Instructor Response and Availability Standards

As you work on creating or modifying an online course, be sure to share with your students standards for your response and availability. Here are some suggestions:

• Share with your students your availability by indicating turn-around times for grading various assessments, assignments and responding to discussion board postings and email messages.
• Be sure information on response times and availability is indicated in the course syllabus or a “Read Me First” module so students know what to expect regarding instructor responses and grading.
• Indicate for students your availability regarding the degree of participation in discussions (e.g., will you be active, an observer only, or respond only late in the discussion after students have interacted).
• Indicate your availability using other media (phone, in-person, online chat), if applicable.

Other course design tips are available at http://ce-annotations.blogspot.com/search/label/Course%20Design. This information is derived from the Quality REACHE rubric (see http://cite.nwmissouri.edu/QualityReache/).

Learning Objectives that Are Measurable

When designing a new online course or modifying an existing one, be sure the learning objectives of the course describe outcomes that are measurable. This is best accomplished using the following guidelines:

• First, be sure that you have listed measurable learning objectives in an obvious location (usually they’re identified in the course syllabus and/or at the beginning of each learning module).
• Second, be sure to precisely describe what students are to gain from the content/instruction and “what” will guide you in accurately assessing your students’ accomplishments. Appropriate terms should be used such as “identify,” “define,” “develop,” “perform,” “explain” and “select” as opposed to less measurable terms such as “understand,” “appreciate,” “be aware of,” and “know.”
• Second, objectives should describe student performance in specific, observable terms. If this is not possible, (e.g., internal cognition, affective changes), there should be other clear indications that the learning objective can be meaningfully assessed.

Other course design tips are available at http://ce-annotations.blogspot.com/search/label/Course%20Design. The Quality REACHE (QR) rubric and other information about QR is available at http://cite.nwmissouri.edu/QualityReache/.

Helping Students Understand the Structure of Your Course

As you create or update your online course for the next semester, don’t forget to include a statement that introduces the student to the course and to the structure of the student’ learning activities within the course.

One or more of the following methods may be used to accomplished this goal such as:

• Include a course Syllabus, that identifies the types of activities the student will be required to complete (written assignments, online self-tests, participation in the discussion board, group work, etc.).
• Include a schedule or calendar that identifies the structure and pace of student learning; e.g., assignment and test due dates, due dates for required discussion postings, if applicable, and so on.
• Early in the course clearly indicate if the course is self-paced or follows a schedule of due dates for expected activities and assignments.
• Sequence the course so it is clear to the student which tasks are expected first, which are expected in week 1, week 2 and so on.
• If there is a linear structure to the course , make it clear. If learning activities can be accomplished in a random order be sure to provide instruction and guidance at key points during the learning process. Either way, be sure the purpose of each activity and any required activity is clearly defined.
• Identify the preferred mode of communication with you, the instructor (e.g., email, discussion board, etc.), and the preferred mode of communication with other students (i.e., “I Need Help!,” “Student Lounge” topic in the discussions area, etc.).
• Identify testing procedures (e.g., are all assessments online, may assessments be taken under the supervision of a proctor, are some on-campus assessments required, etc.).
• Be sure the procedure for submission of electronic assignments is clearly defined and explained.

If you missed the last course design tip, check out “Where to Start” at http://ce-annotations.blogspot.com/2007/11/where-to-start.html.

Where to Start

As you revise your online courses, be sure to include navigational instructions that make the organization of the course easy for your students to understand. Some suggested ways to address this issue:

• Be sure your course includes a “welcome” statement that identifies the course, how the student should get started, and which content elements the student should begin reading/viewing. The inclusion of a syllabus link on the “homepage” is seldom sufficient. Provide additional ways (beyond the syllabus) for your students to “orient” themselves to the course on their “first entry” or


• Include a “Start Here” button, link or icon that leads the student to a module with introductory information, or a “Getting Started” paragraph tells the student what to do first and offers a course overview or


• Provide a “course tour” with a course overview, guide to exploring the course’s web site/course shell, and an indication of what to do first or


• Offer a “Scavenger hunt” assignment that leads students through an exploration of the different course tools and an introductory (Read Me First-type) module and


• You can always offer a “Read Me First” quiz (worth a few points) that covers the information you think is essential for the new student to know about your course, if they are to succeed.