PUTTING YOUR COURSE ONLINE ON SHORT NOTICE 
BY TERESA POTTER, URSULINE COLLEGE
THE BASIC MODEL 
Start with your classroom goals, 
and then find ways to translate 
those goals to be delivered by 
technology.
THE BASIC STEPS 
1. What are your goals in the classroom? What would you need to do for 
students to meet those goals outside of the classroom? 
2. How will you assess their learning? How will you know if students have 
met the objectives? 
3. How will you deliver content? 
4. What interaction and engagement opportunities do they need 
between themselves and the content, between themselves and their 
classmates, and between themselves and you? 
5. How will you communicate this information to your students?
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS IN THE CLASSROOM? 
 Learning Goals 
 Personal Goals
HOW WILL YOU ASSESS THEIR LEARNING? 
Examples: 
1. Writing assignment – formal, informal, lengthy or 
brief, using technology to turn in assignment or turn in 
next face-to-face meeting, or something else… 
2. Test: D2L auto graded objective answer quiz or in-class 
quiz, essay questions, or something else… 
3. Something else: project (big or small), research 
project (formal or informal), graded D2L discussion, 
presentation next class, etc
HOW WILL YOU DELIVER CONTENT? 
Examples: 
1. Provide a written version of what you would have 
presented. If you had prepared a Power Point, add 
notes to support the information that would have been 
added. 
2. Find articles and written information that present the 
information you would have presented. 
3. Find other media to present the information: Videos, 
podcasts, documentaries, charts, graphs, etc. 
How will you get this information to them? Do you just 
need to give them a link or do something more?
WHAT INTERACTION AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES DO 
THEY NEED TO MEET THE GOALS OF THE CLASS? 
3 types of 
interaction: 
Student-Content 
Student-Student 
Student-Instructor
EXAMPLES OF INTERACTION AND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES 
1. Crate individual activities they can complete to engage 
with the content: informal research, creating a presentation 
or project, case studies, webquest, etc. 
2. Ask them to work in groups for an activity: Give them a 
topic to research and discuss in a discussion board. Ask them 
to collect and present information to the class (through 
discussion board, or email, or next class), ask them to 
collaborate on case studies, etc. How will you facilitate group 
work from afar? 
3. Do they need to interact with you directly to meet the 
objectives? Can you do this form afar? Could you moderate 
a discussion, give feedback on rough drafts through email, 
be available by phone for questions?
HOW WILL YOU COMMUNICATE THIS PLAN BEFORE IT IS 
NEEDED? 
It is important you let students 
know what to do in advance 
before class is canceled. 
Will they know you will email them instructions? Should 
they check D2L for a news item or for an “Online 
Class” module to be released if needed? What are 
your expectations for turning in work that was due on 
that day? What are your expectations for students 
who might have technical problems?

Putting your course online on short notice

  • 1.
    PUTTING YOUR COURSEONLINE ON SHORT NOTICE BY TERESA POTTER, URSULINE COLLEGE
  • 2.
    THE BASIC MODEL Start with your classroom goals, and then find ways to translate those goals to be delivered by technology.
  • 3.
    THE BASIC STEPS 1. What are your goals in the classroom? What would you need to do for students to meet those goals outside of the classroom? 2. How will you assess their learning? How will you know if students have met the objectives? 3. How will you deliver content? 4. What interaction and engagement opportunities do they need between themselves and the content, between themselves and their classmates, and between themselves and you? 5. How will you communicate this information to your students?
  • 4.
    WHAT ARE YOURGOALS IN THE CLASSROOM?  Learning Goals  Personal Goals
  • 5.
    HOW WILL YOUASSESS THEIR LEARNING? Examples: 1. Writing assignment – formal, informal, lengthy or brief, using technology to turn in assignment or turn in next face-to-face meeting, or something else… 2. Test: D2L auto graded objective answer quiz or in-class quiz, essay questions, or something else… 3. Something else: project (big or small), research project (formal or informal), graded D2L discussion, presentation next class, etc
  • 6.
    HOW WILL YOUDELIVER CONTENT? Examples: 1. Provide a written version of what you would have presented. If you had prepared a Power Point, add notes to support the information that would have been added. 2. Find articles and written information that present the information you would have presented. 3. Find other media to present the information: Videos, podcasts, documentaries, charts, graphs, etc. How will you get this information to them? Do you just need to give them a link or do something more?
  • 7.
    WHAT INTERACTION ANDENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES DO THEY NEED TO MEET THE GOALS OF THE CLASS? 3 types of interaction: Student-Content Student-Student Student-Instructor
  • 8.
    EXAMPLES OF INTERACTIONAND ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES 1. Crate individual activities they can complete to engage with the content: informal research, creating a presentation or project, case studies, webquest, etc. 2. Ask them to work in groups for an activity: Give them a topic to research and discuss in a discussion board. Ask them to collect and present information to the class (through discussion board, or email, or next class), ask them to collaborate on case studies, etc. How will you facilitate group work from afar? 3. Do they need to interact with you directly to meet the objectives? Can you do this form afar? Could you moderate a discussion, give feedback on rough drafts through email, be available by phone for questions?
  • 9.
    HOW WILL YOUCOMMUNICATE THIS PLAN BEFORE IT IS NEEDED? It is important you let students know what to do in advance before class is canceled. Will they know you will email them instructions? Should they check D2L for a news item or for an “Online Class” module to be released if needed? What are your expectations for turning in work that was due on that day? What are your expectations for students who might have technical problems?