4. Select strategies and design for online delivery

In Module 2 you developed well-written learning objectives for your online course and in Module 3 you thought about how you would assess student mastery of those objectives.  Now it’s time to think about how you will get them there.  In other words, how will you teach the content of your course?  This is where you share your expertise and guide your learners, and you have a lot of options for how to do so.  This module contains some key principles to keep in mind as you do.

 

Woman Sitting Near Table Using Macbook

 Video Instruction

 

Jump to the video script

In this module, you will:

    • Align your selection of content and materials with your learning objectives
    • Apply the principles of the Universal Design for Learning in the delivery of course content
    • Select approaches to build course materials that are effective for online course delivery

Remember that course design is iterative. One of the best things about being a college faculty member is that we can “start over” several times a year. Don’t be discouraged if your first round of course materials are not as polished as you want them to be. The first iteration of a course helps us see where the gaps are and where we have room for improvement. Every time you teach this same course again, you can make small changes that really add up.

 

Align course content with course objectives

Just as your assessment techniques should align directly with your learning objectives, so should the delivery of your course content.  The content to be included and choices about how to deliver that content can be completely driven by the learning outcomes to which students are held accountable.

Align course content with course objectives

 “Spray and pray” rarely works in college classrooms.

Have a very clear idea of what you will hold the students accountable for learning and focus on that.  Some research says the average student retains less than 25% of the information learned in a course after 6 days (Youki Terada, 2017).  Do you want that information to be random things that “stick” with students, or do you want to have some say in what is retained? If so, zero in on that content and really teach it well.

It’s easy to get caught in the “there’s just so much to cover” trap.  We ALL do, and truthfully, there really is so much to cover.  However, if we cram too much in, we run the risk of doing nothing thoroughly. For some courses, this may be necessary. But try to be selective when you can be.

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magnifying lens laying on a book

Consider your course content and Interactions through the lens of UDL

Online classes provide a powerful platform for using the principles of Multiple Means of Representation and Multiple Means for Engagement (See Module 1). Think through this lens as you format your instructional materials in multiple ways to students.

For each learning outcome, try to represent concepts and information in a variety of ways. Here are a few approaches you may want to consider:

 

Videocamera recording a woman speaking

Video

Video content helps gain and retain student interest in your material, which can lead to better comprehension. You can often present complex concepts and procedures through video much more effectively than through text alone. As you design your online course, think about the ways in which you can present your content through video.

 

Options to Consider
      • Create your own video content by recording lectures, demonstrations, or even video introductions
      • Curate video from other sources such as YouTube, LinkedIn Learning, or your Textbook Publisher
      • Collected (with permission) from student work/assignments in previous semesters
      • Create or curate animated “explainer” videos using tools like PowToons, VideoScribe, or Vyond
Tips
      • Keep your videos brief. Studies have shown that students quickly lose interest in videos longer than 10 minutes. Also, longer videos can take up more internet bandwidth than shorter videos. Students without broadband internet access may have issues accessing them.
      • If recording video on a phone, use the rear camera when possible. These cameras have a higher resolution and can capture clearer videos than front-facing “selfie” cameras.
      • When using video in your online course, always keep accessibility in mind. Cast.org has put together a helpful guide on Teaching with Accessible Video
      • When using curated videos from other sources, be sure you are in compliance with copyright laws. This article on Fair Use from copyright.gov provides guidance on what constitutes fair use in education.
Resources and Examples

Visual Presentation with VoiceoverPerson using laptop

Another great way to engage your students is through a visual presentation with a voiceover. You can use software like PowerPoint or Google Slides to record your narration over your presentation slides so that you can share them with your students. Online applications like Prezi can be used to create a narrated presentation that is very dynamic and visually attractive.

Tips
      • Speak loudly, clearly, and at a reasonable pace. Try to eliminate as much background noise as possible.
      • To get higher-quality audio, use a headset or an external microphone that connects to your computer instead of the built-in microphone.
      • When creating slides, limit the amount of text on each slide. List the main points of the topic, and let your narration or notes provide more details.
Resources and Examples

 

Woman using a microphone to record a podcast

Audio Materials

In contrast with creating a video, audio materials don’t take up much internet bandwidth and don’t require any special background or lighting to do well. That is useful for those of us creating lectures from home, possibly late at night after the kids go to sleep, or in spaces we don’t want to display. Best of all, creating audio content doesn’t require a lot of extra equipment. You may already have everything you need in your office.

Options to Consider
      • Record your own audio lectures that students can download
      • Incorporate podcasts into your course materials and activities
      • Provide feedback on student work through audio
Tips
      • When recording, try to eliminate as much background noise as possible. Try using a headset or external microphone instead of the built-in microphone on your computer.
      • If your audio is meant to accompany a set of slides, be sure to indicate when you move to a new slide so that students can follow along.
      • If you want your students to be able to download the audio, use a common file format that all students can access such as mp3 or mp4.
      • Just as with video content, keep accessibility in mind. Provide a transcript or other documents so that all students can access the content.
Resources and Examples
      • Audacity is an open-source audio recording and editing software application that is free to use. If you already have access to the Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Audition is a very robust audio editing and recording tool you can use to create content.
      • Cast.org created this guide to help you create accessible audio materials that incorporate the Universal Design for Learning (UDL).
      • If you want to create podcasts or have your students create podcasts, you’ll need somewhere to publish them online. Here is a list of 7 Free Podcast Hosting Platforms you can use.
      • The Learning Platforms team at ECU developed this “Podcast-in-a-Box” Resource for Canvas courses.

Teaching with TextWoman reading from tablet

Even with all of the possibilities for using multimedia that online teaching presents, text is still one of the main ways that students access course content. Whether you’re adding text to your online course shell, designing a course blog, or considering captions for video content, you’ll need to make sure that you are presenting text that is accessible for all students.

Options to Consider
      • Build a multimedia website or blog that incorporates text, videos, and images as an alternative way to present course content and engage students
      • Create interactive texts that contain formative assessment checkpoints to make sure students are staying engaged and understanding course content
      • Use Adobe Spark to create dynamic presentations or ask your students to create presentations with Adobe Spark
Tips
      • Use language, structure, and fonts that are easy for the learner to read and engage with. Remember that many students use screen readers or text-to-speech generators to access text. Using the appropriate formatting helps ensure that those tools can present content accurately.
      • Learners aren’t just accessing text content on a computer. Make sure that your text displays correctly on mobile devices as well.
      • Text in online courses isn’t just basic course content. Text includes captions for video and audio content, as well as alternative text for images. All video and audio content should include captioning or transcripts and all images have accurate alternate text descriptions for students using a screen reader. This quick reference guide can help you make sure that you’re meeting the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
Resources and Examples

Man looking at images on a computerGraphics and Images

Graphics and Images are a key part of online courses. They can convey complex ideas and information in ways that text cannot. Learners may also retain information presented through graphics or images longer than information presented through text alone. Graphics and images can also be used to break up large blocks of text to keep learners engaged.

Options to Consider
      • Incorporate photos or images to help learners make connections with the content
      • Use diagrams and infographics to convey complex processes, information, or relationships between parts of a topic
      • Consider developing an infographic syllabus as a unique way to introduce learners to a course

Tips

Examples and Resources

books icon Additional Resources

clipboard checklist icon Try it

books image References and Acknowledgements

Johnson, S., 2021. Creating Your Own Course Materials. [online] Vanderbilt University. Available at: <https://www.vanderbilt.edu/cdr/module1/creating-your-own-course-materials/> [Accessed 27 May 2021]. University of Vanderbilt – Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Youki Terada. (2017, September 21). Why Students Forget—and What You Can Do About It. Edutopia; George Lucas Educational Foundation. https://www.edutopia.org/article/why-students-forget-and-what-you-can-do-about-it

Closed Caption Image Video Transcript

Module 4 – Select Strategies and Design for Online Delivery

In Module 2 you developed well-written learning objectives for your online course and in Module 3 you thought about how you would assess student mastery of those objectives.  Now it’s time to think about how you will get them there.  In other words, how will you teach the content of your course?  This is where you share your expertise and guide your learners, and you have a lot of options for how to do so.  This module contains some key principles to keep in mind as you do.

In this module, you will:

      • Align your selection of content and materials with your learning objectives
      • Apply the principles of the Universal Design for Learning in the delivery of course content
      • Select approaches to build course materials that are effective for online course delivery

Remember that course design is iterative. One of the best things about being a college faculty member is that we can “start over” several times a year. Don’t be discouraged if your first round of course materials are not as polished as you want them to be. The first iteration of a course helps us see where the gaps are and where we have room for improvement. Every time you teach this same course again, you can make small changes that really add up.

 

Module 5 – Identify Strategies to Build Your Communication Plan