Design Tips

The format of the assignment must match the goals of the program.

Just because you can assign a digital project, doesn’t mean you should. The format (no tech, low tech, high tech) and the technology should match what the students will be expected to do in the workforce. Here are some examples:

• • asking marketing students to write a research paper about Twitter would not make sense. It makes more sense to ask them to create a Twitter account and tweet;

  • asking accounting students to create a video about Statements of Retained Earnings makes less sense than for them to create a print version;

  • asking HR students to create a video about “safe lifting in the workplace” makes more sense than asking them to create a pinterest site for the same topic.

Technology is not the learning outcome.

• The goal of the assignment shouldn’t be to learn a piece of software or hardware. The goals if for the technology to help you to achieve the learning outcome, to strengthen one or more of the core literacies, as outlined in the academic plan, and to strengthen Essential Employability Skills (EES).

• Want to map your assessments to the course learning outcomes? Use the Assessment Blueprint found on Teaching & Learning’s assessments page.

• Need help developing learning outcomes or would like to learn more about core literacies and EES? Attend a Teaching & Learning workshop.

Use only the technology you need to achieve the learning outcome.

Do not ask students to learn complicated technology when something simple would achieve the same results. For example, if you want your students to create a simple image, allow them to use a simple program like PowerPoint, don’t expect them to learn a complicated program like Photoshop.

Have experience with the technology/digital format of the assignment before you assign it to your students.

Could you imagine assigning an essay to your students if you had never written one, didn’t know how to write one or weren’t able to judge what constitutes a “good” essay? Of course not, which is why if you assign a digital assignment to your students, you should be comfortable with whatever you are assigning.

Have clear expectations.

Provide a clear checklist/rubric for the assignment showing what you expect from both the content and the design. Sample checklists and rubrics: Digital Storytelling Rubric (U of Maryland); A+ Video Project Rubric (U of Wisconsin-Stout)

Have reasonable expectations.

Asking someone to build an entire computer program or create an hour long video is unreasonable, unless the entire semester is devoted to it. Examples of reasonable expectations could be: a 1-2 minute video, a small website, tweeting a live event.

Weight the assignment in relation to the work expected.

If you expect students to put in hours of work then weight the assignment in accordance. Assigning 5% to a video project that will take hours to complete is not fair.

Have clear guidelines/instructions.

Provide clear instructions for using the technology. Do not expect students to get by on their own. Some students will have no issues learning technology quickly but some students will really struggle.

Devote class time to getting the project started (optional).

Depending on the project you may want to devote some class time to getting the students started using the technology. For example, have everyone sign up for Twitter accounts and then tweet, retweet, and reply for the first time; have students sign up for a WordPress account and then get started adding pages and selecting a theme; ask the library to come in and do a video workshop.

Provide a model/exemplar to your students.

Show your students exactly what you expect them to create. This will aid you in assigning appropriate marks for the assignment, demonstrate your willingness to expand your digital skills and/or step out of your comfort zone, provide an exemplar.

One way to do this is to create an assignment outline using the same media format. For example:

• record a short podcast where you describe or discuss the assignment, the rationale for choosing this medium, etc.

• create an infographic which illustrates the steps to completing the assignment (e.g. pick a topic, research, sketch, create, submit)

• make a short animated video "trailer" which covers the career applications of the medium, assignment expectations, etc.

Develop a technical support strategy.

• Try to prepared for possible issues that may occur and always have a plan B.

• Your turnaround time for troubleshooting should be quick, at least within a couple of hours.

• Chat with ITS Client Services and the library to see if the programs or software you’ve chosen is available to students.

What’s your Plan B?

Potential Challenges

• Student with accommodations that prevents their participation as they have limited motor skills and cannot use video editing software.

• The technology unexpectedly won’t work. Students are supposed to live tweet an event and the internet doesn’t work at the venue.

• Students with little to no basic digital skills. Student does not know how to use even a computer mouse and is asked to film and edit a video. This assignment is far more challenging for him compared to other students.

• Student refuses to use the assigned online tool or software for privacy or other reasons. Students are asked to create a WordPress site, a student refuses to use WordPress because their servers are hosted in the U.S. and she does not agree with the Patriot Act implications for her content.

Possible Solutions

• Allow the student to hand in the assignment in an alternate format.

• Students can compose offline and submit when they have an internet connection. Students can hand in a hard copy of the assignment, as long as it’s formatted in the same way as the original.

• Provide after class assistance, recommend other tutoring assistance

• Allow the student to use a different tool/software. Allow the student to hand in the assignment in an alternate format, as long as it’s formatted in the same way as the original.