Course Enhancement
Whether you created a new course, redesigned a course to fit a new schedule, or moved online or face-to-face, the chances are that after you've run your first class you're going to have some reflections based on that experience. You might want to update the presentations of an inherited course, create new assignments or modify previous ones, bring in more multimedia, or any number of other possibilities.
The following page serves as a bit of a Smörgåsbord of ways in which a course can be enhanced, all of which can be applied to face-to-face, online, and hybrid courses. These descriptions, and examples, are here for inspiration. Remember, though, that the CPS Design Team is here to discuss your course enhancements with you and support your development of them.
For more examples please see the Blackboard Community.
Animation
Introducing animation to your course can be a great way of explaining complex issues while visually engaging the students, for explaining chronologies or spatial differences, or even creating interactive infographics that allow for deeper dives into the materials.
Animations can also be included in videos posted in the course to make them look more "polished" and professional.
Assignments
At the College of Professional Studies, it is highly encouraged that assignments be based around authentic learning wherein students are presented with problems and assessments that they would face "on the job" or otherwise produce as a work product.
The CPS Design Team can aid with these assessments, providing the technical support and abilities in such projects as The Virtual Crime Scene.
Audio
Audio enhancements might be as simple as improving the quality of audio on pre-recorded presentations or videos, or something more complex such as producing a podcast-style interview.
The CPS Design Team has the equipment and experience to be able to support the development of these assets.
Graphic Design
Producing lecture presentations are time-consuming enough without having to consider things like cognitive load theory, or produce the kind of graphical assets or even publications that you have in mind.
Whether it is a banner, infographic, or updated presentation format, the CPS Design Team can help take some of the weight off of your shoulders so that you can focus on delivering excellent content to your class.
Interactivity
Including interactivity in your classes, especially asynchronous classes, can be a good way to engage your students and prevent automatic "click-through" of presentations or videos. These can take the form of knowledge checks, animations, instructor-led discussion, learning games, and scenario-based learning.
Instructional Technologies
Sometimes enhancement involves finding just the right technology to support content delivery or student engagement: Whiteboards to interact synchronously with a class, virtual quizzing during a face-to-face class, Virtual Reality or 360 photos/movies to explore a remote location, etc.
GW and CPS have numerous subscriptions to third-party vendors, as well as the expertise to identify other solutions to facilitate your instructional requirements.
Video
Video can be introduced from third-party sources, but it can also be brought in through video lectures, interactive video assignments, and interviews to name a few.
The CPS maintains a recording studio and the ability to capture professional-quality video at remote locations. In addition, for remote instructors "video kits" can be sent out to professors to facilitate recording high-quality videos.