A FREE PUBLICATION FROM THE CREATORS OF THE TEACHING PROFESSOR

online course design

Three Ways to Gauge the Quality of an Online Course

Shortcomings of an online course are not always obvious to the person who created it or teaches it. That is why it is helpful to seek other sources of information to determine whether a course is meeting its objectives. Mary Hricko, library director and associate professor of library and media services at Kent State University Geauga Campus and Twinsburg Center, recommends doing this in the following three ways:

Rob Kelly July 28, 2009

Helping Online Faculty Succeed

Online education programs are known for their convenience, but they’ve also developed a reputation for poor student retention rates. So when someone who oversees an

Mary Bart June 22, 2009

Tips for Teaching Large Classes Online

Jonathan P. Mathews, assistant professor of energy and geo-environmental engineering at Penn State University, teaches a high-enrollment (more than 400 students) general education online course, Energy and the Environment. Although he has two teaching assistants, the logistics of managing such a large class would be overwhelming without implementing the following course design and management ideas.

Rob Kelly March 17, 2009

Helping Online Students Become Self-Directed, Engaged Learners

Online course design is crucial to student success. It should reflect the intended learning outcomes and provide enough guidance for students to easily navigate the

Rob Kelly March 6, 2009

Usability Issues That Impact Online Learning

Despite the benefits of online education, there are inevitable frustrations as well. The tools online learners need to use take time to master and don’t

Patti Shank PhD CPT March 5, 2009

Using Video Clips to Stimulate Discussion in Online Courses

If you’re looking to improve threaded discussions in your online courses, consider using brief video clips as discussion prompts. When carefully selected and integrated into a course, these clips can lead students to higher-order thinking and appeal to auditory and visual learning styles.

Rob Kelly February 27, 2009

10 Tips for Designing an Online Learning Environment that Supports Your Students

Good online course design begins with a clear understanding of specific learning outcomes and ways to engage students, while creating activities that allow students to take some control of their learning. It also requires a little extra effort upfront to minimize two of the most common frustrations of online learning.

Faculty Focus December 12, 2008