Consider who your students are

Before beginning the design process consider who is taking your course and how that might affect your design. Understanding your students can help you to make decisions about how teaching and learning can best be structured to meet the needs of your diverse learners.

Location

You will need to consider the different time zones of your students so that you can provide appropriate times for synchronous classes as well as deadlines for assignments. Location can also impact what they have access to online. For example, in certain parts of the world access to popular websites, such as Youtube, is restricted.

Access to and comfort with technology/internet

Depending on where students are and their personal circumstances they may not have ready access to a computer or Internet. So, you will want to carefully consider how much time you offer students to complete online tests and assignments and ensure that you are selective about your use of synchronous (real-time) learning.

Class size

Although you will follow similar techniques for all class sizes, how you engage and instruct a 20-student class online versus 100 students will require you to have a different lens, particularly when it comes to communication, time management and instruction. For example, for interactive activities, it will be especially important to communicate clear guidelines for participation. You may also consider how you engage groups within your course. In terms of time management, you might think about chunking your sessions and providing extra time between assignments. In terms of your instruction, taking time to build a sense of community is important and you will want to spend time modelling and setting expectations for netiquette.

Language

Getting to know your students can go a long way when there are language barriers. As with a classroom environment, remembering and pronouncing students’ names can help them to feel included and begin the process of rapport building. You might also consider ways to introduce more visuals into the course to help them understand messages and emphasize key points.  It’s also important to keep your language simple and to stay away from symbols or idioms that students may not necessarily recognize. Finally, it might be worthwhile exploring the use of a buddy system or study groups for your students so they can work together and learn from each other.

Accessibility

When considering accessibility in course design attention should be paid not only to physical limitations, but also to other areas, such as how learners process different types of information. The focus is on how you can design a course so that it is accessible to as many students as possible. For instance, when developing content consider providing multiple representations of the same information and ensuring consistency in what you offer. As an example, when you’re doing audio or visual, make sure that audio and text are the same to ensure that all students have access to the same content. For tests, provide different types of questions if possible (i.e. multiple choice, true or false, short-answer). Note that not all students will self-identify if they have accessibility issues, so it’s important to think about this as you design your online course.

Motivation and attitudes

Every student will have different motivations, attitudes and beliefs when they come into your course. In order to gain information about your students you may consider a survey or introduce social icebreakers throughout the course, particularly during synchronous opportunities. While you may not be able to meet every students’ needs, building relationships with them and thinking about their interests when you’re building assignments or learning activities will enhance your instructor presence and engage them. For instance, develop case studies related to the hobbies or interests of your students.