Conquering the Content : A Step-by-Step Guide to Online Course Design

by Smith, Robin M.

• ISBN13: 9780787994426
• ISBN10: 0787994421
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-04-11
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

Conquering the Content is a practical resource for faculty who tackle overwhelming amounts of course content that must be tailored for Web-based learning. This important guide offers step-by-step instructions for creating online learning experiences that are manageable, effective, and of the highest quality. Written by Robin M. Smith, an expert in the field on online learning, Conquering the Content provides guidance for incorporating learning theory into practical online courses. Designed for online instructors at all levels of experience, the book is filled with the templates, learning guides, and sample files that can be easily applied to construct and manage course content.

Author Biography

Robin M. Smith is coordinator of Web-Based Learning at the Office of Educational Development, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Formerly, Dr. Smith developed and directed the Center For Web-Based Learning at Southern Arkansas University Tech and was the first Certified WebCT Trainer in the South Central United States.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. vii
The Author	p. xv
Design with Learning in Mind	p. 1
Learning in the Twenty-First Century	p. 4
Advantages to Having a Course Online	p. 5
How Web-based Learning Is the Same as Classroom Learning	p. 6
Learning Styles	p. 8
Think "Learning," Not "Teaching"	p. 11
The Online Student's Environment	p. 11
How Web-Based Learning Is Different from Classroom Learning	p. 12
Action Steps	p. 17
Design with the Future in Mind	p. 21
It's Okay to Be Uncomfortable	p. 22
The Future Will Be Here Sooner Than You Think	p. 23
Creating the Outline	p. 24
The Learning Guide	p. 25
The Modules	p. 29
File Systems	p. 29
Managing Course Structure	p. 30
Action Steps	p. 31
Design with Assessment in Mind	p. 33
Self-Assessment	p. 35
Authentic Assessments	p. 36
Quizzes	p. 37
Teaching for the Long Term	p. 38
Questions for First-Time Web-Based Instructors	p. 42
Action Steps	p. 43
Design with Organization in Mind	p. 47
Learning Guide Development	p. 49
Elements of the Learning Guide	p. 49
Prioritizing in Creating Your Course	p. 53
Resource Gathering	p. 57
Web-Based Aspects of the Course	p. 58
Choosing the Most Important Topics	p. 59
Instructional Guidance	p. 60
Action Steps	p. 61
Design with Content in Mind	p. 63
Introduction to Chunking	p. 66
How the Brain Processes Information	p. 73
Chunking for a Text-Based Lecture or Content Presentation	p. 77
Bridges	p. 79
Active Learning Opportunities	p. 80
Prioritizing Course Development and Revisions	p. 80
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Chunking	p. 81
Action Steps	p. 81
Design with Process in Mind	p. 83
Best Practices	p. 84
Design Using Someone Else's Mind	p. 90
Action Step	p. 91
Design with Navigation in Mind	p. 93
Student Access to Module Components	p. 94
Continuous Improvement	p. 95
Documenting for Revisions	p. 96
Link Rot	p. 99
Where to Go from Here	p. 100
Action Steps	p. 101
What You Have Conquered!	p. 101
Forms	p. 103
Action Steps	p. 127
American Association for Higher Education's Nine Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning	p. 131
Design and Development Tasks	p. 135
Notes: Ideas for Application	p. 139
References	p. 147
Index	p. 149
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