Over a number of years, a team of educators created a large number of online courses across a number of academic disciplines. This team was tasked with designing and developing highly engaging, cohort-based courses for degree, certificate and diploma programs. Key components of the process were the use of literature-supported instructional design practices and an integrated team of instructional designers, editors, course production technicians and course writers. The courses were created to promote student success, to coincide with the eCampus Alberta Essential Quality Standards and to provide opportunities for students outside of normal business hours and the universities’ traditional catchment area.
The result of this was the creation of a collection of engaging, interactive, fully online courses that use existing online tools in innovative ways to promote successful learning spaces for students and instructors. In theory, the application of informed instructional design practices has allowed for new learning opportunities. This has presented further insights that may lead to a further refinement of instructional design concepts and their application with post-secondary online courses. In practice, this demonstrates the potential usefulness of online tools whose use has often become mundane and commonplace.
Of Interest to: Online and distance education, Post-secondary education, Instructional Designers, Educational Technologists
