Main Content
Syllabus
LDT 832: Designing e-Learning Within Course Management Systems
Hands-on design of didactic and constructivist instructor-facilitated online lessons within the affordances and constraints of course management systems.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library Resources | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Accommodating Disabilities | Additional Policies
Overview
LDT 832 is designed especially for education professionals involved in some way in e-learning. This spans multiple contexts, including K–12, higher education, corporate, medical, and nonprofit environments. A central outcome of this course is to increase your capability to design effective learning via a course management system (CMS).
E-learning and open education resources are in a rapid period of change; we will consider the evidence-based practice of online learning by applying the most up-to-date research on effective online instruction, especially as it relates to the affordances and constraints of the CMS. This will allow you to optimize the learning objects that you design, fully using the internal features of the CMS along with external tools (i.e., leaving the CMS, creating artifacts, and bringing them back inside the CMS).
The course readings, discussions, assignments, and activities lead to and support a major course project that you will develop and deliver. Perhaps more importantly, this course represents a community of inquiry on all aspects of e-learning that is informed through substantive collaboration and enriched by your individual contributions. Each of you, then, has a critical role in supporting and enriching the shared learning space.
Course Objectives
LDT 832 is a hands-on course that follows the absorb (engage), do (create), and connect (include/extend) approach.
The goal for the course is for you to increase your knowledge and skills in these areas:
- concepts and features of online management systems (CMS/LMS/CLMS), including affordances and limitations;
- design skills within a CMS;
- application of and experience with professional communities of practice (or affinity spaces);
- a growing list of external tools available for supporting learning, along with research skills in procuring and implementing these tools within CMS lessons;
- procedures of lesson design within a CMS, along with the various media used in that design;
- discussion moderation as an online facilitator or instructor, including providing learner support during learning and postlesson feedback and assessment;
- the theory and research foundations of learning online; and
- the transfer of these areas from this course to the professional setting.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
Course Requirements and Grading
Participation in External Resources
Throughout the course, we will use a variety of Penn State–approved external resources, such as the Office 365 Apps (i.e.,Viva Engage, etc.), Google Suite, Zoom, and VoiceThread.
Office Hours
Students may schedule individual office hours with the instructor by sending a request via Canvas course mail.
Late Policy
All coursework is due on the date specified on the Course Schedule, except in emergency situations. If your work is turned in past the deadline without prior approval, your assignment will receive 1 point off for lateness for every day it is past due, which may result in a zero grade if it is more than 1 week late. In cases where you have an assignment related to a group activity, lateness will result in a grade of zero for that assignment unless you have received prior approval from the instructor. Please communicate to the instructor early and often if you are having problems, and notify the instructor by Canvas course mail a minimum of 24 hours in advance of any deadlines for permission to submit at a later time.
Course Assessments
Download and keep the detailed descriptions of the course assessments.
| Assessment | Due | Percentage | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction Video | Getting Started lesson | 5% | Create and post a 2-minute introduction video on the existing Class Introduction VoiceThread, telling us who you are and maybe revealing something about yourself. |
| Moderate a Discussion
| Varies | 10% | Sign up one time as the moderator of one of the online course discussions. Research the upcoming topic, write a summary of the topic that is informative and possibly even somewhat provocative (or post an existing paper with permission), insert questions or prompts into the summary for others to engage with, create a space where your topic can be discussed (Google Docs, Viva Engage, Zoom, VoiceThread, etc.), and via Canvas email send everyone directions on how to access your discussion. Then, during that entire week, moderate the discussion by going online often to read and comment on what others are saying. Finally, summarize the important points and distribute the summary to all class members. Sign up as soon as possible to moderate using "Discussion Moderation Sign-Up" in Google Docs. |
| Participation | Weekly | 10% | Each week, read assigned texts and contribute to class discussions. Sign in often and meet with others virtually (i.e., be engaged, participate). |
| Community OER List | Ongoing | 5% | In this crowdsourcing activity, you will add five open education resources (OERs) to the "Community OER List" in Google Docs. Resources include anything helpful or interesting regarding our course: getting tools, using tools, papers, opinions, YouTube clips, lesson plans, videos, websites for teachers, online test tools, CoP sites, and so on. These will be used in a later course discussion. |
| CMS Paper | Lesson 3 and Lesson 4 | 5% | A CMS can be described as a fenced playground. Write a two-page paper (double-spaced and using APA style) to describe the tension between safety and freedom when you use a CMS (e.g., safety of the learners’ identity and records/safety of the institution versus instructor freedom to use nontraditional strategies and merge external tools into CMS lessons). Discuss how you will strike a balance for the age group of learners that you will likely work with. Add it to the course Google Doc "CMS Paper." Then, come back to read and comment on other students' papers. |
| Community OER Discussion | Lesson 4 | 5% | In the Community OER Discussion, held in Viva Engage, you will post your top OER (one or more) and then explore and discuss what others posted (e.g., note the best of the best, the five-star reviews). The intent is to generate interest for tips and tools. Tag your post with #OER. |
| Social Network Paper: Part A | Lesson 5 | 1% | During the course, you will participate in one or several professional or hobbyist social networks or blogs (e.g., the blogosphere, Viva Engage groups, Facebook, a community of practice or affinity space, or other social network of your choice). For Part A of the paper, write a paragraph to describe the social learning space that you selected. Add it to the course Google Doc called “Social Network Paper: Parts A & B.” |
| CMS Lesson Prep | Lesson 8 | 5% |
Submit a one- to two-paragraph design document that includes your intended audience and the topic for your CMS lesson. |
| Blue Sky Paper | Lesson 11 and Lesson 12 | 5% | Oddly enough, quite dissimilar technology tools tend to converge. For example, consider digital cameras, cell phones, and music players, which started out as three different devices but now have merged into one. Based on the current features of a CMS, plus e-textbooks, iBook software, mobile devices, and the like, describe the CMS of the future that you (and your students) would like to have. What does it have? What can it do? Add it to the course Google Doc called “Blue Sky Paper.” Then come back to read and comment on other students' papers. |
| CMS Lesson | Lesson 12 | 20% | A major culminating project in this course is designing your own CMS lesson. You will select a topic and then develop a lesson in a CMS (Canvas or one of your choosing, as long as everyone can access it). The specifics are intentionally left open to allow you to really target your lesson to your intended topic and audience. That said, it should follow the general design best practices laid out throughout the Horton text and should include an element of each of the following: absorb, do, and connect. It should also include some form of assessment (not necessarily a test, just a meaningful way to either grade or give credit to your learners for their participation; this could be folded into the "Do" activities if that’s appropriate for your design). Be experimental, be creative, and push the envelope. |
| Social Network Paper: Part B | Lesson 13 | 4% | Take Part A of your Social Network Paper and add to it your actual experiences in the social network space(s). Finally, and most important, describe how you might use a social space in your own professional context (i.e., your courses or school clubs). Add it to the course Google Doc called “Social Network Paper: Parts A & B.” |
| Peer Reviews of CMS Lessons | Lesson 13 | 20% (four reviews) | Review four lessons by your classmates. Rate the lessons and then provide specific formative (and helpful) feedback. Sign up for peer reviews using “Peer Reviews of CMS Lessons” in Google Drive. |
| Reflection Paper | Lesson 14 | 5% | Due at the end of the course. Reflect on what you have learned in the course and how you may apply it in the future. |
| Total | 100% |
The following grading scale will be used to determine your overall course grade.
| % of points | Letter grade |
|---|---|
|
93–100
|
A
|
|
90–92.9
|
A-
|
|
86–89.9
|
B+
|
|
83–85.9
|
B
|
|
80–82.9
|
B-
|
|
77–79.9
|
C+
|
|
70–76.9
|
C
|
|
60–69.9
|
D
|
|
0–59.9
|
F
|
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
The schedule below outlines the topics we will be covering in this course, along with the associated time frames and assignments.
Module 1: The CMS and e-Learning
| Readings |
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| Activities |
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| Readings |
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| Activities |
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Module 2: Social Learning
Module 3: e-Learning Design
| Readings |
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|---|---|
| Activities |
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Module 4: Online Assessment
Module 5: Exotic Approaches
Module 6: Conclusion
| Readings |
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|---|---|
| Activities |
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Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
Accommodating Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Additional Policies
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
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Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
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For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Principles