Elements

Read

Provide the full list of weekly readings. Be sure to include a proxy link for journal articles from library databases to ensure students can access from off-campus. Add some text to guide students, including the most important sections as well as guiding questions that students may be asked to answer after later in the module.

Watch

Instructor-created recorded lectures should be chunked into short segments to increase retention of information. Ensure video and audio content is legible and audible to reduce distractions from course concepts.

Additional (i.e. Listen)

Curation of audio/video content from around the web is common in online courses. Instructors add value to this existing content by contextualizing it within the learning arc of the course, and providing guidance on how content relates to their personal and professional lives.

Research

Better transfer of knowledge occurs for learners when content is presented in segments rather than as continuous unit. Learners benefit from having control of the content such as a pause or stop button on recorded lectures (Mayer and Moreno, 2003).

Video lectures have a strong relationship with positive overall learning experience by enhancing a feeling of engagement with content. Their success requires careful planning for a balanced integration and relationship with other course materials (i.e.: avoid duplicating content from readings) (Scagnoli, et al., 2017).