This is a presentation providing an overview of online course design basics.

1. By Debby Caven of Digital Touch Education

2. A Point to Ponder
“To design is much more than simply to
assemble, to order, or even to edit; it is to add value
and meaning, to illuminate, to simplify, to clarify, to
modify, to dignify, to dramatize, to persuade, and
perhaps even to amuse.”
~ Paul Rand
Author, graphic designer,
teacher

3. Welcome WEMTA Attendees!
Your presenter for today is:
Debby Caven / debbycaven@mac.com
• Former Educator of 28 years
• SMART Certified Trainer
• InfoCor, WEI
• Online Certified Teacher
• eClass4learning
• MEIT from Cardinal Stritch University
• Adjunct professor
•Viterbo University,
• Cardinal Stritch University
• George Williams College of Aurora
University

4. Agenda for This Morning
Learning Outcomes and Working Backwards
Building the Course
Foundation The Online Syllabus and Building Your Lessons
Elements of an Taking a tour of a Blended Learning Online Course
Online Course: with eClass4learning
A Tour
Language & Clear, concise writing
Writing Style Tone, writing instructions and labeling
Visual Design Page Layout
Basics Text and Graphic Elements

5. Building the Course Foundation:
Learning Outcomes
The Online Course Syllabus
The Course Outline
From Course Outline to
Lessons

6. Learning Outcomes:
• At the core of a process that creates courses
• Assures the learner of rigor and complexity of
course
• Provides teacher with clear guidelines for
developing the online course

7. Learning Outcome Requirements:
• Are measurable and specific
• Wording is clear and definite
• Course material is sufficient and is directly related
to learning outcomes

8. Learning Outcome Requirements: (con’t.)
• Resources and activities support learning
outcomes
• Assessments determine the degree the
outcomes have been achieved by students

9. Writing Learning Outcomes p. 1:
• Be specific
• Be clear and concise
• Clarify why learners are doing something as well as
what they are doing.

10. Writing Learning Outcomes p. 2:
• Focus on your verbs – Use “active verbs”
• Use Bloom’s Taxonomy as a guide
• Three Components:
• 1. Behavior: What will the learner be able to do?
• 2. Conditions: How will the learner be able to do it?
• 3. Measurable criteria: How well will the learner be
able to do it?

11. Writing Learning Outcomes p. 3:
• See Figure A.3 from the book, Essentials of Online Course
Design by Marjorie Vai and Kristen Sosulski
• Sets up a format for writing learning outcomes

12. Figure A-3, page 187: Components of a Learning Outcome
Behavior Conditions Measurable
Criteria
Explain how…. In a 10 minute video See Syllabus
presentation
Describe the Process…. In a paper of no more than See Syllabus
200 words
Show how…. In a 3 page report See Syllabus
Outline…. In a lesson plan See Syllabus
Analyze…. In writing on your Discussion See Syllabus
Forum

13. Learning Outcomes Review:
1. Learning outcomes
are measurable and
specific
5. Assessments
determine the 2. Wording to
effectiveness of define outcomes is
activities for clear and definite
learning outcomes.
4. Resources & 3. Course material is
activities support sufficient & related to
learning outcomes. learning outcomes.

14. The Online Syllabus
• Contains many of the same elements as an onsite syllabus
• The core organizing document for both the teachers and
students
• The place where students go to find out everything they need to
know about:
✓Course requirements
✓Evaluation process
✓Contact information
✓Schedule
✓School policies

15. The Online Syllabus (cont.)
• Must be comprehensive and clear – it is the backbone of your
course
• Gives students a clear sense of the teacher’s expectations for
performance – student knows what it will take for him/her to
succeed
• A framework for teachers – this is your starting point

16. Elements of an Online Syllabus
• Basic elements of an onsite syllabus:
 Course Title
 Course Name
 Course Description
 Course Objectives
 Evaluation Plan
 Grading
 Required Readings
 Recommended Readings
 Course Outline

17. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
• Special characteristics of an Online Syllabus:
★ A communication strategy
★ A clear description of the course time frame & format
★ Guidelines for online class participation
★ Technical requirements and support
★ A detailed course outline with start and end dates

18. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
Communication Strategy:
• A description of how and when students can
contact you via email, phone, chat, etc.
• Important to indicate when you will return emails
and phone messages.

19. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
A Clear Description of the Course Time Frame & Format:
 Clearly indicate the synchronous and asynchronous components of
your course
 Include the requirements for class participation in your syllabus and
count those activities as part of the course grade
 Include a rubric for class participation – leaves little room for
confusion

20. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
A Clear Description of the Course Time Frame & Format:

21. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
Guideines for Class Participation:
 Students should be required to contribute substantially to the
discussion forum at a minimum of 2 to 3 times per week
 Include requirements for class participation in your syllabus and make
this a part of your course grade
 Rubric leaves little room for confusion.

22. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
Guidelines for Class Participation:

23. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
Technical Requirements & Support:
 Do not forget to include how students can get help if they are having
trouble accessing the course.
 Be sure to emphasize the technical requirements of your Learning
Management System

24. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
Technical Requirements & Support:

25. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
Course Outline:
 This serves as a calendar and a “to do” list
 Presents a sequence of
events, assignments, readings, activities and course
deliverables
 Many items are just a carry-over from the syllabus

26. Elements of an Online Syllabus (cont.)
Course Outline:

27. Time for a Tour! eClass4learning Site
Let’s look at a completed online course and briefly
view the elements we just discussed.
eClass4learning Blended Course

28. eClass4learning Site
Other elements found in an online course:
• Announcements
• Syllabus
• Lessons/Topics
• Discussion forums
• Dropbox / Assignment uploads
• Resources
• Grade book
• Course emails

29. eClass4learning Site
More “advanced features” in an online course:
• Blogs
• Wikis
• Tests / Quizzes
• Online Texts
In Moodle version 2.3 ……….

30. eClass4learning Site

31. Language & Writing Style
Clear, concise writing addresses the needs of all
types of online learners
• It removes one barrier to good communication and
understanding
• Using clear, concise writing models an accessible
style that learners might emulate

32. Language & Writing Style
Writing Style:
“Less is more” “Keep it simple”
Motto of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
or ……
“Keep it simple”
Per Debby Caven 😃

33. Language & Writing Style
Paragraphs:
Enormous blocks of print look formidable to a reader. He has a
certain reluctance to tackle them; he can lose his way in them.
Therefore, breaking a paragraph in two, even thought it is not
necessary to do so for sense, meaning, or logical development, is
often a visual help.
~ Strunk, Jr. 1918
Avoid the scroll of death!
~ Debby Caven 2013
😃

34. Language & Writing Style
Other Brief Thoughts on Writing:
• Clear and concise sentences / brief and to the point
• Familiar or common words are used
• Jargon, cliches and colloquial and idiomatic expressions
are avoided.
• Provide a glossary or definitions when needed

35. Language & Writing Style
Other Brief Thoughts on Writing: (cont.)
• Tone is important – a supportive second-person
conversational tone
• Labeling is accurate, readable and clear
• Instructions and requirements are stated simply,
clearly and logically
• Course material has been edited for language and
grammar

36. Visual Design Basics
“Online material should be attractive. This is different than
simply clear text and well-organized material. It should be
graphically appealing. Researchers at the University of
British Colombia rated 127 online courses according to 43
criteria. They found that how a course looks can be just as
important as the lessons themselves.”
~ Madden (1999)

37. Visual Design Basics:
Three Thoughts to Ponder:
1. Good visual design supports understanding through
simplicity, clarity and organization.
2. Nothing on the page distracts from communication.
3. An open, clear, attractive page design
enhances communication.
The Red Pyramid Test Site

38. Visual Design Basics
• Remember that content presented is visual
• Text online replaces speaking through a medium perceived
as being visual
• Our “digital pros” are used to visual variety
• The content they see has been reduced, broken
up, illustrated
Let’s look at readability on the web through the eyes

39. Understanding the Use of White Space
Let’s look at readability on the web through the eyes of readability.com

40. Visual Design Basics: Page Layout
~ Open means:
1. Enough white space on the page to keep the mind
clear.
2. Enough white space to allow the online student to
feel that they are not overburdened
with the task at hand.

41. Visual Design Basics: Space Surrounding Text
The space between lines and paragraphs provides
white space. It gives the reader a visual break.

42. Visual Design Basics: Justification / Headings
• Text should be left-justified and right margins ragged
• Justified text is not as readable due to inconsistent
spacing
• Headings and subheadings are used consistently to
logically organize content

43. Visual Design Basics: Text
• Web-safe typefaces: Use sans serif for mobile
devices (i.e. Arial, Helvetica, Verdana)
• Enhances screen readability for all platforms
• Type size should be large enough to be read by all
students
• Should be at least a 12-point

44. Common Screen versus Print Fonts

45. Visual Design Basics: Text (continued)
• Bold type should be used sparingly for effective
use
• Italicized type is difficult to read online.
• Underlining is used only for hyperlinks
• Words in all caps are avoided

46. Visual Design Basics: Text (continued)
Color with Care!
• Contrast is an important factor in readability
• Color is good for emphasis
• Readability depends on contrast

47. Visual Design Basics: Text (continued)
Color with Care!
• Warning!!! Always keep focused on color’s power
to distract.
• Color should be used with purpose
• There should be good contrast between text
and background

48. Visual Design Basics: Text (continued)

49. Visual Design Basics: Graphic Elements
Symbols & Icons
• Useful in signaling small elements in a
website that appear over and over again.
• Icons immediately signal the presence of a
certain feature
• Icons can also signal certain types of
activities.
• Students know what to expect
when they see and icon / Helpful to all learners

50. Visual Design Basics: Graphic Elements
The Noun Project
• “The Noun Project collects, organizes and adds to
the highly recognizable symbols that form the
world's visual language, so we may share them in
a fun and meaningful way.” All images are free.

51. Visual Design Basics: Graphic Elements
Bullets & Numbers in a Series
• Use bullets or numbers to set apart items that
can be listed
• Numbers are used to identify sequential steps in
a task or process. They are also used for rankings
and setting priorities
• Bullets are used to highlight a series of items that
are not prioritized or sequential.

52. Main Resource for this Presentation

53. Accompanying Web Site
• Essentials for Online Course Design Supplemental Site

54. Time for Questions/Comments

55. Thank You for Your Time and Attendance!

59. Table Page Layout
Geographic Region Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Here is the description of the
graph. This chart is compatible
with PowerPoint 2007 - 2010.
United States 1254 1873 1015 2284 Here is some more text. You
may delete the graphical
Europe and Asia 324 310 300 419 elements.
Australia 15 18 13 20
Canada 6 3 4 7
Mexico 1 .5 .5 2
TOTALS 1600 2205 1333 2732
This character can be deleted, moved, or resized

60. Animated Content Page
This page contains a video element and is optimized to work
with PowerPoint 2010.
Static versions of all
layouts are also
available.

61. Animated or Static?
You can change
between static and
animated layouts by
clicking on the Layout
tab in the HOME
menu on the ribbon.
For example this slide
uses the static layout.

62. Useful Clipart and Images

63. Alternate Content Page
An alternate content page.

64. An alternate content page.
FORGING

65. Bulleted Content Page
• This Layout Page has bullets
• And Indented Levels
• Level 3 Text Placeholder
• Level 4 Place Holder
• Level 5 Place Holder

66. Agenda or Summary Layout
Click Mouse Reveal Next Phase
Discussion Item One – Phase 1
Phase 1 A Placeholder for text
Phase 2 Discussion Item Two – Phase 2
A Placeholder for text
Discussion Item Three – Phase 3
Phase 3
A Placeholder for text
Discussion Item Four – Phase 4
Phase 4
A Placeholder for text

67. Main Content Page Layout
This text is a placeholder.
Here is the second level.
You may change this text
Here is the third level
Formatting is controlled
by the slide master
and the layout pages.
There is a third level
And even a fourth level

68. Two Picture Page Layout
A placeholder for the second picture
More information can be added here by
changing this text.
Make changes to this text.
A placeholder for the second picture
More information can be added here by
changing this text.
Make changes to this text.

69. Three Picture Page Layout
A description of the A description of the A description of the
first picture. You may second picture. You third picture. You
change this text. may change this text. may change this text.
A description of the A description of the A description of the
first picture. You may second picture. You third picture. You
change this text. may change this text. may change this text.

70. Bar Graph Page Layout
Here is the description of the
Chart Title graph. This chart is compatible
Series 1 Series 2 Series 3 with PowerPoint 2007 - 2010.
5 Here is some more text. You
4.5 may delete the graphical
4.3 4.4 elements.
3.5
3 2.8
2.4 2.5
2 2 1.8

71. Pie Graph Page Layout
Here is the description of the
graph. This chart is compatible
with PowerPoint 2007 - 2010.
Chart Title
4th Qtr
9% Here is some more text. You
may delete the graphical
elements.
3rd Qtr
10%
1st Qtr
58%
2nd Qtr
23%

72. Line Chart Page Layout
Chart Title Here is the description of the
graph. This chart is compatible
Series 1 Series 2 Series 3 with PowerPoint 2007 - 2010.
6
Here is some more text. You
5 may delete the graphical
elements.
4
3
2
1
0

73. Bar Graph Page Layout
Here is the description of the
Chart Title graph. This chart is compatible
with PowerPoint 2007 - 2010.
Series 1 Series 2 Series 3
Here is some more text. You
may delete the graphical
elements.
5
4
3
2
1
0
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4

74. Pie Graph Page Layout
Here is the description of the
Chart Title graph. This chart is compatible
with PowerPoint 2007 - 2010.
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
Here is some more text. You
may delete the graphical
elements.
58%
23%
9% 10%

75. Smart Art Page Layout
Here is the description of the
graph. This chart is compatible
with PowerPoint 2007 - 2010.
Here is some more text. You
Stage 3 may delete the graphical
elements.
Stage 2
Stage 1

76. Smart Art Page Layout
This chart utilizes Smart Art
1. Learning outcomes which is feature in PowerPoint
are measurable and 2007 - 2010.
specific
5. Assessments
determine the 2. Wording to
effectiveness of define outcomes is
activities for clear and definite
learning outcomes.
3. Course material
4. Resources & is sufficient &
activities support related to learning
learning outcomes. outcomes.

77. Smart Art Page Layout
This chart utilizes Smart Art
which is feature in PowerPoint
Process 1 2007 - 2010.
A placeholder
for text for
more
information
Process 3 Process 2
A placeholder A placeholder
for text for for text for
more more
information information

78. Picture Page Layout
Here is a place holder for the picture caption. You may delete this text.

79. Questions? More Information?
PresenterMedia.com
support@presentermedia.com
4416 S. Technology Dr.
Sioux Falls, SD 57106