Fundamental concepts in self-paced learning
Students proceed through the course at their own pace.
A good self-paced course requires students to demonstrate mastery of each component or module before proceeding to the next through some sort of formal or informal assessment.
The teaching materials and other communications between teachers and students have historically been text-based, though moving towards video and audio components when applicable. Lectures and demonstrations were intended to motivate students rather than to deliver core course content, though now with online video, short lectures care encouraged when applicable to the topic.
Students need some sort of help or support contact throughout the course.
Advantages:
Customizable learning path – allows curriculum to adapt to the student rather than having the student adapt to the curriculum.
Eliminates knowledge gaps – assessment at the end of each unit makes sure that the student has the proper foundation before moving on.
Increases student ownership of learning.
Online course
The online course has stated course objectives and goals as well as several modules that target each course goal. The outline of the course should be easy to follow and readily available for the students.
The online course should have a homepage, index to the modules and a help feature. Any technology requirements should be included.
Bloom’s Taxonomy is a good basis for designing a course.
The first modules begin with the basics – Knowledge and Comprehension. Move to Application and Analysis with the concepts in the middle modules. Finish with Synthesis and Evaluation in the final modules.
Modules
A module is a component part of an online course. Each module should meet one of the
Tips on creating modules
The easiest place to start is with creating an outline of the course structure that is logical and easy to navigate. Having a well organized course will decrease student confusion.
Break the course outline into modules.
When outlining the module, focus on the goal of each module and work backwards.
Storyboard each module – this allows for creating a structure and flow to the module content
Modules should be short. Each module builds upon the previous module to create a cohesive course.
Text tips
Choose a style of speech – formal or informal. Be consistent.
Keep it simple – use simple vocabulary when possible – introduce jargon as concepts. Define terms.
Remember that learners scan – not read most things online.
Learners tend to look at images first.
Make sure the images match the text on the screen –
Make images meaningful.
Don’t clutter the screen.
Don’t introduce too much information at once.
Bulleted lists are almost always a good idea.
Look and feel
Avoid font color or fancy fonts.
Use bold and italics sparingly or only when necessary.
Be consistent with:
- Font (Headers, body)
- Colors (texts, images)
- Grammar (tense, spelling)
- Bullets
- Image Placement
- Course/Module Navigation (Introduction, End pages, etc)
Assessments
Ensure that all questions have answers that were covered in the module.
Decide on an appropriate number of questions based on the needed score to pass.
Decide if you want a pool of questions or a consistent batch of questions. Will the questions be randomized.
Give the learner feedback after each question or full test.
At the end of each full course, there should be a mastery assessment.