Course Design

Instructional Continuity Guide

Resources that aids faculty members in their transition to an online classroom and/or during disruptions.

Course Design Checklist

This rubric and the online course review and refresh process are implemented as a professional development exercise designed to guide online faculty to use research-based effective practices and standards to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of their online course design, rather than as an online course evaluation, or quality assurance procedure.  It is geared towards online courses, but recommendations also align with hybrid and face-to-face classes with heavy digital content.  

VitalSource Online Textbooks

VitalSource Helps supports students who may have lost access to course materials due to a campus moving online to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Students and instructors at impacted 2 and 4-year non-profit institutions in the U.S. can now access an expansive catalog of E-texts through May 25, 2020, at no charge. 

“Going Online in a Hurry” by Michelle Miller

A short list of advice for faculty members who need to move online, fast, with the twin goals of maintaining instructional continuity as much as possible and finishing the semester strong

“Keep Teaching During Prolonged Closures” by Indiana University

Multiple resources dedicated to teaching online during campus closures.

“Virtual Labs and Simulations”

Several online labs and simulations organized by topic.

“Understanding by Design” by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

This short article defines the concept of backwards design, a pedagogical approach to teaching that is especially helpful when designing online courses.

“Ten Best Practices for Teaching Online” by J.V. Boettcher

This quick guide to online teaching pulls together several resources to essentially create a handout on some critical aspects. 

“14 Struggles Only Online Students Would Understand”

Take a moment to consider the student perspective by reading this blog post from Rasmussen College, which identifies some of the key struggles students face when taking an online course.

“Ten Ways Online Education Matches, or Surpasses, Face-to-Face Learning”

The author of this article provides ten learning opportunities where online education not only matches face-to-face learning, but surpasses it in his opinion.

“Facilitating Collaboration in Online Groups”

This article from Wayne State University discusses best practices for facilitating online collaboration, and touches upon how these skills are relevant to the 21st century workplace.

“How to Establish a Strong Community in an Online Course”

Article suggests best practices in building communities of inquiry in online and hybrid courses.