Digital Learning & Design

Online Course Design Roles & Responsibilities

Online course design takes place over many months. It is an involved process requiring collaboration between faculty, the Learning Designer and the Media Lead. The roles and expectations of each are outlined below.

Learning Designer 

  • Consulting with faculty on course learning objectives, alignment, assessments, and digital tools
  • Assisting faculty in creating learning assessments that meet the goals of the course and the needs of the learner 
  • Ensuring course organization is logical, accessible, and engaging
  • Providing resources and guidance to assist faculty in facilitating their course
  • Sharing a course development timeline that clearly delineates major milestones
  • Conducting a quality review of the finished course and informing faculty of changes necessary to meet the needs of the students

Media Lead

  • Consulting with faculty on incorporation of media as part of course design. A media consultation usually explores three factors: 
    • Effectiveness of media in achieving learning objectives, and alignment of media design with other elements of course design 
    • The specific media assets to be developed for the course. Media formats can vary greatly - from self-produced screen recordings and on-location shoots to interactive simulations and multimedia assignments
    • The feasibility of the media development plan: timelines, available resources and faculty’s prior experience
  • Providing templates, milestones, guides and resources to assist faculty in producing original content
  • Handling logistical and technical needs such as studio booking, interface setup and resource management
  • Conducting a quality review of the finished media and informing faculty of changes necessary to meet the needs of the students

Faculty

  • Adhering to the course and media design timeline and meeting milestones on dates specified
  • Developing course, media and assessment content
  • Ensuring content aligns with course objectives
  • Reviewing point values, due dates, and grade book weights for correctness before course launch
  • Gaining basic competence in Canvas and other course tools
  • Designing inclusive and accessible learning experiences