MicroMasters® Program in Instructional Design and Technology
University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC)
The minicourse will incorporate various features and activities to create an engaging, interactive, and effective learning environment for the learners as outlined in the IDD. Some ideas include:
​
1. Video Lectures: Pre-recorded videos discussing core minicourse topics will be added into the minicourse. It will enhance the learning experience by better explaining the topics which supports achieving the course objectives.
2. Interactive Quizzes: Assessments designed to evaluate learner's understanding of the materials will be added. It will test the learning of the learners aligning with the course objectives.
3. Discussion Forums: There will be online platforms for learners to discuss/share ideas which will create learner engagements.
4. Readings and Resources: Digital access to textbooks, articles, and other reading materials will be used. It will enhance the level of interest among the learners on the topics, which will support in achieving the overall learning objectives.
5. Multimedia Presentations: Presentations incorporating text, video, audio, etc. will be included in the minicourse to improve the learning experience of the learners, and this will keep them motivated to achieve the learning objectives.
The LMS: The LMS of choice for this minicourse in Canvas by Instructure. This is a popular web-based LMS and widely used in North America. It is used by educational institutions, training providers, educators, and students to access and manage online learning materials and communicate skill development and learning achievement.
​
Rationale for LMS Choice: I have selected Canvas because of its features like various customizable course creation and management tools, course and user analytics and statistics, and internal communication tools. I have used Canvas for teaching post-secondary students and the LMS is easy to use for both the instructor/facilitator and the learner/student. The available support resources of Canvas also makes it the best choice for my minicourse. Canvas includes various built-in course construction and management tools that can be customized to create unique and accessible teaching and learning experiences. I plan to create and share course content using popular features like Assignments, Discussions, Modules, and Quizzes to support the minicourse.
Support Resources
The support resources for the chosen Canvas LMS is explored and the following two training resources (website and video repository) are available for support and guidance for building the minicourse.
Support Resource 1: The Canvas Instructor Guide has over 600 articles that each answer a question that relates to using the Canvas interface as an instructor. Each article also includes Next and Previous links so one can easily navigate to related content.
Support Resource 2: The Canvas is the product by Instructure Learning Platform. The company aims to bring an educational revolution in a powerful new way. This YouTube Channel covers hundreds of videos on the Canvas LMS product and its use in education and training.
