Creating Assignments and Activities
In the videos below, we will think about traditional assignments and how we might refresh them or modify them for an online class. To explore this concept further, consider enrolling in Fundamentals of Online Course Design, a free professional development opportunity facilitated by CAS Instructional Designer, Angel Muzik.
The Purpose of Assignments and Activities
Have you ever taken the time to consider why you assign activities or homework in your classes? That may seem like a silly question, but as instructors we can easily get caught up in the need to assign grades or to show that our students are "getting their money's worth," so to speak. It can feel like we need to make sure our students are producing something. But simply finishing a set of homework problems doesn't necessarily equate to learning. We must be intentional with the assignments and activities we ask our students to complete.
As you're watching this video, think about the online course you are planning as well as any other courses you teach (both in-person and online). Consider:
- What types of assignments and activities do you ask your students to complete?
- What is the purpose of those assignments and activities? Is it to allow practice or just to grade them?
- Are those assignments and activities intentional; do they align with the learning objectives of the course?
- Are you using assignments and activities as an opportunity to provide valuable, timely feedback to your students so that they benefit from the experience, or are you just grading and moving on?
Watch The Purpose of Assignments and Activities Video
Creating Activities and Assignments for Online Classes
We all know how to create activities and assignments for our in-person classes, but moving to online requires a few extra steps. Most activities and assignments you have your students do in person will work well for the online environment or may only require a few modifications to work, but some will require a complete overhaul. The video below will look at 5 things for you to consider when creating activities and assignments.