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As we start another academic year, many of us have launched our online classes and are already thinking about classes for the B term and beyond. Whether you're building a course from scratch or refining one you've taught before, setting aside time now to ensure it's well-structured, clear, and engaging can make a meaningful difference for your students and for you.

One tool that can help with that process is the . Designed with quality standards and effective online pedagogy and in mind, the checklist offers a structured approach to evaluating and preparing your course materials, activities, and overall organization.

A Practical Tool for Intentional Course Design

We all know that teaching online brings a unique set of challenges, from building presence to organizing materials in a way that’s intuitive for students. The checklist walks through key areas of online course design, including:

• Creating a strong start from day one in the course
• Organizing content in a student-friendly, consistent way
• Selecting and utilizing meaningful instructional materials
• Planning for regular communication and instructor presence

Using the checklist as part of your course prep helps you make sure that your course is not only ready to go, but also aligned with best practices for online learning.

Join the Conversation: Fall 2025 Monthly PD Series

To support your use of the checklist, and provide space for conversation around online teaching, we’re hosting a monthly professional development series throughout the whole year starting in September. Each session will dive into one section of the checklist, with opportunities for discussion, examples from other instructors, and time to think through how it applies to your own course. There will be a total of seven different topics in the series, each addressing one of the topics on the checklist, and while they will be recorded, you’ll benefit the most from attending them live. For everyone who attends all seven of the sessions, there will be a special reward (in addition to all the knowledge you will gain and being able to create even better classes)! 

Fall PD Topics & Schedule

• September: Course Overview & Introductions
  We'll look at how to create a strong, welcoming start to your course that sets the stage for student success. September 15^th, 12:30-1:30pm in- person, 3-125 or September 16^th 12:30-1:30pm on Teams
• October: Course Content & Organization
  This session focuses on organizing your materials and modules in a way that promotes clarity and supports students’ progress in the course. October 20^th 2:30-3:30pm in-person, 3-125 or October 21^st 2-3pm on Teams
• November: Instructional Materials & Activities
  We'll explore ways to select, design, and scaffold learning materials while also keeping clear instructions and copyright in mind. November 5^th 2-3pm, in-person, 3-125 or November 6^th 1:30-2:30pm on Teams
• December: Communication & Instructor Presence
  We'll share strategies and different ways for maintaining presence in your online course and communicating effectively with students throughout the semester. December 1^st 2:30-3:30pm, in-person, 3-125 or December 2^nd 1-2pm on Teams

*Be sure that you are looking for emails throughout the semester from Center for Learning Excellence and Instructional Technologies for sign-up links for in-person meetings and Teams links for the virtual meetings.

Let’s Build Together

These sessions are designed for instructors with a focus on practical and sustainable course design that supports both student learning and teaching workload. Whether you're teaching fully online, hybrid, or web-enhanced courses, this is a chance to collaborate with colleagues, reflect on your course design, and pick up ideas you can implement right away.

If you haven’t already, download the , and we encourage you to bring it with you to each PD session.

Questions about the sessions or looking for a course design consultation? Our team is always happy to support you just reach out – canvashelp@durhamtech.edu

Here’s to a great start and a successful semester ahead!