examples of online course assignments

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Designing Assignments for Learning

The rapid shift to remote teaching and learning meant that many instructors reimagined their assessment practices. Whether adapting existing assignments or creatively designing new opportunities for their students to learn, instructors focused on helping students make meaning and demonstrate their learning outside of the traditional, face-to-face classroom setting. This resource distills the elements of assignment design that are important to carry forward as we continue to seek better ways of assessing learning and build on our innovative assignment designs.

On this page:

Rethinking traditional tests, quizzes, and exams.

• Examples from the Columbia University Classroom
• Tips for Designing Assignments for Learning

Reflect On Your Assignment Design

Connect with the ctl.

• Resources and References

Cite this resource: Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (2021). Designing Assignments for Learning. Columbia University. Retrieved [today’s date] from https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/teaching-with-technology/teaching-online/designing-assignments/

Traditional assessments tend to reveal whether students can recognize, recall, or replicate what was learned out of context, and tend to focus on students providing correct responses (Wiggins, 1990). In contrast, authentic assignments, which are course assessments, engage students in higher order thinking, as they grapple with real or simulated challenges that help them prepare for their professional lives, and draw on the course knowledge learned and the skills acquired to create justifiable answers, performances or products (Wiggins, 1990). An authentic assessment provides opportunities for students to practice, consult resources, learn from feedback, and refine their performances and products accordingly (Wiggins 1990, 1998, 2014). 

Authentic assignments ask students to “do” the subject with an audience in mind and apply their learning in a new situation. Examples of authentic assignments include asking students to: 

• Write for a real audience (e.g., a memo, a policy brief, letter to the editor, a grant proposal, reports, building a website) and/or publication;
• Solve problem sets that have real world application; 
• Design projects that address a real world problem; 
• Engage in a community-partnered research project;
• Create an exhibit, performance, or conference presentation ;
• Compile and reflect on their work through a portfolio/e-portfolio.

Noteworthy elements of authentic designs are that instructors scaffold the assignment, and play an active role in preparing students for the tasks assigned, while students are intentionally asked to reflect on the process and product of their work thus building their metacognitive skills (Herrington and Oliver, 2000; Ashford-Rowe, Herrington and Brown, 2013; Frey, Schmitt, and Allen, 2012). 

It’s worth noting here that authentic assessments can initially be time consuming to design, implement, and grade. They are critiqued for being challenging to use across course contexts and for grading reliability issues (Maclellan, 2004). Despite these challenges, authentic assessments are recognized as beneficial to student learning (Svinicki, 2004) as they are learner-centered (Weimer, 2013), promote academic integrity (McLaughlin, L. and Ricevuto, 2021; Sotiriadou et al., 2019; Schroeder, 2021) and motivate students to learn (Ambrose et al., 2010). The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning is always available to consult with faculty who are considering authentic assessment designs and to discuss challenges and affordances.   

Examples from the Columbia University Classroom 

Columbia instructors have experimented with alternative ways of assessing student learning from oral exams to technology-enhanced assignments. Below are a few examples of authentic assignments in various teaching contexts across Columbia University. 

• E-portfolios: Statia Cook shares her experiences with an ePorfolio assignment in her co-taught Frontiers of Science course (a submission to the Voices of Hybrid and Online Teaching and Learning initiative); CUIMC use of ePortfolios ;
• Case studies: Columbia instructors have engaged their students in authentic ways through case studies drawing on the Case Consortium at Columbia University. Read and watch a faculty spotlight to learn how Professor Mary Ann Price uses the case method to place pre-med students in real-life scenarios;
• Simulations: students at CUIMC engage in simulations to develop their professional skills in The Mary & Michael Jaharis Simulation Center in the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Helene Fuld Health Trust Simulation Center in the Columbia School of Nursing; 
• Experiential learning: instructors have drawn on New York City as a learning laboratory such as Barnard’s NYC as Lab webpage which highlights courses that engage students in NYC;
• Design projects that address real world problems: Yevgeniy Yesilevskiy on the Engineering design projects completed using lab kits during remote learning. Watch Dr. Yesilevskiy talk about his teaching and read the Columbia News article . 
• Writing assignments: Lia Marshall and her teaching associate Aparna Balasundaram reflect on their “non-disposable or renewable assignments” to prepare social work students for their professional lives as they write for a real audience; and Hannah Weaver spoke about a sandbox assignment used in her Core Literature Humanities course at the 2021 Celebration of Teaching and Learning Symposium . Watch Dr. Weaver share her experiences.  

​Tips for Designing Assignments for Learning

While designing an effective authentic assignment may seem like a daunting task, the following tips can be used as a starting point. See the Resources section for frameworks and tools that may be useful in this effort.  

Align the assignment with your course learning objectives 

Identify the kind of thinking that is important in your course, the knowledge students will apply, and the skills they will practice using through the assignment. What kind of thinking will students be asked to do for the assignment? What will students learn by completing this assignment? How will the assignment help students achieve the desired course learning outcomes? For more information on course learning objectives, see the CTL’s Course Design Essentials self-paced course and watch the video on Articulating Learning Objectives .  

Identify an authentic meaning-making task

For meaning-making to occur, students need to understand the relevance of the assignment to the course and beyond (Ambrose et al., 2010). To Bean (2011) a “meaning-making” or “meaning-constructing” task has two dimensions: 1) it presents students with an authentic disciplinary problem or asks students to formulate their own problems, both of which engage them in active critical thinking, and 2) the problem is placed in “a context that gives students a role or purpose, a targeted audience, and a genre.” (Bean, 2011: 97-98). 

An authentic task gives students a realistic challenge to grapple with, a role to take on that allows them to “rehearse for the complex ambiguities” of life, provides resources and supports to draw on, and requires students to justify their work and the process they used to inform their solution (Wiggins, 1990). Note that if students find an assignment interesting or relevant, they will see value in completing it. 

Consider the kind of activities in the real world that use the knowledge and skills that are the focus of your course. How is this knowledge and these skills applied to answer real-world questions to solve real-world problems? (Herrington et al., 2010: 22). What do professionals or academics in your discipline do on a regular basis? What does it mean to think like a biologist, statistician, historian, social scientist? How might your assignment ask students to draw on current events, issues, or problems that relate to the course and are of interest to them? How might your assignment tap into student motivation and engage them in the kinds of thinking they can apply to better understand the world around them? (Ambrose et al., 2010). 

Determine the evaluation criteria and create a rubric

To ensure equitable and consistent grading of assignments across students, make transparent the criteria you will use to evaluate student work. The criteria should focus on the knowledge and skills that are central to the assignment. Build on the criteria identified, create a rubric that makes explicit the expectations of deliverables and share this rubric with your students so they can use it as they work on the assignment. For more information on rubrics, see the CTL’s resource Incorporating Rubrics into Your Grading and Feedback Practices , and explore the Association of American Colleges & Universities VALUE Rubrics (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education). 

Build in metacognition

Ask students to reflect on what and how they learned from the assignment. Help students uncover personal relevance of the assignment, find intrinsic value in their work, and deepen their motivation by asking them to reflect on their process and their assignment deliverable. Sample prompts might include: what did you learn from this assignment? How might you draw on the knowledge and skills you used on this assignment in the future? See Ambrose et al., 2010 for more strategies that support motivation and the CTL’s resource on Metacognition ). 

Provide students with opportunities to practice

Design your assignment to be a learning experience and prepare students for success on the assignment. If students can reasonably expect to be successful on an assignment when they put in the required effort ,with the support and guidance of the instructor, they are more likely to engage in the behaviors necessary for learning (Ambrose et al., 2010). Ensure student success by actively teaching the knowledge and skills of the course (e.g., how to problem solve, how to write for a particular audience), modeling the desired thinking, and creating learning activities that build up to a graded assignment. Provide opportunities for students to practice using the knowledge and skills they will need for the assignment, whether through low-stakes in-class activities or homework activities that include opportunities to receive and incorporate formative feedback. For more information on providing feedback, see the CTL resource Feedback for Learning . 

Communicate about the assignment 

Share the purpose, task, audience, expectations, and criteria for the assignment. Students may have expectations about assessments and how they will be graded that is informed by their prior experiences completing high-stakes assessments, so be transparent. Tell your students why you are asking them to do this assignment, what skills they will be using, how it aligns with the course learning outcomes, and why it is relevant to their learning and their professional lives (i.e., how practitioners / professionals use the knowledge and skills in your course in real world contexts and for what purposes). Finally, verify that students understand what they need to do to complete the assignment. This can be done by asking students to respond to poll questions about different parts of the assignment, a “scavenger hunt” of the assignment instructions–giving students questions to answer about the assignment and having them work in small groups to answer the questions, or by having students share back what they think is expected of them.

Plan to iterate and to keep the focus on learning 

Draw on multiple sources of data to help make decisions about what changes are needed to the assignment, the assignment instructions, and/or rubric to ensure that it contributes to student learning. Explore assignment performance data. As Deandra Little reminds us: “a really good assignment, which is a really good assessment, also teaches you something or tells the instructor something. As much as it tells you what students are learning, it’s also telling you what they aren’t learning.” ( Teaching in Higher Ed podcast episode 337 ). Assignment bottlenecks–where students get stuck or struggle–can be good indicators that students need further support or opportunities to practice prior to completing an assignment. This awareness can inform teaching decisions. 

Triangulate the performance data by collecting student feedback, and noting your own reflections about what worked well and what did not. Revise the assignment instructions, rubric, and teaching practices accordingly. Consider how you might better align your assignment with your course objectives and/or provide more opportunities for students to practice using the knowledge and skills that they will rely on for the assignment. Additionally, keep in mind societal, disciplinary, and technological changes as you tweak your assignments for future use. 

Now is a great time to reflect on your practices and experiences with assignment design and think critically about your approach. Take a closer look at an existing assignment. Questions to consider include: What is this assignment meant to do? What purpose does it serve? Why do you ask students to do this assignment? How are they prepared to complete the assignment? Does the assignment assess the kind of learning that you really want? What would help students learn from this assignment? 

Using the tips in the previous section: How can the assignment be tweaked to be more authentic and meaningful to students? 

As you plan forward for post-pandemic teaching and reflect on your practices and reimagine your course design, you may find the following CTL resources helpful: Reflecting On Your Experiences with Remote Teaching , Transition to In-Person Teaching , and Course Design Support .

The Columbia Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is here to help!

For assistance with assignment design, rubric design, or any other teaching and learning need, please request a consultation by emailing [email protected] . 

Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) framework for assignments. The TILT Examples and Resources page ( https://tilthighered.com/tiltexamplesandresources ) includes example assignments from across disciplines, as well as a transparent assignment template and a checklist for designing transparent assignments . Each emphasizes the importance of articulating to students the purpose of the assignment or activity, the what and how of the task, and specifying the criteria that will be used to assess students. 

Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) offers VALUE ADD (Assignment Design and Diagnostic) tools ( https://www.aacu.org/value-add-tools ) to help with the creation of clear and effective assignments that align with the desired learning outcomes and associated VALUE rubrics (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education). VALUE ADD encourages instructors to explicitly state assignment information such as the purpose of the assignment, what skills students will be using, how it aligns with course learning outcomes, the assignment type, the audience and context for the assignment, clear evaluation criteria, desired formatting, and expectations for completion whether individual or in a group.

Villarroel et al. (2017) propose a blueprint for building authentic assessments which includes four steps: 1) consider the workplace context, 2) design the authentic assessment; 3) learn and apply standards for judgement; and 4) give feedback. 

References 

Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., & DiPietro, M. (2010). Chapter 3: What Factors Motivate Students to Learn? In How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching . Jossey-Bass. 

Ashford-Rowe, K., Herrington, J., and Brown, C. (2013). Establishing the critical elements that determine authentic assessment. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 39(2), 205-222, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2013.819566 .  

Bean, J.C. (2011). Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom . Second Edition. Jossey-Bass. 

Frey, B. B, Schmitt, V. L., and Allen, J. P. (2012). Defining Authentic Classroom Assessment. Practical Assessment, Research, and Evaluation. 17(2). DOI: https://doi.org/10.7275/sxbs-0829  

Herrington, J., Reeves, T. C., and Oliver, R. (2010). A Guide to Authentic e-Learning . Routledge. 

Herrington, J. and Oliver, R. (2000). An instructional design framework for authentic learning environments. Educational Technology Research and Development, 48(3), 23-48. 

Litchfield, B. C. and Dempsey, J. V. (2015). Authentic Assessment of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 142 (Summer 2015), 65-80. 

Maclellan, E. (2004). How convincing is alternative assessment for use in higher education. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 29(3), June 2004. DOI: 10.1080/0260293042000188267

McLaughlin, L. and Ricevuto, J. (2021). Assessments in a Virtual Environment: You Won’t Need that Lockdown Browser! Faculty Focus. June 2, 2021. 

Mueller, J. (2005). The Authentic Assessment Toolbox: Enhancing Student Learning through Online Faculty Development . MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching. 1(1). July 2005. Mueller’s Authentic Assessment Toolbox is available online. 

Schroeder, R. (2021). Vaccinate Against Cheating With Authentic Assessment . Inside Higher Ed. (February 26, 2021).  

Sotiriadou, P., Logan, D., Daly, A., and Guest, R. (2019). The role of authentic assessment to preserve academic integrity and promote skills development and employability. Studies in Higher Education. 45(111), 2132-2148. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1582015    

Stachowiak, B. (Host). (November 25, 2020). Authentic Assignments with Deandra Little. (Episode 337). In Teaching in Higher Ed . https://teachinginhighered.com/podcast/authentic-assignments/  

Svinicki, M. D. (2004). Authentic Assessment: Testing in Reality. New Directions for Teaching and Learning. 100 (Winter 2004): 23-29. 

Villarroel, V., Bloxham, S, Bruna, D., Bruna, C., and Herrera-Seda, C. (2017). Authentic assessment: creating a blueprint for course design. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education. 43(5), 840-854. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2017.1412396    

Weimer, M. (2013). Learner-Centered Teaching: Five Key Changes to Practice . Second Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 

Wiggins, G. (2014). Authenticity in assessment, (re-)defined and explained. Retrieved from https://grantwiggins.wordpress.com/2014/01/26/authenticity-in-assessment-re-defined-and-explained/

Wiggins, G. (1998). Teaching to the (Authentic) Test. Educational Leadership . April 1989. 41-47. 

Wiggins, Grant (1990). The Case for Authentic Assessment . Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation , 2(2). 

Wondering how AI tools might play a role in your course assignments?

See the CTL’s resource “Considerations for AI Tools in the Classroom.”

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• Designing An Online Course

If you are considering teaching online or are looking for ideas to freshen-up your current online course, you have come to the right resource. Designing for the online environment presents unique challenges, but it also opens a world of exciting possibilities for engaging students in their learning. Online education is not an “alternative” to traditional classroom learning. According to a 10 year study conducted by the Online Learning Consortium , 6.7 million students have taken at least one online course and roughly thirty-two percent of all higher-education students now take at least one online course during their educational career. And these numbers continue to rise. But despite more interest (from students and academic leaders) and enrollment in the online format, student success rates in online classes lags behind their face-to-face counterparts. So, we cannot afford to ignore the online format, but how do we design effectively for the unique teaching and learning challenges it presents?

Start with the learning; moving from solutions to possibilities!

It is common when transitioning to the online environment to start with the question, “how can I do this online?” If we approach it from this standpoint, we can get stuck looking for ways to mimic or retrofit face-to-face activities. This can be a frustrating and even disappointing solution goose chase . A more productive approach is to start with the question, “what do my students need to learn?”. Using the learning as the focal point, you can more easily  navigate the amazing possibilities presented by the online environment .

The the most effective teaching principles apply regardless of modality and often stand the test of time. Consider the principles identified by 50 years of research by A. Chickering and  Z. Gamson in the “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education.” ( AAHE Bulletin, March 1987 ):

• encourage faculty-to-student interaction
• encourage student-to-student interaction
• promote active learning
• communicate high expectations
• facilitate time on task
• provide rich, rapid feedback
• respect diverse learning

Although the study was conducted in 1987, these principles identified are amongst the most frequently referenced by online course designers as best practices. Keep these strategies in mind as you examine and approach your course design.

Actualizing Best Practice

Before you start collect all the materials you use to teach your course..

Organization is key to any project. Gather all the resources from previous courses you have taught, content and instructional materials you have researched or picked-up from colleagues, etc.. Put them in a format/file and store in a way you can easily access (computer, online or USB Drive). This includes your syllabi, notes, textbook, lectures, hand-outs, quizzes, exams, assignments/papers/projects, online resources, journal articles, and any other pertinent resources. Ask your department or colleagues for resources specific to your subject area. Sample syllabi, lessons and even course templates may be available to get you started. Taking the time to organize up front will save you lots of time later, so don’t skip this critical part of the process.

Establish a timeframe and goals.

Designing a quality course takes time. You need to dedicate constructive and uninterrupted time to plan, design and build. How long it takes is a function of where you are starting (new design or redesign) and your other obligations (work, family, etc.). To ensure your success, establish a realistic timeframe and set goals/benchmarks and deadlines.

In Maricopa there are “course level” competencies that are designed and written by faculty at the district level through the Instructional Council for each discipline. Course competencies are what is required to be covered and taught in every course. For course design and mapping, especially online, a faculty member designs activities, assessments, lectures, etc. to teach those competencies….along the way students will learn incrementally – those are unit or module level learning objectives. These help students understand what they will be learning, how all the activities and assignments help them learn, and then in the end see where they have been.

Design Practice #1: Course Mapping 

Access and review the most current course competencies on the  MCCCD Curriculum & Transfer website .

• Which competencies will be threaded throughout the entire course?
• Cluster competencies that are relatable. Sequence these clusters into a logical order based on your background knowledge and experiences in the discipline. Module/unit duration is flexible based on the depth of knowledge students might acquire with each topic.
• What is the theme of each competency cluster? Choose 5-7 units for your course that encompass the competency clusters.

Design Practice #2: Module Map ( Key Concepts, Activities, Resources, Vocabulary, and Assessment)

Access and review the most current course outline on the  MCCCD Curriculum & Transfer website .

• Select a module/unit (competency cluster). Which key concepts will be emphasized in the course design?
• For each key concept, which activities and resources will you integrate for students to make-meaning of course content?
• Which  academic and technical (discipline-specific) terms will you emphasize in each module/unit?

Module Map Planning Example

Concept Map

Plan for interaction! Make sure your course is rich in opportunities for students to engage with the content, with you and with each other. This means creating diverse activities like discussions, group work, case studies and collaborative problem-solving. Also, be sure to select resources that are relevant and present a variety of viewpoints and meet different learning styles . Consider multimedia, periodicals, web resources, etc.

Tip: Don’t get too caught up in specifics. This map should be an outline of the unit NOT the individual lessons.

University of Michigan, Center for Research on Teaching & Learning; Active Learning Strategies

North Carolina Index of Learning Styles Questionnaire

Design Practice #3: Module Level Learning Objectives

Using Course Competencies, pick a module and write learning objectives for one or more module/unit.

Considerations

• Does it begin with an action statement?
• Is it clean and direct?
• Does it express what we can expect students to be able to do?
• Is it clear what we mean?
• Does it reflect the essence of the cluster?

Creating Learning Objectives

It is essential to build measurable and clear objectives that outline what is expected of the learner. These objectives will make it easy to align the rest of your course and will serve to communicate learning expectations to students.

Using Blooms Taxonomy to find Measurable Verbs – Benjamin Bloom and a committee of colleagues identified three domains of learning and objectives can be written for any type of learning (Skills, Knowledge and Attitude). Bloom, and later Anderson & Krathwohl, also outlined categories of thinking. Learning objectives should encourage students to reach higher orders of thinking through careful scaffolding of concepts (structuring learning to build on prior concept knowledge). Using actionable verbs you can create objectives that target learning within these learning types and categories. It is very important that these verbs are measurable so that you can assess whether students understood the concept(s). For example:

Non-measurable verbs: understood, appreciate, learn.

Measurable verbs: explain, discuss, compare, etc.

ABCD Method – An easy framework for creating learning objectives is the A.B.C.D. method. This stands for Audience, Behavior, Condition and Degree. Learning objectives that contain each of these elements will clearly outline the learning that is to be achieved after completing each module.

Watch this brief video to learn more.

Tip:  Each module should have approximately 3-5 learning objectives. If you have more, your objectives may be too task oriented or your module theme could be too broad.

Use this Blooms Taxonomy Levels Guide  to find verbs for your learning objectives. This handy spreadsheet also includes ideas for assignments, activities and assessments that align with these verbs.

Penn State University offers a wonderful  interactive tutorial to create objectives according to the ABCD method .

Use the University of Central Florida Objective Builder to create measurable objectives according to the ABCD method .

Design Practice #4: Align your module (activities, assignments, materials/technology and assessments) to the objectives.

We all love our course content! As a result, it is tempting to throw everything into your course in an effort to spark that same love in the heart of your students. But how do students know what is important and essential to their learning? How do we help them focus?

Achieving Alignment through a Conceptual Framework

Using the learning objectives you can become more selective in what you include in your course.  This selection process is known as alignment. Alignment occurs when the course component (activity, assignment, material, technology and/or assessment) will help the student meet the learning objectives. To get started, build a Conceptual Framework for each module . In this framework outline the learning by identifying the course competencies and learning objectives for the module. Then review the course components (each piece of your module that you identified in the module map process) and see if they fit (align), i.e. contribute to the student achieving the stated learning objective. If a component does not align you need to either change the objective, change the course component or if it is essential to keep this non-aligned component, make sure that it is clearly identified as supplemental.

Tip:  Make sure that your framework is as detailed as possible. This framework can be used to provide learners with an overview of each unit that includes what they are to learn (competencies/objectives), with what (activity, assignment, material, technology and/or assessment) and where (in class or online). As an option, you can add a sequence and timeframe to your framework and you have outlined a complete module schedule for your students!

Resources: Use the Module Conceptual Framework Form  for a course to check your module alignment.

Design Practice #5 : Assessment for Learning

You are almost ready to start putting your course online! But before you do, you need to consider how you will assess student learning . Assessment is more than just tests, quizzes and final projects. Truly “informative” assessment helps students measure their progress and helps to guide your instruction. How will you embed informal and formal assessments for students to demonstrate understanding of major course concepts?

Summative and Formative

Assessments come in two varieties, summative and formative. Summative Assessment evaluates student learning, skill and academic achievement at the end of a defined instructional period (i.e. project, unit, course, semester, etc.). Formative Assessments monitor student learning through formal and informal processes to gather evidence to improve learning (i.e. guiding learning from concept to concept, activity to activity and lesson to lesson; identifying clarifications and misconceptions before moving on to the next concept).

C.A.T.s (Classroom Assessment Techniques)

One highly effective type of Formative Assessment is called a C.A.T. (Classroom Assessment Technique). These serve two main purposes, 1) assesses how well your students are learning the content and 2) provides invaluable feedback to guide instruction. C.A.T.s also serve to regularly check that your students are participating and comprehending the content before they get to a Summative Assessment. Regular and purposeful use of C.A.T.s allows the learner to apply and practice what is taught and keeps them engaged in the course more frequently. These opportunities directly contribute to student success and retention.

Tip:  Well designed C.A.T.s include a planning, implementing and responding phase.

A rubric is a coherent set of criteria for students’ work that includes descriptions of levels of performance quality on the criteria. The main purpose of rubrics is to assess performances (Brookhart, 2013).

Explore four  types of rubrics  that you might use to assess assignments in your course. These teacher-created rubrics provide an objective framework to assignments that may lend to subjective review. Select a rubric type that fits your instructional style.

If you are assessing MCC’s 4Cs in addition to grading the assignment, import the scoring guidelines into your course and attach the scoring guideline descriptors to your rubric.

Rubric Templates to Import into Your Canvas Course

• Export Package –  Note:  Do not rename or unzip this package file.
• Step 2: Go to the course you want to import the rubrics into and access the settings from the course navigation.
• Step 3: Select the “Import Content into this Course” option from the right-side menu.
• Step 4: From the Content Type menu select “Canvas Course Export Package”.
• Step 5: Choose a file and locate the template export package.  Note: The file extension will end with .imscc.
• Step 6: Choose the “Select specific content” radial option.
• Step 7: Ignore the date settings and select Import.
• Step 8: When the file has run, choose the Select Content option.
• Step 9: Under the Rubrics area select each rubric type. Leave all other items unchecked.
• Step 10: Click the Select Content button.

Desired Characteristics of Criteria/Descriptors for Rubrics

• Appropriate:  Represents a competency or learning outcome
• Definable:  Clear to the instructor and student
• Observable:  Quality can be seen or heard
• Distinct from one another:  Each criterion identifies a separate aspect of the learning outcome
• Complete:  All criteria together describe the whole of the learning outcome
• Able to support descriptions along a continuum :  Each criterion can be described over a range of performance levels

Ready. Set. GO! Start building your course.

Congratulations the hard work is done! No really, it is! You have mapped your course and your modules, created measurable objectives, aligned all your course components (activities, assignment, materials/technology and assessments) and designed meaningful and varied assessments. So now what? You are ready to put your course online! Let’s look at strategies to purposefully approach this process.

Strategy 1: Look at Sample Courses

Examine other online courses to see the features and design elements that you think serve your learning goals. Most faculty like to start by viewing a course in their own discipline, but don’t stop there. You’ll get a wealth design ideas from courses regardless of the subject area. Good design is not content specific.

MCC Courses

MCC provides previews a sampling of online classes at our  eLearning Site . This is a great place to start.

Canvas Courses

Canvas is our Learning Management System (LMS) for MCCCD. View courses from a variety of colleges that use our LMS Canvas in the Canvas Catalog . For even more course samples using Canvas explore by feature .

Open Source Courses

Go beyond Canvas to discover even more amazing course designs.

• Merlot provides peer reviewed online teaching and learning materials.
• edEx Courses   are made available by the Harvard Extension School’s Open Learning Initiative. Featuring Harvard faculty, the noncredit courses are open to the public. You do not need to register to view the lecture videos.
• The MIT Open Courseware Initiative makes MIT course materials that are used in the teaching of almost all undergraduate and graduate subjects available on the web, free of charge, to any user anywhere in the world.

Strategy 2: Identify Quality & Aligned Content Materials

You may want to find additional resources to supplement your own content. The key is make sure that all of your content (regardless of source) aligns with the learning objectives as outlined in Step 3.

Open Educational Resources & the Creative Commons

Open Educational Resources (OER) are freely accessible, open licensed, teaching and learning materials. There are worldwide repositories for the sharing and use of OER. Materials are available in almost any subject area and can include a single image, assignment or activity OR a full textbook and even an entire course.

OER Commons

Community College Consortium for Open Educational Resources

Creative Commons resources are less specific and include a variety of resources (educational in purpose or not) that can be used under specific more open licensing arrangements than traditional copyright process. Items include clip art, images, videos, music and more.

Find CC-licensed Works 

Publisher Content

Publishers often create online courses and course materials that go with your textbook.  Talk to your publisher to receive access to the content. Often, you can select the materials and customize it to reach your learning objectives.

Strategy 3: Going beyond Accessibility; Engage in Universal Design

Regardless of where you get your content from, it needs to be accessible. But more than that, your content needs to be Universal. Universal Design or UDL is a set of best practices to help instructors meet the needs of all learners. From designing pages that can be read by mobile devices to screen readers, UDL is about considering the wide diversity of learner needs, not just abilities.

MCC Center for Teaching & Learning, Creating Accessible Course Materials

Strategy 4: Using Canvas

Canvas is the MCCCD adopted Learning Management System (LMS). It is called a learning management system because the focus is on the facilitation of learning , not on the storage of content. You will find that Canvas provides wonderful opportunities to enrich the online learning environment, including a built-in multimedia tool, the Edu Apps Center, quizzes, discussions, group and peer review, collaborative documents and so much more!

Canvas is designed to support modules! So, all that hard work you have done mapping out each of your learning units will pay off now. To get started with Canvas take advantage of one of the many opportunities to learn how the system works.

Canvas Instructor Orientation  that will walk you through the basics of setting up a new course in  Canvas . To enroll, simply click on the “Join this course” button on the Course Home Page. There is no facilitator, but it is a good series of self exercises.

The Canvas  Guides  (software developer guides) cover all major features of  Canvas  by question topic. They are easy to navigate and mostly image-based walk thru demonstrations of how to use a particular feature.

The MCC CTL Getting Started with  Canvas  in 10 Steps Guide  is basic primer to get a first time user off the ground.

The MCC Center for Teaching and Learning also offers in-person training for teaching with Canvas. Please visit our  calendar  for information on upcoming learning opportunities . Stay up-to-date with all things Canvas by visiting the CTL LMS News .

Resources for Students – If you are looking for Canvas Guides to assist your students, point them to the Canvas Tutorials and 101 Course . This course will walk students through all the major features of Canvas making it easy for you to focus on teaching, rather than troubleshooting technology and navigation.

Strategy 5: Getting Started Module

MCC has created a “start here” template module for instructors to import into their courses. Once you bring template in to your Canvas course, you can modify it to meet your specific needs. Instructions on how to import the template are included within the resource.

• Export Package : Note:  Do not rename or unzip this package file.
• Step 2: Go to the course you want to import the module to and access the settings from the course navigation.
• Step 3: Select the  “Import Content into this Course”  option from the right-side menu.
• Step 4: From the  Content Type menu  select  “Canvas Course Export Package” .
• Step 6: Choose the  “Select specific content”  radial option.
• Step 7: Ignore the date settings and select  Import .
• Step 8: When the file has run, choose the  Select Content  option.
• Step 9: Under the Modules area  select the Getting Started Module. Leave all other items unchecked.
• Step 10: Click the  Select Content  button.

Final Thoughts

Relax! You won’t be creating the perfect online course, at least not the first time you teach it. It takes teaching an online course a few semesters to improve and enhance it. Continue to experiment with new approaches, refining your teaching according to your learning objectives and the feedback of your students. We highly recommend including a Course Survey in your final module so that you can collect valuable data and insights from the student perspective on the design, content and delivery of your course. Give yourself permission to be a student too – to learn over time. This guide will help you create a very good online course to start with. You can improve it from there!

Design + Delivery = Learning

Even a well-designed course can fall short without purposeful delivery throughout the course. Delivery includes pacing, feedback, communication, monitoring and adjusting instruction, etc.. that will actively engage and support the diverse learner needs. Continue your professional development by researching and exploring resources on best practices on instructional delivery.

Related Content

• Accessibility
• Classroom Assessment Techniques
• Learning Outcomes & Assessment
• Reflective Educator
• Canvas Tutorials
• Continuity of Instruction
• Annotated Bibliography
• Take Action
• Developmental Education Endowed Teaching Award
• Endowed Teaching Chair Award
• Evidence Based Teaching Strategies
• Adjunct Faculty Professional Growth
• iTeach @ MCC
• New Adjunct Faculty
• New Employee Resources
• Regular & Substantive Interaction
• Personal Response Systems
• Retention Strategies
• MCC Recommended Syllabus Statements
• Applying for a Z Course Designation
• Z Degree Expert Model Details

Integrating Online Assignments into your Course

Many types of assignments can be done online. Some options are outlined below as well as decision-making criteria for using online assignments in a course and course design questions to consider as you start to integrate online assignments into your course. By thinking about the reasons for using them and answering the design questions, you will be able to integrate these engaging tools in a meaningful way with the rest of your course.

What are some possible online assignments?

It is often difficult to imagine what kinds of assignments can be put online if you have never used technology in your teaching. Basically, technology can be used to put almost any assignment online. The key, though, is to have a clear rationale for doing so. Below are some examples of online assignments, but they certainly do not represent all of the possibilities.

• Online discussions
• Case studies
• Online tests/quizzes
• Practice exercises
• Virtual tutorials or labs
• Essays (submit online)
• Online literature searches
• Simulations

Decision-making criteria

Why should we put assignments online? As mentioned above, with the use of any tools or methods in our courses, there should be a clear pedagogical reason for using them. The following are some of the reasons for putting an assignment online.

• Allow for new types of assignments.  Some assignments simply cannot be done on paper. For example, you can have students work with a simulation (in two or three dimensions) to see what happens when they change one element. Or they can see full colour pictures or artwork to analyze or critique. Allow yourself to think beyond the limitations of paper-based assignments to create new ways to enhance your students’ learning.
• Refocus classroom time.  As with traditional assignments, you can have students cover content and do activities outside of class time so you can spend your in-class time in other ways. For example, students can engage in an online discussion and then be able to bring that knowledge to class for a more in-depth discussion. Or a pre-class quiz can highlight problem areas for you to focus on in your lecture. You may also be able to reduce in­class hours if your online activities are well-planned.
• Allow for collaboration.  Research has shown that one way to increase student learning is to promote collaboration where groups of students can interact with each other to solve a problem or discuss an issue together. Assignments which allow for such collaboration are often more effective at positively affecting student learning than individually-done assignments.
• Encourage reluctant participants.  Online assignments, particularly discussions, can allow even the most reluctant participants to join in a discussion. The online (often asynchronous) nature of such assignments gives students an opportunity to reflect and generate a response to a particular question – time not necessarily allowed in a face-to-­face, synchronous discussion.
• Accommodate different learning styles and levels.  Beyond encouraging participation from reluctant students, online assignments can have a multi-modal design (i.e., graphics, text, audio, virtual hands-on activities) and, if designed appropriately, can also help students reach new learning levels or think more deeply or critically about a given concept.
• Give instant feedback to students.  One of the real benefits to students of online assignments is the possibility for instant feedback on their work. Many tools used to create such assignments can be configured to provide such feedback, instead of having students wait for assignments to be graded and returned. This way, they know immediately what concepts they need to work on, and which they already understand. This can also help instructors to identify unclear concepts or students who may need remedial assistance.
• Archive course information.  Online assignments also allow for an archive to be created of relevant course information and discussions. This information can be used by students at a later date while studying for a test/exam, or by the instructor to create a frequently asked questions page or to measure students’ understanding of key concepts.
• Deliver online or distance education courses.  If a course is being offered online or at a distance, then online assignments are a natural extension of this.
• Provide students with transferable skills for other courses and in their careers.  Some instructors are interested in integrating key skills into their courses that students can use in other courses or take out into the “real-world” upon completion of their degrees. If this is a goal for your courses, then providing some familiarity with certain technologies through the use of online assignments may be a good way to introduce students to skills they can use elsewhere.
• Be environmentally friendly.  Paperless assignments are a good way to save environmental resources.

Creating your own online assignment

Now that you have some ideas about possible assignments and have reviewed the decision­making criteria, you should answer the following questions to consider how to integrate your online assignment into your course.

• Briefly describe the assignment. (Write 2-4 sentences)
• Students may need a rationale for having online assignments to help foster their motivation. What will you say to “sell” the assignment to your students? (Write 3-5 sentences)

If you would like support applying these tips to your own teaching, CTE staff members are here to help.  View the  CTE Support  page to find the most relevant staff member to contact. 

• Course design heuristic
• Collaborative online learning
• Learner-centered assessment
• Designing multiple-choice questions
• Types of assignments and tests
• Using writing as a learning tool

For more assistance, please also feel free to contact the Centre for Teaching Excellence office and we will assist you or connect you with other resources.

This Creative Commons license  lets others remix, tweak, and build upon our work non-commercially, as long as they credit us and indicate if changes were made. Use this citation format:  Integrating Online Assignments Into Your Course. Centre for Teaching Excellence, University of Waterloo .

Additional keywords: Blended Learning

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Teaching tip categories.

• Assessment and feedback
• Blended Learning and Educational Technologies
• Career Development
• Course Design
• Course Implementation
• Inclusive Teaching and Learning
• Learning activities
• Support for Student Learning
• Support for TAs
• Assessment and feedback ,

Digital Learning & Design

Large course assignments guide.

Get Started

To start, consider how students will engage with the content in your course. What do you want them to be able to do by the end of the course, and how will they demonstrate it? The answers to these questions will determine your learning objectives and course assignments. Assignments should assess learning and performance, and give students key information to improve in these areas. 

We encourage you to consider these questions before designing assignments :

• What assignments will help students work towards the learning objectives? 
• How much time should students spend on the assignment? When will it be due? How does it fit in with the week/module? 
• How will my feedback impact student learning? 
• What does success look like? What are the criteria and expectations? Do I have examples to show students? Do students have the skills and tools they need to be successful? 
• Are there different ways students can demonstrate learning?

So, What Makes for Good Assignment Design?

Once your learning objectives and teaching strategy are clear, you are ready to design the assignments for your course. We’ve put together a list of assignment types and design considerations. 

• Set smaller weekly assignments to gauge students’ engagement as they asynchronously interact with course material. 
• Spread out low-stakes opportunities evenly throughout the course to help students track their learning and progress.
• Make the purpose of the assignment clear to students: why are they doing it and how does it align with the learning objectives? If you have a single, longer assignment you may break down the assignment into smaller parts to be completed over a series of weeks. With a high student submission pool, it can sometimes be tricky to provide timely meaningful feedback before the next assignment is due. Plan the assignment stages and due dates around when you can get the most grading done.
• Provide a ‘how to succeed’ section in your course so students know what is expected of them. 
• Use appropriate technology and communication methods to help students complete assignments.
• Unless a course specifically requires papers and essays as an objective, try to convert some writing assignments - like essays or papers - to worksheets or templates. A worksheet or template essentially asks students directly about the required elements with a space to write the answer (which can be a brief statement or a paragraph), which is typically much quicker to grade and evaluate student efforts, and is often more straightforward for students as well.
• Assign several short writings with the goal of “write-to-learn.”
• Ask students to write exam questions and respond to them. You can use the student produced questions on an exam or for quizzes. 
• Provide written opportunities for students to reflect on and articulate what they've learned.

Group work offers a multitude of benefits in large online classes. When effectively designed, students practice collaborative working skills, learn from and with their peers, and build stronger social relationships. You can get to know how your students work and learn together, provide targeted feedback, and cut down on grading time. If you’d like to organize a group work assignment in your course, see our Designing Effective Group Work guide .

Well written, quality multiple-choice questions take time to write but can be graded quickly whereas essays can be written quickly but take time to grade.

• Take advantage of Canvas or Panopto for auto graded quizzes to check for engagement with material.
• Use Top Hat to deliver lectures with embedded questions and discussions.
• Create a backchannel or informal online space for engaging or sharing thoughts/questions after the lecture or throughout the week. 
• Design Just in Time Teaching ( JiTT ) activities –- like entry quizzes, surveys, or exit tickets -- with due dates to help keep students on track.
• Share and critique group presentations, articles, or other student-produced work.
• Ask students to demonstrate their learning by solving problems that are tied to the real world. University of Indiana’s Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning has a good resource on Authentic Assessments .

With weekly assignments, the potential grading workload can quickly become overwhelming. But you can reclaim your time by using tools and methods to automate or expediate grading and giving feedback.

• Use Gradescope to facilitate grading of assignments that cannot be autograded. 
• Consider low-risk assignments that have a low impact on student grades and mark them as ‘complete’ or ‘incomplete.’
• Develop and share rubrics for assignments to expedite grading and minimize questions from students. Rubrics should communicate expectations for quality and success criteria.
• Mention students’ names in feedback, discussions, and announcements to personalize communication and let students know that you are reviewing their work.

Knowing what you want students to be able to do is the first step in designing effective assignments. To determine what is right for you and your course, please contact [email protected] to meet with one of our instructional designers.

Lake, B. (2018). Best Practices for Large-Enrollment Online Courses, Part I and Part II. ASU Teach Online . Retrieved May 27, from https://teachonline.asu.edu/2018/09/best-practices-for-large-enrollment-courses-in-canvas/  

Lectures & Learning Activities: UNLV Teach Online Best Practices. UNLV Teach Online . Retrieved May 27, from https://www.unlv.edu/teach-online/best-practices/lectures-learning

Wilsmin, A. Teaching Large Classes. Vanderbilt Center for Teaching . Retrieved May 27, from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-large-classes/

Teaching Strategies: Large Classes and Lectures. Center for Research on Learning and Teaching at University of Michigan.   Retrieved May 27, from http://crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsllc

Teaching Large Classes. The Center for Teaching and Learning at UNC Charlotte . Retrieved May 27, from https://teaching.uncc.edu/services-programs/teaching-guides/lecture-studio-and-large-classes/teaching-large-classes

McMurtie, B. (2020). How to Help Struggling Students Succeed Online. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved May 27, from https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-to-Help-Struggling/248325

Online Course Development: A Roadmap

Designing and developing an effective online course involves careful planning and intentional decision-making. People who are new to online learning are often surprised that, as opposed to a straightforward process of “putting a course online,” the new modality challenges educators to transform content, activities, and their approach to interacting with students.

Many factors influence the time that is required to develop an online course, including: the maturity of the course materials and assignments, the type of instructional activities, and the faculty member’s knowledge of online environments and tools.

Following is a suggested process for planning and developing of an online course.

Phase 1: Preparing for Course Design

Activities:.

• Review course objectives to ensure they articulate the desired priorities and levels of student learning.
• Review alignment of course objectives with instructional activities and assessments to identify gaps.

Deliverables :

• First draft course map, including weekly topics, objectives and schedule for major course assignments

Phase 2: “Big Picture” Course Design

Activities :.

• “Chunk” course into weekly modules (or other desired unit)
• Articulate objectives for each module/unit
• Determine how major assignments and assessment fit into course schedule
• Consider how to translate typical course activities to maximize affordances of online environment and maximize student interaction
• Determine overall strategies for content delivery, instructional activities, and assessment
• Identify appropriate technologies and pursue required technical training
• Develop a schedule for course development

Phase 3: Module Prototype

• Determine structure of main menu and individual modules
• Design & develop one full module, including examples of all content types to be developed, assignment instructions and module text
• Evaluate prototype module and make any adjustments to course/module structure and project schedule.

Phase 4: Detailed Design and Development

• Complete detailed course map that identifies all components to each module: existing content, content to be produced, assignments, assessment activities
• Canvas components
• Media Components
• Assignment instructions
• Assessments
• Rubrics and/or performance criteria
• Set up Grade Center
• Set up timed release of materials, if desired
• Develop student introduction activity

Phase 5:  Preparing to Launch – Testing and Facilitation Planning

• Test course components
• Develop explanation of how the course “works,” communication expectations & guidelines, and ways to get help
• Consider creating a welcome video and/or screencast course tour

Phase 6:  Early Course Feedback

• Gather early term student feedback and make adjustments as possible

Phase 7: Develop Plan for Course Revision

(end of first term)

• Review student evaluations & feedback
• Review student performance results
• Identify revisions for second iteration

How to Create a Course Outline [With Templates]

Table of Contents

Do you have a great idea for an online course but don’t know where to start? You’re not alone – getting started is the most overwhelming part of course design for first-time course creators, who struggle to put their ideas together and turn them into a well-structured course.

The solution to your problem is something as simple as a course outline.

Creating a course outline will help you overcome your mental block and start building your online course.

In this article, we will guide you through the process of designing an online course outline following instructional design principles. We’ll also offer you 18 amazing course templates to spark your creativity.

💡 If you are more of a visual learner, watch the following video on how to create an online course from Idea to Outline with Rachel Reclam.

Table of contents

• 1 What is a Course Outline?
• 2 How to Write a Course Outline Step-by-Step
• 3 Training Course Outline: How is it Different?
• 4 18 Course Outline Templates to Download

What is a Course Outline?

A course outline is a plan of the course that contains all the learning material, structured in the order you’ll use it in your online course. It can be in the form of a storyboard or a simple list.

A course outline usually includes the following:

• Essential course information like name & description
• The learning objectives
• Course requirements & prerequisites (if any)
• Learning activities per session
• Supporting learning material
• Milestones (assignment due dates, quizzes, final exams)
• Course schedule (if there’re any live sessions)

An outline is not just a tool to create an optimal learning path but also a resource to share with your learners .

How to Write a Course Outline Step-by-Step

Let’s go over the steps you need to follow when creating an online course outline:

• Step #1: Build a Learner Profile
• Step #2: Write the Learning Objectives
• Step #3: Break Down the Course Into Sessions
• Step #4: Choose the Learning Activities
• Step #5: Plan for Interactivity
• Step #6: Include Knowledge Checkpoints

💁 The LearnWorlds WorkBook will guide you through all the necessary steps, offering additional items you can go through.

Step #1 – Build a Learner Profile

How well you know your audience has a massive impact on student learning. The better you know the people who will be attending your course, the more beneficial the learning experience you can build for them.

A learner profile should include the following:

• Basic demographics
• Knowledge level
• Desired goals & pain points

Pre-assessments can help you determine the learners’ knowledge of the subject matter, while a survey can give you information regarding their demographics, their reason for taking the course, and potential roadblocks.

Step #2 – Write the Learning Objectives

Learning goals are broad, general statements of what we want our students to learn – they’re the end goal of the course, the bigger picture. For instance, if you’re teaching social skills, the learning goal is to improve the learners’ social skills. But that doesn’t really say much, right?

When creating your online course outline, break this broad goal down into learning objectives , which are specific and, whenever possible, measurable . So, in this case, ask yourself:

• What does improving social skills entail? What will learners be able to do after the course that they couldn’t do before?
• Carry out conversations with confidence.
• Make a great first impression.
• Master small talk.
• Feel more comfortable in a large group of people.

Write all these objectives and make sure to a) use them as a reference point when creating your content and assessments, and b) clearly mention them in your course description and syllabus.

Step #3 – Break Down the Course Into Modules

Now that you know the learning objectives, the next step is to break down the course into smaller learning modules, keeping in mind that you need to keep each module short and sweet and increase the level of difficulty gradually.

A helpful practice creating a topical outline of your course to organize subtopics under general topics. This way, you’re creating the backbone of your course, upon which you will create your course content. In the LearnWorlds’ Course Creation Workbook, visit pages 7-8 to see how to create a topical outline.

Step #4 – Choose the Learning Activities

What learning activities are you going to include in your course? Before choosing, think about the content you may already have and can repurpose . For example, you can use the highlights from a blog post to create PDF infographics.

Most importantly, before adding any activity to your lesson plan, think about whether it serves the learning objectives of the course. Anything that doesn’t directly support the learning objectives should be offered as additional/supportive learning resources.

Why? Because bombarding the learners with a mountain of videos, eBooks, and what have you will inevitably lead to cognitive overload .

LearnWorlds supports a wide variety of learning activities to choose from, some of which you can also sell separately as digital products , like:

• Interactive videos
• Audio files & podcasts
• Live sessions
• Self-assessments, quizzes & exams
• SCORM packages

Step #5 – Plan for Interactivity

Remember that what separates a great course from a good-enough one is interactivity. This single “detail” can skyrocket not only learner engagement but the effectiveness of the course, as it allows for in-depth conversations and meaningful connections.

If you can’t include real-time sessions, then at least make sure to build an online community , like a discussion group, where you will interact with your learners and enable them to communicate with one another and exchange knowledge.

Step #6 – Include Knowledge Checkpoints

Last but not least, make sure to include several assessments throughout the course and for different purposes. Let us give you a few ideas:

• Non-graded quizzes : to help learners refresh, practice, and test their knowledge “safely” without it having an impact on their final grade. Including non-graded quizzes will also help you identify learners who need extra support.
• Self-assessments and self-reflection journals : to enable learners to reflect on their learning journey and figure out ways they can improve their learning processes.
• Graded assignments & exams, like written or video submissions : to accurately measure learner knowledge and offer a certificate of completion (or CPE credits ).

Training Course Outline: How is it Different?

An online training course designed for employees, customers, or partners, like employee onboarding or customer education, is different from an online course addressed to a wide audience.

Goals are set based on company priorities and result tracking (on multiple levels we’ll explain below) is non-negotiable. Employee training is often mandatory and crucial. All this means that your outline might look a little different.

Assessment Evaluation

The first major difference is an assessment evaluation. If you are tasked with creating a training course, there are good chance the company hiring you has already assessed their training needs and documented them.

If not, you should perform an assessment evaluation and identify the training needs of the company. These are similar to learning goals and objectives but focus specifically on the people or departments requesting the training to improve specific deficiencies.

Adult Learning Principles

Training is addressed to adults. They might be coming with some industry or work experience and will be looking to implement their newfound knowledge and skills in their work. As such, they have different preferences and needs than younger students.

Adult learning principles will help you make training more relevant to their needs:

• Prefer self-directed learning
• Draw on life experience to assist with learning
• Willingness to learn when transitioning into new roles
• Immediacy of applying the new knowledge to real-life situations and problems
• Internally instead of externally motivated

Remember to make the training more practical, using real-world examples and allowing learners to draw from their years of experience.

Training Evaluation & Tracking

Lastly, evaluating the results is a huge part of training. More often than not, it’s the key stakeholders who will decide the course prerequisites and how success is measured.

For example, compliance training might include a specific number of video watch hours and a final exam with a passing score of 80%. It’s also possible that you should include a certificate to award learners at the end of the course.

You might additionally need to collect grades, assignments, or physical examinations. Some advanced learning management systems , like LearnWorlds, include a gradebook or reporting features you will need to meet these requirements.

Include evaluation activities such as exams, on-site testing, scenarios, or other forms of evaluations to the course outline for training, and plan on certifications or reporting requirements.

Your professional looking Academy in a few clicks

18 course outline templates to download.

The best way to create your own outline is to use a good example as a guide. Our team of experts reviewed LearnWorlds’ course creators and prepared 18 course outline templates based on the most popular course types.

Here is a sneak peek of the templates:

Assessment courses

These courses help you and your potential students assess their skills. This course type can also be used as a powerful lead magnet to gather students’ emails early in the process.

Presell courses

Presell courses serve as a storefront for an upcoming course . They can help you validate a course idea and build an email list of your potential students before officially releasing a course.

Orientation courses

An orientation course provides an overview of all your courses . They can build student engagement and interest. Don’t forget to add a walkthrough of your academy and the online community, as well as the instructor’s contact details.

Orientation courses can also help mobile app users onboard faster. Be sure to add an orientation-style course on your roadmap for user training!

Μini-courses

Mini-courses are versions of full-sized courses. Like presell and orientation courses, they serve as teasers that make students enroll in a course. However, in contrast to the other two categories, mini-courses provide real educational value : a full summary of what will be taught in the full-sized course.

Live courses

This course type includes mostly scheduled live sessions , which you can enrich with different types of material, like quizzes, discussions, transcripts, and downloadable PDF files. Live courses could also have office hours, during which learners can reach the instructor for questions, feedback, or support.

Workshop courses consist of a series of videos where an instructor demonstrates practical tasks while describing the process for the students to follow through. Workshop courses are usually about arts & crafts, painting, sewing, fitness, content creation, etc. You can also share top highlights of your event for your social media as part of your marketing strategy.

Professional training courses

Professional training courses aim to build knowledge, skills, and competence in a group of individuals or a team. Companies deploy employee training & development initiatives to improve employee performance, smooth out productivity issues, and enhance the soft skills of their workforce.

The “X days challenge” courses

Through an “X Days Challenge” course, an instructor guides the students through daily or weekly small achievements to reach a more challenging end goal at the end of the course. Deploying gamification gimmicks, like badges, is good practice in these courses, as they motivate and reward learners along the way.

A good example of a challenge course is “Create your first mandala painting in 14 days” or “Improve your sleeping habits in a month.”

Certification courses

Certification courses verify the skills and knowledge the learner has obtained in the course in the form of a (usually sharable and printable) certificate. They require learners to pass a final exam or perform a practical task demonstrating their skills. Certifications can be obtained from external governmental organizations or recognized entities.

Unsurprisingly, certification courses often have prerequisites and strict navigation; you can read more on the course navigation on LearnWorlds here .

Spotlight/Niche topic courses

Niche topics are created to teach particular skills . Instructors can create a whole academy with multiple niche courses and sell them in bundles to provide a more comprehensive learning experience while boosting their revenue.

Academic courses

Academic courses follow the traditional structure that higher education institutions follow . This type of course usually consists of an introduction to the course and its learning outcomes, a short test or discussion to assess pre-existing knowledge, and multiple lectures (live or video) supported by written learning material, like handouts.

Drip-feed courses

In a drip-feed course , you organize the timely release of your content (section by section) so that it doesn’t become available to your students all at once. This comes with multiple benefits, such as avoiding overwhelming learners , ensuring they learn at a reasonable pace that boosts knowledge retention , and preventing them from downloading the course content all at once and asking for a refund.

Conceptual change courses

Conceptual change courses create a learning experience based on storytelling. These courses don’t intend to teach a skill but rather challenge the learner’s mentality and open them up to different perspectives. Conceptual change courses don’t have a fixed structure.

Hybrid courses

Hybrid courses combine the benefits of online learning with traditional in-class learning offering the flexibility of the first and the opportunity for practice and direct communication of the latter.

Series of “invited talks” courses

Courses made up of invited talks from guest speakers who are experts in the course topic are particularly engaging. A typical course of this sort could include a series of live webinars with key insights sent out to participants in the form of an eBook.

Selling digital goods or extra services

Online courses are not strictly used for teaching. An online course can be a suitable wrapper for your digital product or service , sold either as additional or standalone offerings. For example, you might be an online coach who sells a package of inspirational videos and eBooks separately in a course.

💡 If you are selling digital downloads , be sure to check out our guide as well.

Bonus courses

Bonus courses are usually short and offer some extra resources to students. They typically contain scarce resources, like a PDG, an exclusive interview, an exciting webinar, etc. What makes bonus courses popular is that they add value to your initial offering. They’re usually promoted as being free, which makes them even more appealing.

Complementary to physical products courses

A complementary course offers additional material to a product you sell through your website. Such complementary content can be information about that specific product or guidelines about how to use the product, similar to customer education.

💁 You can download all of these templates for free in our downloadable pdf. Download the entire collection here:

Start Creating Your Course Outline

A course outline is the foundation of your online course. You’ll find that creating one will help you streamline the content development process and focus your energy on building your course instead of trying to bring order to the chaos.

Leverage the 30-day free trial and start putting together your course in your shiny new LearnWorlds academy.

Further reading you might find interesting:

• How to Teach Online & Earn Money: Definitive Guide
• SCORM 101: The Definitive Guide to Choose a SCORM-Compliant LMS
• How Much Money Can You Make Selling Online Courses?
• The 19 Best Employee Online Training Software Tools (A Comparison Guide)
• What is an LMS (Learning Management System)?
• How To Start A Profitable Online Course Business From Scratch
• The Essential Guide on How to Create Cohort-Based Courses

What does a course outline include?

A course outline should include a brief course description and the learning outcomes, outlining the topics that will be covered in the course in the order in which they will be covered. The outline can also mention a list of required and recommended readings you plan to include in the course, as well as assessments and exams.

What is the difference between a course outline and a course syllabus?

A course outline is a document that includes the basic components to be taught, such as learning activities, assessments, and evaluations of an online course. It is used to plan and organize the course creation process.

A course syllabus is built for the learner and includes all learning material (mandatory and optional), specific assignments, dates, grading standards, and rules of conduct & classroom policies defined by the instructor.

What is the purpose of a course outline?

The purpose of a course outline is to assist the instructor in creating and delivering the course by following a predetermined structure, planning activities, and creating the materials beforehand.

What are the benefits of a course outline?

A course outline helps the instructor avoid pitfalls while creating a course, from setting clear learning outcomes to including/creating the most suitable content, therefore speeding up the course creation process.

How do you write an outline for an online course?

To write an online course outline you need to follow these steps:

• Build learner profiles
• Write the learning objectives
• Break down the course into modules
• Choose the learning activities to include
• Plan for interactivity
• Include knowledge checkpoints

What are the components of an online course?

An online course might include the following:

• Video lessons
• PDFs, slideshows, and PowerPoint presentations
• Discussion forum
• Assessments and final exams

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Online Course Development Resources

Examples of module structures, by stacey m johnson , assistant director for educational technology, vanderbilt university center for teaching, cite this guide:  johnson, s.m. (2020). examples of module structures . vanderbilt university course development resources. https://www.vanderbilt.edu/cdr/module1/examples-of-module-structures/.

Let’s look at a few examples of how to structure an online course module. There is no perfect module structure, and even when courses are designed and taught by the same person, they will typically use a somewhat different module structure based on the learning activities and objectives. It might help to see some examples of different modules just to get our mental gears turning.

Example 1: General Seminar / Discussion-Based Course Template

In a blog post from back in March when remote teaching first kicked off , I wrote about two module structures that might be useful for faculty teaching seminars and lectures. You can go back and read that post for more detail if you like. It includes step-by-step instructions and links to Brightspace guides that can help you actually build the modules. For now, let’s review the first structure from the post here.

To recreate the live, classroom discussion of a seminar, faculty might use a structured format like the one below. Consider in particular how long each activity will take. If your term is set up for students to spend 3-5 hours a week reading and preparing and 3 hours a week in class, make sure you don’t inadvertently create a much higher or lower workload online. (N.B.: it’s common for faculty to err on the side of too high a workload when first moving courses online. This kind of planning can help prevent that.)

• Read / Intake , which might include:
• assigned readings
• pre- and post-reading activities
• instructor-prepared lecture to provide context
• Journal / Process , which might include:
• submitting answers to post-reading prompts as an Assignment
• a reading Quiz that asks processing questions
• interacting with peers on an asynchronous text or video Discussion board
• adding thoughts to an individual, private Discussion board journal
• Discussion , which might include:
• synchronous Zoom meeting
• asynchronous Discussion
• an external tool like Flipgrid for asynchronous video Discussions or Hypothes.is for social annotation of texts
• if you are teaching a hybrid course, this might be where your live f2f meetings take place

If this format seems like it might work for you… but there are other elements you typically include in your f2f classes and were hoping to also have online, how can you adapt this model to your needs? Perhaps a 4th step in the module for demonstrating knowledge and skill? Or maybe your course has a presentational element and students will need to create and share their own video or audio presentations? This simple format has a lot of room to adapt, add on, and make it yours.

Example 2: General Lecture / Large Course Template

Drawing again from that March blog post, let’s look at a general template for a weekly lecture module.

To recreate the live presentations of a lecture, faculty might use a structured format like the one below. Consider in particular how long each activity will take. If your term is set up for students to spend 3-5 hours a week reading and preparing and 3 hours a week in class, make sure you don’t inadvertently create a much higher or lower workload online. (N.B.: it’s common for faculty to err on the side of too high a workload when first moving courses online. This kind of planning can help prevent that.)

• Lecture / Intake , which might include:
• lecture videos through Kaltura
• assigned readings from textbook or created on Brightspace
• open educational resources (OER) created by experts
• Homework / Processing , which might include:
• problem sets from textbook’s self-grading online platform
• a Quiz with unlimited attempts
• pen and paper problems scanned and submitted as an Assignment
• posting answers on a small group discussion board to compare answers and arrive at a consensus with peers
• Q&A Sessions , which might include:
• asynchronous, limited time Discussion
• synchronous Chat
• webcam video responses by prof or TA to anonymous questions submitted by students on the Discussion board

How might you modify this template to include elements you typically include in your classes?

Example 3: Compressed Summer Course Template

Nathan Hall, a faculty member at Douglas College in Vancouver, British Columbia, recently posted on Twitter about his module structure for his 4 week summer course. His course “meets” 3 hours a day and 4 days a week with a mix of asynchronous and synchronous activities. He wanted to make sure each day included a mix of useful learning activities that were predictable enough to create a clear learning path. Here is his visual representation of his module structure (shared with permission):

Step 1: Students watch and interact with short recorded lessons on Edpuzzle before coming to class. (Asynchronous – 45 minutes total)

Step 2: Students do controlled practice activities on their own based on what they learned in the recorded lessons before coming to class. This is self-marked. (Asynchronous – 45 minutes total)

Step 3: Students attend a live lesson with the instructor where they practice in pairs and groups. (Synchronous – 1 hour)

Step 4: Students work independently in a breakout room on a writing project. The instructor visits each student to provide live support. (Synchronous – 30 minutes)

Step 5: Students do homework outside of class. (Asynchronous)

How might you modify this template to include elements you typically include in your f2f classes?

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Learning Activities for Asynchronous Online Classes

Asynchronous online classes offer students more flexibility and reduce access challenges, although large files such as streaming video can still present internet bandwidth challenges . You can help students succeed in asynchronous courses through careful course design , including building a community of inquiry that includes cognitive presence, instructor presence, and social presence.

Since building a community of inquiry is important to student success in asynchronous courses, these courses can especially benefit from a constructivist approach, which focuses on students constructing their understanding of content together. For more information on the constructive approach you can also see Assignment Templates and Examples from The Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Designing and Teaching Online Courses and Cornell University’s Group Work: How to Create & Manage Groups .

Asynchronous active learning can take many forms, including:

• Quizzes, a form of retrieval practice that can include multiple choice questions
• Reflection journals
• Student presentations
• Discussion boards

Course content can come from different sources and be delivered in different formats. You can locate relevant content created by others from a variety of sources , including the River Campus Libraries .

Open pedagogy can be particularly useful in online education and encompasses not just open education resources (OER: freely available content), but also other aspects of openness such as collaborative construction of materials as part of a course. Open pedagogy is supported by outreach librarians such as Kim Hoffman, who has co-edited an OER book on open pedagogy .

STEM instructors can consult this Online Resources for Science Laboratories developed by the POD Network.

Discussion Boards

Discussion boards are a central learning activity in many asynchronous courses, and they can allow students to interact using a variety of media, including text, images, audio, and video. Discussion board software options have different strengths, and the University of Rochester provides access to a range of choices.

When setting up a discussion board, you will need to make a number of choices about how to structure and manage student interactions. The following resources address key areas:

“Creating and Managing Discussion Posts” in The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips by Judith V. Boettcher and Rita-Marie Conrad : This primer on discussion board basics is especially helpful in explaining how to write good questions, but covers everything from post timing and duration of each board to ways to wrap up online discussions.

Breaking the Humdrum of "Post Once and Reply to Two Others" by Lisa Kidder and Mark Cooper, Idaho State University : This presentation and accompanying handout reviews a wide range of types of discussion board activities, including case studies, debates, and challenge questions.

“Developing Cognitive, Social, and Teaching Presence Online” in Tina Stavredes, Effective Online Teaching: Foundations and Strategies for Student Success : Constructed specifically around the community of inquiry framework, these four short chapters are full of options, practical tips, and structured aids such as rubrics. In particular, the chapter on instructor presence offers an overview of productive ways for instructors to engage in discussion boards such as weaving, implications, inferences, and summaries.

Meaningful Online Learning: Integrating Strategies, Activities, and Learning Technologies for Effective Designs by Nada Dabbagh, Rose M. Marra, and Jane L. Howland : Using a lens of meaningful learning, this book offers online learning activities categorized by supportive, dialogic, and exploratory options.

Another way to deliver course content is to create videos. Best practices suggest that these should be short (less than six minutes) to increase student engagement and reduce cognitive load, so consider chunking your lecture material accordingly. To get started, try consulting the following:

Record Effective Microlectures from the Online Teaching Tookit by the Association of College and University Educators : This two-and-a-half minute micro-lecture by Michael Wesch explains micro-lectures, and Wesch has a YouTube channel with additional content .

Screencasting 101 by Kristin Palmer, University of Virginia : Learn about the basics of screencasting, which combines instructor audio with screen content from a computer.

Effective educational videos by Vanderbilt University : This longer webpage goes through the research to make evidence-based suggestions about how to use videos to teach and has several convenient summary graphics.

Education Technology Tools

Asynchronous learning activities can benefit from a seemingly endless array of tools. When selecting your tools, consider carefully how many tools you are introducing. While students will likely use common tools such as Blackboard, Zoom, and Panopto in many of their courses, student time investments will get increasingly steep if each of their instructors introduces a large number of additional tools. Also consider whether a particular tool has been vetted by the University of Rochester for security and privacy issues, particularly if the tool requires students to set up an account. AS&E Instructional Technology maintains a list of vetted tools .

Each time you use a new tool in a course, you will need to teach students how to use it. An easy way to do that is to embed a link to a video tutorial at the location where the student is expected to use the tool. Many software providers offer these video tutorials on their website or YouTube channel. Offer students a low-stakes introduction to any tool that will be used for a graded assessment later in the course.

To locate tools that will work for you and tutorials on their use, consult the following resources:

• Teaching During Times of Disruption, Online Learning at the University of Rochester
• Teaching and Learning, University of Rochester IT
• Instructional Technology Tools, Online Learning at the University of Rochester
• Educational Technology Tools, AS&E Instructional Technology

If you have questions about how to select and use software (tools), contact AS&E Instructional Technology . If you have questions about how to teach (pedagogy), contact the Teaching Center .

Developing an Effective Syllabus for an Online Course

Students are usually first introduced to a course via the syllabus. The syllabus gives students an overview of the course and lets them know what they can do and how they will be a part of the learning process.  The syllabus doesn’t only provide a window into the course expectations, it “sends a symbolic message to the students regarding your personality as a teacher and the amount of investment you have made in the course” (Matejka & Kurke, 2010, p. 115).

An online syllabus is similar to a face-to-face (F2F) course syllabus, but it also must be able to stand alone – i.e. not require any verbal explanation (Henson et al., n.d.).  See the table below for the similarities and differences between face-to-face and online course syllabi.

Best Practices in Developing a Syllabus

An effective online course syllabus should:

• Clearly state what students will learn in the course and how they will be assessed
• Establish expectations of student work and behavior
• Include an outline of the course with important assignments and dates
• Include statements/course policies  regarding: accessibility, academic honesty and inclusion 
• Set expectations for communication among students and with the instructor
• Provide information on the resources/technology needed and how to get support in those areas
• State any prerequisites , including digital/technology skills, needed for the course
• Be accessible to all students

Apply to your course: Components of an Online Course Syllabus

Click the + below to read more about and find samples of each component. You can also use the UMass Accessible Syllabus Template to help you get started.

Components:

• Welcome language
• Brief course description
• The purpose of the course
• Basic logistical information

Sample Text:

Welcome to the Essentials of Online Teaching Course! We’re so happy you’re here. In this course, you will learn to develop and teach effective online courses. You will convert an existing course or develop a new course that meets quality standards. This course aims to create a community of practice—a supportive, collaborative space in which the participants learn from each other, the facilitator, and their own exploration. Most of the coursework will be completed on your own time and pace; however, we will have weekly synchronous workshops on Tuesdays, 11:00am-12:00pm.

• Name of course and instructor
• Semester/Department
• How to access the course (website)
• Prerequisites​ (if any) skills needed or courses
• Specifically state available or unavailable days/time
• Provide response time (e.g. within 24 hrs or within 1 business day)
• Times for synchronous activities
• Office hours and expectations (i.e. drop-in/by appointment?)

Course Information: Sample Display

A learning outcome is a statement that describes what a student will know (knowledge), be able to do (skill), and/or value/appreciate (disposition) as a result of a learning experience. The syllabus should list the primary, overarching learning objectives for this course. Individual modules can include more specific learning objectives (UWSP, n.d.).

Use action verbs to describe what students and you will accomplish through this course. A bulleted list is a good way to display these objectives, as shown below. For example:

Students will be able to:

• read , interpret , and analyze common reference maps
• explain the relationship between genetics and disease risk
• choreograph a dance reflecting a specific dance style

See the Learning Objectives page for more info on how to develop these.

Your syllabus should include a clearly presented schedule of topics/units, required reading materials, assignments, assessments, and due dates. You can consider presenting this information in a chart, such as the one here.

Your syllabus should:

• Explain how a final course grade is calculated/what criteria is used to determine the student’s grade 
• Articulate how areas such as ‘participation’ are evaluated
• Link to rubrics, where applicable
• Include grade percentages or points for all quizzes, exams, graded assignments, and forms of class participation
• State policies on late assignments
• Include a statement about the timeframe of when students can expect grades/feedback from you on their work (Henson et al., n.d; UWSP, n.d.)

Because teaching and learning in an online space differs from face-to-face, it is suggested to include a section on “Netiquette”: a set of guidelines for behaving properly and respectfully on the internet. (see Mintu-Wimsatt, 2010; Shea, 1994).

Try to phrase these guidelines in positive language rather than a list of “don’ts”.

It is important to demonstrate your commitment to all students’ success and ensure that everyone has the support they need to be successful. You may use and modify the sample text below:

The instructor and the University of Massachusetts Amherst are committed to making reasonable, effective and appropriate accommodations to meet the needs of students with disabilities and help create a barrier-free campus. If you know or think you have a disability and require accommodations, please let me know.

If you have not already, please register with Disability Services (161 Whitmore Administration building; phone 413-545-0892). Information on services and materials for registering are also available on the U niversity of Massachusetts Amherst Disability Services Page.

You should clearly state your position on academic honesty. You may use/modify the sample text below:

Since the integrity of the academic enterprise of any institution of higher education requires honesty in scholarship and research, academic honesty is required of all students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in all University programs. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and facilitating dishonesty. Appropriate sanctions may be imposed on any student who has committed an act of academic dishonesty.

Since students are expected to be familiar with this policy and the commonly accepted standards of academic integrity, ignorance of such standards is not normally sufficient evidence of a lack of intent. Read the University of Massachusetts Amherst Academic Honesty Policy .

It is also strongly encouraged that you outline–and discuss–your policy regarding the use of generative AI in your course. You may read more about and access.

It is also important to articulate your policies around diversity, equity, and inclusion. You may use/modify the sample text below:

Inclusion: We are all members of an academic community with a shared responsibility to cultivate a climate where all students/individuals are valued and where both they and their ideas are treated with respect. The diversity of the participants of this course is a valuable source of ideas, problem-solving strategies, and creativity. If you feel that your contribution is not being valued or respected for any reason, please speak with me privately.

Names and Pronouns: Everyone has the right to be addressed by the name and pronouns that they use for themselves. Students can indicate their preferred/chosen first name and pronouns on SPIRE, which appear on class rosters. Please let me know what name and pronouns I should use for you if they are not on the roster. A student’s chosen name and pronouns are to be respected at all times in the classroom. To learn more, read the Intro Handout on Pronouns:  UMass Stonewall Center’s “What are Your Pronouns?” Intro Guide.

Title IX: Any conduct that has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s performance by creating an intimidating, hostile, or sexually offensive educational, academic, residential, or working environment is considered sexual harassment. Faculty have the responsibility to inform students of the resources and reporting options relevant to reporting an incident of sexual assault, sexual harassment, relationship violence or stalking for all genders. You may go to the Title IX webpage and the Sexual & Relationship Violence Resource Page to find more information about resources and reporting options. Please reach out to me if you would like assistance connecting with any of these resources/options. You may also contact Kerri Thompson Tillett , the Interim Title IX Coordinator if you have any questions or want to make a report or file a complaint.

Finally, it is encouraged to include a list of other services and resources that may be beneficial to your students. See, for example, some additional resources you may want to direct your students to below:

• Technical Support: UMass IT User Services is available to assist students through live chat, email, phone, and an online ticketing system. Contact information is available on the UMass IT Get Help page
• Academic Supports and Services: The Learning Resource Center (LRC)
• University Health Services
• Campus Health and Safety

Accessible Syllabus . (n.d.).

Ashby, I., Caskurlu, S., Beck, C. and Fiock, H. (2020). Syllabus for Online Teaching Considerations . Purdue University.

CAST (n.d.). UDL Syllabus .

Center for Urban Education (CUE), Rossier School of Education, University of Southern California. (2017). Syllabus Review Guide for Equity-Minded Practice .

Henson, H., McWherter, J., McKitrick, D. and Morris, D. (n.d.) “ Best Practices for Teaching Online: Creating an Online Syllabus. ” The University of Texas: Health Science Center at Houston .

Matejka, K., & Kurke, L. B. (1994). Designing a great syllabus . College Teaching , 42(3), 115-117.

Mintu-Wimsatt, A., Kernek, C., & Lozada, H. R. (2010). Netiquette: Make it part of your syllabus . Journal of Online Learning and Teaching , 6(1). Retrieved from

O'Keefe, L., Rafferty, J., Gunder, A., & Vignare, K. (2020). Delivering High-Quality Instruction Online in Response to COVID-19: Faculty Playbook . Online Learning Consortium .

Shea, V. (1994). Netiquette . Albion.com .

University of Wisconsin Steven’s Point. (n.d.). UWSP Online . Online Course Syllabus Template.

Wistinghausen, M. (2020). Netiquette for Online Learning .

How to cite this page:

UMass Amherst IDEAS Team. (2024, March). Developing an Effective Syllabus for an Online Course . https://www.umass.edu/ideas/developing-effective-syllabus-online-course

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Teaching excellence & educational innovation, creating assignments.

Here are some general suggestions and questions to consider when creating assignments. There are also many other resources in print and on the web that provide examples of interesting, discipline-specific assignment ideas.

Consider your learning objectives.

What do you want students to learn in your course? What could they do that would show you that they have learned it? To determine assignments that truly serve your course objectives, it is useful to write out your objectives in this form: I want my students to be able to ____. Use active, measurable verbs as you complete that sentence (e.g., compare theories, discuss ramifications, recommend strategies), and your learning objectives will point you towards suitable assignments.

Design assignments that are interesting and challenging.

This is the fun side of assignment design. Consider how to focus students’ thinking in ways that are creative, challenging, and motivating. Think beyond the conventional assignment type! For example, one American historian requires students to write diary entries for a hypothetical Nebraska farmwoman in the 1890s. By specifying that students’ diary entries must demonstrate the breadth of their historical knowledge (e.g., gender, economics, technology, diet, family structure), the instructor gets students to exercise their imaginations while also accomplishing the learning objectives of the course (Walvoord & Anderson, 1989, p. 25).

Double-check alignment.

After creating your assignments, go back to your learning objectives and make sure there is still a good match between what you want students to learn and what you are asking them to do. If you find a mismatch, you will need to adjust either the assignments or the learning objectives. For instance, if your goal is for students to be able to analyze and evaluate texts, but your assignments only ask them to summarize texts, you would need to add an analytical and evaluative dimension to some assignments or rethink your learning objectives.

Name assignments accurately.

Students can be misled by assignments that are named inappropriately. For example, if you want students to analyze a product’s strengths and weaknesses but you call the assignment a “product description,” students may focus all their energies on the descriptive, not the critical, elements of the task. Thus, it is important to ensure that the titles of your assignments communicate their intention accurately to students.

Consider sequencing.

Think about how to order your assignments so that they build skills in a logical sequence. Ideally, assignments that require the most synthesis of skills and knowledge should come later in the semester, preceded by smaller assignments that build these skills incrementally. For example, if an instructor’s final assignment is a research project that requires students to evaluate a technological solution to an environmental problem, earlier assignments should reinforce component skills, including the ability to identify and discuss key environmental issues, apply evaluative criteria, and find appropriate research sources.

Think about scheduling.

Consider your intended assignments in relation to the academic calendar and decide how they can be reasonably spaced throughout the semester, taking into account holidays and key campus events. Consider how long it will take students to complete all parts of the assignment (e.g., planning, library research, reading, coordinating groups, writing, integrating the contributions of team members, developing a presentation), and be sure to allow sufficient time between assignments.

Check feasibility.

Is the workload you have in mind reasonable for your students? Is the grading burden manageable for you? Sometimes there are ways to reduce workload (whether for you or for students) without compromising learning objectives. For example, if a primary objective in assigning a project is for students to identify an interesting engineering problem and do some preliminary research on it, it might be reasonable to require students to submit a project proposal and annotated bibliography rather than a fully developed report. If your learning objectives are clear, you will see where corners can be cut without sacrificing educational quality.

Articulate the task description clearly.

If an assignment is vague, students may interpret it any number of ways – and not necessarily how you intended. Thus, it is critical to clearly and unambiguously identify the task students are to do (e.g., design a website to help high school students locate environmental resources, create an annotated bibliography of readings on apartheid). It can be helpful to differentiate the central task (what students are supposed to produce) from other advice and information you provide in your assignment description.

Establish clear performance criteria.

Different instructors apply different criteria when grading student work, so it’s important that you clearly articulate to students what your criteria are. To do so, think about the best student work you have seen on similar tasks and try to identify the specific characteristics that made it excellent, such as clarity of thought, originality, logical organization, or use of a wide range of sources. Then identify the characteristics of the worst student work you have seen, such as shaky evidence, weak organizational structure, or lack of focus. Identifying these characteristics can help you consciously articulate the criteria you already apply. It is important to communicate these criteria to students, whether in your assignment description or as a separate rubric or scoring guide . Clearly articulated performance criteria can prevent unnecessary confusion about your expectations while also setting a high standard for students to meet.

Specify the intended audience.

Students make assumptions about the audience they are addressing in papers and presentations, which influences how they pitch their message. For example, students may assume that, since the instructor is their primary audience, they do not need to define discipline-specific terms or concepts. These assumptions may not match the instructor’s expectations. Thus, it is important on assignments to specify the intended audience http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/pop10e.cfm (e.g., undergraduates with no biology background, a potential funder who does not know engineering).

Specify the purpose of the assignment.

If students are unclear about the goals or purpose of the assignment, they may make unnecessary mistakes. For example, if students believe an assignment is focused on summarizing research as opposed to evaluating it, they may seriously miscalculate the task and put their energies in the wrong place. The same is true they think the goal of an economics problem set is to find the correct answer, rather than demonstrate a clear chain of economic reasoning. Consequently, it is important to make your objectives for the assignment clear to students.

Specify the parameters.

If you have specific parameters in mind for the assignment (e.g., length, size, formatting, citation conventions) you should be sure to specify them in your assignment description. Otherwise, students may misapply conventions and formats they learned in other courses that are not appropriate for yours.

A Checklist for Designing Assignments

Here is a set of questions you can ask yourself when creating an assignment.

• Provided a written description of the assignment (in the syllabus or in a separate document)?
• Specified the purpose of the assignment?
• Indicated the intended audience?
• Articulated the instructions in precise and unambiguous language?
• Provided information about the appropriate format and presentation (e.g., page length, typed, cover sheet, bibliography)?  
• Indicated special instructions, such as a particular citation style or headings?  
• Specified the due date and the consequences for missing it?
• Articulated performance criteria clearly?
• Indicated the assignment’s point value or percentage of the course grade?
• Provided students (where appropriate) with models or samples?

Adapted from the WAC Clearinghouse at http://wac.colostate.edu/intro/pop10e.cfm .

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110 online course ideas (with real-life examples for inspiration).

With the rise of elearning options, it's only natural to be curious about getting into the game. Teaching online is a great way to earn some extra cash for sharing your unique skills and passions.

But, like any business, you can’t just up and start an online course without an idea. With that in mind, we’ve put together a colossal list of 110 online course ideas to give you inspiration. They’re split into industries and accompanied by a real-life success story to give you further context.

The Golden Age Of Online Learning

The COVID-19 pandemic and the digital shift that followed revolutionised both the way that companies do business and the way customers expect to do business. This, along with technological advancements, led to virtual solutions like ecommerce solutions , webinars replacing in-person events, and a rise in online learning.

The flexibility and learning possibilities that have emerged from necessity are likely to shift the expectations of students and educators, diminishing further the line between classroom-based instruction and virtual learning.”

— Online Education in the Post-COVID era, in Nature Electronics (2021).

Luckily, there are benefits to online learning (also called ‘elearning’) that make it an effective alternative—and often a viable replacement—for in-person education.

Benefits of Online Learning

Flexibility: Need to juggle study with full-time work? Prefer to work late at night than early in the morning? By learning online, students can work through lesson plans at their own pace and control their own schedule.

Time Management: elearning is a great way to practice and improve time management and scheduling skills. These are important abilities that employers of any shape and size value in the workplace.

Improve career prospects: Got a job and want to learn new skills? Or looking to learn a few new things to really make your portfolio pop? Online courses offer a path to higher-paying jobs and career advancements.

Lower costs: Studying an online course is much cheaper than traditional courses or tertiary education. Everything is included in the single fee, so you don’t have to worry about things like admin fees and ultra expensive textbooks.

More choice: Whether you want to learn digital marketing, graphic design or how to write an award-winning movie, there’s an online course for every topic.

Grow your network: If you’ve signed up to a course for a specific niche, you’ll be with a cohort of like-minded people with similar interests/goals. It’s a great way to grow your professional network (or make new friends).

Not just for work: Courses don’t just have to be about leveling up work-related skills. It can also be a great way to pick up new hobbies and meet people online.

Try to think about these benefits when thinking about your own online course. Brainstorm how you can leverage these to give your students the best possible offering.

“Studying online has obvious practical advantages for those who are time poor, who are juggling work, personal lives and study. Online learning gives students greater flexibility to choose when, where and how they study.”

— David Seignior, Learning Designer at the University of Melbourne . “

These benefits have led to a greater demand in high-quality, elearning solutions, making it a great time to build an online course of your own.

How To Create An Online Course

Becoming an online course creator isn’t as simple as putting together a presentation , recording a video and uploading it to your website. But with some forethought, organisation, and a bit of work, you can be on your way in no time.

Here’s a quick rundown of the steps you’ll need to take to start your online course.

1. Identify your niche

The first step is to identify a subject that you specialise in—this could be anything from personal training to running a bakery . Whatever niche you settle on, the key is to be both passionate and knowledgeable about it.

To questions to consider:

• What do you want to teach?
• What do you know that others may want to learn?

It goes without saying, but you can't fake this. Your audience will be able to tell if you’re just mailing it in, or regurgitating other people’s information for your own benefit.

Moreover, teaching a class you aren't interested in won't be a lot of fun for you, either. Both parties will benefit from instructors investing some time in discovering what particular class they are best suited to teach.

2. Gauge interest

It’s important to make sure there’s an interested audience before you get too deep into course planning. If people aren't interested in your course, it's better to know early so you can pivot.

A great way to gauge interest is to make a landing page . This will allow you to give an overview of your course, explain what people will learn, and ultimately collect sign-ups from interested parties.

With Paperform , you can create stunning, feature-rich landing pages for any course, all in our easy to navigate editor. Plus, once you've got your course up and running, you can use that same digital Swiss Army Knife of tools to create forms, surveys, quizzes and more to keep your students engaged.

While you may not have started creating your materials yet, try to include any information that will encourage your target audience to sign up. Include a clear call-to-action for folks to sign up, register their interest or even offer ‘early bird’ deals for people willing to purchase.

Based on the response you get you’ll be able to find out whether your online course idea has legs or not. With some luck you’ll have a few sign-ups and new additions to your email list that you can leverage for marketing outreach.

Form a better life now.

3. research your subject.

Once you’ve settled on your course topic, it’s important to research not only what you will teach, but also what courses are already available on the topic. Think about what type of things people want to know about the subject, and what gaps you can fill.

Now is also a good time to do some keyword research. This gives you an idea of subcategories that you can explore within your niche, as well as what kind of questions people commonly have about the topic.

For example, let’s say you’re running an online blogging course. You may find that alongside the overarching subject of “how to blog”, people search for writing tips, how to build a website and a crash-course in SEO.

Look out for different angles and use them to provide maximum value with your course. Just try not to stretch your skill-base too much—there’s a difference between a broad scope and trying to do too much.

market research survey

4. outline the course structure.

When you’ve collected all the information on the topic (and written down unique insights of your own) it’s time to develop what, in the biz, they call a curriculum. This is a concrete plan of the lessons you’ll provide and topics you’ll cover.

To make a curriculum, break down the broad topic into smaller sub-topics you want to cover, then create individual lessons for each one. Every lesson should have a clear outline and objective. For example, if you are teaching a cooking course, your curriculum may include lessons on how to properly chop vegetables one week, and how to make a pan sauce the next.

It’s a good idea to supplement each lesson with a collection of relevant resources, whether that is books, articles, YouTube videos, or your own additional content people can explore for further learning.

Assignments, activities and worksheets are useful tools to use to ensure students are engaging with what you’re teaching. Many successful courses use these after completion of a set of sub-topics, or at the end of the overall course.

5. Create your course content

Once you've done your research and planning, it's time to actually make your course. Many teachers split course content between written and video content, but you can also use things like podcasts or live webinars.

The beauty of online courses is that you don’t need any crazy equipment. You can write your content in Google Docs, use free screen recording software like Loom to record videos.

Paperform is a great, multi-puprose tool for educators. The interface is intuitive yet powerful, and can be used to make everything from one-page websites for presentations, quizzes, registration forms , to payment portals, to virtual escape rooms . Plus, with over 650+ unique and fully customisable templates to choose from, you can be sure you'll find something that works with your unique course.

6. Get your course online (and start making some cash)

Time to figure out what kind of online course you want to run. Will you go with a hybrid model? Hold weekly meetings on Zoom? Host your content on an online course platform like Teachable or Udemy, or build your own website?

There are plenty of tools to support your course online. Website builders like WordPress or Wix offer the features you’ll need, and many digital product solutions like Podia and Thinkific have started popping up recently as well.

You could also use Paperform for online course creation. Within the versatile platform you can manage your students, accept payments (including subscriptions ), send class summaries and results, as well as run assessments or interactive quizzes —all from the one place.

Want to hold one-on-one consultations? Just connect your calendar and invite students to book a slot. Need to share downloadable PDFs, grade students and connect with tools like Notion or Google Sheets? You can do all that and more with Paperform’s app ecosystem.

course registration form

110 profitable online course ideas to inspire you.

No online course ideas turn into gold overnight. Even the top-earning online course creators had to work their tails off for years before achieving their desired results. But, there are a lot of people that have found resounding success.

Why not you, too? We’ve curated a list of more than a hundred online course ideas to inspire you to find (or create) the course you want to teach.

We’ve split these into different niches and included real-life examples where possible for a bit of additional motivation.

Health & wellness courses

Health and wellness online courses have always been in high demand. However, as more people get interested in gym alternatives, there has been a surge in interest when it comes to health and wellness initiatives that can be done from the comfort of your own home.

While many personal trainers and wellness instructors offer face-to-face online classes, there has been a lag when it comes to online teaching. This leaves a gap for online course creators interested in topics like cooking, working out, or wellness coaching.

Before you start planning your health and wellness course, consider that many fitness-related courses require certification. For example, you may need to be a certified gym instructor or a yoga studio instructor to give certain advice.

Potential health and wellness course topic ideas:

• Kettlebell (or any weights) for beginners
• Performing CPR at home and in the workplace
• All-natural detox guide
• Introduction to HIIT training
• Wellness retreat for remote workers
• Preparing for your first marathon
• How to manage your mental health during COVID-19
• Taking care of a child with special needs
• Crystal healing for skeptics
• Life transformation with better sleeping patterns

A health and wellness course success story:

Elizabeth Rider’s journey to full-time online health coaching wasn’t linear. Her college degree in mathematics prepared her for a career in one of the big four accounting firms.

After a particularly bad bout with a chronic illness, she decided to shift full-time to blogging and teaching online courses. Since then, she has been an advocate for healthy living through her online lifestyle and diet courses, while making six digits annually.

Personal development courses

People are always looking for ways to develop themselves. They might wish to get through a traumatic life episode, acquire useful skills, or increase their confidence. In lieu of face-to-face sessions with trainers and counselors, online personal development courses give people the boost they’re after.

The level of expertise you need to become a personal development guru varies according to the topic—some courses require intensive training and certification from an accredited testing body, while others require little training.

Potential personal development course topic ideas:

• The seven habits of highly effective people
• Presentation skills for remote workers
• Coaching for managers
• How to increase productivity
• The basics of personal finance
• 10 easy ways to deal with stress
• Professional life coach certification
• How to balance personal and work time while working remotely
• Remote social skills

A personal development course success story:

Carrie-Anne Moss founded Annapurna Living to help people connect with themselves through meditation and mindfulness. By adding her own modern twist on age-old methods, Carrie Anne gathered a large audience of loyal subscribers.

As of 2021, her Fierce Grace webinars are closed for enrollment due to increased demand, but she still offers free courses on the Annapurna Living website.

Language courses

Learning a language has always been a popular form of extra-curricular learning. Whether folks want to learn to speak french for their trip to France, or brush up on the Spanish they did in high school, the demand for language courses is huge.

There are two pretty big competitors here: Duolingo and Rosetta Stone. Think about what your new course can bring that those two monoliths can’t—things like personalised lessons, and one on one chats are good places to start.

Potential language course topic ideas:

• Essential business writing skills
• Spoken english for ESL workers
• The differences between US and UK english
• Korean for K-Pop fans
• Hindi for beginners
• Speak basic French in ten days
• The basics of Mandarin for business
• Spanish for young people
• German for travelers
• Learn sign language

A language course success story:

Kieran Ball is a language teacher based in the UK who offers online courses in French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Portuguese. His courses range from 3-minute tutorials that aim to help beginners put together complete sentences in a short time to quick grammar guides for students who are seeking to learn languages faster. His courses are so effective that he has over 300,000 students on Udemy, with glowing reviews.

Photography courses

Photography has always been a popular hobby, but the increasing availability of digital cameras has spawned a whole new generation of photography enthusiasts. Many amateurs dream of becoming professional photographers , and are eager to sign up for online courses to improve their skills.

You’ll need to invest heavily in equipment if you want to provide an optimal learning experience to your students. You’ll also need to put together a strong online portfolio so potential students can see your prowess and techniques for themselves in real-life situations.

Potential photography course topic ideas:

• Food photography for Instagram
• How to take perfect landscape shots
• Sports photography basics
• Adobe Photoshop and Graphic Design
• Photography pricing for product shoots
• How to use your new DSLR
• Lighting 101: playing with light and shadows
• How to take beautiful portrait photos
• A guide to wedding photography
• Posing for photos, a guide for newbies

A photography course success story:

Corey Reese is a celebrity photographer who started a YouTube channel in 2011, gaining over 400,000 views. His online courses now have over 55,000 students.

Reese’s drawing power comes from his teaching style, which breaks the art of photo composition into bite-size pieces. He has also trained countless professional photographers who are now making a living out of photography.

Cooking courses

Everyone loves delicious food . Not everyone knows how to prepare and cook their own delicious food. This makes culinary schools and tutorials one of the most profitable online course ideas—as long as you can actually cook.

Share your skills with a course and show folks how to cook awesome food from scratch. Keep in mind that this is a niche that requires solid experience. Whether you're a home chef or a trained culinary expert, having unique skills and training that the average Joe does not will set you apart.

Not everyone can be Gordon Ramsay. In the age of TV shows like Masterchef and Bake Off, people are willing to learn from amateurs as long as you show you’ve got the skills. If you’re a professionally trained chef or have experience in small business, you can also give advice on how to start your own restaurant.

Potential cooking course topic ideas:

• Healthy meals that won't break the bank
• Vegan recipes
• Essential cooking skills for first-timers
• Baking for beginners
• Keto cooking made fun
• How to make soup: from squash soup to minestrone
• Basic Italian dishes for every home chef
• Online cake decorating for kids
• Essential cocktails for entertaining at home
• Going gluten-free: a guide

A cooking course success story:

Viorel Copolovici took the long route towards becoming a professional chef. He was a marketing executive for ten years before deciding to make cooking his vocation. After running a food blog and two restaurants, he finished culinary studies at Le Cordon Bleu, London. His videos are easy to understand and follow, even for newbies who have never held a knife.

Home decor and gardening courses

Home improvement has always been a popular topic. There’s a reason that Instagram is full of snazzy shots of people’s homes and furniture layouts—people love fiddling with their decor or optimising their space.

Out of all the niches listed in this post, we’d have to say home decor and gardening courses are the easiest to enter. Unless you’re teaching something like an advanced carpentry class, there’s no need to get any special certifications or equipment to get started.

Potential home decor and gardening course topic ideas:

• Plants at home: adding a touch of green to your living space
• Minimalist decor
• How to organise your home in small spaces
• Taking care of succulents
• Interior design for home offices
• Bedroom design for optimal sleep
• Low-maintenance gardening for busy people
• A step-by-step guide to growing your own herbs at home
• Introduction to aquatic plants
• All-natural weed control and pruning

A home decor and gardening course success story:

You might know Marie Kondo from her popular Netflix series, but before she started starring in the series, she was already known for her books and videos on tidying up. Her KonMari Method Fundamentals of Tidying course consists of 10 lessons, each focusing on a specific aspect of tidying and organizing.

Just like in the series, Marie Kondo's courses teach you a way of cleaning up that simply sparks joy.

Travel courses

Thanks largely to social media influencers, travel blogging is a particular popular topic. Who wouldn’t want to learn how to travel for a living? While you don’t need formal education to start an online course based around travel, you do need vast experience traveling_._

Students will know right away if your Paris travel tips come from your own experience, or were  copied from a Lonely Planet guidebook. Like with any course, faking it won't benefit you or your students in the long run.

Potential travel course topic ideas:

• Travel writing 101
• How to get paid for traveling the world
• Hosting a successful Airbnb
• Travel hacks: getting around on a shoestring budget
• Cheap and safe solo travel for female tourists
• How to start a travel agency
• Camping for beginners
• How to become a digital nomad
• Family-friendly travel tips
• Working on a cruise ship

A travel course success story: Theresa Christine wears many hats—photographer, romance writer, and podcast host. But through her online travel courses on Skillshare, she was also able to build a following as a travel writing course creator.

Her popular course, Being a Travel Blogger (Even When You’re Not Traveling!) , has more than 5,000 students and is one of the best online courses on the subject.

Arts & craft courses

As we touched on earlier, online course topics don’t always have to be about serious things like marketing strategy and entrepreneurship. Sometimes people just want to learn cool new skills or improve their drawing.

To run a successful arts and craft course, you should have a certain creative talent and know your material back to front. It’s important to be able to explain complex processes and ideas in a way that’s easy for first-timers to understand. Channel your inner Bob Ross.

There’s also a real opportunity at the moment to teach artists about bringing their creations to a larger audience. There’s a shortage of courses around content curation, exhibits and art pricing, which are all important elements for budding creatives to understand.

Potential arts and crafts course topic ideas

• Sell your artwork online
• Make money out of NFTs
• The basics of drawing
• Essentials of graphic design
• Master Origami in two weeks
• Sewing skills
• Colour theory for non-artists
• Designing your brand
• How to make jewelry and sell it online

An arts and craft course success story:

Danielle Clough is a good example of online learning’s ability to educate people across the world. Aside from collaborating with performing artists under the stage name Fiance Knowles, she is also a visual artist who creates art through embroidery.

Her online course, Painting with Thread, has more than 10,000 students on SkillShare.

Digital marketing and sales courses

Digital marketing isn’t going anywhere. Whether folks want to switch careers or level-up their existing skills, marketing is always a popular course topic. Digital marketing covers such a wide umbrella of topics—from social media and SEO to blogging on WordPress—that the sky's the limit in terms of what you can cover.

Because digital marketing is such a wide-ranging industry with different applications, there is a massive demand for high-quality courses. Just be aware that there are lots of shady marketers out there looking to make some easy cash with an online course. Separate yourself by providing specific, valuable lessons from your education or unique experience.

Potential digital marketing and sales course topic ideas:

• Fundamentals of content marketing
• Affiliate marketing made easy
• SEO for Amazon
• How to increase your social media engagement
• Branding fundamentals for startups
• Boost leads with high-performing event landing pages
• The ultimate guide to email capture
• Sales management masterclass
• How to manage a remote sales team
• Introduction to business development
• Cold calling and email outreach

A digital marketing and sales course success story

Course content creator Justine Grey of Brilliant Affiliate helps thousands of aspiring affiliate marketers learn how to monetize their content and turn it into a true online business. She does it not by promising too much, rather by emphasizing that affiliate marketing is a long-term passive income channel with gradual results.

Mathematics and science courses

Science and mathematics are ways of understanding the world: observing, measuring, and predicting natural phenomena and applying them to human problems. These have always been popular avenues for learning, since Aristotle taught philosophy and science in Ancient Greece.

With many people becoming more conscious about the environment and humankind’s effect on it, the demand for online courses based around the sciences has grown even higher.

However, this makes it a very competitive market with a high barrier to entry—you’ll be competing with course creators from some of the world’s top universities.

Potential mathematics and sciences course topic ideas:

• A basic introduction to physics
• Sustainable water use in the home
• How to deal with vaccine hesitancy
• Ten ways to reduce your carbon footprint
• Maths hacks you wished you learned at school
• Psychology 101: how your brain works
• The science behind your favourite drinks
• Using food to combat disease
• Introduction to astronomy
• Science communication for parents

A mathematics and science course success story:

Leandro Caruso brings more than 10 years of experience building solar power installations in the U.S. and Australia to his online courses. As an environmental engineer, he is considered one of the top solar energy advocates in the world and has a successful course to match.

Programming and data science courses

Programming and data science are two niches going through a major growth phase. Businesses are either starting to go digital or strengthen their online presence, so they need programmers, developers, and data scientists to help them accomplish those goals.

To teach any sort of programming or web development courses, you have to have advanced knowledge of the tools you’ll teach. For example, a data science class will attract more students if the course creator has advanced statistical programming and analysis degrees. For more common tools such as C++ or Excel, you will need experience and knowledge of programming trends.

Potential programming and data science course topic ideas:

• Fundamentals of statistics
• Python for researchers
• Algorithms and data structures
• C++: the basics
• IT project management
• Full stack web development tools
• The applications of Blockchain
• Automate your processes and cut busywork
• Cybersecurity essentials

A programming and data science success story:

Rafeh Qazi, one of the biggest online course creators and the founder of Clever Programmer , has a community of over 100,000 students. Qazi posts free course content on platforms such as Udemy and paid courses on his website.

Over To You

Whether you’re looking for some extra money or want to transform one of these online course ideas into a full-time job, being a course creator is a viable online business strategy.

As the old proverb goes, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." So why not get started with Paperform today? From building a website to advertise your course, to engaging quizzes, to powerful payment pages and contact forms,

Paperform is a multi-use tool that has the integrations and analytics power to support your course creation needs, and look effortlessly gorgeous doing it. Give it a go yourself with the 14-day free trial —no CC required.

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Creating rubrics for effective assessment management

How this will help:

Regardless of whether your course is online or face to face, you will need to provide feedback to your students on their strengths and areas for growth. Rubrics are one way to simplify the process of providing feedback and consistent grades to your students.

What are rubrics?

Rubrics are “scoring sheets” for learning tasks. There are multiple flavors of rubrics, but they all articulate two key variables for scoring how successful the learner has been in completing a specific task: the criteria for evaluation and the levels of performance. While you may have used rubrics in your face-to-face class, rubrics become essential when teaching online. Rubrics will not only save you time (a lot of time) when grading assignments, but they also help clarify expectations about how you are assessing students and why they received a particular grade. It also makes grading feel more objective to students (“I see what I did wrong here”), rather than subjective (“The teacher doesn’t like me and that’s why I got this grade.”). 

When designing a rubric, ideally, the criteria for evaluation need to be aligned with the learning objectives [link to learning objectives] of the task. For example, if an instructor asks their learners to create an annotated bibliography for a research assignment, we can imagine that the instructor wants to give the students practice with identifying valid sources on their research topic, citing sources correctly (using the appropriate format), and summarizing sources appropriately. The criteria for evaluation in a rubric for that task might be

• Quality of sources
• Accuracy of citation format for each source type
• Coherence of summaries
• Accuracy of summaries

The levels of performance don’t necessarily have a scale they must align with. Some rubric types might use a typical letter grading scale for their levels – these rubrics often include language like “An A-level response will….” Other rubric types have very few levels of performance; sometimes they are as simple as a binary scale – complete or incomplete (a checklist is an example of this kind of rubric). How an instructor thinks about the levels of performance in a rubric is going to depend on a number of factors, including their own personal preferences and approaches to evaluating student work, and on how the task is being used in the learning experience. If a task is not going to contribute to the final grade for the course, it might not be necessary (or make sense) to provide many fine-grained levels of performance. On the other hand, an assignment that is designed to provide detailed information to the instructor as to how proficient each student is at a set of skills might need many, highly specific levels of performance. At the end of this module, we provide examples of different types of rubrics and structures for levels of performance.

What teaching goals can rubrics help meet?

In an online course, clear communication from the instructor about their expectations is critical for student success and success of the course. Effective feedback, where it is clear to the learner what they have already mastered and where there are gaps in the learners knowledge or skills, is necessary for deep learning. Rubrics help an instructor clearly explain their expectations to the class as a whole while also making it easier to give individual students specific feedback on their learning.

Although one of the practical advantages to using rubrics is to make grading of submitted assignments more efficient, they can be used for many, not mutually exclusive, purposes:

• highlighting growth of a students’ skills or knowledge over time
• articulating to learners the important features of a high-quality submission
• assessing student participation in discussion forums
• guiding student self-assessments 
• guiding student peer-reviews
• providing feedback on ungraded or practice assignments to help students identify where they need to focus their learning efforts.

Examples of different rubrics

Different styles of rubrics are better fits for different task-types and for fulfilling the different teaching aims of a rubric . Here we focus on four different styles with varying levels of complexity: single point rubric, Specific task rubrics, general rubrics, holistic rubrics and analytical rubrics (Arter, J. A., & Chappuis, J., 2007).

Single point rubric

Sometimes, simple is easiest. A single point rubric can tell students whether they met the expectations of the criteria or not. We’d generally recommend not using too many criteria with single point rubrics, they aren’t meant for complicated evaluation. They are great for short assignments like discussion posts.

Example task : Write a 250 discussion post reflecting on the purpose of this week’s readings. (20 points)

Example rubric:

Specific task rubric

This style of rubric is useful for articulating the knowledge and skill objectives (and their respective levels) of a specific assignment.

Example task:

Design and build a trebuchet that is adjustable to launch a 

• 5g weight a distance of 0.5m
• 7g weight a distance of 0.5m
• 10g weight a distance of 0.75m

Holistic rubric

This style of rubric enables a single, overall assessment/evaluation of a learner’s performance on a task

Write a historical research paper discussing ….

( Adapted from http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/rubrics.htm#versus )

General rubric

This style of rubric can be used for multiple, similar assignments to show growth (achieved and opportunities) over time.

Write a blog post appropriate for a specific audience exploring the themes of the reading for this week.

(Adapted from http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/a-rubric-for-evaluating-student-blogs/27196 )

Analytic rubric

This style of rubric is well suited to breaking apart a complex task into component skills and allows for evaluation of those components. It can also help determine the grade for the whole assignment based on performance on the component skills. This style of rubric can look similar to a general rubric but includes detailed grading information.

( Adapted from http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/a-rubric-for-evaluating-student-blogs/27196 )

Designing your own rubric

You can approach designing a rubric from multiple angles. Here we outline just one possible procedure to get started. This approach assumes the learning task is graded, but it can be generalized for other structures for levels of performance. 

• Start with the, “I know it when I see it,” principle. Most instructors have a sense of what makes a reasonable response to a task, even if they haven’t explicitly named those traits before. Write out as many traits of a “meets expectations” response as you can come up with – these will be your first draft of the criteria for learning.
• For each type of criterion, describe what an “A” response looks like. This will be your top level of performance.
• For complicated projects, consider moving systematically down each whole-grade level (B, C, D, F),  describe, in terms parallel to how you described the best response, what student responses at that level often look like. Or, for more simple assignments, create very simple rubrics – either the criterion was achieved or not. Rubrics do not have to be complicated [link to single point rubric]! 
• Share the rubric with a colleague to get feedback or “play test” the rubric using past student work if possible. 
• After grading some student responses with it, you may be tempted to fine-tune some details. However, this is not recommended. For one, Canvas will not allow you to change a rubric once it has been used for grading. But it is also not recommended to change the metrics of grading after students have already been using a rubric to work from. If you find that your rubric is grading students too harshly on a particular criterion, Also, make sure you track what changes you want to make. You may want to adjust your future course rubrics or at least for the next iteration of the task or course.

Practical Tips

• Creating learning objectives for each task, as you design the task, helps to ensure there is alignment between your learning activities and assessments and your course level learning objectives. It also gives a head start for the design of the rubric.
• When creating a rubric, start with just a few levels of performance. It is easier to expand a rubric to include more specificity in the levels of performance than it is to shrink the number of levels. Smaller rubrics are much easier for the instructor to navigate to provide feedback.
• Using a rubric will (likely) not eliminate the need for qualitative feedback to each student, but keeping a document of commonly used responses to students that you can copy and paste from can make the feedback process even more efficient.
• Explicitly have students self-assess their task prior to submitting it. For example, when students submit a paper online, have them include a short (100 word or less) reflection on what they think they did well on the paper, and what they struggled with. That step seems obvious to experts (i.e. instructors) but isn’t obvious to all learners. If students make a habit of this, they will often end up with higher grades because they catch their mistakes before they submit their response(s).
• Canvas and other learning management systems (LMS) have tools that allow you to create point and click rubrics. You can choose to have the tools automatically enter grades into the LMS grade book.
• Rubrics can be used for students to self-evaluate their own performance or to provide feedback to peers.

University of Michigan

CRLT – Sample lab rubrics

Cult of Pedagogy – The single point rubric

Other Resources

The Chronicle of Higher Ed – A rubric for evaluating student blogs

Canvas – Creating a rubric in Canvas

Jon Mueller – Authentic assessment toolkit

Arter, J. A., & Chappuis, J. (2007). Creating & recognizing quality rubrics. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.

Gilbert, P. K., & Dabbagh, N. (2004). How to structure online discussions for meaningful discourse: a case study. British Journal of Educational Technology , 36 (1), 5–18. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8535.2005.00434.x

Wyss, V. L., Freedman, D., & Siebert, C. J. (2014). The Development of a Discussion Rubric for Online Courses: Standardizing Expectations of Graduate Students in Online Scholarly Discussions. TechTrends , 58 (2), 99–107. doi: 10.1007/s11528-014-0741-x

Serena Williams’ father speaks out about Will Smith being banned from the Oscars because of the slap. Richard Williams – father of tennis players Serena and Venus Williams – has spoken out about Will Smith’s “cancellation” over the slap to American actor and stand-up comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars a year ago. He was quoted by NME. Williams, who Smith played in the biographical film “King Richard,” which won the Best Actor award, backed the actor. “I think he did the best of what he had to do, but I never felt disgusted with Mr. Smith. In fact, I appreciate Mr. Smith,” he said. “It’s time everyone forgave Will Smith,” Williams added. In his opinion, the ban on the actor’s participation in the Academy Awards for ten years should be lifted. In late March 2022, during the Oscars, host Chris Rock made an unfortunate joke about Smith’s wife. The showman noted the “amazing, Will Smith oscar very short hair” of Smith’s wife, who suffers from alopecia. Rock compared her to the heroine of “Soldier Jane.” The actor then took the stage, slapped him in the face and yelled at him not to make jokes about his wife.

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Canvas model courses

The UW course examples below demonstrate a wide range of evidence-based, online teaching practices using UW-supported teaching and learning tools.

To address issues of privacy, accessibility, and copyright, we have removed some content from the courses and replaced with placeholder text. Such deletions include email addresses, Zoom links, certain types of files, and any student-submitted content, such as discussion posts or collaborations. Where possible, we used placeholder content to illustrate how the original content was incorporated in Canvas and other tools.

Special thanks to the instructors listed below for sharing their course designs with the UW community.

BIOL 250 – Marine Biology

 josé guzmán , assistant teaching professor, college of the environment — school of aquatic and fishery sciences.

This example course illustrates the following:

• Modules with a weekly pattern provide clear, consistent structure
• Short, pre-recorded, captioned lectures in Panopto
• Pre-class quizzes for self-assessment
• Learning objectives for each lesson

View the course example in Canvas: BIOL 250

PSYCH 202 – Biopsychology

Ann culligan, associate teaching professor, department of psychology.

• Modules with a weekly pattern provide clear, consistent structure (Read, Submit, Explore)
• Extensive “Syllabus” Module to highlight course resources
• External multimedia resources as optional materials to explore

View the course example in Canvas: PSYCH 202 (UW NetID required)

CLAS 122 – Gateway to the Ancient Greco-Roman World

Catherine m. connors, professor, classics (adjunct in gender, women and sexuality studies).

• Fully asynchronous course design (no live class sessions)
• Home page with course details, policies, and schedule overview
• Introductory survey to get to know students
• Frequent low-stakes assessments
• Collaborative student project: “Virtual museum”

View the course example in Canvas: CLAS 122 (UW NetID required)

EDLPS 520 – Education as a Moral Endeavor

Jennifer hoffman, associate professor, college of education.

• Simplified syllabus with clear goals and learning objectives
• Canvas Calendar events complementing the course schedule
• Structured activities for breakout rooms

View the course example in Canvas: EDLPS 520

BIS 261 – Introduction to Film Studies

David s. goldstein, teaching professor, school of interdisciplinary arts & sciences.

• Instructor presence, transparency, acknowledgement of the challenges at hand
• Communication through Canvas Announcements
• Use of external resource to support students as online learners
• Course tour video
• Introduction and Preview pages in Modules to keep students on track

View the course example in Canvas: BIS 261

M E 426/540 – Renewable Energy II

Brian polagye, associate professor, mechanical engineering.

• Well-organized modules for course resources and assignments
• Background Information module with course resources and expectations
• Announcements and discussion boards for communication with students
• Syllabus page using built-in Canvas Syllabus tool

View the course example in Canvas: M E 426/540

ENVIR 100 – Introduction To Environmental Studies

Kristi straus, associate teaching professor, environmental studies yen-chu weng, assistant teaching professor, environmental studies.

• Home page information for how to navigate course
• Weekly Overview pages, including short introductory videos from the instructors
• Thorough Course Resources module with course policies, instructional team, and discussion boards for student questions
• Panopto recordings for weekly overviews and lectures
• Detailed modules to organize resources and assessments

View the course example in Canvas: ENVIR 100 (UW NetID required)

CMS 397/ENGL 345 – American Independent Film

Kimberlee gillis-bridges, teaching professor, department of english.

• “Term at a Glance” document for quick reference of schedule and due dates
• Start Here Module full of essentials and resources
• Overview pages provide consistent structure that is mirrored in the Modules
• Multiple channels of communication, including a weekly check-in discussion board

View the course example in Canvas: CMS 397/ENGL 345

ESRM 311 – Soils and Land Use

Brittany johnson, assistant professor, college of the environment – environmental and forest sciences daníel vogt, associate professor, college of the environment – environmental and forest sciences.

• Clearly structured Modules using text headers
• Virtual labs
• Group projects using collaborative Google Slides
• Creative and fun options to engage students (virtual happy hour, good news and humor board for happy stories and memes)
• Instructor presence through participation in the final project

View the course example in Canvas: ESRM 311 (UW NetID required)

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Assignments give you the opportunity to showcase what you’ve learned and build a foundation to improve on.

Explore the different types of assignment we use at the OU in the sections below.

Assessment types

When your module starts, you’ll have access to its unique assessment guide, which will detail what you need to do on each assignment.

Rest assured, you’ll also have a module tutor to help you with your studies. So if you’ve got a question about an assignment, they’re there to give you a hand.

There will be different types of assessment throughout your study. Here’s a quick run-down of the types you may come across:

Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs)

• You’ll usually have a number of these throughout each module.
• Each one can be an essay, a series of questions, a skills test, a speaking assessment or something else that allows you to show what you’ve learned.
• They’ll each have a submission deadline.
• When your tutor returns them, they’ll provide you with detailed feedback on where you can improve.

Interactive Computer-Marked Assignments (iCMAs)

• Generally these will be available a couple of weeks before the deadline date.
• They’re always completed online.
• They’re normally marked by a computer, but may be marked by your tutor.

End-of-Module Assessments (EMAs)/End-of-Module Tutor-Marked Assignments (emTMAs)

• These are the final, marked piece of work on some modules.
• They may be similar to TMAs you’ve done on the module, but will usually be a longer piece of work.
• They'll usually cover the whole module rather than a part of it.
• Your EMA/emTMA deadline will always be fixed.
• If your module has an EMA or emTMA, you won’t normally have an exam as well.
• Exams are the final assessed task on some modules. If your module has an exam, you won’t normally have an EMA as well.
• Your exam date will be fixed.
• Exams will normally take place remotely, and you will complete them at home or at an alternative location. If a module requires you to take a face-to-face exam, this will be made clear in the module description.
• If your personal circumstances or disability are likely to have an impact on your ability to take your exam remotely, we may be able to put alternative arrangements in place or make reasonable adjustments. This would need to be discussed with your Student Support Team.

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• Only a few modules have a residential school. Some residential schools will be compulsory – you’ll need to attend to pass the module. Others will be optional.
• The module description will tell you whether or not it includes a residential school.
• If you have any concerns about attending a residential school, we’d recommend you talk to us before your module starts.

Progressing to a point where I felt more comfortable writing my assignments and having my scores reflecting that made me quite happy because it showed the hard work was being rewarded. Patrick ‘Ricky’ Skene, BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness and Coaching

It wasn’t easy, but when I handed a completed assignment in I felt such a sense of achievement and knew I was one step closer to my dream. Gareth Hand, BA (Hons) Music

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Student Interaction Online

"In every class, we make sure at least once to interact in pairs or in small groups. These interactions begin with a reminder that every person in the room is a source of knowledge and end with a prompt for students to thank each other for sharing their insights." - Ashley Hope Perez, Assistant Professor, Department of Comparative Studies

Whether you teach in person or online, your classroom is a community of learners. Your students have a lot to learn from each other, but the importance of student-student interaction is often overlooked in online spaces. How can you translate Perez’s approach to provide students in an online course with regular opportunities for meaningful engagement with their peers?

When talking about online courses, researchers focus on three types of student interaction:

• interaction with content
• interaction with the instructor
• interaction with peers

While these categories overlap and are all important to your course's success, this resource focuses on how to foster meaningful student-student interaction online.

Online classes offer an attractively flexible experience to students. Often, they don’t have to meet for class on a set schedule, which can save them time, money, and energy.

However, asynchronous learning necessitates that you, as an instructor, put extra thought and energy into promoting student-student interaction. There is a very real potential for isolation and disconnection in online courses (Besser & Donahue, 1996; Kerka, 1996), and you must plan well to avoid this possibility. The good news? Building a classroom community that helps students overcome such feelings of isolation has been shown to increase their engagement, lead to higher grades, and deepen their learning (Young & Bruce, 2011; Cho et al., 2007; Ascough, 2007).

Alfred Rovai (2002a) claims community is “what people do together, rather than where or through what means they do them” (p. 4). Setting can play a role in a community and how it functions; a school community will by default revolve around intellectual pursuits, while an office may revolve around a particular business practice. But stripped of a physical location, these communities can still perform the same functions. A thriving community is created not by physical proximity, but by a sense of belonging, trust, commonality of purpose, and interaction (McInnerney & Roberts, 2004; Rovai, 2002a).

While community may develop more organically in person, the online space does not preclude it. Instead, your online course should be designed with community in mind. It is our responsibility as instructors to not simply create a space for collaboration, but to intentionally promote interactions that build belonging, trust, and solidarity among students.

Wondering how you can accomplish this? In a 2007 article on course design and community building, Richard Ascough emphasizes the importance of “hospitality.” An environment in which the instructor welcomes learners, encourages participation, promotes conversation, and helps students make connections contributes to a deeper learning experience. You can model the type of interaction you’d like to see among your students as you facilitate shared discourse and group activities.

In Practice

Below are specific approaches you can take to build a hospitable online course and foster student-student interaction. 

Begin with an Icebreaker 

Joanne McInnery and Tim Roberts (2004) suggest incorporating a warm-up stage early in the semester. Having students introduce themselves at the start of class, in a manner unrelated to course work, familiarizes them with one another and the new learning environment. Students can post photos or a video, share something interesting about themselves, or respond to a unique question—a debate of the optimal study snack food, for example. 

Browse sample  icebreaker activities for building community at the start of term.

Incorporate Group Work  

The mere mention of group work can provoke frustration. But a well-structured group project can increase students’ sense of community and help them practice effective team collaboration. To offset possible anxieties, encourage your class to draft rules or guidelines for working together in groups. Develop a rubric, ideally with students’ input, that clarifies expectations for assignments and each group member’s contribution. Transparency in grading will alleviate some of the tension that may arise when a student is graded as part of a group. 

Plan ahead which technology students can use to collaborate. You might set up Groups in CarmenCanvas or leverage other Ohio State supported and approved tools. For example, consider OneNote or Whiteboard in Microsoft 365 for collaborative note-making and idea generation, or U.OSU for blogging. For group assignments, students could cocreate graphic, web, or video projects using Adobe Express or other apps available via Adobe Creative Cloud .

Learn more about questions to consider when planning group work in your online course.  

Craft Thoughtful Discussions 

Discussion boards often get a bad rap, and poorly designed ones can smother rather than stimulate conversation. But in a 2010 study of engagement among online students, Marcia Dixson found that those who felt highly engaged with a course were twice as likely to report the use of discussion boards to connect with peers. A clear prompt or question that encourages critical thinking—combined with a rubric that establishes expectations—can support students to understand what critical engagement with a topic looks like and to practice those behaviors.  

A perspective shift regarding discussion boards may be in order. Rather than a static forum that presents a list of opinions, a discussion board can be a collaborative document for generating knowledge. Encourage students to more fully engage with their peers’ posts by adding value to a comment, formulating responses using a yes/and or yes/but approach. Students can affirm a peer’s comment (the “yes”) and then either add to the concept (the “and”) or propose another perspective (the “but”). 

"Online discussions quickly become overwhelming in a larger class. I therefore created Groups in Carmen and had students discuss in those groups. Online discussions in Carmen allow everyone to participate in thoughtful and meaningful ways, including the students who do not participate in in-class discussions." - Mark Moritz, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology  

Moreover, online discussions do not have to be conventional or boring. Integrating creative approaches will enliven your discussion board and keep students engaged. For example: 

Post scenarios or case studies for students to analyze 

Ask for predictions about something, rather than reflections or analyses 

Encourage students to connect responses to personal experiences and/or current events 

Have students adopt the perspective of a historical figure or literary character 

Explore Additional Considerations for Online Discussions in Facilitating Discussion  and Effective Online Discussion Questions . 

Open Multiple Communication Channels 

Dixson (2010) advocates for the creation of multiple communication channels, in which students have a number of pathways and venues to connect. Incorporating discussion boards, pair and group work, peer instruction, and peer review—or any other means of student-student interaction—accommodates various communication styles and learning preferences. It also gives students more avenues in which to bond, build trust, and find commonalities in learning expectations or goals. 

Universal Design for Learning

No two students are alike in how they prefer to interact. Be sure to offer multiple means—beyond writing—for students to share ideas with peers. Options can include audio responses, links to online resources, and relevant images or videos on a given topic. Learn more in Universal Design for Learning: Planning with All Students in Mind. 

Encourage Social Connection 

Including avenues for interpersonal, social connections can also strengthen the bonds within a learning community, ultimately leading to deeper learning (Rovai et al., 2004). For example, set up a study strategies advice thread where students can post study hacks or arrange group study sessions. Informal questions or prompts can be added alongside academic topics in discussion spaces—a recipe swap is a favorite. Ascough (2007) suggests encouraging extracurricular communication, or helping students connect outside of class over shared interests via email or other means.  

Include Collaborative Writing and Peer Review 

Writing promotes critical thinking and learning, and collaborative writing allows groups of students to draw on each other’s strengths in the process. Consider incorporating peer review activities for the proposals, outlines, and drafts you assign. Participating in peer review enables students to: 

Receive additional advice and perspectives on their writing 

Critically assess and offer constructive feedback on others’ writing 

Consider a concrete audience beyond their instructor 

Engage with different writing styles and approaches  

Let Students Teach 

Inviting your students to teach, such as through student-led discussion boards or student-authored video lectures and presentations, gives them ownership of their learning. The act of teaching prompts students to think explicitly about how to memorize and recall information as well as how to synthesize and translate that information in a manner their peers can understand. Moreover, it helps students feel that they are meaningful contributors to a dynamic community of inquiry. 

"Instead of me presenting different education theorists, the students presented them to each other. Later, they had to use what they learned from each other by identifying how their approaches to teaching are supported by multiple education theories." - Judy Ridgway, Assistant Director, Center for Life Science Education 

Use Phased Engagement 

Phase your course activities to scaffold student-student interaction in the online environment. The following suggestions are adapted from Rita-Marie Conrad and J Ana Donaldson’s   Engaging the Online Learner: Activities and Resources for Creative Instruction .

Participation and Connection in CarmenZoom

It’s easy for students to feel isolated in online environments, but research shows that meaningful student-student interaction is a crucial component of a successful course. Plan in advance how you will build classroom community and foster peer connections throughout the semester.  

Incorporate icebreakers and warm-up activities to help students get to know each other 

Include group work assignments with transparent expectations for how students should collaborate 

Develop thoughtful and creative discussion questions that encourage critical thinking 

Set up multiple channels of communication , including ways for students to connect socially 

Integrate collaborative writing or peer review for written assignments 

Engage students as teachers by inviting them to facilitate discussion or present certain topics or lessons to the class 

• Best practices for large-enrollment online courses, part 2: Managing groups, pe…
•  Building online learning communities: Effective strategies for the virtual cla…
• Building learning communities in online courses: The importance of interaction …
• The role of students’ motivation in peer-moderated asynchronous online discussi…
• What do the numbers say? The influence of motivation and peer feedback on stude…
• Effective Practices for Teaching Online (checklist)

Learning Opportunities

Ascough, R. S. (2007). Welcoming design: Hosting a hospitable online course.  Teaching Theology and Religion , 10(3), 131-36. 

Dixson, M. D. (2010). Creating effective student engagement in online courses: What do students find engaging?  Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning , 10(2), 1-13. 

McInnerney, J. M. & Roberts, T. S. (2004). Online learning: Social interaction and the creation of a sense of community.  Educational Technology and Society , 7(3), 73-81. 

Rovai, A. P. (2002a). Building a sense of community at a distance.  International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning , 3(1), 1-16. 

Rovai, A. P., Wighting, M. J., & Lucking, R. (2004). The classroom and school community inventory: Development, refinement, and validation of a self-report measure for educational research.  Internet and Higher Education , 7, 263-80. 

Young, S., & Bruce, M. A. (2011). Classroom community and student engagement in online courses.  MERLOT , 7(2), 219-30. 

Related Teaching Topics

Facilitating discussion, shaping a positive learning environment, teaching online: effective practices, related toolsets, carmencanvas, additional tools, search for resources.

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• Engaging instructional activities

Engaging Online Instructional Activities

Long gone are the days of creating an online learning experience simply by posting a series of recorded lectures, documents, and assignments on Blackboard for students to review then “testing” their compliance via auto graded quizzes and exams.  Research 1 demonstrates that a positive online learning experience is related to three factors: (a) connectedness with the instructor; (b) a sense of community with classmates; and (c) engagement in learning. And these three factors interact - students who feel a sense of connectedness are more likely to engage in the class, improving the learning experience. 2,3  

Collaborative learning, peer feedback, learner choice, and sustained discussion that includes personal stories, perspectives, and experiences can all encourage higher order learning while also creating a positive learning community. Below is a list of recommendations for creating positive online learning experiences. Consider using multiple strategies; refer to the section on Universal Design for Learning for more information about how multimodal approaches support learning and engagement. 

Recommendations for Developing Engaging Instructional Activities

Create “sites” for interaction.

When a class has few or no opportunities for in-person interaction, we have to intentionally create spaces for students to interact and collaborate. Think of these as ways of creative virtual sites for interaction:

• Discussion threads.  One of the most common methods for fostering interaction among students is to use Blackboard’s discussion function. Many instructors ask students to post both an initial response and an expected number of substantive follow up responses.  Less experienced students will benefit from concrete examples of initial and follow up posts (to avoid the “I agree” or “This happened to me too” responses) and a timeline for engaging (initial post no later than Wednesday, three follow up posts by Sunday). Instructors should “pop in” and engaging the students with posts, to spur a lively exchange, provide informal feedback, and create a sense of instructor presence.
• Voicethreads:  Voicethread also allows for group discussions, but can increase engagement and student choice by allowing students to contribute through multiple modalities, including text, voice, and video.
• Student created blogs . Another creative way to engage students in discussion is through student blogging assignments. Each student creates a post and peers comment on one anothers’ posts. Derek Bruff, Director of the Center for Teaching at Vanderbilt University, has written extensively about the student blogging assignments here .
• Shared virtual workspaces.  Wikis or shared docs in Teams allow student groups to work collaboratively at a distance by giving the ability to share and edit content over the Web.
• Student-made “podcasts,” videos, or vlogs . brief, 3-5 minute, media clips allow students to relay information, highlight significant individuals, or coach classmates.  These work equally well with synchronous or asynchronous courses. A guide for creating podcasts is available here . 

Use Icebreaker Activities

One feature lost in a transition from face-to-face to online instruction is the valuable snippet of time individuals have before the scheduled starting time.  Much can be learned about one’s fellow participants in these moments of casual exchange.  Trust and camaraderie can be established in increments.  Friendships can form.  Intentional ice-breaker and getting to know you exercises can serve as substitutes for these impromptu conversations. Some examples (see  this website for more ideas) :

• “Getting to know you” questions . Consider using the discussion board in an asynchronous class and ask everyone to post a response to your questions (consider asking students to submit questions to you as well).  Good questions will go beyond the type of demographic information common to roll calls (name, home town, major, year in school, campus affiliations, etc.) which can lead students to form impressions based on stereotypes or inherent biases.  The best questions will encourage a deeper dive by adding “and why” to get to the story below.
• Student introduction videos.  Both the instructor and students can post brief introduction videos, sharing a few things they want their classmates to know about them as well as their hopes for the class experience.
• Virtual Nametag Assignment . Students create and post a virtual nametag in which they share some of their characteristics, experiences, and interests  and then look at their classmates’ nametags to identify commonalities and differences.  Look here for more details . 

Give students some control

Give students a sense of ownership with learning activities by providing some options for learner choice and perhaps even engaging students in the design of some components. In addition to encouraging engagement, engaging students as partners can build a sense of trust, and gives students, including those who may experience significant barriers to learning (online access, socioeconomic issues, learning differences, time constraints, etc.) an opportunity to weigh in with their capacity. For instance:

• Find out what students want to learn, and use their goals to help shape the class.
• Develop learning activities/ assignments that allow students to choose topics or the modes of expression.
• Share your learning objectives for a particular unit or module and ask students what types of learning experiences and assignments they would like to engage with. Less experienced students may require examples of what past classes have done. 

Connect with a related class

Create a more integrated and engaging experience for students while lightening the design load for any one faculty member or instructor. Examples:

• Connect assignments across classes. For example, students in one class could become the audience for those in another class.
• Common problems. Address a common problem or “grand challenge” in multiple courses. Students begin to see what different courses or areas of the discipline bring to that problem, and instructors collaborate in some aspects of the course design.  
• Shared modules. Many core concepts and skills in a discipline are addressed, by design, in multiple courses. Instructors can collaboration on the design of some shared or common modules, and students can benefit from a more scaffolded opportunity to transfer their understanding from one course to another.

Leverage the online medium

Some especially engaging approaches to online teaching learning involve leveraging the unique affordances of an online environment. For example:

• Bring in guest speakers or distinguished alumni panels (who might not otherwise be available for an in-person visit)
• Use social media or other high immediacy tools (e.g., Teams chat) to have students connect what they are learning to the world around them and share their learning while it is happening. In this In this example from Derek Bruff’s Leading Lines Podcast , Margaret Rubega of the University of Connecticut describes how in her large enrollment ornithology class, she asks students to post about birds on Twitter as they see them in daily life. The goal is to support transfer: getting students to apply what they are learning in the class in other contexts. Transfer is a sign of robust learning, but must be intentionally scaffolded through course and assignment design. But ultimately, this is what we all want out of our courses, right?

Support difficult and necessary conversations

Discussions of challenging and potentially heated topics can help students develop important skills, in meaningful discourse, evidence-based critical thinking, perspective taking, and listening.  See this page for  guidance about how instructors create a positive climate for class discourse about difficult or divisive topics, whether in a live interaction OR asynchronous discussion forum (e.g., discussion board, chat channel, email, or VoiceThread). 

Foster deep reading

Faculty members frequently express concern about students' ability to read critically, and that concern is heightened in a digital environment. See this page for recommendations for fostering deep reading in a digital environment . 

Some Examples of Engaging Online Activities

Case studies. Give students an opportunity to consider and discuss a real or fictional case that incorporates theory or concepts.  Provide guiding or reflection questions to encourage a richer dialog whether students interact synchronously or via a discussion thread.  Provide an opportunity for individual reflection at the end, such as through the Journal tool in Blackboard. After exposing students to example case studies, you might even ask students to write and analyze their own case studies to illustrate key themes in the course.

Debates . Provide students with a situation or argument, divide them into two (pro/con) or three (pro/con/third way) groups, provide some time to formulate an argument, and let the exchange begin!  Again, providing an opportunity for structured individual reflection at the end is helpful.  Here is an example of a full assignment with a reflection guide, developed by Amy Leyerzapf for her leadership studies course.

Fishbowl discussions . These are most useful for synchronous class discussions (online or in person). Large class discussions can be intimidating, particularly if enrollment numbers exceed the number of screen tiles that can appear on Zoom at once.  Consider breaking the class into two or more groups and conduct a fishbowl discussion.  A guide to get you started, with several variations, can be found here .  

Jeopardy or other “game show” Q&A’s – for courses where students need to master quantities of objective content, trivia-style Q&A’s are a good way to test knowledge.  Instructors of asynchronous courses may want to consider inviting students to a special exam review or office hour via Zoom for a few rounds.  A reliable template in either Powerpoint or Google Slides is available for download here . 

Living history presentations . Students may enjoy researching significant figures related to the course and presenting their findings in character either live during a synchronous class session, or by video or podcast as an asynchronous activity.

News of the day. Assign, or allow students to choose, a course topic or important construct.  The student can present a current event in the news and connect the event to the featured concepts, and share in one of the course interaction tools (e.g., discussion board or student produced blog), or to start off a synchronous class meeting (consider assigning different students to different class periods).

Peer consultations. Pairing students for feedback, particularly on major assignments, can reduce uncertainty, build community, and ultimately make for higher quality assignments and easier grading.  Structure helps here.  Consider pairing students rather than allowing them to choose their partners and conducting multiple rounds of feedback over a longer period of time (the last 20 minutes of class, one meeting a week over three weeks for example).  Provide students with a copy of the grading rubric to guide their critique.  Breakout rooms work well for synchronous courses, while students can collaborate outside of asynchronous courses via Zoom, Teams, or other video conferencing or document-sharing platforms. 

Spark some ideas for your own course(s) by checking out these examples of Engaging Ideas for Flexible and Online Teaching from KU Faculty members  in Spring 2020 : instructional activities or assignments that were especially successful in engaging and stimulating students, were fun to implement, or took advantage of the online environment in ways they had not discovered before. Also What Worked Well: Bright Spots from Fall 2020 , a collection of essays showcasing the many innovative and inspiring ways in which KU instructors overcame Fall teaching challenges. 

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5 Basic Components of an Online College Course

Remote college courses rely on learning management systems and timely feedback from professors.

Basic Components of an Online Course

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Online courses can be either synchronous or asynchronous, and students should find a program that best suits their needs.

Thanks to modern technology, students no longer have to be bound to a physical classroom to pursue a college education. Equipped with a device and an internet connection, students can earn an associate, bachelor's or master's degree from the comfort of their own home.

“It’s the way of education, and it’s the way that students will go to school,” says Justin Louder, assistant vice president for academic innovation at Anthology, an education technology company that produces the learning management system Blackboard Learn. “A vast majority of students will take at least one online class a semester.”

Online learning is not necessarily a novelty, but its popularity has grown in recent years and is expected to continue. Online degrees have also experienced a wave of innovation and wider acceptance in recent years, says Louder, who previously oversaw online degree programs as associate vice provost of e-learning at Texas Tech University .

How distance learning is delivered varies among colleges and even professors, but most online courses have similarities, experts say. Here are five basic components of online courses students should be familiar with before signing up for classes.

The Learning Management System

When a student enrolls in an online course, they'll be asked to log in to a learning management system, or LMS.

For fully online courses, the LMS is where everything for class exists. On this platform, students can access their syllabus, see their professor's contact information and access most course materials, including online readings, videos, audio files and other resources. This is also where students participate in discussion boards – written exchanges with fellow classmates – and submit assignments.

Although some schools design their own learning management systems, most colleges use Blackboard Learn , Moodle , Canvas or Brightspace , and experts say most of these systems are similar and fairly intuitive.

"What is important for students to understand is how the professor has designed their course – including the overall structure, schedule, organization, content and resources, activities, and assessments and assignments," Eric Fredericksen, associate vice president for online learning and a professor at the University of Rochester in New York, wrote in an email. "A good practice is for professors to spend time at the beginning of the course to orient the students to the course in the LMS and to provide clarity on their expectations for students in the course."

Course Materials

The materials students use in online courses vary depending on the professor's preferences. Some online instructors prefer that students read e-books, while others suggest ordering textbooks. In some cases, the instructor may provide options, which could include a hard copy or a digital version, Fredericksen says.

"In the course I teach, I use a textbook that is part of a service from our library and students can access it and read it online at no cost to them," he says. "There are lots of different kinds of educational resources that can be used."

Other possible resources include podcasts, PowerPoint presentations, webcasts of lectures and instructional videos, which can be embedded into the LMS and available to students to watch on their own schedule. Lecture videos can also typically be made accessible to include captions and a transcript for students who need accommodations. Students can also download the audio from a lecture and listen to it on their own time.

“You think about different learning styles. Some students are auditory learners. Some students are more visual learners,” Louder says. "Online courses can appeal to all different types of learners."

Course Structure

Online courses are either synchronous, meaning students and professors are logged in and engaging at the same time like in a traditional classroom setting, or asynchronous, where students can complete assignments and watch lectures on their own time.

Undergraduate degree online courses tend to have synchronous components, such as a live class discussion, office hours or proctored exams, says Melissa Loble, chief academic officer at Instructure, an education technology company and creator of Canvas. Tools like Zoom allow instructors to conduct live lectures and break students off into small groups for further discussion.

However, the majority of classes tend to be asynchronous, experts say.

"For non-degree programs like certificates, synchronous components are more rare as they cater to a wide range of timezones and the needs of working professionals," Loble wrote in an email. "For synchronous classes, they tend to be bite-sized lectures. This is true for even courses that may have recorded content. The days of long lectures have passed, especially after COVID."

No matter the structure, a successful online course includes "high levels of interaction with the professor and their students, as well as between the students and their classmates," Fredericksen says. "This can happen synchronously or asynchronously. I believe professors need to be flexible, humorous, thoughtful and kind with their students – both online and in the traditional classroom."

As students gravitate more toward online courses, Louder says they can feel confident in the education they'll receive regardless of whether the class is synchronous or asynchronous.

“In a well-done, quality online course , student outcomes and success should mirror that of a face-to-face class,” he says. “You shouldn’t see a difference based on the modality of the course work."

Assignments and Group Projects

Students in in-person classes can expect to submit some of their work digitally, such as discussion board responses or term papers, but tests and other assignments may still be completed on physical paper. In online courses, everything is done virtually, whether a test or a group project.

Students submit their work through the LMS, where instructors can also share grading criteria and due dates. In addition to papers and discussion boards, students may be asked to create blogs or videos demonstrating their subject knowledge.

And just because online programs require less face-to-face interaction doesn't mean instructors don't require group projects. Online students usually conduct group projects through Zoom, Google Meet or another video conferencing platform. Text messaging and FaceTime calls also make it easier to complete group projects.

Professors can use the LMS to manually or automatically assign students to groups and provide a central location to share materials, Loble says. "Groups can then submit a single project to a professor for grading, as well as engage in peer review to provide feedback on the contributions each member of the group makes."

Loble says one of the biggest struggles for students in online courses when it comes to assignments is time management .

"When you are a student in an online course you have to be accountable for your own work remotely," she says. "This is hard for some students even with built-in reminders for due dates."

Online instructors use the LMS to grade assignments and give feedback. Instructors can also build online quizzes and other computer-graded activities, which can decrease the wait time for students to receive a grade.

"I do believe prompt feedback is essential for student learning," Fredericksen says. "And it is also important for professors to provide an expectation of when feedback and grades will be provided back to their students."

Alexandria Aguilera, who earned a master's in education through an asynchronous online program at Western Governors University , says she had the most interaction with her professors via virtual feedback.

"They gave very timely and detailed feedback in submitted assignments," she wrote in an email. "I even met with one one-onone to discuss the assignment I submitted. I was able to take their comments and suggestions and redo my work."

Online professors strive to create a sense of community with their students, so frequent discussion is crucial to a successful online course. Whether that's asynchronous through discussion boards or synchronous with live class discussions over video, it's common for professors to factor that participation into their grading.

To deter cheating on exams, most online professors use proctored exams or locked-down browsers. Most LMS platforms also include some type of artificial intelligence or plagiarism-detection software to ensure students submit original work.

"We are seeing an increased volume of professors giving in-person exams that are proctored, either by people or by video, during fully online courses to help address issues of academic integrity," Loble says.

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• Online Assessment, Grading, and Feedback , Online Education

The Online Educator’s Complete Guide to Grading Assignments, Part 1

• May 1, 2012
• Errol Craig Sull

Students know that in any online course assignments will be required, and students expect the online educator to read the assignments and give feedback that can help them improve their understanding of the subject and improve grades on future assignments in the course. All instructors give feedback—but there is an approach to grading assignments that is merely okay, and another that involves grading mini lessons in the subject matter while also motivating the students to do better. It is this latter approach that must be practiced so that the student can do the maximum learning in the online environment.

The following suggestions (broken into two parts: outside the assignments, i.e., for the course in general, and inside the assignments, i.e., approaches to grading each major assignment) will ensure that you offer students the most useful and positive grading.

Post a worksheet that helps students view your online assignment comments. Many students are new to online courses, and thus have not had experience with assignments being marked and graded online. This could translate into students not having their computers correctly set so they can see your reviewing/tracking feature comments. To minimize this problem, post a sheet—on day one—somewhere in class that students can always access, to give them instructions on how to properly set their computers to view your comments.

Send the students an email indicating that you expect the first assignment grade to be their lowest of the course. Students are often shocked by their first grades in a course, especially if they are new to college, new to the subject (or have not taken a course in the subject for quite some time), and/or you are the type of instructor who is especially thorough. These low grades can be discouraging, but you can offset this by posting an announcement that lets students know you expect their first grades to be the worst in the course (as they have not had prior feedback or assistance from you), and that what is most important in your course is their overall improvement. Further, tell the students that rather than being upset by the grade they should use it as a guide to help them improve. Add that you are not concerned about it because you know the students will simply build on it and become better.

Be sure there are ample resources available to assist students throughout the course. Students will have textbooks and other course-mandated resources, but anything additional you can add to help students understand their lessons in the course, and thus give them as much information as possible to do quality assignments, is a huge plus. Remember that any course set up by a school offers information for the general class; it is you, the instructor, who can augment these resources through additional readings, helpful websites, audio/video clips, and other items that offer additional insights, explanations, and information on the subject(s).

Prior to each upcoming major assignment, post motivational and reminder announcements. Start off each week or session prior to the next major assignment with an announcement, using an audio file such as .mp3 or creating audio using NanoGong, to personalize your concerns and interests in students doing well. This message reminds students of major errors you have seen in the most recent assignment, your suggestions for doing well on the next assignment, and the connection between this academic assignment and their real world of work. This last item is especially important, as it is a nice link between what may seem like work to merely get a grade and preparation to enhance their efforts in the professional workplace.

No matter how clear and detailed your comments, expect students to write “I-don’t-get-it” emails. You could win a Nobel Prize for assignment feedback clarity and students will always write to you about how they are confused, don’t understand, or need more clarification. This is a great thing, actually, and seldom has anything to do with your feedback not being good enough. Rather, you have students who really are interested in improving, to the point that they want to fully understand what you’ve pointed out. These students have taken the time to ask for more feedback (with some exceptions, the ones who really don’t care are not going to take the time to ask for additional assistance). Even if the student’s primary reason for asking is to receive a good final grade in the course, this gives you an opportunity to teach a bit more. So be sure to respond to the student in a timely manner by email, audio message, or phone.

Note: Part 2 of this article will appear on Thursday.

Errol Craig Sull has been teaching online courses for 17 years and has a national reputation in the subject, and in writing about and conducting workshops on distance learning. He is currently putting the finishing touches on two online-teaching books.

Excerpted from Teaching Online with Errol: The Online Educator’s Complete Guide to Grading Assignments. Online Classroom (April 2011): 6,8.

• Errol Craig Sull has been teaching online courses for more than 15 years and has a national reputation in the subject, both writing and conducting workshops on it. He is currently putting the finishing touches on his next book—How to Become the Perfect Online Instructor.

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