Collaboration, Communication, and Workflow
Communication and collaboration are the keys to a successful course build. Once a team is assembled, all members of the team are notified through email. A shareable OneDrive (Sharepoint) folder may be assigned for each course project. Often, a channel is created on MS Teams for project-related communications and file-sharing. It is customary to use Teams for virtual meetings with build team members, sharing files for collaboration, and asynchronous discussion in the chat.
Self-Check
What is your comfort level with MS Teams and OneDrive? If you don’t feel confident using these methods for communication and collaboration, consider requesting some training from Innovative Learning.
The working relationship between an ID and an SME is at the heart of every course build, and it can be a delicate balance. As the SME, you are the expert in your subject matter, and you may have fully-formed ideas about how to best teach this content. Meanwhile, the ID is the expert in online course design and may have some new ideas you have never before encountered. It will benefit the course to approach your working relationship with your ID with an open mind. At the end of the day, your goal is the same: a great course!
Setting Parameters
Meetings with members of the build team are an opportunity for team members to gain an understanding of all aspects of the course. Before you attend the first meeting, make sure that you have spoken with your Associate Dean and gained answers to all of the following questions:
- What is the target completion date for the course build?
- Is the course a new build, update or a continuation of a previous course?
- Is this course part of a certificate or a program?
- Is the course a micro-credential, certificate, diploma- or degree-level course?
- Is there an existing Course Outline or defined learning outcomes?
- How many hours should the course take, and how many modules will it have?
- What is the mode of delivery (i.e., asynchronous, hybrid, or synchronous)?
Then, during a one-on-one conversation, you and the ID will work together to determine the big picture for the project. This discussion will include exploring guiding questions such as:
- Who are the learners, and what are their needs?
- What prerequisite skills are needed for the course?
- What are the learning outcomes?
- What knowledge and experiences are expected of the learner once they have successfully completed the course?
- What major topics will be covered?
- What learning materials will be presented?
- What technologies and media will be used?
- What specific tasks will the learner do, including formative and summative assessments?
- Are there any other technologies (i.e., edtech) that would be a useful addition to the course?
- Visually, what will the course look like?
- How will the ID contribute to course design, and how will decisions be made between the ID and you?
- What limitations do you have in terms of weekly hours for development work?
- How do you prefer to communicate and collaborate with the ID?
- When must you have module drafts to the ID to meet the milestones deadlines established in the initial team meeting?
Remember, this is the beginning step of a process, and some ideas will evolve during the development of the course. Your ID has been through this process many times, and they will guide you and answer any questions you may have.
If you can, bring the Online Course Design Tool that you completed in Module 4 to your meeting with the ID. This tool is a great way to keep track of the big ideas of your course and communicate them effectively.