1. Online Course Design and Instruction Seminar Document
Course Structure
The first element to be provided to students in their online classes is introductory material in order to
give students basic information about the course --essentially online paperwork, links to various
resources , instructions for doing various assignments, how to contact technical support if there is a
technical problem, and so forth. Once these components are in place, it's time to teach the class.
How can we structure any and all online courses, regardless of discipline, to achieve a consistent
design as well as a successful distance learning class?
The following basic organizational models of a lesson seem to work best online, though you can call
each section whatever you like:
ILARQ Model
Lesson Component Lesson Content
Introduction:
• Explain what your lesson will be about
• Lesson Objectives/ Outcomes
• Give the reading and other assignments/
activities for that lesson.
• Key vocabulary or concepts
• Formative Assessment
Lesson or Lecture:
• Present the topic or topics
• Summarize key points of any readings
• Translate your lecture into some type of
presentation (reference to web sites, audio
format, add video, simulations
Application Activity: Should be authentic and
contextual
• Discussion Forum
• WebQuest
• Project Based Learning
• Challenge Based Learning Project
Reflection
• Students share their own thoughts on the
ideas and concepts that were presented.
• Teachers could provide a “Food for
Thought” section
Quiz

2. ICare Model
Lesson Component Lesson Content
Introduction:
• Explain what your lesson will be about
• Lesson Objectives/ Outcomes
• Give the reading and other assignments/
activities for that lesson.
• Key vocabulary or concepts
• Formative Assessment
Connect:
• Present a lecture
• Connect the general ideas presented in the
Introduction with specific research that we
might wish the students to do online
• Show students the connections among
various ideas presented in a particular
lesson.
Apply: authentic and contextual
• Discussion Forum
• WebQuest
• Project Based Learning
• Challenge Based Learning Project
Reflection
• Students share their own thoughts on the
ideas and concepts that were presented.
• Teachers could provide a “Food for
Thought” section
Evaluation:
• Provide the prompt for a final essay
assignment
• Give instructions for a quiz or test to be
taken in the quiz function.

3. Dream Model
Lesson Component Lesson Content
Discover:
• Introduction to the topic
Read:
• The lecture or the study portion of the
lesson
• Students can check further resources
Explore:
• Here, students can check further resources
or go on Web Quests via links which you
supply.
Apply:
• Homework assignments or projects
• Used to facilitate, enhance, and reinforce
learning through application.
Measure:
• Students share their own thoughts on the
ideas and concepts that were presented.
• Teachers could provide a “Food for
Thought” section

4. E-Class Model
This model can be applied to a unit of instruction and/or individual assignments.
Lesson Component Lesson Content
Explain: E represents why the student is being asked to do
ationale of: Rationale of: the assignment
• what's to be discussed
• context of the assignment
• scenario to embody the assignment
• explanation of why the topic is being
introduced
• historical perspective in which this
assignment fits
Clarify: C represents what exactly is being taught in this
Move from the general concept to specific unit of study.
details
Could include:
• readings required
• math concepts conveyed
Look: L equals “here's what I mean.”
• allow studetns to review examples or
samples that model what's being taught
Act: A equals hands-on workshop.
• Students practice what's being taught
• Engage the students
Share: S simulates a classroom's interaction.
• Create a community of learners.
• Email each other
• participate in chat rooms or discussion
forums
• peer evaluate each other's work
• reflect through journal entries
• engage in team projects of labs
Self-evaluate and Submit S (this final S, the specific assignment is
completed.

5. DSELASM Model
Lesson Component Lesson Content
Discover/Intro:
Rationale of: This is obviously easy for students
to understand. Basically, the introduction to the
topic and can include the standards, indicators to
be taught and the essential questions that drive
the lesson.
Self-Assess:
Start the unit or lesson with the unit/lesson
assessment. Let the students take the
assessment as a self evaluation. Assessment
should be matched to the standards and
indicators. If a student passes the self assess at
a predetermined master level, the student is
then moved to a real world application
activity. If the student doesn’t achieve a
mastery level on the self assess they continue
through the lesson.
Explain:
This phrase provides opportunities for teachers to
introduce formal terms, definitions, and
explanations for concepts, processes, skills, or
behaviors.
Connect/ Explore:
Students are provided with several digital
resources where they explore the main concepts of
the unit and develop their own knowledge base.
Resources should be available to match different
learning styles.
Look:
Allow students to review examples or samples
(essays, math problems, chemical equations, art
projects, etc.) that model what’s being taught.
Act, Apply, Engage: This segment of the lesson
encourages the students to practice what’s being
taught. Rather than merely being passive
observers in a cold medium, an online class can
and should actively engage the students.
This is intended to be some sort of application or
activity designed to show that students have
applied the general concepts they learned in the

6. explore/connect area.
Share: At this stage in the learning process it’s
time to create a community of learners.
Classroom interaction needs to be encouraged and
simulated.
Measure/ Evaluate:
This is the assessment area and should consist of
the same assessment that the students completed
in the Self-Assess area.