ASU Online Master Class: Foundations for Excellence in Teaching

Online: Assignment Tracker

This assignment tracker is an optional management tool to help you track when items have
been completed and submitted. This document is offered to those who would like to track their
progress manually. Specific dates are found in the Open edX course.

PRE-REQUISITE COURSES (completed the week before starting Master Class)

Keeping Yourself Safe Online and Strategies for Successful Online Learning

WEEK 1 (due prior to the first week of Master Class 11:59 PM/23:59 EAT)
To Complete by first Wednesday of Master Class Completed (X)

Module 0: Privacy & Academic Integrity Agreements (not graded)

Module 0: Syllabus Quiz (graded, other materials locked until this is done)

WEEK 1 (assignments due Wednesday after Master Class week one starts at 11:59 PM EAT -
see course outline on platform for specific dates)

Assignments Completed (X)

Module 0: Padlet Post – Introductions (graded)

Module 1: Quiz, Pedagogy & Student Support (graded)

Module 2: Quiz, Quality Matters & Bloom’s Taxonomy (graded)

Module 2: Course Content Alignment Response (graded)

Module 2: Muddiest Point Discussion (used in final assignment)

WEEK 2 (assignments due Wednesday at the end of the second week at 11:59 PM EAT - see
course outline on platform for specific dates)
Assignments Completed (X)

Module 3: Quiz, Social Constructivism and Interactions (graded)

Module 3: Video Discussion, Designing for Interaction (used in final

assignment)

Module 4: Quiz, Course Content Development (graded)

Module 4: Problem-Solution Discussion Board (used in final assignment)

Module 5: Instructor Presence Video Script (graded)

Module 5: Final Reflection I – Lessons Learned (graded based on work in

Modules 1, 2, 3, and 4)

Module 5: Final Reflection II – Action Plan (graded)

Hello every one! I am Abdissa Demise, from Ambo University Department of Economics. I have
Masters Degree in Development Economics and currently attending my PhD program in
Financial Economics at Jimma University. I served in Ambo University as a lecturer for last 9
years. Now, I am specializing my study to make my self skillful and capable in problem solving
matters in areas of Economics and Finance, which is blood of our world's economy specially in
developing countries including Ethiopia. Hence, the on-going macroeconomic problems of our
country can only be alleviated or resolved if we work on it by having some updated knowledge.

I used to read and watch some new important things that go with my hobbies and character, in
my par time.

Hello Tile! My former class mate. Nice to meet you here! We passed an interesting time while
we were leaning our first degree at Ambo University. I hope you are fine and looking forward for
your future career. Abdissa Demise

Tilahun Tolemariam

Hi Girma! Nice to meet you on this training. It is good opportunity to have such events for our
online teaching tasks. I hope, we will enjoy the training. Abdissa Demise

Girma Geleta

During this module, we'll discuss basic concepts of pedagogy, common characteristics
of online students, how we can meet students' educational needs, and share tips on
helping them succeed in the online environment.
Learning Objectives

CO1: Experience and interpret online learning from a student perspective

CO2: Design alignment- and standard-driven content for online course instruction.

In this module, participants will:

 Identify key components of online student success in regional and specific context (CO1
& CO2)
 Demonstrate proficient Open edX LMS navigation from a student perspective (CO1)

Pedagogical Terms

Asynchronous
Active learning Backward Design
Instruction
Blended or Hybrid Course Constructivism Experiential Learning
Formative Learning Management
Flipped Classroom
Assessment System (LMS)
Learning Objective/Learning
Pedagogy Scaffolding
Goal/Learning Outcome
Summative Assessment Synchronous
 Instruction

Student Demographics

Level 2 headings may be created by course providers in the

future.
It’s important for online instructors to know their student demographics and personas. This will
help them support their learners' needs during instruction. Helpful things to know include:

 Institutional demographics
 Course demographics
 Some individual characteristics of students (called "personas") to help you design

Module 2

Module 2: Course Content and Course Quality

During this module, we will learn about online course quality and instructional alignment. This
module's Course Content Alignment assignment provides you the opportunity to practice
integrating Quality Matters (QM) standards in a lesson that you design.

Learning Objectives
CO1: Experience and interpret online learning from a student perspective
CO2: Design alignment- and standard-driven content for online course
instruction.
In this module, participants will:
 Analyze the individual need for standard-driven and objective-based course
design (CO1 & CO2)
 Design a lesson for a course that demonstrates instructional alignment using
a measurable learning objective, supporting materials, and an assessment
(CO1 & CO2)
 Contribute to a learning community (CO1)
 Demonstrate proficient Open edX LMS navigation from a student perspective
(CO1)

The Quality Matters (QM) Program is a faculty-centered, peer review process that is designed to
certify the quality of online and blended courses. QM is a leader in quality assurance for online
education and has received international recognition for its peer-based approach and continuous
improvement in online education and student learning. QM subscribers include community and
technical colleges, colleges and universities, K-12 schools and systems, and other academic
institutions.
As mentioned in the video above, the General Standards of the Quality Matters Rubric
fall into the following categories:

1. Course Overview and Introduction

2. Learning Objectives
3. Assessment and Measurement (Assignments)
4. Instructional/Learning Materials
5. Learning Activities and Learner Interaction
6. Course Technology
7. Learner Support
8. Accessibility and Usability

Quality Matters is largely structured to support the alignment of objective-driven courses. In

order to have an objective-driven course, it is important to write appropriate and measurable
learning objectives. The next pages will describe and give practice for the design of measurable
learning objectives.

Learning Objectives

Overview

Learning objectives help answer the question "what do I want students to know and be able to do
upon completion of this course/activity?" Not only are clear objectives important for the
instructor to consider, but they are important for the student to know and understand. Review the
information below to learn more (or refresh your memory) on this important teaching concept.

Objective Builder Tool

Module 3

We will briefly study how to best engage online students through effective interactions and
discussions. Then, we (participants) will share our own ideas for great student interactions in
order to have a repertoire of possible activities and interactions.

One of the most popular ways to support Social Constructivism in an online environment is
through a discussion forum. The next page offers important design components for creating
dynamic discussions.

Let's put your understanding of Social Constructivism to the test. On the next page, you will take
a quiz on the following concepts from this module:

 Social Constructivism
 Student Interactions
 Using Discussions to Socially Construct Knowledge

Module 4

In this module, we'll take a holistic look at course content and its delivery, meaning everything
we choose to put into a course and how we present it to students (and how they receive it). At the
end of this module, use the Course Content Problem-Solution activity to reflect on some of the
challenges with creating digital content and learning experiences along with some of the
solutions.

Copyright and Open Educational Resources for Content Development

Open Educational Resources (OER) content is created with the intent to make learning equitable
by taking away the expensive cost of books. Examples of OER content can range from articles
and assessments to full-fledged courses. Here is a UNESCO video that describes the reason
behind OER.

Content Creation - Videos

Watch: Creating Effective Video Lectures, where presenter Justin Harding covers best practices
and recognized research for creating effective video lectures addressing:


o

 Role of the lecture in learning activities
 Structure for video presentations
 Promoting engagement with videos
 Resources and tools for creating videos

What is hybrid instruction?

Hybrid instruction (sometimes also called blended learning) is a model of instruction in which
courses are not fully online, but the courses are not fully in-person, either; instead, there is a mix
of in-person and online instruction that works toward the achievement of learning objectives.

The time allotted to in-person vs. online instruction in a hybrid course varies based on university
policies and the needs of the course content. For example, a science-based course might host
most lectures and presentations through online videos and then have an in-person component of a
lab, making the in-person expectation only one hour per week. A business course might require
readings and online research as an online component with two hours of in-person seat time
devoted to group work based on the research findings. Each hybrid is preferably constructed
around the time needs of in-person instruction vs. the ability to work asynchronously.
Considerations when working with a hybrid model are the following:

 What aspects of the course are best conducted in person vs. online?
 How much time is necessary for the in-person vs. online components?
 How will the students know the expectations of work? (This is best crafted through a
detailed syllabus, schedule, and online course design.)

Course Content Problem-Solution Group Work

Scroll down for Problem-Solution Results and Discuss on the Next Page

Remember the Problem-Solution survey you filled out in Module 0? Below you will see a list of
the results. In the discussion board on the next page, we will help each other with our greatest
issues regarding course content and delivery. In order to be efficient, here are the steps to help
each other in this discussion board.

Step 1: On this page, review the Problem submissions in the survey results below. Focus on the
ones that have no 'X' in column D.

Step 2: Find at least one topic that interests you--perhaps it's one you can help others solve or it
might be one you have issues with, as well, and you want to search for possible solutions. Put a
checkmark next to it.

Step 3: Look at the discussion board on the next page. See if there is already a title that loosely
fits your topic. If a thread has been started about your topic, click on it, read what has already
been said, and add any helpful information or other questions/considerations you have on that
topic by replying to a comment and submitting it. If no one has started a thread on your topic,
start a new thread by 1) clicking on "Add Post" in the upper right, 2) Adding an informative title
so others know what the topic is and your proposed solution, 3) Adding your question or
consideration concisely in the body of the message, and 4) Clicking "Submit."

Step 4: If you type 'X' in Column D next to the topic you chose, it will help others focus on the
items without an 'X.'

You can do this as many times as you would like with as many topics as you would like.
Remember to take notes on the discussion since, in Module 5, you will be reflecting on the
specific things you learned from your colleagues during this discussion.

How to use AI for this discussion

You can use AI to find solutions for this discussion with the following in mind: 1) Please let us
know you have used AI through a citation. 2) AI might help you find solutions to problems.
Sometimes, however, AI gives solutions that are not contextualized for the specific needs. Please
make sure the solution is appropriate for your region and culture of learning. 3) Long lists that
are often the outputs of AI can be overwhelming; please shorten them to concise points.

Make sure the solution is succinct and to the point by summarizing any long lists to under 250
words.

If you need a reminder of how to post to a discussion board, view this link: How to post to a
discussion board.

Module 5

Instructor Presence