Designing Our Courses

How do you put together a course in a virtual or “blended” setting—where some students might be in class and others might be online? Below are links to several resources—including vide of two fairly comprehensive W&L workshops. In the end, there are plenty of options. The key is to choose models that feel right for your courses, your students, and your style of teaching. Then stick with them.

Designing for Agility, Part 1 and Part 2

This two-day W&L workshop — Part 1 and Part 2 — provides a top-to-bottom approach for how to design your courses at a time when none of us really know what the future will bring. Co-lead with Dr. Jeanine Stewart, former dean of W&L.

Four Models for HiFlex Course Design

From the Open CoLab at Plymouth State University.

Seven Models for Fall Instruction

These come from Clemson University. Only explore if you’re comfortable having your head explode.

Spring Term Course Design Workshops at W&L

Four videos and related powerpoint from our pre-Spring Term workshop on how to put together an experiential course. Particular topics include:

  • Creating Effective Course Goals;
  • Structuring Our Courses;
  • Building Community; and
  • Managing the Course to Maintain Our Sanity.

Three Models for Blended Instruction

Check out these different models outlined by Gary Hawkins of Warren Wilson College. He also includes a weekly sketch of what each model would look like in practice.

The Tutorial Approach

A brief essay by a neuroscientist on one simple but productive way to approach virtual instruction.

The Zoomflex Model

A brief and effective video describing one very reasonable model for structuring our courses on a daily basis to accommodate face-to-face, virtual, and asynchronous students.

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