What Media? Identifying and Applying Media in Course Design

Concurrent Session 5

Brief Abstract

Not quite sure why the content you're designing feels like it's missing something special? In this presentation, we'll cover identifying when and why media is appropriate in course design and what you can do to make it happen.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Kory Trosclair, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Co-presenter: Chris Muellenbach, UNC Charlotte

Co-presenter: Lynn Wahl, UNC Charlotte

Lynn leads the Course Production Team in UNC Charlotte's Center for Teaching and Learning in the School of Professional studies in their work with faculty in the redesign and development of blended and online courses, the development and implementation of media and interactive learning objects, and quality assurance efforts and initiatives. Lynn is passionate about creating successful faculty and student learning experiences in online and blended learning and growing as a leader. Lynn received her M.Ed. in Instructional Technology from Idaho State University and M.A. and B.A. in English Literature from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. With over 15 years of experience in higher education, Lynn is a two time OLC Best in Track award winner, frequent volunteer with OLC Accelerate, Innovate, and IELOL, a thought leader in instructional design, and is a graduate of the Online Learning Consortium's Institute for Emerging Leadership in Online Learning.

Extended Abstract

This session will address two key components of modern course design: 1) identifying when media is an appropriate medium to use in a course,  and 2) identifying the kinds of media needed to best engage the user with the content. 

 

Using media in a course has become easier to facilitate as technology evolves, but knowing where and why media works for specific content is still a relatively unexplored area. Identifying content that could be engaging as media is an observed blindspot in some design and this presentation works to identify when media works and for what content.  

 

This is important now because of the increased focus on online coursework, both synchronous and asynchronous. Being able to engage the audience, specifically through media, is a formula for a more robust course with student success in mind. The retention of content is more likely in situations where a student is able to engage with the content and creating experiences or moments around those situations is crucial to design.

 

Session Objectives: 

By the end of this session, participants will: 

  • Be able to confidently identify media opportunities in a course

  • Match content to media types appropriately

  • Give variety to your content to increase engagement

  • Help your team bring their courses to the next level

 

Plan to interact with the presenters in the form of quick problem solving, identification practice, and real examples from courses.