T2 – Evaluating Principles of Online Design

Roberta McKnight, Florida Gulf Coast University, USA
Instructor e-mail: RMcKnigh@fgcu.edu

One mission of Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has been integration of web-based courses to support student-centered and flexible instruction.  To this end, a study group identified and refined guiding principles of best practice for web-based instruction. In an effort to implement and assess the integration of these principles, a measure or checklist was developed. The Design Checklist was developed to:

• Serve as a brief and efficient guide for faculty to use to incorporate best practices. 

• Provide an assessment measure for continuous improvement and redesign. 

• Identify exemplars that could serve as examples to new faculty. 

This workshop for instructional designers, web developers, faculty, and administrators will review this measure along with the Principles of Online Design as a basis for systematic development and evaluation of web-based courses. Following this tutorial, participants will be able to:

• identify pedagogical components that comprise best practice,

• utilize a systematic approach to online instruction,

• understand the processes used to develop and seek faculty approval,

• improve accessibility for online learners, and

• determine student readiness for distance learning.

An overview of the principles and checklist will lead to discussion and questions from participants.