teaching online Course Sequencing

Guiding principle

All students must be able to know what they have to do, how they have to do it, where they have to do it, and how they can get help when they need it!

chunking information

When you think about the organization of a classroom textbook, you immediately recognize the importance of modularity. A textbook has a table of contents, and it is divided into chapters that typically focus on one topic, or a set of related topics. Each chapter tends to have a title, learning objectives, and an introduction, which is often followed by reading sections, discussion questions or learning activities. Based on what we know from learning science, publishers organize textbooks to promote student learning. It helps students to chunk the information into manageable pieces so students can more easily digest the new information. Chunking assists working memory, where we manipulate information, because it can only hold a limited amount of information.

Online courses should be designed using a similar approach except instead of using chapters, we call them modules. If our course closely follows the textbook structure, the modules might have the same name as the chapters, or we might group the chapters into units. Sometimes, we might organize our courses around applied projects or themes. Regardless, all of the activities that support the learning of the topic should be contained in the module.

Module organizational structure

Depending on your curriculum, teaching style, and students, you have the freedom to choose how to organize your course; but you need to be consistent. Consistent module design will greatly aid all students in finding what they have to do, and know where they can learn how to do it.

There are many ways to organize modules, each with different advantages and disadvantages.

MODULE BY MODULE

Each module might take a week and cover a topic, concept, book, project, or chapter.

Weeks or Modules: In a full 16-week semester, 16 modules can be created and named to help students stay on pace with course expectations, including place holders for any breaks, such as Spring Break. Modules would have a name such as "Week 1: Introduction to Geology" or "Module 1: Introduction to Geology." Sections taught in shorter/accelerated semesters could be organized into 5, 10, or 12 weeks.

Module by module organization

UNIT BY UNIT

Units/Topics: Using a unit/topic approach, instructors can create modules based on chapters in the textbook or if covering a single topic over a varying number of weeks.

- If a single module covers several weeks, you can still signal this to your students by inserting text header lines to create "sub-modules."

Unit by unit organization

PROJECT BY PROJECT

Projects: This model is very similar to the units/topics model. It uses the project as the module title.

Project by project organization

Typical Learning Module

While you will find many variations on this structure, generally speaking, a typical learning module will be sequenced as follows:

An introduction or overview
The module level learning objectives
All learning materials for that module's topic (readings, external links, videos, etc.)
All learning activities related to that modules topics (recall activities, labs, click-n-learn video lectures, assignments, discussions, practice exercises, etc.)
All assessments of student achievement of the module objectives (self-check, quiz, project, homework, journal)
Conclusion and Looking Ahead

Next, you will learn two different ways you might want to sequence your learning activities within a module.

Additional resources

Share UDL (Universal Design for Learning) Course Design Tips, Tricks, and Techniques (Links to an external site.)
- This blog starts with a discussion about UDL, but then begins to describe examples and models of module structures with graphics.
How do I add a module? (Links to an external site.)
- Canvas Guide on adding a module.