The Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) offers a semester-long program with support from Instructional Designers and Media Producers to reimagine your course as a fully online teaching and learning experience. We are also available if you need to refresh an existing online course. For instance, you may only need to update specific areas, such as course assessments or activities. Please note that to create a new online course you must have approval from your school’s Dean to develop and run the course. After you receive approval the CTE will partner with you. 

Partnering with Instructional Designers (IDs) can help you:

• Apply research-based instructional design theories and practices to effectively adapt and integrate course materials and activities in an online environment.
• Integrate new technologies into teaching and learning in meaningful and sustainable ways.
• Approach course design from a learner’s perspective.
• Identify the best online format for your course material to amplify your voice online, help students meet learning objectives, and provide meaningful learning experiences.
• Meet GW’s standards for online courses, including the Quality Matters rubric, copyright rules, and accessibility requirements.

Collaborating with Media Producers can help you:

• Effectively communicate concepts, build social presence, and enhance intended learning outcomes.
• Support course learning objectives across modes of communication – such as with high-value graphics, animations, audio tracks and videos.
• Establish a visual identity representative of the nature of your subject matter and one that is consistent with GW expectations and goals.
• Elevate your digital fluency skills.

The Instructional Technology Lab (ITL), Faculty Development, and librarians also support faculty in online course development work.

What a Semester-long Partnership with IC Looks Like

Phase 1: Planning (4 Weeks)

• Compile and share your course materials.
• Discuss your course goals, needs, and what makes your course unique  
• Begin mapping the course by, identify learning objectives, assessments, and other course components.
• Plan the course media.

Phase 2: Design (4 Weeks)

• Curate third-party materials, as needed, to meet copyright and accessibility standards.
• Finalize course syllabus and policies.
• Finalize course activities, assignments, and grading criteria 
• Pre-produce media, by creating  story concepts, scripts, and  recordings.

Phase 3: Development and Production (6 Weeks)

• Solidify instructional delivery with media recording in-studio.
• Build the course in Blackboard.

Phase 4: Evaluation (2 Weeks)

• Receive a Quality Matters review.
• Attend a meeting with the ITL to ensure that your course functions the way you anticipate.

Snapshot of a “Typical” Week

Some things you can expect when partnering with the Center for Teaching Excellence in online course development:

• Weekly or bi-weekly meetings with an ID to track progress and develop course components during the semester, for a total of 16 weeks.
• Regular email communication with the ID and MP to address questions about development.
• Consistent collaboration with the ID and MP on key components, depending on the phase. For instance, during Phase 1, you and the ID will focus on course mapping, which includes course and module objectives that form the backbone of the course.
• Sharing course materials and ideas with your ID and MP.

Principles Used in Online Course Design

The Center for Teaching Excellence is dedicated to using effective, evidence-based practices for online teaching and learning. We emphasize active learning and engagement between students and instructors. For more information about the course design principles employed in our online course development processes, please see the Course Design page. For more information, use the form to contact the Center for Teaching Excellence.

Maintaining Your Online Course

For help maintaining your online course materials while or after you teach, refer to these tips for support. The CTE also offers maintenance support, so please contact us if you need help with this.