In Year 2, the Instructional Designer continues to provide design support to authors as they complete four passes of review in their Year 1 manuscripts. While supporting textbook development in the four passes, the Instructional Designer begins to work with Pilot Instructors from different Oregon community colleges and universities, who use different institutional learning management systems.

Pilot Instructors have varying degrees of familiarity with teaching and with the pilot course topic. For example, you may work with an instructor who has been teaching the course for many years and helped to author the open textbook, or you may be working with an early career instructor who has never taught before and is new to the design process. The Instructional Designer position requires flexibility and adaptability during Year 2.

Pilot Instructors begin with the Course Accelerator (Year 2, Units 2-4). This Course Accelerator may be started 4 weeks before the start of a pilot, but in ideal conditions, Pilot Instructors will take 10 weeks to design their course (a full term in advance of the pilot).

Course Accelerator Outline and Deliverables:

• Year 2, Unit 2: Introduction to Equity-Minded Course Design
  • Pilot Instructor Deliverables:
    • Complete course description and learning outcomes in Course Map
    • Meeting 1 with Instructional Designer: Initial consultation
• Year 2, Unit 3: Equity-minded Assessment
  • Pilot Instructor Deliverables:
    • Complete sample assignment and rubric for Instructional Designer review
    • Complete the assessments columns in course map (Formative + Summative + Instructor Feedback)
    • Meeting 2 with Instructional Designer: Sample assignment and rubric review
• Year 2, Unit 4: Designing your Course Site and Preparing for Equity-Minded Course Review
  • Pilot Instructor Deliverables:
    • Complete the remainder of course map
    • Draft a course module or unit template
    • Meeting 3 with Instructional Designer: Review module or unit template
    • Meeting 4 with Instructional Designer: Equity-Minded Course Review
    • Meeting 5 with Instructional Designer: Midterm Check-in
• Year 2, Unit 5: Synthesizing Pilot Feedback and Post-Pilot Course Revision
  • Pilot Instructor Deliverables:
    • Meeting 6 with Instructional Designer: Course Revision Action Plan
    • Draft Instructor Guide
    • Revise Course Map
    • Revise pilot assessments and rubrics according to revision priorities
    • Revise pilot activities according to revision priorities
    • Move revised course materials to Course Pack Materials folder in shared Google Doc and email Instructional Designer to confirm that it is ready for upload

Connecting with Pilot Instructors (Year 2, Unit 1)

The Project Manager will initiate introductions between the Instructional Designer and confirmed Pilot Instructors:

1. The Project Manager populates a shared course folder in Google Drive with all necessary course design documents. This is the shared work space for Pilot Instructors and the Instructional Designer.
2. The Project Manager sends the Instructional Designer and each individual Pilot Instructor an introductory email (a minimum of 4 weeks before the course launch date).
3. The email includes links to the shared course folder. It will also include links to the relevant Year 2 Course Accelerator units and to the pilot textbook.
4. You will email the Pilot Instructor directly to schedule an initial consultation, which should take place within a few days of receiving the email.
5. The Pilot Instructor will complete reflection questions in your Course Development Notes Document to prepare for the initial consultation with you.

Initial Consultation with a Pilot Instructor (Year 2, Unit 2)

During your initial consultation, you will:

• Ensure the Pilot Instructor can access the shared course pilot folder and Course Accelerator Units.
• Take meeting notes in the {Instructor} {Course #} Course Development Notes document
• Build rapport by discussing the teaching history and pedagogical approaches of the Pilot Instructor.
• Develop familiarity with the Pilot Instructor’s goals. Ask: what are you most looking forward to about your pilot course?
• Set dates for development milestones in the {Course #} Pilot Deliverables for Open Curriculum Development Project [Google Sheet] (in course pilot folder).
• Schedule meetings that work for your schedule and your Pilot Instructor’s schedule.
• Discuss Pilot Instructor’s preferred feedback method (e.g. asynchronous feedback and in-person discussion afterward).

Requesting Learning Management System Access (Year 2, Unit 2)

As of this writing, there are four different learning management systems used in Oregon institutions: Canvas, Moodle, Blackboard, and D2L. The Project Manager will request an affiliate user account for you from each Pilot Instructor’s institution. This account ensures that you have access to the pilot course site and can support the course build. The Pilot Instructor or OER point person at the institution can usually help you find the correct contact. The Project Manager can also assist and provide evidence that you are authorized to provide instructional design support.

Course Map (Year 2, Unit 2)

The first step of the design stage is creating a course map. While you are likely familiar with backward design and the benefits of creating a course map, the concept might be new to some instructors.

Explain that the course map is a short document that makes the alignment of the course more transparent to them, to you (their Instructional Designer), and to future educators. While a syllabus orients students to course policies, a grading rationale, major assignments, and a tentative work schedule, a course map leaps backward to the very goals of the course itself. A well-designed course map can save the instructor valuable time in the future by preventing the need to retrofit modules to meet student needs.

The steps to complete the course map are outlined in “Course Design To-Do’s” tab in the {Course #} Pilot Deliverables for Open Curriculum Development Project [Google Sheet]. You can track completion in real time during your ID Meetings with pilot instructors.

Sample Assignment and Rubric (Year 2, Unit 3)

Instructors may be familiar with Transparency in Learning and Teaching and Culturally Responsive Teaching, but even seasoned instructors benefit from close review of a sample assignment. In advance of Meeting 2, be sure to review sample assignments included in Course Accelerator Unit 3 to emphasize diverse approaches to assessment. This discussion will prepare Pilot Instructors to continue drafting prompts and rubrics in their course site.

Offer an overview of the benefits of open educational practices. The Instructional Designer is the primary support for this implementation. If the Pilot Instructor wants to design an open pedagogy assignment, email the Project Manager so they can connect the pilot instructor with the relevant author team.

Emphasize that the {Course #} Chapter Level Feedback survey is a required graded assignment for students. Past Pilot Instructors assigned points for uploading a screenshot of the “completed survey” screen with the date and time visible. In addition, Pilot Instructors have also offered the incentive for the entire class to earn extra credit if 80 percent of students complete the survey. Survey feedback is anonymous.

The task “Draft one assignment and rubric for your Instructional Designer to review” is outlined in “Course Design To-Do’s” tab in the {Course #} Pilot Deliverables for Open Curriculum Development Project. You can track completion in real time during your ID Meetings with pilot instructors.

Module Template (Year 2, Unit 4)

The next step of the design stage is creating a module template. A module template lays out the desired sequence of content and assignments for the term. Consistency in course site design is important so that students can predictably locate content and so that the workload each week is clear. Assist the Pilot Instructor in using pages in the learning management system to prevent the module-level view from being too crowded or busy. Review the Example Module Template provided to Pilot Instructors. Meeting 3 explores the organization and flow of the Pilot Instructor’s sample module or unit.

Once the module template is created, the instructor can copy it so that each week or unit follows the same structure.

Emphasize that Pilot Instructors must complete weekly “instructor notes” in the {Course #} Chapter Level Feedback survey. Discuss how the Pilot Instructor will create time for this reflective work, as it is atypical of most courses they will teach. For example, do they want to email you with a copy of their notes so that they stay on track?

The task “Draft a sample module to review with your Instructional Designer” is outlined in “Course Design To-Do’s” tab in the {Course #} Pilot Deliverables for Open Curriculum Development Project. You can track completion in real time during your ID Meetings with pilot instructors.

Equity-Minded Course Review (Year 2, Unit 4)

Once the course is built, you will meet with the Pilot Instructor and complete an Equity Minded Checklist. It can be helpful for the instructor to review the checklist before they begin building their content modules. The minimum requirement for the pilot is to have 3 weeks built out in their course shell. Review available modules with the Quality Indicators from the checklist.

Be mindful of not overwhelming the Pilot Instructor. Focus on three or four action items that will have the most impact for students. Emphasize what can be done in future iterations of the course vs. what should be complete for this specific pilot. Use your judgement about the instructor’s responsiveness to further feedback.

The task “Complete Equity-Minded Course Review” is outlined in “Course Design To-Do’s” tab in the {Course #} Pilot Deliverables for Open Curriculum Development Project. You can track completion in real time during your ID Meetings with pilot instructors.

Advisory Board Assessment Package (Year 2, Unit 4)

Once the pilot term begins, assemble the Assessment Package for Advisory Board Review. For detailed guidance, follow Steps to Format an Assessment Package Document for Advisory Board Review. Work with the Pilot Instructor to select three representative assignments to share with the Advisory Board. Templates for assessment packages are in the shared course folder. Each one includes:

• Course Map
• Course Level Learning Outcomes
• Course Grade Breakdown
• Three Representative Assignments

Instructions and naming conventions are included in the Advisory Board Course Assessment Package Review Instructions.

Once the Assessment Package is assembled, notify the Project Manager. The Project Manager will assign a Workforce Advisory Board member who is asked to complete the feedback within 3 weeks.

The Project Manager will notify you when the Workforce Advisory Board feedback is ready. Synthesize the feedback and create a plan with actionable guidance using the {Instructor} {Course #} Advisory Board Assessment Feedback: ID Summary + Action Items [Google Doc]. This document will allow you to extract relevant comments and summarize ideas for improvement that you can offer to the Pilot Instructor. Using this document ensures that Pilot Instructors receive helpful rather than discouraging feedback. Modify or delete Advisory Board feedback from this document if you find that is unconstructive or overly harsh.

During the Course (Year 2, Unit 4)

If a Pilot Instructor had the minimum timeline for the four-week Course Design Accelerator, the Equity-minded Course Review will focus on just the first three weeks of the course. After the term starts, you’ll keep building and reviewing content together. The Instructional Designer will schedule followup meetings during the pilot term to review the remaining weeks. They will meet with Pilot Instructors three times total:

• End of week 2 of pilot term: review weeks 4-6
• End of week 4 of pilot term: review weeks 7-10
• End of week 6 of pilot term: Mid-term check-in

If the Pilot Instructor completes the course build prior to the launch of the pilot, the next step is the Mid-term Check-in.

The mid-term check-in is a time to reflect on what is going well and make any adjustments for things not going well. The Instructional Designer takes notes in {Instructor} {Course #} Midterm Pilot Check-in [Google Doc] and asks the following questions:

• What has surprised you this term?
• What is going well in the course so far?
• What do you want to improve or revise after the course is complete?

The mid-term check-in is also a helpful tool to revisit for the revision stage of the project.

After the Course (Year 2, Unit 5)

After the pilot ends, you will schedule a Course Revision meeting with the Pilot Instructor. In advance of your Course Revision Plan meeting, synthesize feedback from the Student Experience Survey and Workforce Advisory Board into the {Instructor} {Course #} Course Revision Action Plan [Google Doc]. Review the Instructor weekly notes in the Chapter Feedback Survey and review notes from the Midterm Check-in. This will help you to cue design questions to discuss together.

Course revision plan meeting

Pilot Instructors may resist taking time for revision right after teaching. Often they are used to rushing into the next term’s course prep. They will also need support with the idea of sharing their materials widely with an open license.

Using the Course Pack Revision Plan document, invite the Pilot Instructor to share their self-report and take careful notes on their responses. This conversation is important because it jogs the Pilot Instructor’s memory and helps to build motivation for change.

Discuss your summary of the Student Experience Survey and the Workforce Advisory Board. Ask the design questions that you generated based on this feedback with the Pilot Instructor. Listen to the Pilot Instructor’s ideas and hesitations. Ask them what they would like to prioritize in revision.

Based on your conversation, recommend three or four action items for the revision to avoid overwhelming the Pilot Instructor. After you come to agreement on revision priorities, enter them into the “Course Revision Action Plan Priorities” tab of {Course #} Pilot Deliverables for Open Curriculum Development Project [Google Sheet]. Set deadlines for review to allow time for completion within the 8-week revision window.

Remind the Pilot Instructor to complete the Instructor Guide (a short document written for future instructors on how to adapt the course) as well as update their Course Map after revising so that it remains accurate.

Prepare Course Pack Deliverables

After you and the Pilot Instructor have completed the revision plan, transfer pilot content from the learning management system to the Course Pack Materials folder. The Pilot Instructor will complete revisions directly in these documents.

The Course Pack Materials folder must include:

• Instructor Guide (a short document written for future instructors on how to adapt the course)
• Course Map
• Syllabus
• Weekly Assessments / Activities clearly labeled by Week or Unit (ex: “Week 1 Discussion: Social Imagination”)
• Formative and summative Assignment Instructions
• Formative and summative Assignment Rubrics

Some items, such as slide decks, won’t meet accessibility standards without a considerable amount of work. Accessibility is mandatory, so you and the instructor may decide not to share items that are not easily adapted.

What is NOT included in the Course Pack?

• Course materials that Pilot Instructors do not wish to share
• Third-party content that is all rights reserved
• Student work that students have not given clear permission to share
• Student data
• Test banks that instructors would like to keep private
• Learning management system course export files
• Content that does not meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.

Licenses and Attributions for Instructional Design in Year 2: Piloting Courses and Integrating Course Revision Feedback

“Instructional Design in Year 2: Piloting Courses and Integrating Course Revision Feedback” by Open Oregon Educational Resources is licensed under CC BY 4.0.