Online Learning: Course Structure and Content

From http://www.sjc.cc.nm.us/pages/2850.asp (Be sure to click the link for more details on each point, as well as the research that backs it up. )

• Set Clear Goals
• Design an Effective Syllabus
• Recognize that students may have different learning styles, and make an effort to match your teaching to multiple learning styles
• Design learning environments that support a variety of learning styles
• If teaching online, create course content pages so that they support web user reading techniques
• Give students significant control over navigation of course materials
• Provide learners with some control over the sequence of learning activities
• When using technologies, provide content in multiple media to support the formation of more robust mental models
• In online environments, be aware of the effects of download time for varying multimedia file sizes
• Recognize that learners will approach the course from different perspectives
• Design activities that encourage "active" learning in which students are expected to participate
• When using case studies, write interesting and effective cases
• Use problem-based learning to apply course concepts
• Adequately prepare students for problem-based approaches to learning, and provide feedback to students during the process
• When using problem-based learning, provide adequate structure for group work
• Provide appropriate individual and creative problem-solving opportunities
• Provide activities such as summarizing or generating questions that will encourage students to think critically and generate their own meaningful connections with the materials
• Insert questions, charts, and/or diagrams into text to help students better regulate their own comprehension or visualize a concept
• Encourage students to use good learning strategies, such as re-reading, note-taking, distributing learning over time, and time management
• Encourage critical thinking by presenting students with tasks that require analysis, synthesis, and problem recognition, and problem solving, inference, and evaluation
• Provide adequate support for students so they can perform course activities successfully and efficiently
• Provide frequent and prompt feedback to students
• Provide opportunities for frequent interactions between yourself and your students
• Convey high (but reasonable) expectations of your students; be careful to hold the same expectations for all of the students in your course
• Observe copyright and fair use policies and guidelines