Module Design Tips

What makes a good module?

There are many ways to build a course and create student friendly modules.  The most effective modules commonly share the characteristics of structure, logical flow, consistency, and manageable size.

Structure

Structure is comforting for students.  It doesn't matter what structure you choose as long as the module content is clearly organized and consistent. In each module:

  • Give students clear directions and an order to follow.
  • Use text headers to create sections.
  • Use indentation to indicate hierarchy and subsections.

Logical Flow

The order of the module content needs to make sense, not just to you, but to your students too. In each module:

  • Give students a starting point...objectives and clear directions should come before the content.
  • Introduce the topic before assessing it...there is nothing more frustrating for a student than to be asked to complete an assignment or quiz on a topic that has not been introduced yet.
  • Group related content together rather than scattering it randomly throughout the module or randomly throughout the course.
  • Make sure numbered and/or lettered items are sequential.
  • Check and make sure pages with references to other pages are correct...if you reference an activity on the next page, make sure the activity is actually on the next page.

Consistency

Using repeated elements with an expected rhythm in your module design allows students to settle in and find things more quickly.  And, having a consistent layout or template to work from makes course building go much faster for you!  In each module:

  • Decide how you want to structure your content and then repeat it module to module.
  • Repeat the same wording for headers in each module.

Manageable Size

Modules need to contain just the right amount of content becasue scrolling through lengthy module content may overwhelm and discourage students. Keep the content in each module to less than a page/screen in length.  Count the lines in your module, if it is longer than 20-25 lines, it's time to re-evaluate.  To shorten a module:

  • Go back and re-evaluate each item...ask yourself is this relevant and do my students really need it?
  • Consider regrouping multiple small related items onto a single page...keep in mind that pages should not be overwhelmingly long either!
  • Go back and look for a natural topic break where you could possibly create a new module.  Two average sized modules are much friendlier than one huge long one.
TIP: Model the discussion behavior you seek from students by posting to each discussion in your course.  In addition to helping students get comfortable with the technology, posting to your class discussions will also increase your instructor presence and your interaction with students.