Essential components in designing online courses and MOOCs

Thematic Workshop

Online learning is becoming mainstream in higher education at both course level and program level, as well as stand-alone learning modules. As such, MOOCs and online courses are developed in an exponential rate and instructors and course developers are encouraged to supplement their teaching with online capabilities. However, evidence shows that the majority of online courses and MOOCs are lacking in terms of appropriate instructional design and pedagogical approach. In this workshop, I will present and together with the participants discuss the essential theoretical and design components of online courses and MOOCs in order to provide a setting for combining theory with practice. Deliberating the important issues in mapping pedagogy with technology in order to create effective online learning formats, the workshop will address: learning theories / theoretical foundations underpinning online learning design; learning approach, instructional methods, and pedagogical support; delivery, tools, and platforms. The workshop will be of interest to instructors, course designers, and doctoral students in general who are interested or involved in the design and development of online learning courses and programs.