Our Course Development Process
The Office of Online Education takes an approach to developing online and hybrid courses that is cross-disciplinary, team-based, and highly individualized. We recognize that each of UNLV's colleges is unique, and as a result, each online course takes a different path in its development. Your subject matter expertise and involvement are key to the quality of the course development and our successful collaboration.
The information below provides an overview of the process, who you will be working with, and the steps you can take to plan for a successful course development.
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Departmental Course Development Resources and Tip Sheets
Course Development Planning and Time Management
The development of fully online, hybrid, or agile courses occurs prior to the start of the semester in which the course will be offered. As a result, a great deal of advanced planning and preparation are necessary.
Course development typically begins at least eighteen weeks prior to the start of the semester, in order to have a new online course fully developed one week prior to the start of the semester. Complex online courses requiring specialized instructional design, learning interactives, or videos may require more than eighteen weeks to develop.
Course Development Team Roles
A course development team is formed to collaborate with you as the subject matter expert once the course development is approved. As a team, you work together to translate an existing face-to-face course to the online environment or conceive how an entirely new class would be designed to be successfully offered online. The expertise of the team members also helps ensure that courses are accessible to all students.
Revisions Process
Online courses are iterative and should be adjusted or tweaked throughout the life of the course. The Office of Online Education supports faculty in making those changes after the first semester a departmental course is taught. There is an incentive available for making data driven revisions to a new departmental online course. Possible revision options may include:
- Improvements to specific areas based on data collected about the course (for example: improving discussions, adding/revising videos, and adding/revising interactives).
- Finishing media discussed, but not completed, during the new departmental course development process.
- Conversion from hybrid course to a departmental online course.
For more information please contact Christine Ditzler, Associate Director of Operations at online@unlv.edu.