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Online course design: What’s identity got to do with it?

Presenter

Dr Nompilo Tshuma is an Advisor: Higher Education in the Centre for Learning Technologies at Stellenbosch University. Her role includes online course development, technology in learning spaces and professional development. Prior to this, she provided training and managed a range of educational technology resources at Rhodes University, including both teaching and research related. She is also a researcher in educational technology and academic staff development, and is passionate about challenging academics to be critically reflective about their use of educational technology. Nompilo holds a PhD in Information Systems from Rhodes University which focused on the culture of resistance in educational technology practices of academic staff.

Abstract

There has been an exponential growth in the development of online courses in South African higher education, with institutions developing various models of online learning to meet their strategic imperatives. Despite this growing popularity of online courses, there are challenges in terms of motivating students to participate as well as low completion rates. Studies have blamed these issues on student characteristics, institutional challenges encountered by students and the design of the online courses. This workshop focuses on the design of online courses and aims to demonstrate the effect of engaging with student identities as the focal point of the design process. Through discussions and group work, participants in this workshop will reflect on the profiles of their students and the impact these could have on the various aspects of their courses, including planned course activities, building an online community and the online facilitation process.