Phase 3: Development
The third phase of Functional Course Design, which includes steps six through eight of the framework, is focused on supporting instructors in creating an online learning environment that supports clear alignment, learner navigation, access, and interaction with content, the instructor, and peers.
Helpful Resources for Elearning and Materials Development
Instructional Design and Development: Reach out to discuss best practices in the creation and curation of materials and to discuss ways to use Elearning to engage learners and enhance instruction.
Instructional Technology Center (ITC): Reach out for support in building and troubleshooting in Elearning, incorporating publisher content into your Elearning course, or using various learning technologies to enhance instruction.
Accessibility Support: Reach out to request video captioning and transcriptions as well as guidance on the creation of accessible materials and resources for learners.
WMU Libraries: Reach out to explore options for developing and incorporating, Course Reserves, , and/or Online Educational Resources into an Elearning course. Consider working with Technology Spaces to create instructional materials and experiences with emerging technologies.
Phase Objectives
- Develop course syllabus and schedule.
- Build out a template course in Elearning.
- Create/curate instructional content, materials, activities, and assessments.
- Incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles.
- Ensure syllabus, course schedule, and Elearning information is aligned.
Step 6: Regular and Substantive Interactions
What is it?
Development of an intentional plan for 1:1 interaction with learners throughout the semester.
Why is it important?
Supports instructors in considering and making explicit how they will encourage and support learner development relative to course content and performance.
This document helps instructors to think through ways they might initiate and facilitate learner engagement with course content while creating Â鶹´«Ã½ for feedback and interventions that encourage and support learner development.
Step 7: Syllabus Accessibility and Design
What is it?
Identification of university required and recommended elements for the course syllabus as well as accessibility and Universal Design for Learning practices and principles.
Why is it important?
Supports instructors in ensuring all learners have access to the information they need in a format that supports their learning needs.
This document offers instructors a self-review checklist for syllabus design that can help them to ensure the inclusion of university syllabus requirements and the consideration of basic accessibility and Universal Design for Learning principles.
Step 8: Activity Development and Descriptions
What is it?
Creation of a learner-centered structure for course activities.
Why is it important?
Supports instructors in drafting activities for learners that highlight activity purpose, expectations, and instruction for submission or completion; the description structures are also intended to support ease of transcription into the IDD Elearning Course Template.
This document offers best practice information for describing items and activities in Elearning, helping instructors to plan for the development of various components of their course.
Guiding Documents
Step 6:
This document is designed to support instructors in thinking through ways they might intentionally incorporate regular and substantive interaction (RSI) with learners throughout the semester.
Step 7:
This document contains information and a checklist to support instructors in the development of a syllabus that follows best practices for accessibility and inclusion and is considerate of required and recommended information.
Step 8:
This checklist will help instructors to consider helpful information for including in descriptions for modules and various Elearning content items.
How to Use These Documents
These documents can be completed in order or according to individual interest or instructional need. Depending on where an instructor finds themselves in the course design process, whether the course is new to the program or new to the instructor, whether the modality has changed or an instructor is looking to update their course, the documents are intended to make the process of design or redesign more manageable. If more information or support is needed, instructors are encouraged to contact the Instructional Design and Development team.