This Week in the LEC

Whether you are developing a new course or using a trustworthy template, you can always look for ways to improve course design and course content. The Course Readiness Checklist is a great guide if you are just getting started to ensure your course includes everything it needs. In addition to the Course Readiness Checklist, this Tech Talk will cover some best practices for Course Design and Course Content. Course Design Ease of Navigation Keep access to content or coursework as simple as possible. Ideally a user should be able to get to any content in 3 clicks or less. Keep your content broken down into small, manageable units or modules. Content should be well organized and easy to navigate. Categorizing your content can help avoid clutter. Content folders could include: Reading Assignments Lecture Materials Supporting websites or activities Links to discussion board threads Assessments Clear Instructions Provide students with clear instructions on how to navigate throughout the course. A first time user should be able to enter your course and immediately see an introduction on navigating course content. The instructions, or a link to these instructions, should be available from the start page. Ideally, a link is also included as a menu […]

The discussion board is a tool for sharing thoughts and ideas about class materials. Depending on how you set up your course, you access the discussion board from either the course menu or a course area, such as a content area, learning module, lesson plan, or folder. The main Discussion Board page displays a list of available discussion forums. A forum is an area where users discuss a topic or a group of related topics. Within each forum, users can create multiple threads. A thread includes the initial post and any replies to it. When creating a forum, instructors have the option of allowing or not allowing students to start threads. A moderated, graded forum used to evaluate student performance will be tightly controlled, and you cannot create threads. Other forums are designed for students to share opinions and thoughts on course topics. Course groups can have their own discussion boards that members create using the groups tool. Group discussion boards are available only to users who are members of the group. If a group discussion board is available, students can access it from the groups link in the course menu or in the My Groups area. Here are some […]