Building and Launching Courses: Assignments
Creating effective assignments is crucial for engaging students and achieving learning objectives in online courses. Well-designed assignments not only assess student understanding but also promote active learning and critical thinking. Here’s a comprehensive guide to developing and implementing assignments for your online course:
Assignment Settings
- Toggle whether or not you want to allow and/or require a written response; you can do likewise with allowing/requiring a file upload which can include written or video formats. Leave both toggled off if it is an offline assignment.
- You can toggle the Auto-grade setting if you want to allow learners to immediately move on to the next element after submitting.
Types of Assignments
Incorporate a variety of assignment types to cater to different learning styles and objectives:
1. Essays and research papers
2. On-the-job training
3. Case studies
4. Problem-solving exercises
5. Presentations
6. Multimedia projects (videos, podcasts, infographics)
7. Reflective journals
Align with Learning Objectives
Ensure each assignment directly supports your course’s learning objectives. This alignment helps students understand the purpose of the task and how it contributes to their overall learning experience.
Provide Clear Instructions
Offer detailed, step-by-step guidelines for each assignment. Include information on:
- Format requirements
- Submission methods
- Due dates and times
- Grading criteria or rubrics
Break Down Larger Projects
For complex assignments, consider breaking them into smaller, manageable tasks with individual deadlines. This approach helps students stay on track and allows for regular feedback throughout the process.
Incorporate Real-World Applications
Create assignments that allow students to apply their knowledge to authentic, real-world scenarios. This approach helps students see the relevance of course material and prepares them for future professional challenges. One way to do this is to allow students to upload a video of them demonstrating their knowledge of how something works.
Consistent Module Structure
Organize your course into modules with a consistent structure throughout. This predictability helps students navigate the course more easily and manage their time effectively.