This introductory course will provide you with the knowledge and skills to create successful online courses, whether for faculty-supported distance education delivery or as a supplement to classroom instruction. You will learn to design and develop online courses that have structural integrity and navigational simplicity with a focus on student-centered learning and intellectual interaction. The course covers various learning activities that are supported in an e-learning environment and describes the typical components of an online course. We will provide you with the media strategies and course design methodologies that will allow you to develop online courses in an effective and efficient manner.

Module 1: Characteristics of Quality Online Courses

• Identify the four major qualities of an online course.
• Define structural integrity and identify common components of an online course.
• Describe navigational simplicity.
• Assess the importance of learning delivery technologies to the online environment.
• Explain the difference between intellectual interaction and merely clicking on content.

Module 2: Learning Activities

• Select learning activities to include in your online course.
• Identify instructional transactions that can be supported in an e-learning environment.
• Describe how an instructor’s onsite lecture can be converted into an online format.
• Identify ways to effectively use questioning, reading materials and guest lectures in an online course.
• Explain the difference between synchronous and asynchronous discussions.

Module 3: Course Components

• Derive a suitable structure into which to organize your course content.
• Utilize a sample syllabus as a template for an online course.
• Describe how to effectively utilize questions to guide completion of online assignments.
• Explain how to effectively use quizzes, exams and model answers in the e-learning environment.

Module 4: Instructional Systems Design (ISD)

• Select suitable media strategies to integrate into your online course.
• Utilize examples of graphics and animations.
• Apply sound instructional design (ISD) principles during the design and development of your online course.
• Utilize a list of activities and questions for analyzing course objectives, content and assessments in relation to the online environment.
• Identify components of Course Design Specifications.