{"id":1975,"date":"2016-05-25T11:35:22","date_gmt":"2016-05-25T16:35:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/?p=1975"},"modified":"2016-07-18T09:05:46","modified_gmt":"2016-07-18T14:05:46","slug":"online-course-design","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/online-course-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Wizardry Behind the Screen"},"content":{"rendered":"
Reading time: 7 minutes<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Over the past three years, Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵAPP\u2019s online programs have grown exponentially, expanding under the leadership of Dan Viele, dean of the School of Adult and Online Education, and a talented team of instructional designers and technical developers who are experts in transforming on-ground courses into digital learning experiences.<\/p>\n The design studio, which features a green screen and lightboard technology, is where some of the most visible innovation happens. Professors walk around in equations, create webinars and podcasts, film an interview in front of the Eiffel Tower, and pull in graphics with a live key, much like a TV weather reporter illustrates storms.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve built an active online learning environment and introduced content with exciting new tools,\u201d says Viele. \u201cThis new infrastructure puts Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵAPPout front in the region. We\u2019re one of few schools that has an in-house team dedicated to developing the University\u2019s courses.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis new infrastructure puts Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵAPPout front in the region. We\u2019re one of few schools that has an in-house team dedicated to developing the University\u2019s courses.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Typically, Maryville\u2019s course designers develop three- to eight-minute learning objects\u2014or demonstrations, or conversations\u2014for each online course to help students build insight along the way. \u201cWe modularize the content, and students can replay those segments over and over if necessary,\u201d Viele says. \u201cIt\u2019s technology like this that sets us apart.\u201d<\/p>\n Pamela Bryan Williams, director of learning design and development, manages the instructional design staff. As a first step, the team walks professors through the process of re-envisioning their individual courses for the online environment.<\/p>\n \u201cWe talk with faculty so we can understand their teaching style, sketch out their vision, and assess how best they engage students,\u201d Williams says. \u201cWe work together to ensure every course is effective and exciting online, and that students and faculty keep connected throughout the learning process.\u201d<\/p>\n Somer Anderson, assistant professor of accounting, taught and developed both online and on-ground courses for five years before joining Maryville\u2019s faculty last fall.\u00a0\u201cThe biggest challenge in moving a course from face-to-face to online is not being able to see the students\u2019 faces to determine how they\u2019re processing the information,\u201d Anderson says. \u201cAre they getting it? Are we going to fast or too slow? In online accounting courses, we use LearnSmart technology to help us gauge this aspect of the transition.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/h6>\n
Online Course\u00a0Design<\/strong><\/h6>\n