Resources
Design a Class
Begin with the End in Mind
4 Articles
Create or Modify a Syllabus
4 Articles
Develop Class Content and Activities
5 Articles
Structure a Course
5 ArticlesAll Articles
VU Essential Course Quality Standards
Overview There are specific expectations for all courses taught at Vanguard University, in addition to any further requirements established within...
Vanguard University Syllabus Template
While there is latitude for syllabi to look and feel vastly different from one another, some common elements must be...
Explore Backward Design
Backward design is a very useful model for designing courses for face-to-face, hybrid. or online settings. Wiggins and McTighe, in...
Connect Learning Outcomes and Backward Design
Compare Learning Outcome Models Wiggins and McTighe’s (2005) backward design model “Understanding by Design” also includes a taxonomy that integrates cognitive, affective,...
Gather, Make and Structure Content
As you design your course based on your desired learning outcomes, it is important to think through what parts of...
Structure Your Course
If you’re to the putting it together stage we’re going to presume you already have the following: Clear and measurable learning outcomes Assessments that...
How Do I Copy Course Content From Canvas Commons?
This step by step video walks you through how to import content from Canvas Commons (An entire course or select...
Communicating Your Plan and Intentions
For a student, the beginning of a new semester can be both exciting to start fresh and frightening to not...
The Purpose and Structure of a Syllabus
A syllabus is both a map of your course and an agreement between you and your students. It’s a resource...
An Approachable Syllabus Writing Style
A syllabus serves many functions in a class. In The Course Syllabus: A Learning Centered Approach (2008, 2nd Ed.) Judith Grunert O’Brien,...
Develop or Revisit Learning Outcomes
Learning outcomes guide your course design. They are the destinations on your course map. Once you know where you’re going, the...
Explore New Content Sources
It is usually easier to adapt or use existing materials than it is to design your own materials from scratch....
Design Active Learning Experiences
In the framework of Backwards Design, learning activities include any type of activity that students undertake to work with the...
Types of Teaching Presence
Teaching presence includes both the planning and forethought that go into building your course and what you do “in the...
Cognitive and Social Presence
Cognitive presence is central to successful student learning. The quality of cognitive presence reflects the quality and quantity of critical...
Communicating with Your Students
Communicating with your students is the core of an online class. Active and timely communication supports teaching presence and when...
Plan Your Course Outcomes, Activities, and Student Workload
The first step in creating/recreating your course is to establish or revisit the learning outcomes of the course. Establish Learning...
Explore Flexible Course Template Repository
The library of Flexible courses that were completed throughout the two cohorts of the DT301 process, and through contracted builds,...
Create Recorded Powerpoint Presentation Assignments
There are many cases where you would like your students to create presentations within Microsoft Powerpoint, and record those presentations...
Decisions Regarding Recording Zoom Sessions
Recordings of live Zoom sessions are sometimes used to allow students to watch a missed class session, to review an...