3 Course Planning
Planning is key to successfully implementing innovative components into your course; and this is especially true of eLearning courses. We recommend talking with your fellow faculty members, department chair, and support staff in order to develop a comprehensive strategy that will make your planning and expectations consistent with other courses in your discipline as well as better prepare students to learn via technology. For eLearning courses, plan ahead and allow at least 4-6 months for content development or adapting existing materials to online delivery. Also, make certain that you take advantage of the instructional and technology support services that the campus offers, such as Brock University’s Centre for Pedagogical Innovation (CPI), as well as external resources, such as Contact North’s 9 Key Steps About Teaching Online.
Course Road Map: Analyzing context, content, and process
The first step to planning your course is to create a development plan that will outline its essential components. The goal of this planning exercise is to identify the scope and purpose of the course, necessary resources, types of technology (and training) needed for successful development, and advanced planning for multimedia development or collaborative course development needs.
Theories of Learning
Featuring: Timothy A. Pychyl (Carleton), Denise Mohan (Guelph) Maureen Connolly (Brock), John Logan (Carleton).
Constructivist Theories of Learning and Online Courses
Featuring: Joy Mighty (Carleton), John Logan (Carleton), Denise Mohan (Guelph), Samah Sabra (Carleton), Timothy A. Pychyl (Carleton).
Deep and Surface Learning
Featuring: Joy Mighty (Carleton), Maureen Connolly (Brock), Samah Sabra (Carleton), Steve Joordens (Toronto).
Identify your teaching and interaction style
Regardless of which technology you select, how you facilitate interaction is going to depend largely on your teaching style and preferences as well as your general philosophical orientation to teaching. Another factor likely to influence interaction is the general style of your discipline. The nature of some professions require significant interaction with peers or clients which may make online interaction easier for you to facilitate, especially if you will be teaching nontraditional or adult students. Bear in mind that there is no right or wrong teaching style. Antonio Grasha (1996), whose research area is in college teaching, discusses the following five primary teaching styles:
