This is an effort to map my own current learning design as I do it in both onsite and online classes, but with an emphasis on the concepts we’ve been learning this week:
Looking at this, I certainly do not allow a great deal of independence, but my system is integrated and answers the needs of assessing 150-200 students per semester (my regular load is 5 classes, which always start out full).
I have provided a conscious 70/30 balance between factual/content-based expressions of learning and thematic/analytical/higher-level expressions of learning. Students who get the factual stuff only get a C; to get higher requires expression of analysis.
I would like to develop a more connectivist, learner-centered design, perhaps for an honors course. My main problem is distributed assessment, so I am paying a lot of attention to the ideas this week.
Lisa's CCK08 Wordpress Blog 
Lisa,
Does this mean you apply this design to every course you teach? For my history and politics courses at 2nd and 3rd year university level, I follow a similar pattern but no multiple choice test. I fact, I no longer test. Whether for a live or online course, I use discussion groups to get students interacting witht he content , commenting, and feddaing off of each other. (Everyone is required to make online posts. Grades generally run 20% for 4 disscussion topics, and then essays the other 80%. 2 of 4 essays have a specific subject (usually options)and the last 2 essays are the students choice. So the fist 2 assingments teach studnets how to reasearch, use various resources, and write and analyzie. The last 2 assingments give them free reign and they get to prove their research and writing technique.
Now for the information domains for my day job, because each client is different, I end up with differtn elearning designs depending on whether certification is needed etc.
Comment by Bradley Shoebottom — October 25, 2008 @ 12:05 am