Abstract
Course design is critical to online student engagement and retention. This study focused on the development and validation of an online course design elements (OCDE) instrument with 38 Likert-type scale items in five subscales: (a) overview, (b) content presentation, (c) interaction and communication, (d) assessment and evaluation, and (e) learner support. The validation process included implementation with 222 online instructors and instructional designers in higher education. Three models were evaluated which included a one-factor model, five-factor model, and higher-order model. The five-factor and higher-order models aligned with the development of the OCDE. The frequency of use of OCDE items was rated above the mean 4.0 except for two items on collaboration and self-assessment. The overall OCDE score was related to self-reported levels of expertise but not with years of experience. The findings have implications for the use of this instrument with online instructors and instructional designers in the design of online courses.
Highlights
Higher education campus enrollment has decreased; the number of online courses and online enrollment has continued to increase (Allen & Seaman, 2017)
Because the data were ordinal in nature, weighted least square mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) estimations were used to estimate all parameters of the model
Results show that the Online Course Design Elements (OCDE) with its five constructs—overview, content presentation, interaction and communication, assessment and evaluation, and learner support—is a valid and reliable instrument
Summary
Higher education campus enrollment has decreased; the number of online courses and online enrollment has continued to increase (Allen & Seaman, 2017). Though online enrollment has increased, online student dropout and lack of engagement in distance education are still issues of concern. Jaggars and Xu (2016) examined the relationships among online course design features, course organization and presentation, learning objectives and assessment, and interpersonal interaction and technology. Several researchers have examined online course design in online learning. They found that design features influenced student performance, and interaction affected student grades. Swan (2001) found clarity of design, interaction with instructors, and active discussion influenced students’ perceived learning and satisfaction. They found that design features influenced student performance, and interaction affected student grades. Swan (2001) found clarity of design, interaction with instructors, and active discussion influenced students’ perceived learning and satisfaction. Laurillard et al (2013) recommended effective pedagogy to foster individual and social processes and outcomes, promote active engagement, and support learning with a needs assessment
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