This resource applies to Online MLIS courses only. For residential courses that have been moved online, please refer to Online Learning Strategies for Rapid Deployment page.
Every college or university with an online degree program has a distinctive approach to content and delivery mode. At the Information School, we have a set of baseline expectations for delivery of an online course. We assume that you will at least meet, if not exceed, these expectations in the delivery of course content and course experience.
Hybrid Synchronous Class Meetings
The term "hybrid course" at the iSchool refers to a course with both online and residential students in which all class meetings are streamed online so online students can participate synchronously with residential students in the classroom on campus. If your course has been approved as a hybrid class by the iSchool Academics team, the Online Learning team will provide the technical support necessary to run the synchronous class meetings through Zoom.
Online Office Hours
To interact with their students in real time, it is recommended faculty teaching online courses hold online office hours. Many faculty use Zoom or Canvas Conferences, which is readily available through the course Canvas site.
Recorded Lectures
Most faculty use recorded lectures to offer their perspective and interpretation of course content and theory to students. The applications we currently use at the iSchool are VoiceThread, Panopto, and Zoom. Recorded lectures are a core piece of the online course package ONLY IF they add value to the course. Lecture audio that simply repeats slide content or reviews reading material without helping to disambiguate difficult concepts or provide a unique perspective is likely unnecessary. Please consult the Online Learning Team if you have questions about building useful audio presentations.
Course Templates
There are certain pieces of information that the UW requires you to include in your syllabus. We provide a series of templates that ensures this information is included along with other useful elements and an established navigational structure. If you choose not to use the templates provided, please make sure that the UW-required information contained in them (content in the Academic Conduct section) appears on your pages and is easily accessible.
Discussion Boards
For class discussion boards, the iSchool supports use of the Canvas discussion tools. If you do not intend to use the Canvas tool to facilitate class interaction, make sure that you have an equivalent in place and that you are prepared to instruct students how to use it.
Are you present?
Interaction
As in any onsite course, students expect to be able to discuss course content or contact their instructor with questions, etc. At times, an instructor may be unavailable due to conference schedules, work-related travel, etc. It is NOT acceptable to be out of contact with students for significant periods of time (more than a couple days) without alerting them that you will not be answering email or discussion thread questions during that time and providing adequate alternatives for them if they have problems accessing the course site, tools, etc.
Feedback
Again, as in an onsite course, students expect feedback on assignments and projects submitted for grading. They expect that their instructor will be present and engaged in the delivery of the course. Online students have an even stronger need for this because of the nature of their "classroom." Be prepared to provide feedback to students in a timely manner for work submitted OR explain why you will not be providing it for certain exercises, etc.