Preparation (Blended/Online Courses)

Otis offers Faculty Development Grants to participate in Bricks & Clicks, a course exploring blended/online teaching.

Tips For Blending

In this case study, Karen Teeley shares her experiences transitioning her courses from fully face-to-face courses to blended ones.

When you click the link, you will find 6 short videos of 1-2 minutes including:

Beginning with Backward Design
What Goes Online versus Face-to-Face?
Addressing the Challenges
All Voices
Assessing Blended Students
Lessons Learned

Checklists/Schedules

Faculty - Helpful ways to organize content
Students - Serves as a guide and track for their progress

Use these checklists (Simmons College) to inform each stage of course development.

Designing Phase

T eaching Phase

Revising Phase

Chunking Content

Breaking course content into manageable pieces.

Introductions

An Introduction, Getting Started, or Orientation module will is help students learn the course routine, expectations, and organization as well as ensure that students are familiar with OSpace (or whatever tool is being used) and have all of the hardware/software required for the course.

Providing this online orientation will provide learner support by helping students become familiar with your course. This strategy may also reduce the number of questions you receive regarding course routine, expectations and organization.

Some activities to consider including in this module are as follows:

Read the syllabus, course outline, course goals, schedule, and course policies and then complete a short quiz.
Become familiar with the tools used in the course such as OSpace e-portfolios
Complete a browser check
Community building exercise such as discussion introduction post