2.1 Online course design, structure, and format considerations
Designing better online courses is a challenge that needs to be met first by understanding the classroom in which the instructor will be operating. Some universities have guidelines about whether or not a course must be synchronous , in which the class and the instructor are expected to meet at designated times to do lecture or other activities, or if the course may be asynchronous,allowing for students to view lectures or notes and complete activities on a flexible schedule. Courses that are asynchronous may need to emphasize self-guided activities (Table 1 ), such as minute papers or self-assessment. Other courses may be what are termed hybrid courses, in which some part of the learning experience is online. Commonly, this takes the form of lectures being viewed before class, and class time being spent on an activity (also called a flipped classroom ). As the pandemic continues, hyflex learning , in which the instructor delivers a live class to students who may be online or present in the room, may play an important role for students with health vulnerabilities who cannot safely return to campus.
When creating online course content, instructors should be deliberate in their selection of materials and assignments. Using the UDL framework to create original content or to select existing content is critical. This framework is also important for creation of an online space or page as instructors should think carefully about how students will interact with the interface. Additionally, using backwards design and scientific teaching practices to develop online modules and content will aid in making the course cohesive and easy to follow. When creating online assignments, making sure to use transparent communication about what students are asked to do, why they are asked to do it, and how they will be assessed can aid in student success and in building a trusting online classroom. Not all online teaching styles allow for interaction between faculty and students. Finding meaningful ways to authentically communicate with students is important, especially for culturally competent teaching and trauma-informed teaching. Being able to convey growth mindset and metacognitive learning techniques to online learners will require instructors to carefully choose their communication mode (e.g., written, audio, video, etc.) and their conveyed message. Lastly, many aspects of inclusive teaching focus on student motivation, engagement, and belonging, and this should be considered when developing online courses. For some tips on how to engage and connect with students in an online environment, see recommendations by Darby (2020).
Creating an engaging online environment can be done with any of the above delivery modes, but how this is done will likely differ. For example, asynchronous delivery of online lecture video can be effective and engaging for students, but the method of presentation impacts student engagement and satisfaction (Choe et al, 2019). Choe and colleagues tested 6 methods of online lecture video creation in an upper division physiology course and found that although scores on summative assessments did not differ following the 6 styles, student satisfaction and rating of effectiveness of styles did (Choe et al, 2019). Instructors may want to focus on video design that highlights personal connection and engagement as these factors were rated most highly by students (see Choe et al, 2019 for more details and examples); these are also important aspects of inclusive classrooms. Additionally, courses that combine synchronous and asynchronous approaches align with the UDL framework and give students the opportunity to select the modality that best fits their situation (Zydney et al, 2020) and can increase engagement and motivation. Lastly, while online lab courses may lose the actual hands-on component, through the application of active learning principles (Table 1 ), students can still apply, analyze and evaluate, and instructors may even be able to incorporate activities that allow students to reach the pinnacle of Bloom’s taxonomy, and create new knowledge (see Section 3.2).