The course design spec would allow me to fine tune the course and allow me time to make changes to the course. I can either add information or move information around the different lessons as they are presented to me. This helps the vendor know what the expections are in evaluating the overall course.
It would outline exactly what our approach is going to be. This will aid the outsourcing firm in it's analysis as to what might need to be designed or what would fit into a template that they may already use. Since your shooting for a streamlined process the more steps that can be shorted lessons the amount of work involved as long as it doesn't mean sacrificing content.
Very thorough answer!! Thanks for your input :)
Jane
The CDS would allow me to see content, direction and perform evaluation all at the same time. The time taken here will make the entire development of the course more efficient.You can make corrections and can fine tune the course early in the development. Also it will allow you to see potential pitfalls that can be dealt with early in the process. You will still need to evaluate once the course is implemented but the CDS will allow to hit the ground running.
Carrie,
You are absolutely correct that a course design specification is an excellent tool for communicating the needs of the designer to the developer. This process, however, is often time-consuming so quicker methods are employed in order to get a course up and running. What ends up being created is actually a prototype of of the course rather than the course itself. Through iterations (versions), the course eventually becomes what the designer (instructor) had in mind.
Course development is a dynamic environment where cost vs. benefit, student needs vs. institutional needs, etc. must be considered. And, besides, isn't "versions" how Bill Gates got rich :)
Thanks for your input and have a terrific New Year!!
Jane
Mary,
My bit of advice to you is this...
When designing a course, keep the students' needs in mind at all times. What works online is what works in the traditional classroom; good teaching. Make your courses user-friendly and create an environment where students can feel comfortable and be motivated to learn.
Best of luck to you!
Jane
I don't see how anyone could NOT use a CDS in order to develop an on-line program. No one knows the course and the desired results better than the instructor. I agree hiring a company to assist in the layout is a big help....but they can only put the program together by the information that is contributed by the course developer.
I too will be working with a team to design an on-line curriculum. This course has really helped me understand the basics. There is a tremendous amount of work involved in putting the program together but this has helped me to see the whole picture. And although it is by no means crystal clear, it sure has given me a sense of direction.
I agree with you... preparation and communication are crucial to the structural integrity of any online course.
:)
Jane
The CDS would work much like an outline setting forth the primary objectives and goal. In any project (much like this class) there should be a clearly established intention, followed by a proposed structure, funtion, and end goal to be achieved. Being prepared and establishing clear communication alleviates misunderstanding and miscommunication and produces structural integrity most efficiently.
John,
I am pleased that your found this course helpful. Best of luck to you in designing your online curriculum.
:)
Jane
I will soon be in the process of designing an online curriculum, so this course has been invaluable. Thank you for your input and responses to my previous posts. As for the current question regarding CDS, I believe that completing a course design specification would give me a thorough understanding of what information needs to be implemented into the course, and how that course should be designed. The CDS would also be beneficial to the vendor because it would lessen the liklihood of miscommunication, and hopefully allow the vendor to properly develop the online course.
Caroline,
If the development of the course is outsourced, the design specification document would be provided to the development company and would contain all of the requirements of that course. This document should be complete and clearly written so that development can go smoothly and the instructor, or institution, would have a course that meets their needs.
Make sense?
Let me know if you have any questions. It was nice having you in this class.
:)
Jane
Of course I would be outsourcing the development to a company because I have no idea how they create course. Being the instructor, the goals, objectives, and evaluation are the basis of the whole class.
I need the course Design Specification as well so that I can follow up with the students.
You bring up a good point that the Design Specification document would be a great tool for the vendor.
Some companies prefer to forgo the whole design specification process and choose, instead, to have the vendor design a prototype from a general description of what is required and work from there. Sort of like the old adage "A picture is worth a thousand words."
Perhaps the best method would be the one that is quicker and cheaper; without sacrificing quality, of course.
Have you ever been involved in online course design?
Jane
A Course Design Specification would benefit you and the vendor by giving him/her an idea of exactly what material is needed and the format in which you are going to present it in. It would save you time the it would take to go over details with the vendor because the information would be ready to go.
Dear kelli
You mentioned "to be organized", I like that . Educatores in any form should use all the tools they have to get everything organized, so the students know exactly what they are going to learn and teachers can be introduced as a good teacher.
Shohreh
Hi Jane -
I've helped design courses for a long time. I enjoy it - new courses are
always challenging. But, I have learned that there are no short cuts. I
believe in and always use the five stages of the old military ISD model,
religiously. Properly analyzing the task at hand is critically important.
The term "rapid" sort of scares me! Templates are great - if those using
them are really familiar with the process of instructional development.
Thanks again for your help on this course - it was fun.
Best of luck with your doctoral work!
Dave T.
As a seasoned user of the ISD checklist, would you say that your method is preferable to some type of rapid prototyping method of designing courses? I am interested in your experience in this area.
Thanks, I enjoyed having you in the class.
:)
Jane
Hi Jane - I've enjoyed your course, thanks for your help.
In response to the benefits of Course Design Specifications, we use the specifications at our school as an "ISD checklist". In that way, we can ensure we have done a good "task analysis" and, hopefully, we know what we want from the outsourced company. We also hope it helps answer a lot of questions the course developer will have about the course we want developed.
