1. Development: Overview

Students studying independently require the support and guidance provided by a set of well-designed and comprehensive student resources. These resources may be delivered through a number of communications technologies such as print manuals, face-to-face lectures, tapes, CD-ROM's, or Web sites. Typically, these vehicles may include one or more of the following media: text, video, audio recordings, animation, and/or graphics.

Determine the resources necessary to ensure that your students have a positive learning experience in the Distributed Learning Environment (DLE). If independent study at a distance is required in your course, ensure that the student is fully informed about the instructor's expectations and how to effectively participate. Also plan ways to make the DLE feel like a learning community.

Regardless of the media and communication technologies used, student resources should include the following:

• an introduction to the course
• the goals and learning outcomes/objectives
• instructional tutorials involving extensive information related to each objective, the instructor's commentary, related readings, supporting media, and assignments
• learning activities
• descriptions of assignments
• guidelines for success that describe how to proceed in the course, participate in activities, and complete assignments
• self-testing questions or other activities that can be used by students to evaluate their understanding
• external resources to enrich study such as an annotated bibliography, relevant Web sites and/or community resources
• housekeeping information that outlines how to submit assignments, technical requirements, online passwords, deadlines, contact information, grading scheme, etc.
• troubleshooting tips for technology-related problems and "help desk" contact information.

Moore and Kearsley (1996) recommend that student resources be written using a conversational rather than a literary or scholarly tone. They see these resources as a substitution for the discussion that normally occurs between an instructor and student in a classroom or office.

However, not all designers use an informal style for all aspects of the course. Some reserve a conversational tone for the introduction to the course, housekeeping information, and online conferences. Other resources may be created using a more formal or objective presentation style.

As well as determining the specific content for your Web site, you will need to identify the media elements that will be produced in the next phase. These may include:

• videotapes
• audiotapes
• course Web sites
• CD-ROM's
• graphics
• animation
• images.

Regardless of the formality of the approach, the design of the student materials should be polished and organized to promote ease-of-use.

A number of instructional design principles based on adult learning theory are summarized in this section of the Guide to Distributed Learning Environments. Use these principles to guide the development of your course materials.

© 2002 Academic Technologies for Learning, University of Alberta.