Course Design

Instructor Presence

You'll begin with the Welcome Message. This message is among the first interactions you will have with your students and sets the online "classroom climate." This message might welcome students to the course, invite them to introduce themselves to each other (and you), give them useful information on how to get started in the course, and may or may not include course specific information. This is your opportunity to establish your instructor presence and to set the stage for student engagement and interaction throughout the course. It is important that your tone and personality be reflected in the Welcome Message for your course. I suggest that you create an introduction video to deliver this message or in addition to a written message. This chance to see your face and hear your voice goes a long way to build a connection with students online and establish the instructor presence you want.

Course Introduction

Things to include in the Course Information section of your Moodle class page:

• Welcome Message/Instructor Introduction video

• Course information and links to available campus resources

• The course syllabus (ideally a Google Doc)

• Expectations for participation in your course.

• An introduction activity that allows students and faculty to introduce themselves to the rest of the class

Course Syllabus

The syllabus is an important document that provides both the foundation for your course and a road map to navigate the course. It provides essential information on course goals and objectives, assignments and late work, collaboration in the course, and the roles of the instructor and student. Thus, the syllabus communicates the purpose of the course and the context for how the activities fit within that context.

In face-to-face classes, most of us spend a significant amount of time on the first day reviewing the syllabus and explaining its most important aspects. This provides us an opportunity to assess our students' understanding of course objectives and requirements and gives students an opporunity to ask questions to clarify expectations.

Instructors in online classes must pay special attention to how they will ensure their students interact with the syllabus and understand the expectations. The document should be thorough and detailed without being overwhelming for the student. Remember that you cannot possibly anticipate every possible contingency that might occur in a course and that issues that arise can be dealt with as the semester progresses by making an announcement or posting on Moodle.

That said, there are a number of items that should be included in the syllabus. Below you will find a checklist and other external resources for creating an effective course syllabus.