Course Design Checklist Resources
Purpose:
This document should be used as a resource by faculty to prepare for creating residential, hybrid, and online courses without direct assistance from an instructional designer or other support personnel.
Step 1 - Develop Course Goals & Objectives
| Task | Description | Web Resources |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 State the purpose of the course clearly | Everyone needs to know why the course is important and where it fits in the curriculum. | WKU's Goals and Objectives |
| 1.2 Establish what participants will “be able to do” at the end of the course | Clearly listing the exact performances expected via goals and objectives will ensure alignment of them to relevant content. | Instructional Goals and Objectives |
Step 2 - Develop Course Outline/Blueprint/Schedule & Syllabus
| Task | Description | Web Resources |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 Define all course requirements and syllabus | A syllabus is required by Penn State for all classes. A poorly-written syllabus can affect student attitude, performance, and civility, cause legal complications, and affect the entire University! | Course Syllabus Design at Penn State |
Step 3 - Develop Course Assessments & Assignments
| Task | Description | Web Resources |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 Design and develop assessments | Assessments should align with course objectives and materials. | The PSU Hybrid Learning SiteUniv. of Texas Assessment SiteSchreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence's (SITE) Assessment Information |
| 3.2 Design quiz questions | Writing clear quiz questions is a learned skill. There are techniques you should follow when developing great quiz questions. | How to Write Good Quiz Questions (Google Search)Writing Effective Quiz Questions |
| 3.2.1 Develop valid and reliable questions | Ensuring that your questions consistently and accurately measure what you want can be challenging. Utilizing some basic rules for writing good questions, as well as ways to assess your questions, are important skills to possess. | 14 Rules for Writing Multiple-choice Quiz Questions (PDF)Writing Multiple-choice Questions that Require Critical Thinking (PDF)How to Examine and Improve Your Quiz Questions |
| 3.2.2 Develop non-graded sample quizzes | Sample quizzes are a great way for students to study and learn what aspects of the course content are relevant for the “real” quizzes. | Effectiveness of Practice Tests |
| 3.3 Develop rubrics | Rubrics, or your grading checklists, are a great way to show students exactly what you expect on assignment submissions. |
Step 4 - Identify & Develop Instructional Content & Materials
| Task | Description | Web Resources |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 Identify or create the course content | The medium used to deliver content in an online course can vary based on the objectives of the content. Select how to deliver the online course content if relevant. | A Self Directed Guide to Designing Courses for Significant Learning (PDF)The Course Delivery Decision Model (CDDM) (PDF)Designing Course Modules |
| 4.1.1 Determine copyright restrictions on materials. | Some courses make use of media and/or technology developed by a third party who holds copyright on the use of these materials. It is the responsibility of the course developers to ensure that use of these materials follows University policy. | American Library Association Copyright Resources |
| 4.2 Review the learning objectives of the module/lesson and connect them to the type of media best used to ensure students meet the learning objective | Content Delivery in Online and Blended CoursesTips for Multimedia from SlidesMultimedia in Education Overview | |
| 4.3 Make decisions needed regarding what tools/technology will be used to develop online course content that includes multimedia | Ed Tech Advisor (ETA)Deciding Which Course Tools to Use | |
| 4.4 Review and plan how the multimedia will be created in an accessible format | OL 3000: Supporting Accessibility for Online LearnersW3C Multimedia Accessibility FAQPenn State's Accessibility Web Site | |
| 4.5 Test the course content from the student perspective once multimedia elements have been designed and developed | At PSU you can use a Friend’s of Penn State Account: https://fps.psu.edu/ and add that User ID to the course with student rights. That way you will be able to test out everything and see what students are seeing. This ensures that students will be able to access files and interactions and you can test things out on a Mac and PC as well as a variety of browsers. | Student View in CanvasChico State RubricPenn State Quality Assurance e-Learning Design Standards |
| 4.6 Explore value of materials | Evaluate materials to ensure positive value and return on investment for learning: Review available course materials to ensure that the cost of materials is a good value to students and doesn’t cause any barriers in the educational experience (Instructors might consider open education resources as an alternative to expensive textbooks). | OERs at PSUSubject Guides by PSU LibrariesOpen Textbook Resources |
Step 5 - Develop an Intuitive, Navigationally-friendly Course Site
| Task | Description | Web Resources |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 Ensure that course design follows a consistent format | Content in each lesson should be designed with a consistent look and feel so that students will be able to navigate each lesson easily. | Sample Courses to View |
| 5.1.1 Learning Objectives | Students should be provided with a clear, measurable description of what they will be able to do, know, and/or experience as a result of having successfully completed the course. | Learning Outcomes Assessment TutorialWriting Effective Learning ObjectivesUVM Center for Teaching & Learning: Writing Learning Objectives |
| 5.1.2 Lesson Introduction | A brief introduction of the lesson should be provided to the student. Something similar to what you would say to students to introduce a lesson in the classroom. | Creating a Positive Presence in an Online Course |
| 5.1.3 Lesson Content | Content can be delivered via various methods depending on the course and the instructor's teaching style. | UVM's Multiple Means of Representation |
| 5.1.4 Learning Activities | Learning activities should provide students with practice to apply what they have learned to prepare them for the lesson assignment. | UVM Center for Teaching & Learning Active Learning ExamplesUNC’s Classroom Activities for Active Learning (PDF) |
| 5.1.5 Clearly Defined Assignments | Assignment goals should align with learning objectives. | Penn State Assessment of Student Learning |
| 5.2 Review and ensure that accessibility requirements are met | The course must adhere to the University guidelines and policies. | Penn State's Accessibility Site |
| 5.3 Review and ensure that copyright requirements are met | Some courses make use of media and/or technology developed by a third party who holds copyright on the use of these materials. It is the responsibility of the course developers to ensure that use of these materials follows University policy. | American Library Association Copyright Resources |
| 5.4 Utilize the “Create Your First Course in Canvas” Checklist if relevant | This checklist walks you through the optimal order for creating the components (syllabus, assessments, etc.) you’ve developed so far. | Create Your First Course in Canvas Checklist |
Step 6 - Develop Strategies to Evaluate the Course Design & Gather Student Feedback
| Task | Description | Web Resources |
|---|---|---|
| 6.1 Evaluate course navigation | ||
| 6.1.1 Titles & naming conventions | Ensure that titles and naming conventions are concise, consistent, and easy to understand. | |
| 6.1.2 Navigation functionality | Test navigation functionality prior to course opening. | Penn State Quality Assurance e-Learning Design Standards |
| 6.1.3 Course Sequence | Establish the sequence of the course contents to ensure that course navigation matches the course schedule/syllabus. | Interface Task Force Best Practice Recommendations (PDF) |
| 6.1.4 Student concerns & questions | Review student emails related to navigation questions/concerns and document frequency and issues for consideration in future course design adjustments. | |
| 6.1.5 User Experience (UX) Survey | Survey users for feedback on UX at mid-term and end of the semester. | Dutton Institute Mid-semester Evaluation |
| 6.1.6 Accessibility | Ensure that navigation meets accessibility standards. | Penn State Quality Assurance e-Learning Design Standards |
| 6.1.6 UX focus groups | When feasible, hold focus groups to test navigation functionality/experience and gather feedback for continual improvement. | Free Management Library’s Basics of Conducting Focus Groups |
| 6.2 Evaluate engagement opportunities | ||
| 6.2.1 Student self report | Use surveys to provide opportunities for students to self-report their level of class engagement and reasons for engagement or disengagement. | Dutton Institute Mid-Semester Evaluation |
| 6.2.2 Summative assessment - checklists and rating scales | Use checklists and rating scales as a summative assessment to measure student engagement levels and assess students' willingness to participate in course tasks. | Penn State Quality Assurance Course Review Worksheet (PDF) |
| 6.2.2 Summative assessment - checklists and rating scales | Use checklists and rating scales as a summative assessment to measure student engagement levels and assess students' willingness to participate in course tasks. | Penn State Quality Assurance Course Review Worksheet (PDF) |
| 6.2.3 LMS analytics | Review LMS analytics to track student engagement. | |
| 6.2.4 Frequency of engagement in discussion/social media | Analyze student and instructor frequency and quantity of engagement in discussion and/or course social media channels. | |
| 6.3 Evaluate usefulness of materials | ||
| 6.3.1 Material usefulness survey | Include questions on mid and end-of-semester surveys to evaluate usefulness of materials. | |
| 6.3.2 Material-to-objective mapping | Map/connect materials to their purpose in meeting course goals and objectives. | |
| 6.3.3 Describe & summarize purpose | Provide narrative to describe purpose of materials, summarize expectations of tasks, and outline tips on how materials will be used. | |
| 6.3.4 Evaluate perceived value of materials | Evaluate materials to ensure positive value and return on investment for learning: Review available course materials to ensure that the cost of materials is a good value to students and doesn’t cause any barriers in the educational experience (Instructors might consider open education resources as an alternative to expensive textbooks). | |
| 6.4 Evaluate assessment outcomes | World Campus Faculty Development Assessment of Online Learners Course |