This page outlines key best practices to help CCS instructors create a robust and enriching online asynchronous learning experience. Click on any topic to view its importance and related strategies for implementation.
1. Define Clear Learning Objectives
Why It Matters
Clearly defined learning objectives set student expectations, guide their focus, and are the basis for effective assessment.
Strategies
- Establish Measurable Outcomes: Include measurable learning outcomes for the entire course and each module/week.
- Prominently Display Objectives: Display Course Learning Objectives (CLOs) in a clear, easy-to-find location.
- Engage Students with CLOs: Create a low-barrier-to-entry assignment that prompts students to review and interact with CLOs.
- Example 1: Students read each CLO, then reflect on which goal they’re most excited to achieve and why.
- Example 2: Students rank CLOs based on what they believe will be their most important learning outcome and provide an explanation of their ranking.
- Outline Weekly Expectations: On a “Weekly Overview and To Do” page, outline specific learning outcomes, required content, and assignments due for that module/week.
- Connect Learning Progress: Ensure clarity in how each new module/week builds on prior learning.
- Align Content and Assignments to CLOs: Within content and assignments, explicitly mention which CLOs are aligned with the material or activity.
2. Ensure clear structure and navigation
Why It Matters
A well-structured course reduces student frustration, minimizes cognitive load, and allows students to focus on learning rather than navigating the platform.
Strategies
- Organize Content Logically: Organize course content logically with clear headings, consistent layout, and explicit navigation instructions on the home/landing page.
- Optimize Navigation Menus: Provide a clean navigation menu by hiding unused items and organizing essential items by importance.
- Implement Consistent Naming Conventions: Use clear and consistent naming conventions for all modules, pages, files, and assignments.
- Utilize Hierarchical Organization: Use headings, subheadings, and indentation to set up a clear hierarchy on both the Modules page and course content pages.
- Ensure Explicit Instructions: Ensure all instructions are explicit, concise, and easy to find, avoiding ambiguity in prompts and breaking down complex instructions into lists.
3. Be Timely and consistent
Why It Matters
Timely and consistent communication builds student trust, supports effective time management, and increases student success.
Strategies
- Maintain Consistent Rhythm: Establish a consistent rhythm for deadlines, announcements, and feedback.
- Provide deadlines that remain the same across all course content.
- Example: All rough drafts due Wednesdays at noon, all peer feedback on drafts due Thursdays by noon, and all final assignments/projects due Sundays by 11:59 PM.
- Clearly state your response times for assignment feedback.
- Example: The instructor will provide grades and feedback for all assignments/projects by the Friday after submission.
- Provide deadlines that remain the same across all course content.
- Publish a Comprehensive Course Calendar: Publish a course calendar or schedule at the start of the course that clearly outlines all deadlines.
- Communicate Schedule Changes Promptly: Communicate any changes to the schedule immediately and clearly.
- Utilize Automated Reminders: Set up automated reminders or weekly announcements for communication with students.
- Estimate Activity Completion Times: Provide estimated completion times for course activities. Be sure to provide a range of time up to 1.5 times your expected completion time to account for varying student needs and accommodations.
- Example: Reading 1 (10-25 minutes)
4. Design for active learning and engagement
Why It Matters
Designing for active learning deepens understanding, fosters community, and improves learning outcomes.
Strategies
- Backward Design for Learning: Clearly identify what students should know and be able to do by the end of the course using backward design principles.
- Define ultimate learning outcomes.
- Determine assessments that show evidence of learning.
- Plan instructional activities to achieve these outcomes.
- Maintain Instructor Presence:
- Send weekly announcements, messages, and updates.
- Include short video introductions to modules, discussions, and assignments.
- Actively participate in discussions by asking questions, providing supplementary resources, and summarizing key takeaways.
- Hold office hours for live interaction and Q&A.
- Provide an Announcement forum or chat option for Q&A.
- Incorporate Varied Activities:
- Mix content delivery (readings, videos, audio, interactive simulations) with active learning (discussions, group projects, case studies, self-assessments).
- Utilize diverse media formats to appeal to different learning styles.
- Design low-stakes, formative activities that allow students to practice and receive feedback without high pressure.
- Design for Collaborative Learning:
- Design activities requiring student interaction (e.g., small group projects, peer review, collaborative documents).
- Provide clear roles and responsibilities for group work to ensure equitable participation.
- Assign Authentic Tasks:
- Use real-world problems, case studies, or projects mimicking professional tasks.
- Connect assignments to current events or practical applications.
- Allow student choices in how they demonstrate learning to increase relevance to their interests.
5. Provide effective and actionable feedback
Why It Matters
Effective feedback clarifies student expectations, guides their focus, and forms the basis for improving learning outcomes.
Strategies
- Facilitate Peer Feedback Opportunities: Provide opportunities for students to give feedback to each other.
- Model effective feedback.
- Provide a checklist for specific points to address in feedback.
- Utilize anonymous peer review tools in Canvas to encourage honest feedback.
- Ask students to reflect on feedback they receive.
- Deliver Timely Instructor Feedback: Provide timely, constructive, and specific instructor-to-student feedback on assignments.
- Utilize rubrics to clearly outline grading criteria and expectations.
- Provide example assignments to illustrate successful completion.
- Provide feedback on a clearly outlined timeline.
- Example: All major assignments/projects will be graded by the Friday after they are due.
- Focus feedback on learning outcomes and provide actionable steps for improvement.
- Consider using audio or video feedback for a more personal touch.
- Solicit Student Feedback on Instruction: Create opportunities for students to provide feedback to the instructor.
- Regularly ask for feedback using anonymous surveys, exit tickets, or quiz questions.
- Demonstrate that you listen to student feedback by making minor adjustments and communicating these changes.
6. Design for accessibility and provide needed support
Why It Matters
Designing with universal accessibility in mind ensures all students can access and engage with course content, fostering an inclusive learning environment and supporting diverse student needs.
Strategies
- Develop Accessible Course Materials: Design materials with accessibility in mind.
- Use captions for videos, alternative text for images, clear fonts, and logical heading structures.
- Provide content in multiple formats where possible (e.g., a transcript for a video, or audio version of a text).
- Ensure all documents (PDFs, Word docs, Google docs) are created using Accessibility Best Practices.
- Use high-contrast colors for text and backgrounds.
- Introduce Technology Incrementally: Introduce new technologies or tools gradually, with clear instructions and tutorials.
- Consider creating short introductions or demo videos (e.g., on course navigation).
- Provide practice opportunities for new tools.
- Proactively Connect Students to Support Resources: Point students to relevant technical support resources early and often.
- Provide links and contact information to tech support, library resources, or other needed campus resources on a home page and throughout the course.
- Anticipate common technical issues and provide quick troubleshooting tips.