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Taking
your course online may seem like a daunting task, but it can be simple.
For starters, you may want to follow the following steps:
1. Prepare Yourself
Educate yourself by reading articles about web-based training, instructional
design, technology education, and online learning.
Practice
using the software. Contact WebCT Help (webcthelp@valenciacc.edu) if you would like a practice area set up on the
WebCT training server. Take a take a training
course, or contact us
about individualized training.
Understand hardware specifications
for WebCT. Make sure your computer is set up with the correct software requirements
also (such as browser).
2. Prepare Your Materials
Gather your course materials and content in a central location. Include items
such as handouts, slide shows, syllabus, overheads, lecture notes, projects,
assessments, and discussion topics. Brainstorm, practically any medium available
for use in a classroom or other setting can be used online. Determine what formats your materials exist in. Take note of items already
in electronic formats such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, and slides.
It will be particularly easy to convert electronic formats
(Microsoft Word Documents, PDF files, JPEGS, etc.) into WebCT ready documents.
Identify measurable course objectives. These should incorporate materials
delivered both in class and online.
3. Make an Outline
Make an outline that matches each course component with associated date, lecture
materials, labs, assignments and corresponding items. This comprehensive outline
can be very helpful in Step 5 - Building a Course Skeleton.
4. Determine How To Deliver Materials
Determine which materials should be delivered in the face-to-face component
of your course (if your course has one) and which items can be delivered online.
Select items that are relevant to course objectives and student learning experiences.
Prepare the materials for electronic delivery. This may include scanning graphics,
creating files in a word processor, developing web pages in a web authoring
tool, or creating slides in presentation software. Again, contact WebCT Help (webcthelp@valenciacc.edu) if you need
help with this.
Avoid delivering materials that will distract the student from the course
objectives. Do not add irrelevant information to "fill-up" your website.
(Dancing gerbils do not accentuate the learning centeredness of an
Online course!)
5. Build a Course Skeleton
Create the organizational (or skeleton) structure of your course. This involves
creating a series of clearly labeled folders that will hold course materials.
Make a folder for every item in your outline (from Step 3) or mimic the structure
of your syllabus.
Enter the Course Information area and create folders for the Syllabus, Grading
Policies, and other basic items relating to course management.
Enter the Course Documents area and create folders that correspond with the
main topics or sections of your course. Create sub-folders for sub-topics as
necessary. For example:
- Week 1: Introduction to English Grammar, (folder)
- Week 2: Working with Nouns (folder)
- Week 3: Mastering Verb Tenses (folder)
- a. Regular Verbs, (sub-folder of Week 3)
- b. Irregular Verbs (sub-folder of Week 3)
Enter the Assignments area, and create folders that correspond with your assignments.
6. Add Staff Information
Enter the Staff Information content area and create an entry for yourself.
If you have a picture of yourself, include that too.
Create additional entries for teaching assistants, graduate assistants, guest
speakers or other course staff members.
7. Fill in the Content
Enter each folder and add the content.
Include a short description for each item. Indicate what the item is and how
it is relevant to the lesson. This description helps students understand how
to associate (frame/attend to) this item in relation to rest of the course materials.
8. Incorporate the Technology into Other Course Components
Enter the Discussion Board, create a Forum, and post an introductory assignment.
For example, you might ask each student to write one to three paragraphs explaining
who they are and why they took your course. Require students to read entries
from other students. You might also encourage them to respond to each other.
This is the first step in creating an "online community" for your course.
Plan on adding at least one new topic to the Discussion Board Forum each week.
Make sure this topic requires students to formulate an answer and back it up
with facts to demonstrate their understanding. Monitor and respond to student
threads and encourage students to do the same.
Locate at least three external websites that relate to information you are
teaching. Place these in the External Links area and recommend students explore
these sites on "virtual fieldtrips." Optionally, structure an assignment that
incorporates researching and reporting information from these fieldtrips. Also,
consider placing links to the download pages of any plug-ins, players, readers,
or viewers that are necessary to access the various kinds of files or multimedia
your are using in your course.
9. Create an Introductory Announcement
Post an introductory message in the announcements area. Welcome the students
to your course, direct them to the Course Information area to obtain the syllabus,
and indicate the location of the first class assignment or reading.
10. Complete the Process
Preview course materials by checking each link, proofreading descriptions,
and viewing the course from a student perspective.
Instruct students on how to get a Blackboard account and log in. Consult your
System Administrator for university-specific instructions.
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