TRIAGE FOR ONLINE COURSE DEVELOPMENT CNIE Conference at Banff, AB April 30, 2008 Kristen J. Long

Session Overview Part 1: Red River College Context Part 2: Thoughts on Triage Part 3: An Informal Survey Part 4: A Beginning Approach Part 5: Discussion

Red River College Context Part 1

Red River College Context

RRC Context

RRC Context 2 main online delivery platforms

2 main online delivery platforms

RRC Context 1. WebCT CE6

1. WebCT CE6

RRC Context 2. Connect (SharePoint 2007)

2. Connect

(SharePoint 2007)

RRC Context 3 models of course development: 1. lone wolf 2. semi-supported 3. fully-supported

3 models of course development:

1. lone wolf

2. semi-supported

3. fully-supported

RRC Context 2 scenarios: 1. normal (predictable) 2. emergency! (unpredictable)

2 scenarios:

1. normal (predictable)

2. emergency! (unpredictable)

RRC Context 2 scenarios: 1. normal (predictable) 2. emergency! (unpredictable) both involve some degree of emergent design

2 scenarios:

1. normal (predictable)

2. emergency! (unpredictable)

both involve some degree of emergent design

RRC Context When teachers build online courses with little to no dedicated support, they can become online learning departments of one . Greg Kearsley, 2007: The e-Learning Department of One in The eLearning Guild’s Learning Solutions e-Magazine

When teachers build online courses with little to no dedicated support, they can become online learning departments of one .

Greg Kearsley, 2007: The e-Learning Department of One in The eLearning Guild’s Learning Solutions e-Magazine

RRC Context The Challenge: Identify in the meantime solutions for teachers who develop online courses in contexts with little to no dedicated support.

The Challenge:

Identify in the meantime solutions for teachers who develop online courses in contexts with little to no dedicated support.

RRC Context Questions we’ve begun to ask: How can teachers develop online courses… under the gun? in a short timeframe? with minimal dedicated support?

Questions we’ve begun to ask:

How can teachers develop online courses…

under the gun?

in a short timeframe?

with minimal dedicated support?

RRC Context And more questions we’re asking: What are realistic goals? How can they be achieved? What are the later implications?

And more questions we’re asking:

What are realistic goals?

How can they be achieved?

What are the later implications?

Thoughts on Triage Part 2

Thoughts on Triage

Thoughts on Triage Is triage a metaphor for what we do?

Is triage a metaphor for what we do?

Thoughts on Triage Triage fits when we develop courses in contexts where we routinely think about what’s minimally required for: students to succeed teachers to continue teaching

Triage fits when we develop courses in contexts where we routinely think about what’s minimally required for:

students to succeed

teachers to continue teaching

Thoughts on Triage What about educational triage ? Does this fit? Google search for “educational triage ” Jennifer Booher-Jennings’ 2005 article From Classroom to Emergency Room: Educational Triage in American Schools

What about educational triage ? Does this fit?

Google search for “educational triage ”

Jennifer Booher-Jennings’ 2005 article From Classroom to Emergency Room: Educational Triage in American Schools

Thoughts on Triage Do we also design for the so-called bubble students ?

Do we also design for the so-called bubble students ?

Thoughts on Triage Triaging online course development aims to: provide minimal required level of planning ensure sort-term viability of the course maintain developer, instructor, and student sanity respond to pressing needs of the department/school

Triaging online course development aims to:

provide minimal required level of planning

ensure sort-term viability of the course

maintain developer, instructor, and student sanity

respond to pressing needs of the department/school

Thoughts on Triage Is triage a name for what teachers should do?

Is triage a name for what teachers should do?

An Informal Survey Part 3

An Informal Survey

An Informal Survey Survey Design: 10 open-ended questions to allow themes to emerge questions suggested limited response geared to steps needed to prepare for and perform triage

Survey Design:

10 open-ended questions to allow themes to emerge

questions suggested limited response

geared to steps needed to prepare for and perform triage

An Informal Survey Survey Respondents: 12 respondents 10 respondents’ responses chosen for inclusion 3 respondents from RRC + 7 from across Canada and US all respondents had developed online courses

Survey Respondents:

12 respondents

10 respondents’ responses chosen for inclusion

3 respondents from RRC + 7 from across Canada and US

all respondents had developed online courses

An Informal Survey Survey Question 1 Is it possible to rapidly develop a quality fully online course? Please explain.

Survey Question 1

Is it possible to rapidly develop a quality fully online course? Please explain.

An Informal Survey Survey Question 1 Is it possible to rapidly develop a quality fully online course? Please explain. Most respondents said yes if certain resources were available, such as a solid model. A select few said no if certain conditions existed, such as institution-based context with attendant support limitations.

Survey Question 1

Is it possible to rapidly develop a quality fully online course? Please explain.

Most respondents said yes if certain resources were available, such as a solid model. A select few said no if certain conditions existed, such as institution-based context with attendant support limitations.

An Informal Survey Survey Question 2 What are the top 3 things students need in online courses to be successful learners?

Survey Question 2

What are the top 3 things students need in online courses to be successful learners?

An Informal Survey Survey Question 2 What are the top 3 things students need in online courses to be successful learners? Responses were evenly distributed between good course design, teaching, and readiness for online learning.

Survey Question 2

What are the top 3 things students need in online courses to be successful learners?

Responses were evenly distributed between good course design, teaching, and readiness for online learning.

An Informal Survey Survey Question 3 What are the top 3 things instructors need in online courses to be successful teachers?

Survey Question 3

What are the top 3 things instructors need in online courses to be successful teachers?

An Informal Survey Survey Question 3 What are the top 3 things instructors need in online courses to be successful teachers? Teachers need a balance between good course design, access to technology support, and readiness for online teaching. Respondents emphasized teaching ability.

Survey Question 3

What are the top 3 things instructors need in online courses to be successful teachers?

Teachers need a balance between good course design, access to technology support, and readiness for online teaching. Respondents emphasized teaching ability.

An Informal Survey Survey Question 4 What are the top 3 things online courses cannot survive without?

Survey Question 4

What are the top 3 things online courses cannot survive without?

An Informal Survey Survey Question 4 What are the top 3 things online courses cannot survive without? Respondents offered pointed course design specifications. Teachers were expected to be strong online facilitators. Students were expected to be prepared for online learning.

Survey Question 4

What are the top 3 things online courses cannot survive without?

Respondents offered pointed course design specifications. Teachers were expected to be strong online facilitators. Students were expected to be prepared for online learning.

An Informal Survey Survey Question 5 What are the top 3 questions developers need to ask before developing an online course - knowing time is very tight (e.g. one month)?

Survey Question 5

What are the top 3 questions developers need to ask before developing an online course - knowing time is very tight (e.g. one month)?

An Informal Survey Survey Question 5 What are the top 3 questions developers need to ask before developing an online course - knowing time is very tight (e.g. one month)? Most questions pertained to the audience, goals, and available technology. One notable question was “What’s the story behind the request to develop?”

Survey Question 5

What are the top 3 questions developers need to ask before developing an online course - knowing time is very tight (e.g. one month)?

Most questions pertained to the audience, goals, and available technology. One notable question was “What’s the story behind the request to develop?”

An Informal Survey Survey Question 6 What kinds of resources are most useful for individuals developing fully online courses in very short timeframes (e.g. one month)?

Survey Question 6

What kinds of resources are most useful for individuals developing fully online courses in very short timeframes (e.g. one month)?

An Informal Survey Survey Question 6 What kinds of resources are most useful for individuals developing fully online courses in very short timeframes (e.g. one month)? Respondents identified content, technology, and human resources. Content included open courseware, off-the-shelf content, and a sample course in the same program.

Survey Question 6

What kinds of resources are most useful for individuals developing fully online courses in very short timeframes (e.g. one month)?

Respondents identified content, technology, and human resources. Content included open courseware, off-the-shelf content, and a sample course in the same program.

An Informal Survey Survey Question 7 What's the most important thing for teachers-turned-developers to know about online course development?

Survey Question 7

What's the most important thing for teachers-turned-developers to know about online course development?

An Informal Survey Survey Question 7 What's the most important thing for teachers-turned-developers to know about online course development? Respondents noted that online course development is not the same as F2F course development. And online development requires a wide range of skills, optimally involving a team approach.

Survey Question 7

What's the most important thing for teachers-turned-developers to know about online course development?

Respondents noted that online course development is not the same as F2F course development. And online development requires a wide range of skills, optimally involving a team approach.

An Informal Survey Survey Question 8 What kinds of course development tasks would you leave for later, time permitting?

Survey Question 8

What kinds of course development tasks would you leave for later, time permitting?

An Informal Survey Survey Question 8 What kinds of course development tasks would you leave for later, time permitting? A number of respondents identified Flash-based learning activities. Testing, reviewing, and fine tuning ought to be left for later as well.

Survey Question 8

What kinds of course development tasks would you leave for later, time permitting?

A number of respondents identified Flash-based learning activities. Testing, reviewing, and fine tuning ought to be left for later as well.

An Informal Survey Survey Question 9 What online course components are critical to keeping online courses afloat?

Survey Question 9

What online course components are critical to keeping online courses afloat?

An Informal Survey Survey Question 9 What online course components are critical to keeping online courses afloat? Critical components are clear instructions, clear expectations, opportunities to interact, relevance, coherence of activities, capable and involved instruction, and technical support.

Survey Question 9

What online course components are critical to keeping online courses afloat?

Critical components are clear instructions, clear expectations, opportunities to interact, relevance, coherence of activities, capable and involved instruction, and technical support.

An Informal Survey Survey Question 10 What number one piece of advice would you give a developer required to build a course from beginning to end in a month, with limited to no support?

Survey Question 10

What number one piece of advice would you give a developer required to build a course from beginning to end in a month, with limited to no support?

An Informal Survey Survey Question 10 What number one piece of advice would you give a developer required to build a course from beginning to end in a month, with limited to no support? Know your obligations and whether you can meet them before you say yes. Know the learning outcomes, what’s expected, what’s required, and the available resources.

Survey Question 10

What number one piece of advice would you give a developer required to build a course from beginning to end in a month, with limited to no support?

Know your obligations and whether you can meet them before you say yes. Know the learning outcomes, what’s expected, what’s required, and the available resources.

An Informal Survey The survey findings were used to inform an approach for responding to urgent or critical online course developments. (The draft is being shared with you here.)

The survey findings were used to inform an approach for responding to urgent or critical online course developments.

(The draft is being shared with you here.)

A Beginning Approach Part 4

A Beginning Approach

This is where teachers start the online course development journey! The view is quite nice. image: Wikimedia commons

This is where teachers start the online course development journey!

Awareness and preparedness are necessary to begin. The journey can be challenging.

Awareness and preparedness are necessary to begin.

A Beginning Approach With this in mind… What kind of foundation is necessary? What obstacles might be encountered? What tools and resources are most helpful?

With this in mind…

What kind of foundation is necessary?

What obstacles might be encountered?

What tools and resources are most helpful?

A Beginning Approach Triage approach design considerations: allows for a quick start is easy to follow has easy-to-remember stages plays on the strengths of teachers is flexible takes into account advice from seasoned developers

Triage approach design considerations:

allows for a quick start

is easy to follow

has easy-to-remember stages

plays on the strengths of teachers

is flexible

takes into account advice from seasoned developers

A Beginning Approach Stage 1 : Question, Answer, Plan Ask and answer 10 questions. Goal: quickly identify and plan critical, level one development tasks.

Stage 1 : Question, Answer, Plan

Ask and answer 10 questions. Goal: quickly identify and plan critical, level one development tasks.

A Beginning Approach Stage 1 : Question, Answer, Plan Ask and answer 10 questions. Goal: quickly identify and plan critical, level one development tasks. Hint! Use the following questions to guide you:

Stage 1 : Question, Answer, Plan

Ask and answer 10 questions. Goal: quickly identify and plan critical, level one development tasks.

Hint! Use the following questions to guide you:

A Beginning Approach Stage 1 : Questions Am I clear on what I’m being asked to do? How much time do I have to plan? And get things done? Is this an urgent situation? How do I know? What are my strengths and how can I play on them? What gaps do I have? What help is available?

Stage 1 : Questions

Am I clear on what I’m being asked to do?

How much time do I have to plan? And get things done?

Is this an urgent situation? How do I know?

What are my strengths and how can I play on them?

What gaps do I have? What help is available?

A Beginning Approach Stage 1 : Questions Am I clear on what I’m expected to produce? Is there an online course model I can use? What will simplify my job? What tasks do I need to perform? And by what dates? What unique challenges need to be addressed to deliver this course online?

Stage 1 : Questions

Am I clear on what I’m expected to produce?

Is there an online course model I can use?

What will simplify my job?

What tasks do I need to perform? And by what dates?

What unique challenges need to be addressed to deliver this course online?

A Beginning Approach Stage 2 : Get Down to Basics Identify the 3 most important things the course needs. Itemize all other pieces. Goal: Spend more time on the most critical pieces and leave less critical pieces for later.

Stage 2 : Get Down to Basics

Identify the 3 most important things the course needs. Itemize all other pieces. Goal: Spend more time on the most critical pieces and leave less critical pieces for later.

A Beginning Approach Stage 2 : Get Down to Basics Hint! The first tasks usually include things like: writing the course outline identifying and obtaining all required learning resources identifying learning units, lessons, and activities

Stage 2 : Get Down to Basics

Hint! The first tasks usually include things like:

writing the course outline

identifying and obtaining all required learning resources

identifying learning units, lessons, and activities

A Beginning Approach Stage 2 : Tips! use KISS principle: to save time and support good learning invest time into researching a solid textbook with practice activities, glossary, and companion website organize all existing electronic resources note missing resources and which ones are critical investigate open courseware and off-the-shelf options

Stage 2 : Tips!

use KISS principle: to save time and support good learning

invest time into researching a solid textbook with practice activities, glossary, and companion website

organize all existing electronic resources

note missing resources and which ones are critical

investigate open courseware and off-the-shelf options

A Beginning Approach Stage 2 : Tips! leave formatting for the end author directly into platform (if possible) finalize course outline before writing lessons and activities build evaluated tasks for critical learning outcomes keep text to a minimum, but add visuals if time permits

Stage 2 : Tips!

leave formatting for the end

author directly into platform (if possible)

finalize course outline before writing lessons and activities

build evaluated tasks for critical learning outcomes

keep text to a minimum, but add visuals if time permits

A Beginning Approach Stage 2 : Tips! write an orientation document geared towards the students find someone to proofread and/or act as surrogate student keep notes on what remains to be done ensure instructor has access to all electronic files pass on notes about what is done and remains to be done

Stage 2 : Tips!

write an orientation document geared towards the students

find someone to proofread and/or act as surrogate student

keep notes on what remains to be done

ensure instructor has access to all electronic files

pass on notes about what is done and remains to be done

A Beginning Approach The 2-Staged Approach Stage 1: Question, Answer, Plan Stage 2: Get Down to Basics

The 2-Staged Approach

Stage 1: Question, Answer, Plan

Stage 2: Get Down to Basics

Discussion What goals are realistic for a triaged course? What are the implications of performing triage? Part 5

Discussion

What goals are realistic for a triaged course?

What are the implications of performing triage?

Thank You Thank you for attending this session. This approach is a work in progress. Your comments and suggestions are welcome! Contact Info: Kristen Long: [email_address]

Thank you for attending this session.

This approach is a work in progress. Your comments and suggestions are welcome!

Contact Info:

Kristen Long: [email_address]