Determine learner characteristics: Age, background, culture, educational background, knowledge related to topic, computer literacy, access to technology, work-related experience.
3. What do the learners need to know?
4. Engage in consultation.
5. Advisory committees, widespread community/industry consultation.

Design

1. Is the course suitable for online delivery?
2. Create program or course learning outcomes.
3. Core concepts.
4. Sequencing of courses, concepts

Develop

1. What learning activities will be developed?
2. How and when will learners be assessed?
3. Types of communication with students
4. Resources, learning materials, experiences
5. How will students engage in active learning?
6. Accommodate variety in learning styles.
7. Communication and student feedback.
8. Create learning communities.
9. Usability testing.
10. Prior to implementation ensure that test students have provided course feedback related to ease of use, clarity etc.
11. Quality Assurance Review.
12. Submit course to GBC Quality Assurance Committee for feedback prior to implementation.

Implement

1. Implement the course.

Evaluate

1. Evaluate the course or program.
2. Student success, feedback, external evaluator feedback.
3. Focus on:
   • Organization of online materials.
   • Transitions between learning points.
   • Clear explanations.
   • Multiple representations of ideas, text, images, audio.
   • Student participation and feedback.