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Site Updated: June 15, 2007

Course Design 101: Preparing Your Content for the Web

Online instruction presents special challenges, but also provides opportunity for broadening student horizons, incorporating diverse learning materials, and tailoring information to the individual. This unit will explore some fundamental concepts and considerations when preparing instructional material for online delivery.

Objectives: As a result of reviewing the information in this section:

  • You will be able to describe some fundamental steps to designing and developing quality content for the web.
  • You will be able to draft a learning objective to match a topic of content.
  • You will be able to describe some criteria for determining the best mode for distributing content for a given learning environment.
  • You will be able to describe some principles of fair use of copyright materials as part of a course.
  • You will be able to describe some techniques for designing attractive web content.
  • You will be able to list some free resources for course content.

Course Design as a Process

Instructional design could be defined as the systemic activity of 1) identifying the needs of learners and instructional goals, 2) matching those with an appropriate approach and vehicle for delivering course materials, and 3) the development of the assessments that measure the degree of learning and the quality of the instructional content. The process is more fully explained here...

Templates for NDSU Instructors

Templates are available to speed your course design. Training and assistance for use of these templates is also available. Contact DCE to schedule an appointment for personalized service. Read more about the templates here...

Blueprint for Quality

What constitutes a great online course or training program? Quality can be defined and measured; these resources provide straight-forward recipes for achieving the best possible learning environment. Select this link for more information...

Keeping It Legal

What you need to know about copyright and fair use. Select this link for more information...

Graphic Design Considerations

Design tips for non-designers. Select this link for more information...

Free Course Content Online

Links to multi-media and other academic resources for your course. Select this link to view the list...

The tidbit icon Tidbit:
Looking for information about how to offer a course through DCE? Select this link to learn more...