This document provides an overview of creating exceptional online courses. It discusses designing courses with clear objectives and modular content presented with various media. Learner engagement is emphasized through guidance on interacting with content and higher-order thinking. Communication strategies promote asynchronous reflection and synchronous rapid response. Assessments must match objectives, and rubrics or criteria should be provided. Self-assessment opportunities allow learners to reflect on their progress. The document provides resources for online course standards and evaluation.

1. Creating Exceptional Courses in Moodle

2. Getting to Know Me Diana Benner Online Learning Specialist Dallas ISD Website: http://dbenner.org Email: dbenner@dallasisd.org

3. Getting To Know You Teachers? Course Developers? Trainers? K-12 Education? Higher Education? Business/Industry?

4. Where Can I Find All This? Diana Benner’s Website http://dbenner.org Moodle Mayhem Website http://bit.ly/moodlemayhem

5. What is your biggest hope for this session in regard to creating online courses in your district?

6. Session Goals This session will guide participants in developing and teaching online professional development courses. The participant will be lead through the steps of course development, online teaching, and online assessment. The session will emphasize principals of course design which are outcome-based, performance-based, and collaborative.

7. Overview What is “Online Learning?” Online Professional Development Designing Online Courses Effective Online Facilitation Evaluating Online Courses

8. Why I Teach Online . . . Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8VfChM5EhA

9. What is “Online Learning”? Learning that uses technology, typically by way of the Internet. In some cases, there is no live teacher present. Online learning typically describes a course where the student never uses a traditional classroom – all activities are done on a computer.

11. Easy to create

12. In line with what we know works

15. Clearly written at the appropriate level and reflect desired outcomes

16. Written as measureable outcomes

19. Navigation is intuitive and content flows in a logical progression

20. Content is enhanced with visual and auditory elements

23. Includes guidance for learners to work with content in meaningful ways

24. Higher order thinking is expected of learners

25. Individualized instruction, remedial activities, or resources for advanced learning activities are providedWhat do we mean by learner engagement? Why is it important? How can we successfully guide learners through the content in meaningful ways? What are examples of higher order thinking? How can we support individualized instruction?

27. Asynchronous communication strategies promote critical reflection or other higher order thinking

29. Students are encouraged to initiate communication with the instructor

31. Expectations for quality of communications are clearly defined

32. A rubric used to evaluate participation is included

33. Instructor actively participates in communication activities

36. Rubrics or descriptive criteria for desired outcomes are provided

37. Multiple types of assessments are used

39. Components of an Online Course

40. Sample Moodle Course Template

41. Online Course Evaluation Checklist

42. Standards National Standards for Quality Online Teaching Southern Regional Education Board

43. “Design your course around what you want your end result to be”

44. Sources Top Tips for Online Facilitation http://community.flexiblelearning.net.au/teachingtraininglearners/content/article_4729.htm Southern Regional Education Board http://home.sreb.org/publication/news1.aspx?Code=1134 SREB Online Resources http://www.srebonlineteachers.org/ SREB EvaluTech http://www.evalutech.sreb.org/criteria/online.asp iNACOL: International Association for K-12 Online Learning http://www.inacol.org/ Texas Virtual School Network http://www.txvsn.org/

45. Thank You! Diana Benner dbenner@dallasisd.org