1. Bring the newest technology to the online classroom
Creating a successful online course will usually depend on the use of appropriate technology. Instructional Designers can take all the guesswork out of picking the right technology for your course, learning how to use it, and even setting it up in your course site. Students have come to expect a seamless, functional, and fluid experience in their online lives, and staying current in the latest technology is the only way to meet their expectations. With your Instructional Designer doing that research and implementation, your time can be better spent developing content and interacting with your students.
2. Break the technological barriers
Learning management systems, such as Canvas LMS, are constantly being updated and redesigned. New tools and services get integrated in the systems at every update. It takes a dedicated professional, like your Instructional Designer, to stay on top of these changes and make sure that your course site remains functional. Your Instructional Designer can create personalized tutorials for any function, tool, software, or task you like upon request. From day-to-day course management to hands-on, in-person training, Instructional Designers can empower you with the knowledge and assistance you need to deliver your content to students.
3. Apply your content with best practices
Taking your content from a traditional, on-campus course and bringing it to the online classroom can be challenging. FIU Online has over a decade of experience in creating rich and engaging online learning experiences from that same on-campus content you already use. Our Instructional Designers are trained in the latest best practices to employ your content in ways students can intuitively consume and master.
4. Maximize your personal presence in large classes
Engaging your students on a one-to-one basis can be difficult in large class sizes. Making a student feel that you are invested in their education can be made easier with the right technology, and with a dedicated Instructional Designer helping you through the process. You can automate weekly check-ins, conduct live discussions, as well as use web-based services to automate personalized feedback on assignments.
5. Connect to university resources
Florida International University has a host of departments dedicated to making students’ lives easier. Your Instructional Designer can act as liaison to other departments or resources, helping to bridge the gap between on-campus and online students. You can have your Instructional Designer set up links and activities with the digital librarian, connect students to tutoring services, and even resume writing and interview coaching with the Career Services department.
Professor Elio is an example to follow. He invests his time to find great Open Educational Resources for his class- VIC3400—Visual Design for Globalized Media. It not only saves the students important amounts of money but he also takes full advantage of FIU’s online platform. He also provides the students with more diverse information that is better contextualized.
For his commitment, I’m a grateful student.