Hands working on laptop

Adapting your learning design 

The Transformation Team can offer support and advice on adapting your module for delivery online; guidance on specific tasks, such as recording video content; and examples of online teaching and assessment.  

Review your current teaching and learning activities 

Please use these different activity grids which list usual face-to-face teaching/assessment, practical activities and provide alternative online options. Think of what the student will be doing in each activity.    

Then complete this form and review if the online option fully supports your learning outcome. There may be additional activities that can be included. 

Review the suggested Online Blackboard Delivery Structure template

This template outlines a linear approach that you can follow each week to support an effective online experience. Include this in your module's online page (e.g. via Blackboard) and map your teaching activities to the relevant parts of the template. Email us to get this copied to your course.

Building community and online engagement

Pre-sessional reading

You may want to give students a contextual view, allowing them to create the genesis of their own understanding. You can do this by providing them with written materials in advance, such as articles or literature.

Pre-recorded materials

You can create pre-recorded lecture material, including screencasts, podcasts, and on-location video. You may also wish to add the following types of formative assessment alongside your pre-recorded lecture material. The data from the formative assessment will help to inform your live class discussions.
 

Live class

Depending on the type of live class you want to run (group discussions, group tutorials, review of screencast content) you may wish to add some interactive elements to help build students' trust and engagement.
 
  • Mentimeter survey
  • Breakout rooms/small group activity
  • Collaboration in online document
  • Use of a moderator to help you manage the chat and ensure everyone gets their say
  • Use of a netiquette to ensure everyone’s expectations are the same.
 

Post-class activity

These activities will help you understand the needs of each of your students. You can also use a post-class activity to gauge if your students need additional support as your class moves throughout the term.  
 

Building community

To help build community and relationships between the students in your classes, you could try setting up one of the following:
 
  • Online common rooms
  • Coffee mornings

Attend a group instructional design workshop

We will be coordinating group workshops in your department. Email us to find out when the next one is.

If you are not Faculty of Engineering staff and you are interested in using approaches described in these pages, please note that certain software packages may not be supported by other Faculties. Please discuss your ideas and requirements with your Faculty EdTech team, who will be able to advise you regarding alternatives. The Faculty EdTech, EDU and DLH pages at this link also provide case studies from across College that may be of interest to Faculty of Engineering staff.