The Ten Commandments in Designing Online Courses

Susan L. Jones
Assistant Professor
Southwest Missouri State University
School of Teacher Education
College of Education
E-mail: SusanJones@smsu.edu

Are you planning on offering an online course in the future? It may happen sooner than you expect. The demand for such courses continues to grow at an exponential rate. A study conducted through the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) indicated that 88 percent of institutions that offered distance education courses in 2000-2001 or that planned to offer distance education courses in the next 3 years, would start using or increase the number of Internet courses using asynchronous computer-based instruction as a primary mode of instructional delivery. In contrast, 62 percent of those institutions indicated in the next 3 years that they planned to start using or increase the number of Internet courses using synchronous computer-based instruction as a primary mode of delivery (NCES, 2004). Continuous predictions such as those made by Simonson and others (2003) predict that "Online educational opportunities, whether for corporate executives, third graders, or nontraditional college students, will proliferate in this [online] environment....it is safe to say that that the delivery of instruction by some form of networking, at all levels of education, will become more and more common as the 21st century progresses" (p. 257).

Currently many major research universities are creating online graduate programs and it does not appear that the pace will slow anytime soon. Courses that were once offered face-to-face are being redesigned and offered online. Students as consumers of education are driving the demand for online programs. Often the demand is so great that graduate programs cannot create or redesign their existing courses quick enough to meet student satisfaction. Not surprisingly, in times of budget cuts many high schools and community colleges are also following in the footsteps of universities and expanding their horizons in distance learning. Many high schools and community colleges use distance learning to tap into resources otherwise not available to them; to fulfill general requirements; to offer regular and advanced placement courses; to offer curriculum enrichment programs; and even certification programs. Private, corporate, and government sectors also utilized and continue to expand upon distance learning at a rapid rate due to changing and advancing economic and technological changes. Life-long learning as well as just-in-time-training benefits both worker and employer.

The radical transformation brought about by rapidly advancing technologies has had important effects on teaching and learning. The transition to online distance learning, driven largely by student consumers of education is creating a paradigm shift in the way teaching and learning is viewed. On the one hand, the Internet has made the process of obtaining an education easier for the student with regard to time and location. On the other hand, online courses can pose great problems for colleges and universities who are not prepared to deal with distance learning issues efficiently and many barriers fall into place. These barriers may include coordination issues, student support concerns, faculty concerns, market research confusion, marketing technique uncertainty, access issues, evaluation concerns, and standard issues (Gerson, 2002). Then, through electronic communication, many online courses get created quickly and offer students access to online text-based syllabi, uploaded course text-based notes, and uploaded text-based assignments along with many other text-based documents which make the quality of the course comparable to that of a correspondence one. Text-based courses often the only choice unfortunately do not utilize the unique qualities that the world wide web offers. As more and more courses are developed for the online environment that are merely text-based in the distance learning realm, there is no single blueprint by which to follow in order to successfully create a quality online course. According to Burge, Laroque, and Boak (2000) reflection plays a key role as the methodology and should be encouraged since the distance education literature contains little interpersonal reflective writing on experiences with web-based practice.

From someone who has reviewed, trained faculty, participated in the design and development and taught both web-supported and web-based courses I have been asked many times over the years, "If you could name ten things that would make my online course successful what would they be?" This article addresses that question and the following ten commandments provide the essentials to creating a quality online course regardless of the discipline being taught.

First, thou shalt not assume teaching online is the same as teaching in a face-to-face classroom. It is true that the content from your traditional course will be the core of your online course but you may need to rethink and confront your beliefs about teaching and learning and consider how you will present your content in an online environment. One cannot merely walk into an online environment and "ad lib" from sitting behind a computer and uploading text documents. In rethinking and confronting your beliefs you may have to acknowledge and accept that the new paradigm shift in teaching is to allow students to be in more control of their own learning and yours has become the guide-on-the-side or a mentor. This paradigm shift coupled with technological breakthroughs allows students to learn at different times and places, and as adult learners they like to construct their own knowledge. This notion may cause concern for instructors who have a difficult time moving away from the center stage toward a more collaborative learning environment. Along with this paradigm shift may also bring about a need for retooling skills. It is important to be a facilitator of discussions and one who can use new strategies for deepening online dialogue that will enrich learning opportunities rather than facilitating general questions like those often asked in traditional face-to-face classrooms. Don't be surprised if teaching online may spark resurgence for you to revisit old and new teaching strategies and learning.

Second, thou shalt not put technology before course objectives. Effective use of technology is a crucial component in an online environment. Concern over creating a course in FrontPage or similar software or using a course management system such as Blackboard is normal. After and only after you have identified your course goals and objectives, then should you be concerned about technology. It is important to not let the technology drive your course but that your course objectives drive the type of technology that will help accomplish those objectives. Ultimately, you are responsible for knowing or finding out what technology is available to help you meet those goals and objectives. Picking the right tool for the right job, learning how to operate the right technology through training so that you can integrate it effectively into your curricula, and practicing with the technology prior to the first class is essential.You may need to find out if technology such as CentraOne, TegrityWeblearner, Microsoft Producer, or similar products is available that would enable you to moderate and create real-time audio discussion opportunities or allow you to moderate and pre-record video clips of yourself presenting material with the option of uploading onto your online course. Once objectives are decided upon you many have specific software needs to help you create your own multimedia projects that enable your students to gather basic knowledge (try creating an interactive scavenger hunt in PowerPoint or other similar software) or providing an opportunity for your students to participate in an interactive problem-based webquest (try creating it in PowerPoint or other similar software). Make sure that whatever is available that you do get training on how to use it, practice with it several times (if possible with colleagues) and get feedback on your technique.

Third, thou shalt not treat online students as merely a number. One of the most important tasks you can achieve as an online instructor is creating a sustainable learning community for your students. By getting to know who each of your students are, however you choose to do so, you can then use real world examples tied to their own interests. The research on adult learners indicates that adults are first and foremost, individuals who possess unique needs, values, attitudes, goals, beliefs, motivations, and self-concepts (Combs, 1959). Knowles (1984) contends that teaching adults is different than teaching children because adults bring motivations, goals, expectations, and life experiences to the learning situations unlike that of a child. However, you should still take into consideration adult learning styles (auditory, visual, kinesthetic) and multiple intelligences (linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, bodily, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist) since not every student is exactly alike and most students' process information through a combination of intelligences rather than one in particular (Gardner, 1983). Tapping into these experiences where the adult learner can integrate information with his or her own experiences can be difficult. It cannot be done with one successful teaching strategy for every adult learner in any teaching situation, face-to-face or online. It is essential that you understand who your students are and continuously redesign your course throughout its duration to build a sustainable learning community.

Fourth, thou shalt not be vague. Certain specific information is necessary for your students to have in order to function within the learning community. Accessible information can be written in a detailed syllabus and placed online for anytime, anyplace access. This syllabus should contain many of the same components of traditional syllabi with some additions but greater detail. Cyrs (1997) contends that it is the ". . . single most important communication device . . ." between the instructor and student (p. 114). In your syllabus you should include: the course title; instructor information (name, degree, brief biographical information, office hours (if conducting virtual office hours give dates/times/if can be reached by phone/electronic means); office location; office telephone number; email address, instructor website address); course number and course description; general course terminal learning performance objectives; required textbook(s); required supplies; course date, time, and meeting locations (specify any face-to-face and electronic dates/times); lab availability (available for students to complete assigned work); tech support contact information; attendance policy (participation, punctuality, absences, tardies); grading scale; assignments; class schedule (meeting dates, topics, assignments due); how assignments will be turned in (email, drop box, fax, mail); grading of assignments (time frame); how assignments will be returned (email, drop box, fax, mail); how tests will be administered (proctored, online testing); how to drop a class; policy on academic dishonest; policy on discrimination; and what to do in the event of an emergency (technology fails, etc.).

Fifth, thou shalt not make lessons passive. Concentrate on making each specific lesson interactive. Once you have identified objectives you are ready to concentrate on each individual online lesson. For each individual lesson, you should only identify three, no more than four key points to cover. Once these key points are identified then you can begin to create interactive opportunities for your students to be involved in. These may be created by providing opportunities for your students to interact with you through stories, anecdotes, magic illusion, graphics, animation, video clips, etc...; providing opportunities for your students to interact with each other through small group projects (i.e. interactive problem-based webquest,); role playing; debates; scenarios; personal vignette, etc...; and/or providing opportunities for your students to interact with the material through individual interactive scavenger hunts; simulations; viewing video clips, trigger videos, audio clips; writing a reflection; completing a response card, etc... . Please note that any of the aforementioned interactive activities can be used individually or in group, they can also be designed to be used with the teacher, with other students, or so that students interact with the material.        

Sixth, thou shalt not make students work in isolation. Many times online learners feel isolated. They often do not possess the same feeling of belonging to a class, to a group, or to a community of learners as they would in a traditional face-to-face classroom. It is important to provide opportunities for students to interact. Actively involving students in their own learning process is what distinguishes an interactive online course with a passive one whereby students merely print off lecture notes and take tests. Instructors should design opportunities into their online courses whereby students can interact with each other, interact with the instructor as well as interacting with course material. Through interaction, students can actively participate in learning with opportunities to view, talk, listen, write, read, feel, reflect, solve problems, or various combinations of these regarding issues, ideas, concerns, and course content (Cyrs, 1997; Meyers & Jones, 1993). Interactions are easy to create either individually and in small or large groups. They can be created through email, chat, bulletin boards, and threaded discussions (Roberson & Klotz, 2002).

Seventh, thou shalt not be unorganized. An unorganized online teacher is one headed for an online disaster. An online instructor must be organized in two major areas. First, personally. Developing a systematic system for keeping track of student's correspondence and assignments is essential. Correspondence primarily in the form of e-mails and assignments can be placed in separate folders for each student right on you computer. Any material from a particular student can be placed in his or her folder and kept for quick reference the entire semester. The second area an online instructor needs to be organized in is providing students with clear instructions. These instructions must be very specific with regard to how to complete an assignment, how an assignment will be graded, required cover sheet with name, date, and title to online meeting times and places. Many instructors require certain information to be contained in an email when corresponding and when an assignment is being submitted for a grade. For example, an instructor might request in the subject line that students list their last name, course number and section, and "Assignment 1" to help with sorting of the correspondence into particular student files. Many new online instructors mistakenly believe the paperwork shuffle has ended. The reality is that the hard copy paperwork shuffle has ended and the electronic paper shuffle has just begun. It is also essential as an online instructor to keep up with grading and returning course materials so students receive timely and prompt feedback. Students in general, especially online students, need appropriate and prompt feedback on comments, ideas, course assignments, and exams (Hutchins, 2003). Making sure that you are clear and precise the first time will save you time in answering individual request about what you really wanted.

Eighth, thou shalt not use only one type of student assessment. Students in an online environment need help in assessing their own performance and need frequent opportunities to perform and receive feedback on areas of strength as well as areas that need improvement. Regular and frequent assessment is often a key to student success and retaining students in an online environment. As you work toward creating an online course you may have to confront not only the notion of new ways of teaching and learning as mentioned earlier, but also beliefs about online assessment measures. Cheating and plagiarism are often at the forefront. While the technological breakthroughs allow students to learn at different times and places with or without the teacher physically or electronically present online instructors are often caught up in trying to make sure that the person completing the work and taking the exams is really the person enrolled in the online course. Decisions about will assessment be strictly text-based (quizzes, tests, paper-based and/or electronic) or project-based or possibly a combination of both occur. Other decisions have to be made about whether or not the exam should be proctored or if students can work together or if the test can be open note/open book, or if students may work on the test at home or if they must complete the test during a specific time period online. Many online instructors are satisfied with students operating on the "honor system" and yet others avoid the issue by allowing students to work in small groups or to use open note/book exams. Other forms of assessment including self-assessments, and, non-graded assignments with feedback are helpful to online students. Whatever is decided about assessment, the assessment process should always assess your objectives.

Ninth, thou shalt not ignore copyright and fair use issues. Many online instructors believe that because their course is housed within a course management system, such as Blackboard, and passwords are required to get into their content, that they are free from having to deal with copyright and fair use issues. Be very careful of making this assumption. The best advice that can be given on this issue is to check with your own institution and see what their individual copyright and fair use policy is. Many institutions have their policy online. Copyright and fair use are significant issues for online instructors who design and teach online courses and should not be ignored. Ignorance is not an excuse.

Tenth, thou shalt not forget to reflect on course evaluations. As in any course, reflecting on course evaluations is important. Simply stated reflection helps you decide what worked, what did not, and what needs to be modified. Unfortunately in an online course, once the course is "built" online instructors do not feel that they need to change or modify anything.At many institutions, instructors are paid to create or build the course and once it is "built" it's done. Then, every time the institution wants to offer the course, the course creator has the option to teach the course and get paid for teaching it, not redesigning it again. Sometimes, unfortunately for the students, if there is a design flaw that requires a change or modification that would normally be done in a traditional, face-to-face course and it is not done in the online environment, the students reap the adverse effects. If you are an online instructor and something does not work or needs modifying, then by all means change or modify it as you would in your traditional, face-to-face course. Keep in mind, even though your students are "at a distance" they are still real students who deserve a quality online course.

In summary, as an online teacher you have the opportunity to facilitate learning that goes beyond traditional text-based documentation. You have the opportunity to embrace a major paradigm shift in teaching and learning. If you find out what technology is available, get training, practice, and receive feedback the world can be used as your classroom with unlimited information literally at your fingertips. If you know who your students are, you can work on building a sustainable learning community using their own backgrounds, prior knowledge, learning styles, and multiple intelligences and create opportunities where they do not work in isolation. As an online instructor remain focused and get organized so you can provide varying types of feedback and assessment in a timely manner. Don't assume you are protected from annoying copyright and fair use guidelines because you are not. And, at the end of your online course spend time reflecting and change or modifying what needs to be done. The demand for online courses is not going to slow down anytime in the near future and it is possible to create a quality online course if you follow the Ten Commandments in designing online courses.

REFERENCES

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Baring professional souls: Reflections on web life. Journal of Distance Education, 15(1). Retrieved December 12, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://cade.athabascau.ca/vol15.1/burge.html

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Hutchins, H.M. (2003).

Instructional immediacy and the seven principles: Strategies for facilitating online courses. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 7(3). Retrieved January 3, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall63/hutchins63.html

 

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How can instructors and administrators fill the missing link in online instruction? Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 5(4). Retrieved December 12, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/winter54 /roberson54.htm

 

Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2003).

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