Course revision is a reality of daily life in higher education. Each semester, faculty review their courses to ensure that they are presenting current concepts and providing proper methods of assessment and interaction for their students. Unfortunately, most review and revision is done during periods of frantic activity just before or during the beginning of the semester. This methodology does not allow for deep consideration of issues and can negatively affect learning for students. Focused revision is a methodology of review that tasks faculty to review a course over a longer period of time and focus on one pedagogical aspect, such as interaction, content presentation, rubric development, etc. Focusing on a specific aspect of a course, to the exclusion of others, increases the efficacy of that aspect of the course while maintaining the current level of quality on the other aspects. This methodology also changes course revision from a summative process to a formative process and allows for the effective inclusion of student feedback into course design. The process also allows faculty to create efficiencies in their process to maximize time and minimize work. Multiple focused revisions may build on each other to create a synergy between course components, thus creating a more effective learning environment in both the physical and the digital classrooms, leading to increased student engagement and learning.

1. Via Focused Pedagogical Topics
Steven McGahan, M.S.Ed., Associate Director
University of Nebraska at Kearney, eCampus

2. This presentation is
informed by practice in
instructional design. It
integrates experience with
best practices in course
design/redesign. The
focused revision concept is a
subset of the full revision
process and will modify a
step in this process.

3.  Course updating is:
 Updating dates/times for
content/assignments.
 Checking for dead links and images.
 Basic structural issues.
 Course revision is:
 Redeveloping the course for quality.
 Evaluating course objectives and
aligning with content and
assignments.
 Fundamental changes in pedagogy.

4.  Set Revision Goals
 Review Course Content and
Assignments
 Integrate Student Feedback
 Record Reflections, Findings and
Observations
 Implement Revisions

6.  The first step in setting goals is to
identify the specific criteria for
evaluation.
 If your institution has or has
identified a course quality
instrument, use this as the basis for
your course revision.
 These provide faculty guidance
regarding what elements must be
present for a well-designed online
course.

7.  Quality Matters
 OLC Quality Scorecard (Online
Learning Consortium)
 OSCQR, Open SUNY Course Quality
Review (State University New York)
 QOLT, Quality Online Learning and
Teaching (California State
University System)
 QOCI, Quality Online Course
Initiative (Illinois Online Network)
 LMS Instruments

8.  Information overload.
 Most revisions cover all course
materials in a short time.
 Focused revision reverses this
process to cover a small amount of
the course in a long review process.
 It is a deep dive in to a singular facet
of the course to identify issues.
 Pedagogy is the primary concern of
this process, with some consideration
for structural issues.

9.  Removes extraneous information.
 Increases time on specific issues
instead of multiple issues.
 Allows for completion of specific,
institution specific mandates.
 Increases professional development
of learning skills.
 When performed during an ongoing
course, it highlights specific issues
that may have been forgotten.

10.  Learning/Unit/Course Objectives
 Assessment/Rubrics
 Interaction
 Media/Content
 Accessibility/Universal Design
 Support/Instructions
 Structure/Navigation

11.  Timeline (how long will you take to
evaluate your course?).
 Weeks, months, semester…
 Reviewing an active course is
preferable.
 Schedule (at what times will you
evaluate your course?).
 Best practice shows that course work
time should be scheduled.
 Evaluation and review time should
also be scheduled.
 Build this in to your schedule.

13.  Personal reflection
 Start with a reflection of issues from
previous semesters.
 Try to identify past “pain points.”
 If you keep a folder of emails, this can
be a useful tool in reflection.
 Active review
 Evaluate your course using the
identified criteria/instrument.
 Identify areas of the course where it
takes extra time (grading, answering
questions, etc.)

14.  Most modern Learning Management
Systems have data analytics.
 Use any advanced analytics to which
you have access.
 Deep analysis is not the only way.
 Quick assessment of data:
 Students are consistently achieving
low scores on a test, quiz, assignment,
etc.
 Students are consistently achieving
high scores on a test, quiz,
assignment, etc.

16.  Unsolicited feedback.
 Perform formative student feedback
2-4 times during a semester.
 Questions:
 What is the most important
(significant, useful, meaningful, etc.)
thing you learned?
 What was the central point of this
(module, chapter, unit, etc.)?
 What question(s) still remain?
 Is there anything you did not
understand?

18.  These notes will be your blueprint
for your implementation of revisions.
 How to use them in the future.
 A change log that shows what you
modified.
 A blueprint for issues that exist in
other courses.
 To identify areas to avoid when
developing future courses.
 Record observations in an easily
accessible place.
 LMS Notes.

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doi:10.1016/j.stueduc.2016.10.001

21.  With the prep and evaluation
completed, this should be the easier.
 Remember to use your campus
resources for difficult revisions:
 Instructional Designers
 Instructional Technologists
 Content Developers
 Colleagues
 Revision is an ongoing process.
 Keep your notes.

22. 22
THANKS!
Any questions?
You can find me at
mcgahansj@unk.edu or 308.865.8341
University of Nebraska at Kearney
ecampus.unk.edu