Conquering the Content: A Step-by-Step Guide to Online Course Design

The Author.

1 Design with Learning in Mind.

Learning in the Twenty-First Century.

Advantages to Having a Course Online.

How Web-based Learning Is the Same as Classroom Learning.

Learning Styles.

Think “Learning,”Not “Teaching”.

The Online Student’s Environment.

How Web-Based Learning Is Different from Classroom Learning.

Action Steps.

2 Design with the Future in MindIt’s Okay to Be Uncomfortable.

The Future Will Be Here Sooner Than You Think.

Creating the Outline.

The Learning Guide.

The Modules.

File Systems.

Managing Course Structure.

Action Steps.

3 Design with Assessment in Mind.

Self-Assessment.

Authentic Assessments.

Quizzes.

Teaching for the Long Term.

Questions for First-Time Web-Based Instructors.

Action Steps.

4 Design with Organization in Mind.

Learning Guide Development.

Elements of the Learning Guide.

Prioritizing in Creating Your Course.

Resource Gathering.

Web-Based Aspects of the Course.

Choosing the Most Important Topics.

Instructional Guidance.

Action Steps.

5 Design with Content in Mind.

Introduction to Chunking.

How the Brain Processes Information.

Chunking for a Text-Based Lecture or Content Presentation.

Bridges.

Active Learning Opportunities.

Prioritizing Course Development and Revisions.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Chunking.

Action Steps.

6 Design with Process in Mind.

Best Practices.

Design Using Someone Else’s Mind.

Action Step.

7 Design with Navigation in Mind.

Student Access to Module Components.

Continuous Improvement.

Documenting for Revisions.

Link Rot.

Where to Go from Here.

Action Steps.

What You Have Conquered!

Appendix A: Forms.

Appendix B: Action Steps.

Appendix C: American Association for Higher Education’s Nine.

Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning.

Appendix D: Design and Development Tasks.

Notes: Ideas for Application.

References.

Index.