Lesson 2: Content Planning

Overview

Now that you have a better idea of some of the possibilities for online content, it's time for you to begin planning the content for your online course. Fortunately, there is plenty of content out there for you to use. However, if you like to develop your own, you can do that too!

 

Standards, Benchmarks, and Learning Objectives

In this Unit, we're indirectly addressing almost all of the SREB Standards for Quality Online Teaching and Quality Online Courses simultaneously simply by uncovering and discussing our assumptions about online teaching and online courses. Please review the SREB Standards for Quality Online Teaching and Quality Online Courses which are listed in the content module after this lesson.

To help you meet those standards, we must define a set of specific learning objectives. So, for this lesson, you will:

  • begin planning your online course
  • identify possible content for your online course

 

Assignments

  1. Content Planning. Approximately 2 hours.
    • Download and fill out the content planner document (html version or MS Word version
      • You can complete this assignment as an individual or as a group. If you choose to do it as a group, turn in one Content Planner document for the entire group.
      • The HTML version is included in case you'd like to put it in Google Docs to facilitate your group work.
    • In WebCT Discussions, Topic: Content Planning, post your reflections about your content planning process. Include in your reflection info about where you found content, what sort of planning process you went through, etc. Attach your content planner document to your post.
      • name your document with your name (or group name) included in file name. IE: smith_contentplanner.doc or mathgroup_contentplanner.doc
      • if you turn in the assignment for your group, tell us that in your post.
      • if you turn in the content planner as a group, you must each still post your own individual reflection of the process.
    • How the assignment is graded - 25 points.
      • Your content planner should include plans for a minimum of 5 assignments.
      • Your reflection post should be a minimum of 200 words.
      • It should be posted on time (during the week assigned)
  2. Discussion assignment 2: Reply to other learners Approximately 30 minutes.
    • In WebCT Discussions, Topic: Content Planning, review the answers of at least two others and reply to them. Based on your experience and knowledge, your response should:
      • Offer suggestions for further places to look for content or ideas on how to make the content planning process go more smoothly
      • Offer suggestions for other content for the assignments listed in the person's content planner
    • How assignment is graded - 10 points
      • Again, there are no wrong or right answers here.
      • Reply to at least two learners using above criteria to obtain full credit.

 

Extensions (optional)

  • Read Chapter 10 in You Can Teach Online: Building a Creative Learning Environment. This chapter has good information on how to create your own content. You will find it helpful especially if you've already taken time to develop content for the classroom and would like to reuse it for your online class.
  • Take another look at your text books. Most publishers now include web site support for text books. These sites often include online materials, lesson suggestions, quizzes, and other resources. If they do have a support site, it's usually listed in the first few pages of the text or in an appendix.
  • Practice with your WebCT test course. To get started, there is a wonderful help menu in WebCT. Plus, here are some helpful sites with tutorials:

 

Next step

Continue to Unit 3

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