The Learning Design Center takes a collaborative approach to any course design project, whether we are designing one individual learning module or an entire online program. High quality course design requires our instructional designers to be equipped with extensive information about the program's learning goals, student profile and academic directors vision for the student experience.
What to Expect When Designing Courses With LDC
Course development is a collaborative process involving contributions from Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), Instructional Designers (IDs), Instructional Technologists (ITs), librarians, and instructional support staff over several weeks. The LDC will assign new course development prior to each of our three development cycles.
Courses are prioritized for development based on their start dates and are typically developed in the cycle immediately preceding their launch. All courses are completed in their entirety before their start dates to allow for thorough quality assurance checks prior to student access.
Please refer to these detailed timelines, which outline milestone deliverables for each development cycle. These timelines are used to set expectations and are included in the SME contract.
- Spring (January–April): For courses launching in Summer
- Summer (April–August): For courses launching in Fall
- Fall (August–December): For courses launching in Spring
Access our Online Course Development FAQ for more information.
Faculty/SME Expectations
All Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) contracted for online course development with the LDC are responsible for creating course content and adhering to the deliverable schedule outlined in their contract. Course design is a collaborative process: as SMEs deliver content, Instructional Designers (IDs) provide guidance on best practices in online learning, technology integration, and effective learning activities. IDs then design a comprehensive course in Canvas that is easy to navigate, accessible and aligned with quality standards.
Additionally, SMEs are required to complete two trainings: LDC101: To be completed before beginning course development and LDC102: To be completed before the first facilitation of the course.
LDC-101 and LDC-102 Registration
When recruiting Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), it is essential to provide accurate information about our processes to set clear expectations regarding the level of collaboration required to meet our quality standards. Below is a list of key topics to discuss during the hiring process.
- Confirm the course development deliverable schedule to ensure they can meet the timelines.
- Discuss the terms of the agreement/contract to complete the work, specifically the training expectations, intellectual property and collaborative nature of the course design process.
- All course development is conducted online and meetings with SMEs will occur by Zoom. Ensure the SME is comfortable working remotely and with various technologies.
- Ensure the SME(s) is able to complete LDC-101 Course Design for Online Course Development.
- Ensure the SME(s) will be able to complete LDC-102: The USD Way: Online Course Facilitation training.
This video will provide an overview on what SMEs can expect in designing a new online course:
View video transcript.
Course Maintenance
The Academic Director (AD) is responsible for regularly reviewing and evaluating each online course and scheduling revisions as needed. Instructors use Course Review Logs (CRLs), located within each course, to document issues or suggestions for improvement during instruction.
To initiate a course revision, the AD should consult with their LDC Program Lead to review course data and define the scope of the revision. The AD must then complete the LDC Course Design Project Request Form and include the CRL that outlines the proposed scope of work and confirmed SME will be responsible for the course updates. Once a course revision is scheduled with the LDC, the Instructional Designer (ID) and SME establish a deliverable timeline, adhering to the schedules outlined in the table above.