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DTP Online: Advanced Course Design, Facilitation and Assessment

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DTP Online: Advanced Course Design, Facilitation and Assessment

The course covers fundamental concepts and immerses participants in the practical application of a variety of toolsets, digital resources and strategies for course planning, design as well as creative facilitation and innovative assessment. It espouses the values of gender-awareness, inclusion and participatory engagement: peer to peer, peer to tools, peer to print and digital resources, and peer to resource persons. It uses a range of teaching tools such as case studies, simulations, concept maps, and authentic tasks to lead participants to uncover opportunities for experience sharing, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration and reflection in a flexible manner.  The course is interactive, responsive, and gender sensitive and inclusive. It is responsive to the contexts and circumstances of the target audience and can be accessed on various equipment including computers, laptops, ipads and smart phones.

 Approach and Duration

 This online course is delivered over a period of two weeks encompassing a series of self-paced activities organised in asynchronous and synchronous sessions (three short live sessions). The training is preceded by a two-day preparatory engagement and an open ended post-training period.

 Who can participate?

 Academics who are interested in drawing on technology and pedagogy to broaden the learning space and to create and deliver exceptional learning moments for their students online. Those interested in pursuing a journey - from simple to complex, reinforcing what they know and exploring new tools, strategies and multimedia resources to create meaningful learning experiences that are immediately transferable to their courses to impact student learning outcomes positively.

 

Expected Outcomes

 

The course is expected to enhance the capacity, confidence, values and attitudes of academics to adapt innovative pedagogy online and in blended mode. It will motivate and sustain active and inclusive online communities of academics that promote continuous learning in and outside classroom walls. An enriched and stable teaching and learning experience is indispensable for accelerating the attainment of 21st-century skills, maximising learning outcomes among students and producing quality graduates.

 

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First published: 11/04/20Updated: 21/09/26

Section outline

  • Advanced Course Design, Facilitation and Assessment

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  • Online Course Design

    • Session Overview

      This session is a continuation of the design and facilitation sessions. Concepts that were discussed in the asynchronous and synchronous sessions will benefit from further elaboration and more details. Self-paced learning and asynchronous communication will be moderated via the LMS. Topics include: 1) Backward Design for Online Course Development; and 2) Open Educational Resource and Creative Commons Materials for Online Course Development.

      Learning Outcomes

      1. Discuss, analyze and apply communication strategies for delivering a quality online class.
      2. Explore and use the technological tools available for designing and creating content and activities for online courses.

    • __________________________________

      share3

      Task 1: Experience


      Recall how you started the redesign of your course. In what order did you consider different elements of the course? We would like to hear about how your thought about them in the single question below. Please drag the different element into the order you considered. Do not click on SUBMIT. There are no right and wrong answers!

      clock Time required: 10 minutes

    • Order of course redesign SCORM package


    • The Backward Design Instructional Model 


      We shall now consider the Backward Design Model to (re)design our course and learn about the blended learning approach. Click below to learn more on the Backward Design Instructional Model. Typically, instructors start considering learning activities before assessment before drawing connections to the learning goals of the course. In contract to this approach, the Backward Design Instructional Model is a way of designing courses by setting the goals of the course first, then considering assessment before considering how to teach the course.

    • Backward Design Instructional Model SCORM package


    • Blended Learning


      Blended learning is an instructional technique that combines online materials and face-to-face instruction. The flipped classroom is a type of blended learning where students view their lecture material at home and do coursework in class. In this video, ideas for blending courses using a flipped classroom approach are shared. Watch the video below on blended learning and flipped classroom.

       
       
      Osmosis. (2017, January 9). Blended learning & flipped classroom. [Video File]. Retrieved from [Youtube Link above]

    • __________________________________

      share3

      Task 2: Share


      In the Synchronous and Asynchronous, Online facilitation session and presentations we saw that some content is better suited for live delivery and other content is better suited for asynchronous delivery, which were still 100% or in a blended format. With that in mind, review the resources on Blended Learning as well as other materials that are provided and contribute your thoughts to the discussion below. 

      clock Time required: 10 minutes

    • What delivery strategy best suits your course? Forum


    • Open Educational Resources and Creative Commons License for Course Design


      In this section, we introduce the concept of Open Education Resources(OER).
      The purpose of Open Educational Resources (OER) and Creative Commons (CC) License is to lessen the barriers to effective education, as well as access to instructional resources. In this section, strategies for locating and using OER and Creative Commons licensed media are shared.

    • Open Educational Resources (OER) SCORM package

    • __________________________________

      ref

      Task 3: Reflect


      Please read the guide below, then, click on answer the questions in your journal below.


      clockTime required: 30 minutes

    • Guide: Locating Open Educational Resource Page

    • __________________________________

      do

      Task 4: Do


      Now that we have worked our way through the several sessions, learning materials and activities, that should help give you some practice identifying or refining your course learning outcomes, learning activities, materials, and assessments. Next, please complete for at least one or more sessions for your course using the Learning Design for Online Sessions Template. Download a clean template here and complete it as you have done throughout this training for your next topic. As you complete it, take a holistic view of this course and the resources provided, and see where, for example Open Educational Resources (OER) might be a good fit based on the learning outcomes. Also, consider whether and how blended learning models like the Flipped Classroom would support the session's learning outcomes. Submit it here


      Using the Backward Design approach to course design, please update the Course Design for Online and Blended Courses template (attached) as follows:

      1.  Think about the three stages of the instructional model: 1) Identifying desired results; 2) Determining acceptable evidence, and 3) Planning learning experiences and instruction.
      2.  Now, complete at least two rows of the template.
      3.  The more detail you provide about your objectives, activities, and assessments, the better the feedback you will receive.

      4. Submit it here


    • Online Blended Course Template File
      Students must
      Mark as done

  • Increasing Instructor Online Presence

    • In the previous session on Facilitation, we covered strategies for online facilitation. In this short video, we will build on that knowledge and ask, what does it require to maintain a strong online presence as an instructor? The ability to establish a presence is connected to the ability of the instructor to create a feeling of community among learners in an online course. Engagement, according to research, is a predictor of learner success. The good news is that new online learning environments and tools provide a variety of ways for learners to engage with course content and also learner-learner and learner-to-instructor. This video suggests ways to improve instructor presence in your online classes. 
       

      Angela Velez Solic. (2013, September 17). Increasing Instructor Presence in Online Courses. [Video File]. Retrieved from [youtube link above] 


    • __________________________________


      Task 5: Dokefjw


      In this section, we reconsider what we learnt about strategies for online facilitation and how to boost the online presence of the facilitator.
      In the blog below, document:
      1. What were your main takeaways from the live course experience?
      2. What strategies might you implement for either synchronous and asynchronous or both?
      3. Why are those the best strategies for the unique characteristics, content, or design of your course?

    • __________________________________

      do

      Task 6: Reflect


      Reflect on the three live sessions you attended during this training. Using that experience, as well as the course materials on course facilitation, and the video on increasing Instructor Presence in Online Courses, please make short notes in your blog below.

      clock Time required: 30 minutes

      `

    • Session Summary

      In this course, we have explored, reviewed and practiced using many different types of tools for designing and facilitating online courses, whether for synchronous or asynchronous delivery. We also reviewed various pedagogical strategies that encouraged learner engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative learning. Innovative assessments as we saw, encourage learners to apply what they are learning in the classroom to real-world application. Several themes were seamlessly woven throughout the course, for example gender, inclusivity, and acquisition of 21st Century Skills.

  • Innovative Assessment

    Highlighted

    • This is a self-paced, self-motivation journey. In this journey, we will get an opportunity to delve deeper into some of the content we encountered in the asynchronous session and then explore some new content. We will look at e-portfolio development for students; authentic assessments, ethics in online assessment and then feedback and grading authentic assessments through rubrics. Our hope is that you will find the content and tasks exhilarating as we continue to build 21st century skills in our learners.


      Learning Outcomes

      By the end of this session, the participants will be able to:
      1.     Design a plan for students’ e-portfolio development
      2.     Produce a session plan with detailed assessment instructions
      3.     Reflect on how best to assess using authentic assessments


      Introduction



      In this session, we welcome you to reflect and reinforce some of the knowledge, skills and values you have developed in innovative assessment under THREE themes: e-Portfolios, authentic assessments, and rubrics.
       
      The learning experience is organised around THREE discrete tasks. Please undertake at least TWO of these tasks at your own pace.



  • Assessment Theme 1: E-Portfolio for Student learning

    • During the Innovative assessment module, you were required to keep an e-portfolio capturing your e-journey with PedaL online. You can continue populating it until you have satisfaction with what you have displayed as your best learning moments.

      Under this theme however, we would like to explore how you could also design a task for your students so that they document their own learning like you did. As a facilitator, it is always important to know what the learners found most profound on their learning journey. Documenting a learning journey is not necessarily for grading purposes, but for improvement of the learning engagements for both you and the learner.

      The material below guides you on how mto develop a Digital Learning Portfolio.


    • Digital Learning Portfolio SCORM package

    • dk

      Task 7: Do


      Look at the course you have designed. Develop a guide for an eportfolio you would like your students to design. Use the knowledge on the different types of portfolios to choose the kind of eportfolio you want the students to keep.


  • Assessment Theme 2: Planning for authentic assessments

    • Assessing of 21st Century skills which include professional and life skills has been emphasised for Higher Education assessment practice. Authentic assessments have been deemed the ideal way to address the gap between university training and the world of work. Authentic assessment is argued to develop in learners the ability to demonstrate learning and skills instead of only cognitive knowledge.


      To refresh, watch the video on the power of authentic assessments included in the asynchronous module on assessments



       
       

    • __________________________________

      do

      Task 8: Development of an assessment plan


      Refer to the sessional plan you have developed especially where you have indicated the kinds of assessments you would like to do in your course. Develop the instructors’ assessment plan which should include:

      1. The content of the subject

      2. The learning outcome that you would like to assess

      3. Purpose of the assessment activity

      4. The expectations you as an instructor has for learners’ engaging in this assessment activity (it must be clear if it is a blog, quiz, wiki,  presentation etc)

      5. The 21st century skills that will be attained through this assessment

      6. Timelines and times for expected feedback


      Upload this plan below:

    • Submission of your an assessment plan Assignment

  • Assessment Theme 4: Rubrics and Feedback

    • Rubrics are tools we can use to give feedback to the learners on any given assessment task. The process of rubric development is quite intensive and requires proper planning on what it is you would like to measure. Even as you design a rubric, we would like to remind you not to forget to include soft-skills like communication; teamwork/leadership capacity; conflict management; grammar and spelling in the criteria.


      There are some Computer Assisted Assessment tools that have been designed to help in making the rubric creation process less overwhelming.


    • __________________________________

          Task 10: Develop a set of rubricsdo


      Depending on the assessment tasks you have selected and the purpose:

      1. Develop an assorted set of rubrics that you will give to your learners. It could be a checklist; a holistic rubric or an analytic rubric.
      2. Use the Rubric for Rubrics tool to assess if the rubric you have developed

      Submit them below

    • Submission of assorted set of rubrics Assignment

      Submit them here

    • Content/resource reference:

      Rating scales and Checklists 
      Rubrics


       


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