Online course development essentials
Nevada Online designs online classes that meet best practice standards by working with design teams comprised of a faculty course developer (you) and our own course instructional designers and technologists.
Partnering with faculty to develop high quality asynchronous online learning experiences for online students is our goal. This following includes information about the research-based standards used to design online courses, based on University Standards for Digital Instruction (standards are noted in parentheses), as well as national standards, such as Online Learning Consortium’s OSCQR Course Design Scorecard and Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric (7th Edition). All new and redeveloped online courses are expected to meet essential standards and are strongly encouraged to meet exemplary standards. Nevada Online instructional designers support and partner with faculty to ensure standards are met. The following standards labeled as “essential” must be met for every asynchronous online course offered at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Course Introduction and Navigation
A clear introduction to the course and logical, student-centered navigation help students find what they need and look ahead to anticipate future work, reducing frustration. These elements help students to avoid missing important instructions or assignments and to plan out their time.
- A clean, nicely organized, easy to navigate home page is provided to students at all times of the course. Instructors will not deviate or adjust their home page from the one provided by Nevada Online. Links on the home page are linked appropriately (1.0 and 3.0).
- A Getting Started/Start Here introduction module is provided and easily found when students first enter course site. The course welcome establishes instructor presence and provides enough guidance to ensure that students will get off to a good start in the online space. Including the following:
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- Students are informed how to navigate the course, what tasks are due, and netiquette guidelines (1.1).
- Course includes links to relevant campus resources and policies on plagiarism, academic integrity, computer use, filing complaints, accommodating disabilities, information technology resources, etc. (1.3).
- Course information states how content will be delivered (e.g., video, text, audio) and describes methods for accessing all course materials (1.4).
- An accessible, printable syllabus is available to students (1.2) that includes, but is not limited to the following:
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- Course-wide outcomes and course descriptions that match the UNR Academic Calendar verbatim, in addition to any required additional curricular and/or programmatic information.
- Instructor contact information, UNR email address, preferred method of contact, and response times (1.5).
- Course schedule/semester at-a-glance table that includes accurate weekly dates.
- Required Materials section that includes all necessary textbook information and registration and access to required third-party technology or platforms (if assigned) that aligns with information instructor has communicated to the bookstore.
- Assignment descriptions, grading policies, late work policy, and rubrics.
- Statement about asynchronous learning/how course lecture will be delivered (1.4).
- Brief introductory/welcome video found in the Getting Started module that welcomes your students to the class.
- Module release schedule allows students to see at least the current week and the subsequent week and is explained in the syllabus (3.1). Discussion, assignment, and quiz availability dates are used to restrict early access only when necessary for academic integrity.
- Meet your Instructor page in the Getting Started module that includes your picture, biography, expected feedback time, and how you would like your students to refer to you (Dr., Professor, Mr./Mrs., first name, etc.)
- All course modules are available to students, and discussion, assignment, and quiz availability dates are used to restrict early access only when necessary for academic integrity.
Learning Outcomes and Alignment
Learning outcomes are the roadmap for the course. Clear, measurable outcomes tell students exactly what should be covered and at which depth. Weekly learning outcomes help students understand how daily coursework relates to course outcomes. The University Courses and Curriculum Committee (UCCC) approves course titles, descriptions, and learning outcomes for each course through a rigorous curricular review process. These outcomes are required no matter the modality of the course.
- Online courses meet the same course learning outcomes as sections taught in other modalities, providing an equitable course to what students would receive in a different modality, and mirroring the in-person version as closely as possible.
- Assessments (assignments, exams, projects, discussions, etc.) are aligned with course outcomes, weekly outcomes, content, and cognitive level (4.2).
- Weekly module-level outcomes are provided by the instructor in each module Overview page.
- Learning outcomes are measurable and observable (avoiding ambiguous verbs such as “understand” or “comprehend.”)
- Learning outcomes demonstrate scaffolded learning whereby each week the assignments and activities build skills and move from lower level knowledge acquisition (Remember, Understand, Apply) to higher level learning (Analyze, Evaluate, Create).
- Explanation of how the weekly module-level outcomes align with the course-wide outcomes is provided to students (4.0 and 4.2).
Assessment and Feedback
Clear expectations help students succeed. Assessments should be aligned with outcomes to ensure that outcomes are being met. Including frequent and appropriate methods to assess students’ mastery of content, and using a “grade early, grade often” approach helps students monitor progress and know if they are on track for success.
- Assessments (assignments, exams, projects, discussions, etc.) are frequent, aligned with course and unit or weekly outcomes in content and cognitive level, and designed to meet all criteria outlined in the Nevada Online Course Assessment Rubric in Watermark.
- All quizzes and exams (proctored or unproctored) will be designed for online best practices, which includes the following options/standards for creating variation between student attempts:
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- Question banks for the quiz to generate and randomize questions for each student; a 1:2 question ratio is required.
- Completion times are limited and based on number and type of questions; unlimited time limits are reserved for optional/ungraded/self-assessments only.
- Questions are randomized.
- Multiple choice answer options are shuffled.
- Grading policies are stated clearly, such as listing grading criteria and supplying rubrics (5.1).
- Students have multiple opportunities to provide descriptive feedback on course design, course content, course experience, and ease of use for online technology (5.5).
- Assessments are varied, including formative and summative assessments.
- 1:3 question ratio is created for all online quizzes or exams along with the incorporation of short answer/essay questions (to accompany a limited number of multiple-choice and true/false questions).
- Students have opportunities to review their performance and assess their own learning throughout the course (5.2).
- Adequate time is provided for students to complete and submit activities, and time requirements are clearly communicated (4.3).
Instructional Materials
Materials for online classes should be created for the audience of online students. Online students feel at a disadvantage when they are merely given recordings of on-campus activities or lectures. Instructional materials should prepare students for assessments. Research shows that using best practices for presenting instructional materials helps students learn more effectively (for example, using active learning strategies, where students perform meaningful actions involving course content and then reflect on learning).
- Instructional materials are created by the Faculty Course Developer developing this course and are equitable to what students in an in-person or hybrid course would experience and are in alignment with the course and weekly outcomes (4.2).
- Course may include various instructional materials, such as a welcome video that summarizes the weekly tasks and other third-party videos, but each module must include lecture material created by the Faculty Course Developer that allows them to impart their own wisdom, provides examples, helps students make connections, builds skills, and/or explains major concepts/theories/information provided in assigned readings.
- Online instructional materials drawn from other sources have been through a fair use assessment, and copyright permissions have been requested for any items deemed not to fall under fair use guidelines. Instructional faculty provide source information for non-original content; Nevada Online and the University Libraries assist with fair use assessment and permissions requests (4.1).
- All multimedia is designed and produced for an audience of online students, meaning the following standards and requirements are met:
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- No recordings of in-class materials.
- No re-use of synchronous zoom class sessions from previous semesters.
- Slide/PowerPoint lecture material must include a script that the faculty member reads from.
- Lecture material must be submitted to the instructional designer in advance of recording (Nevada Online will review for accessibility, copyright, and completeness, and make suggestions as to where lecture can be broken into parts to ensure all recorded lectures are of appropriate length (aiming for 7-12 minutes, not to exceed 15 minutes).
- Off-the-cuff recorded videos (tutorials, videos with no scripts, etc.) are granted on a case-by-case basis, depending on video type, and must be discussed with Instructional Design team in advance of recording.
- A Quick Check question will be provided for each lecture viewing (Nevada Online Technologist will build these beneath the video on the WebCampus Page).
- Other learning materials such as links to open education resources, research activities, explainer videos for large assignments, proctored exams, etc., should be included to supplement any instructor-created content.
- Audio and visual quality must be clear for all multimedia.
- Existing asynchronous video material from prior offerings of the course may be considered after a complete review of the videos is conducted by the Nevada Online Instructional Design team. Any recordings that include the following will not be allowed to be used:
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- Poor audio
- Time/date stamp present
- Former/current students present
- Grainy/bad lighting
- Slides not set to widescreen
- References to timely information (e.g., dates, semester offering, textbook page numbers, etc.)
- Unedited (and editing to improve video would exceed time to recreate it)
- Inappropriate length (exceeds 7-12 minutes in length)
- Instructional materials are appropriately cited (4.1).
- Instructional materials appeal to a variety of learning preferences (readings, audio, visual, multimedia, etc.), faculty member works with Multimedia Analyst to include animations, simulations, etc.
- Online lecture content is planned out and integrated into course learning activities, such as with interactive components, discussion questions, or quiz questions.
- Weekly video introductions/welcomes/brief overviews are provided in WebCampus.
Interaction and Engagement
Research shows that active learning opportunities, as well as the three forms of interaction, are effective in online and hybrid classes and for adult students. Response times help create a structure for interaction.
- Learning activities are aligned with course and weekly learning outcomes (4.2).
- Expectations for student interaction are clearly stated, such as Netiquette, models/examples, and timing and frequency of student contributions or participation (4.5).
- Three forms of interaction are present throughout class to meet Department of Education’s Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI) requirements:
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- Student/content, such as discussions, readings, video, research projects
- Student/instructor, such as discussions, responses to assignments, inclusion of a Q&A forum the instructor will facilitate (4.4)
- Student/student, such as discussions, group projects, peer-reviewed assignments (4.6)
- All discussions occur in PackBack rather than WebCampus Discussions tool, requiring students to engage with each other with open ended questions, supporting and counter-points, and receive real time AI feedback on plagiarism, citing sources, etc.
- Opportunities for active learning (meaningful action + reflection) are provided.
- Multimedia has been used to address the course’s main concepts, to help students master especially challenging concepts, and to effectively communicate concepts that are best conveyed in multimedia format. Instructor works with Multimedia Analyst to achieve this.
Course Technology
Using educational technology appropriately is an important aspect of designing and facilitating effective hybrid courses. Reliability, security, record keeping requirements, FERPA and accessibility compliance are all important and complex concerns. UNR uses the Canvas learning management system (called WebCampus); all online courses are delivered through Canvas. When external educational technologies are used, integration with Canvas provides improved usability for online students. And, providing privacy policies for outside tools helps students understand and manage their privacy in online spaces.
- All technology that will be used in the course is listed and explained in the syllabus (2.0).
- Appropriate tools are used for their intended purposes (for example: assignment tool for homework rather than having students emailing assignments).
- Tools outside of Canvas adhere to the following requirements:
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- Used in ways that comply with FERPA regulations.
- Links to outside resources are functional (3.5).
- Student completion of work through tools used outside of Canvas is logged within Canvas.
- If outside tools are used, they are integrated into Canvas, when possible, so students have a single point of access. Any tools not being utilized are removed from the course menu (2.1).
- Privacy policy for any tools used outside of Canvas is provided (2.2).
Accessibility
Providing accessible content is required by law. Using a universal design approach during course development is better for students, is more inclusive for diverse learners, and is more efficient than retrofitting an inaccessible course.
- Course content is posted in accessible format (such as a PDF file with document tags, alt-text provided for images, captions or transcripts for narrated lectures, and PowerPoint presentations with sufficient contrast between the background and text).
- Canvas pages are structured in an accessible format (such as using heading styles).
- All video content is captioned (not just transcripts).
- Use of bold or italics for emphasis (no use of underline or color). Simple font and color schemes are used.
Academic Integrity
The design of online courses can help deter academic integrity violations.
- At least one Identity Verification Assessment is included in course (e.g., video discussion, proctored, exam, project, etc.)
- If proctored online exams are desired, proctoring requirements are established with the instructional designer and university testing center and communicated in the syllabus.
- For online exams with multiple choice/short answer questions, questions and/or answers are randomized to help guard against academic integrity violations.
- Online exams delivered without proctoring are available during specific timeframes (e.g., over a 3-day period including one weekend day) and are time-limited to help guard against academic integrity violations.
- Question pools are used, or exams are updated each time a course is offered.
- Departmental or programmatic policies on plagiarism, use of AI, etc. is provided and explained to students, along with links to University sanctions.
- Written assessments such as essays and research papers require multiple steps that incorporate peer, tutor, and/or instructor feedback (e.g., multiple drafts, or a proposal or outline as a first step before drafting).
- Written assessments such as essays and research papers require students to use plagiarism prevention software to self-check work for originality and possible plagiarism (Turnitin).