Trail Guides

professor with students 

Barbara Brown teaching at Kodiak College. She shares her teaching perspective in Trail Guide module 1.

Trail Guides are asynchronous professional development course design modules that are intended to expand faculty's knowledge and skill with course design and development. 

Each module walks through key concepts and UAA resources to build an effective course. Although the modules focus on online learning, the design process and resources also apply to courses delivered on campus. They were designed to be flexible and efficient, so users can choose which sections to complete and each module functions as a stand-alone activity. The modules include lots of optional materials such as UAA faculty examples, pedagogic background briefs, links to additional resources, comprehension checks, and interactive course planning tools.

Course Design Trail Guide Modules

  • 1. Set the Route: Course Goals
    module 1 Set the Route: Course Goals

    This module introduces course design. It walks you through the process of collecting information about the course, defining the goals your learners should reach, and deciding how they鈥檒l reach those goals.

  • 2. Make Your Course Accessible
    module 2 Make Your Course Accessible

    This module introduces course accessibility. It walks you through the requirements and resources to make your course accessible for all learners.

  • 3. Fill Your Pack: Resources
    module 3 Fill Your Pack: Resources

    This module walks you through the process of selecting course materials to help students learn.

  • 4. Build a Learning Path
    module 4 Build a Learning Path

    This module shows how to design and build a course unit that helps students master learning outcomes. It includes an interactive recommendation tool for learning activities.

  • 5. Track Learning: Assessment
    module 5 Track Learning: Assessment

    This module guides instructors through the principles and design choices behind creating effective, meaningful student assessments.

  • 6. Draw a Map: Orientation
    module 6 Draw a Map: Orientation

    This module shows how to prepare students for success in your course, especially in the first week.

 

Project Credits

This project was developed by UAA Academic Innovations & eLearning, with partial funding by the Title III Robust Online Learning grant. Please visit the full  (Google Doc) to see the staff and faculty who contributed, the full list of references and image sources, and the Creative Commons licensing information.

Faculty Development & Instructional Support 
Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence, Academic Innovations & eLearning, and Center for Community Engagement and Learning 
Library 213 鈥� 907-786-4496 鈥� uaa_cafe@alaska.edu 鈥� Monday 鈥� Friday, 8 a.m. 鈥�&苍产蝉辫;5 p.m.