NMIT Online Style Guide - Blended or Online Courses

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    NMIT FLEXIBLE LEARNINGONLINE/BLENDED COURSESTYLE GUIDE

    This document covers course structure, text, image styles and file formatting standards forblended and online courses. The standards and recommendations in this document areconsistent with the NMIT Flexible Learning Online Course Good Practice Checklist.

    This document may be used as a customised standard with additions and adjustments agreedby the development team, especially if more than one person will be working on the course orthe course is representative of a suite of courses being developed.

    Once a sample course has been completed a NMIT Online template course can be created as astarting point for other courses.

    The structure of your course page should closely follow your approved course learning designplan. Some screen shots of common course layouts are shown at the end of this document.

    Course/Programme

    Overall comments Keep an eye on your page size and the amount of writteninstructions you provide. While we often feel it will be clearer tostudents if we describe as much as possible within topic areas,the amount of text and information can make the course homepage difficult for students with limited Internet access todownload and also feel over whelming in its detail.

    1. Use a consistent structure for presenting information andmaterials.

    2. Put text more than one paragraph long into a separate webpage.

    3. Group materials together. For example.a. Multiple files can be presented to students in a single

    folder using the Directory resource.b. Multiple links to web sites can be listed on a separate

    web page.4. Break up text into short sentences and bullet lists.5. All text and images must be obtained from copyright cleared

    sources or be appropriately acknowledged. The APAreferencing format is a good standard. The Library LearningCentre can provide advice on copyright issues.

    6. If text is going to be put into NMIT Online web pages, keepformatting in MS Word to a minimum - paste text into the webpage, use the Clean Word HTML button and then applyformatting within the web page.

    7. Use a casual tone of voice in your writing and consider if youare writing in the first or third person. I and Youstatements can add personality, impact and a sense of activeengagement.

    8. Use images to convey meaning or add interest, but watch filesize to ensure they are kept reasonably small.

    Internet access recommended for this course:

    Broadband (minimum 256 kbps).

    Dial up (56 kbps).

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    NMIT Online style guide for: Course name

    Course Layout

    Introductory section Course name, image and short welcoming statement. Can be aseparate section or merged with the course structure section.

    Course Structure section 1. Getting started web page containing introductory

    information on how the online environment will work, anyprotocols and instructions for first few actions students needto complete.

    2. Course outline PDF of complete outline or you may chooseto break it into sections and provide as separate web pages.

    3. Summary of assessment, including schedule and markingcriteria and marking turn-around.

    4. Tutor contact information, including response times (this canbe combined with help/support page).

    5. Generic help/support resources.6. Consider the need for a study guide.7. Course-wide forum/s or other activities.

    8. If any of this content is generic across multiple courses,consider having it in a programme meta-course and justlinking to it from the course (clearly indicate they will beleaving this course when they follow these links).

    Topic blocks 1. Topic blocks added to match the structure & sequence in theapproved course design. Can use topic or weekly courseformat.

    2. Each topic to include a topic name and introduction perhapsincluding an image right-aligned at top of topic area.

    3. Other text and materials as suggested below.

    Structure within eachtopic area

    2. Learning activities or tasks (label).a. Summary of learning activities for this topic (choose to

    format as label or web page depending on the amount ofinformation presented). This summary must clearly statewhich learning outcomes are being addressed by theactivities within this topic/section.

    b. Links to non-assessment activities and support modules(forums etc).

    3. Assessment (label).a. Assessment task details (web page or label). Instructions

    must include details of which learning outcomes arebeing addressed within the assessment tasks.

    b. Links to summative assessment activities.c. We recommend templates are provided in RTF formatfor any written assessment tasks like reports, worksheetsessays etc.

    4. Resources (label).a. Web pages of text/images, links to websites or

    documents etc.

    Learning activities ortasks

    Specific formats/content for this course/programme:

    Assessment Tasks Specific formats/content for this course/programme:

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    Resources Specific formats/content for this course/programme:

    Grading 1. Define grading scales appropriate for the course competency, numerical marking or some other judgementcriteria for formative and summative assessments.

    2. Consider how the grade book will be used within the course will students be receiving notification of marks via the onlineassessment modules and the grade-book?

    3. Consider scales and grade weighting categories forassessment tasks that may apply for other courses within theprogramme.

    4. These options can be set in the first course and included in acourse template for other courses.

    Course/programme specific scales and grading details:

    Side blocks The following blocks are recommended for display on allcourses. The location, order and addition of other blocks can bevaried from course to course.

    People, Administration, Latest News, Recent Additions,Calendar/Upcoming Events, Library Links, Online users, MyCourses.

    Additional blocks or variations for this course/programme:

    Facilitator (Tutor) guide Have a hidden topic area (usually at the bottom) dedicated toinformation for potential future course teachers.

    Include a Wiki with narrative notes on aspects of how you seethe course running, any potential issues to consider, workshop orfield trip arrangements that need to be made and any designdecisions you feel require explanation.

    Also add copies of design documents (e.g. course design plan,style guide etc) and assessment details normally hidden fromstudents like pre-prepared tests etc.

    Styles and formatting

    General text Where at all possible use standard text and heading stylesavailable in the text editor.

    That is, dont apply font sizes and styles unless there is a specificpurpose to highlight a section of text. .

    Specific formats/variations for this course/programme

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    NMIT Online style guide for: Course name

    Topic box headings 1. Topic names: Use Heading 2 consider using different textor background colour for the heading (see samples below).

    2. Section heading within a topic box (e.g. Learning activities) -Heading 3.

    Specific formats/content for this course/programme:

    Web page text Use Heading styles such as page heading Heading 2

    Specific formats for this course/programme:

    Hyperlinks 1. Links to external websites or non-html documents (e.g. PDF,RTF etc) should open in a new window (target = new windowor _blank)

    2. Links within the body of any text must have alternative text

    assigned (title) that clearly states where the link goes (so itspurpose is clear to those who use a screen reader).

    3. If possible make use of auto-linking to generate linksbetween activities and resources. Use of manual linksincreases maintenance requirements when moving orcopying the course.

    Images 1. Upload all your images into the course images folder.2. We suggest maximum dimensions for an image inserted in

    topic boxes to be 150 pixels wide. Also recommend they arealigned to the right of the box.

    3. Images should be no larger than 40KB, smaller if there aremore than 2 images on the same page.

    4. All images must have alternative text assigned that clearlystates what the image is (so image purpose is clear to thosewho choose not to display images or use a screen reader).

    5. Consider finding a consistent set of images to use.6. Acknowledge where you have obtained images with

    significant meaning or from copyrighted sources.

    Specific formats/variation for this course/programme:

    Naming and consistent

    use of terms

    1. Use consistent wording throughout the site e.g. try not to

    mix up the use of assignment and assessment when referringto the same task.

    2. Use module/resource name auto-linking to allow for easycross-links throughout your course. If you dont want auto-links to work (e.g. in some headings or in quiz questions)highlight your text and use the Prevent auto-linking button inthe text editor.

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    NMIT Online style guide for: Course name

    File management 1. Put topic specific files in a dedicated folder, perhaps usingsub-folders to provide structure if there are lots of files.

    2. Keep images in a dedicated folder.3. Plan your folder structure in advance its always tricky to

    move things around once you have created links to files fromyour course page. The basic structure can be included in the

    course template.Documents and fileformats

    1. Use the standard NMIT Online web page format wherepossible. Consider using the Book module to present multi-page documents it also has a good print format option.

    2. Web pages created in NMIT Online should not open in a newwindow

    3. If you need to use another format follow these conventions toensure students do not need special software on their homecomputers:a. Printed reading material PDFb. Word processing document RTFc. Spread sheet data CSV

    d. Audio MP3, WMA (Windows Media), WAV.e. Video MOV (QuickTime), FLV (Flash), WMV (Windows

    media). Other formats are only suitable for downloadingand playing on a local PC (MPEG, AVI)

    f. If you must use proprietary software file formats wherethe software is not freely available (like Excel, Word,PPT etc) please ensure students either have readyaccess to the required software or have been notified ofthe requirements before enrolment.

    4. Documents to open as new window RTF, PDF, CSV andlinks to a new website

    5. Maximum file sizes:a. Dial up: 200KBb. Broadband: 1 MBc. Anything over this should be clearly labelled (i.e. include

    file size in the title or beside the link) and considerationgiven to supplying to students in an alternative format(e.g. print or CD).

    6. PowerPoint files: consider your purpose for providingPowerPoint files. Not many students have PowerPointinstalled at home so we recommend selecting one of thefollowing listed from preferred to least preferred. In allcases ensure image files have been reduced to as low a

    resolution as possible.a. PDF version of handout format.b. Convert to Flash Video using Adobe Captivate,

    Camtasia or similar conversion tools.c. Convert to HTML version, upload to NMIT Online course

    and provide students with a link to the index.html page.d. Provide as a PPT or PPS file, making sure students

    know how to obtain the free PPT viewer from Microsoft.

    Specific formats/variations for this course/programme:

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    NMIT Online style guide for: Course name

    Sample course layouts

    If creating a standard style guide for a series of courses delete the irrelevant samples or replacewith your own.

    Topic structure for instructions and materials supporting off-line activities

    Blended course with each week containing separate classroom and online activities

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    NMIT Online style guide for: Course name

    Online course with students provided with printed notes and then a mix of online andpractical off-line activities, including workshops and workplace experience.

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    NMIT Online style guide for: Course name

    Fully online distance course students work independently

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    NMIT Online style guide for: Course name

    Blended course with introductory and end of course workshops and a combination ofgroup forums and individual research with personal journal/portfolio work

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    NMIT Online style guide for: Course name

    Distance course with online materials supplementing printed learning materials andactivities

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    NMIT Online style guide for: Course name

    Document Information

    Updated by Jane.Dillon

    Created by David Sturrock

    Email address : [email protected]

    Last printed 26/11/2007 13:18:00 a11/p11

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