How to design and facilitate an online course

The course is comprised of ten modules which, combined, will require an estimated 50 hours of study. The course is designed to be completed within three months. It starts on ------------------ and ends on -------------- . You will need to work on each module in the time frames specified below. The duration given for each module is only an estimate and suggests the average time necessary to complete all exercises.

Every module comprises of the Learning in Module section, containing learning outcomes for each module, Introduction containing the most important elements required for the exercises (group and/or individual) and supporting materials such as links to instructions or external resources.

MODULE 2 :: Developing competences, is dedicated to the topic which will be required for all the remaining modules. It will be helpful to familiarise yourself with this part before starting on the exercises in the other modules.

MODULE 1 :: Introduction and Warming up (dates,  2h 30 min)

The objective of this module is for the participants to master the platform in order to be able to participate comfortably, to get to know other participants and course facilitators, as well as to plan their learning for the course.

As a result of this module you will be able to:

• explain the importance of introduction and personal touch in online learning,
• use the course platform to a degree which allows participation in the course.

MODULE 2 :: Developing Competences (dates, 3h 30min)

The objective of this module is to identify the competences you have as teachers and reflect on how you can make sure that your students have achieved the desired (vocational) competences.

 As a result of this module you will be able to:

• explain what is competence,
• identify your own competences as teachers,
• analyse which competences can be acquired by using ICT,
• explain the link between competences and evidence.

MODULE 3 :: Exploring e-learning (dates, 4h)

The objective of this module is to observe various forms of e-learning in the context of VET.

As a result of this module you will be able to:

• identify different forms of e-learning,
• analyse elements of e-learning courses,
• consider the possibilities of using various e-learning forms in own vocational context.

MODULE 4 :: Designing e-tivities (dates, 6h)

The objective of this module is for participants to gain the skills necessary for designing e-tivities.

As a result of this module you will be able to:

• explain the concept of e-tivities,
• explain the role and importance e-learning outcomes,
• design e-tivities useful for the specific vocational subject you teach,
• write learning outcomes applying SMART criteria.

MODULE 5 :: Motivation (dates, 5h 30 min)

The aim of this module is to explain the complex mechanisms that motivate and demotivate participants of e-learning education programs with emphasis on the VET context. 

As a result of this module you will be able to:

• outline the factors that influence the levels of motivation among the participants of an e-learning course,
• use selected methods to stimulate activity among the participants.

MODULE 6 :: Group work (dates, 8h)

The objective of this Module is to achieve necessary skills to design an e-tivity for group work.

As a result of this module you will be able to:

• develop skills to collaborate in a group work.
• being aware of skills for facilitating group work.
• desing an e-tivity based on group work.
• know the characteristic of the group work.

MODULE 7 :: Moderating online forum discussion (dates, 7h)

The objective of this Module is to gain the skills required for planning and facilitating online discussions and reacting to certain problems in the context of VET. 

As a result of this module you will be able to:

• plan online discussions,
• facilitate online discussions,
• manage the discussion forum tool in an online environment.

MODULE 8 :: Developing e-learning resources (dates, 6h 30 min) 

The objective of this Module is to provide an overview of various ways a teacher can develop their own learning resources as well as to gain skills in developing basic learning resources for vocational subjects.

As a result of this module you will be able to:

• explain the options for and advantages of developing own e-learning resources for VET,
• create simple videos and publish them online,
• analyze and compare good and bad instructional videos,
• become aware of free tools for content development,
• plan instruction in which students create learning resources.

MODULE 9 :: Online resources - reusing, sharing and evaluating  (dates, 4h 30 min)

The objective of this Module is to gain skills in searching, selecting, re-using, sharing and  evaluating  online resources for your vocational subject(s) required to achieve selected learning objectives.

As a result of this module you will be able to:

• explain the difference between using copyrighted content and Open Educational Resources,
• understand how to select, re-use and evaluate online resources,
• apply conditions of Creative Commons licenses,
• select resources according to learning outcomes.

MODULE 10 :: The role of the facilitator (dates, 2h 30 min)

The objective of this Module is for participants to gain skills in organising own work as a facilitator of an e-learning course on a vocational topic, as well as to develop skills in evaluating their own skills. It is also the module in which we will summarize the course.

As a result of this module you will be able to:

• explain the roles and competences of a facilitator in an online course,
• organise the facilitation of an e-learning course,
• evaluate own facilitating skills,
• visualise data on own progress.

End of the course  - date