Some suggestions for AUTHORS (both active and potential ones) on:

HOW TO START (and continue) AUTHORING A COURSE

As a first step, rather than just thinking about the course that you have in mind, its audience, objectives, etc., may I suggest that you do the following: Start by completing the following questionnaire (see comments immediately following the questionnaire).  You can also download the questionnaire by clicking here and saving it as a text file.

Concerning (4): Just headlines and keywords that describe the material to be included in the course. Use less than 50 words.

Concerning (5): State the objectives of the course. What will the student know more, or be able to do, when he completes the course.

Concerning (6): Give the number of equivalent classroom hours (ECHs) at a university or college. A typical university course for 3 credit points would be 3 hours a week for about 14 weeks (or 4x10), for a total of about 40 classroom hours. Obviously, courses may be offered for 1 or 2 credit points. For a student to study the same material on his/her own, as a CMDL course, more time may be required, depending on talent, prior knowledge, etc. In general, CMDL E&T will advise its students to devote uninterrupted 60 to 90 minutes per study session, at a rate of 2-4 sessions per week

Concerning (7): Some of you may agree (as part of the contract with CMDL E&T ) to include in the course, quizzes and a final exam that the student will take (under special arrangements, not necessarily via the Internet). Indicate here whether or not these are included (add "optional", if applicable).

Concerning (8): The prerequisite may be a formal course, or a collection of subjects that are needed in order to study the course. Indicate subjects that are optional, i.e., without them, it will be somewhat more difficult, but not prohibitive, for the student to take the course.

Concerning (9): Indicate the mathematical subjects that you'll make use in your course.

With the consent of the author, the information provided by the above questionnaire will be displayed in CMDL E&T 's home page, as part of the publicity material. We intend to open a home page for your course with the comment "Course under preparation," as soon as the above information is submitted to CMDL E&T . We shall also add, with the consent of the author, a link that will enable to preview material prepared by the author, emphasizing that this is only a preliminary, incomplete draft, etc. This will give potential students an idea of what to expect, ....kind of building up their appetite.......

The next step is to prepare a COURSE PROGRAM, or a table of contents (TOC) of the course. We do not want this TOC to look like one of a book. I suggest that you divide the course into TOPICS: Topic A, Topic B, etc. Each TOPIC will be divided into a number of titled LECTURES: Lecture A1, Lecture A2, Lecture B1, etc. Thus, a typical TOC will have the following format:

COURSE PROGRAM

COURSE TITLE: ________________________________________________________

COURSE INSTRUCTOR: _________________________________________________

NUMBER OF EQUIVALENT CLASSROOM HOURS: _________________________

TOPIC A (Name of Topic): _________________________________________________

LECTURE A1                              

LECTURE A2                              

LECTURE A3                              

TOPIC B (Name of Topic): _________________________________________________

LECTURE B1                              

LECTURE B2                              

LECTURE B3                              

TOPIC C (Name of Topic): _________________________________________________

LECTURE C1                              

LECTURE C2                              

LECTURE C3                              

In the PREFACE, I usually include the background to the course, and its links to other courses/subjects; why is this material important; course objectives; and how the course will be conducted (yes, also in this selfstudy, DL course). In addition, I use the PREFACE to inform the students about the exercises, computer programs, etc. I emphasize how I expect the student to study the course, and how much time I expect him/her to devote to the course. Furthermore, I indicate material that is not included, but can be reached by links to other Internet sites, etc. I also include here the prerequisite material, and whether or not the student is advised to take the course, even if he/she does not have these prerequisites.

Obviously, at first you prepare the TOC without the links to the respective lectures. Later, as you write a file for each lecture, you can add the link. I found it convenient to prepare first an empty file for each lecture, perhaps only with the standard heading, title format, and a few sentences about what I intend to include in the lecture. Then, as I start developing the lecture, I change these sentences into a list of sections, starting with objectives of the lecture.

A few more suggestions concerning the format and style of the presentation. This is not a guidebook on how to write a course. It is more an attempt to share my experience with you. Perhaps it will be better if you take a look at my own course, and use it as an example.

• A LECTURE should contain material that the student can selfstudy in one or two sessions, i.e., between 60 and 120 minutes. If the material contained in the lecture requires more time, try to break it down to additional lectures. If necessary, keep the same lecture name, and add "(a)" or "Part 1." For example:

 LECTURE B1b: Hydrology of Groundwater (b)

• I suggest that you write a preamble between the title of the TOPIC and the first lecture. In it, you explain what you intend to teach in this topic, how it is linked to earlier topics, the objective of the lectures in this topics, etc. Stating the objective of the lecture, or "What will you learn in this lecture" is important.
• At the end of the lecture, and even once or twice throughout it, summarize what we have learned (e.g., as a list of items). This will give the student an opportunity to check if indeed he/she has mastered the mastered the material in this item.
• Divide each lecture into (not necessarily numbered) SECTIONS. Each section will have a heading (that does not appear in the course program). You may divide each section into subsections.
• Use bullets (of different colors). Arrange the information in numbered lists. Use italics, boldface characters, CAPITAL LETTERS, and color to emphasize terms and concepts. Make the text look more interesting (I am sure that the subject matter is interesting).
• Give references to literature. Use a hyperlink to enable the student to read the details of the reference by clicking on the name you have mentioned.
• When you mention a term, enable the student (from time to time) to read the definition in a GLOSSARY, by clicking on the term.
• Use hyperlinks to refer to earlier or forthcoming lectures, or to specific paragraphs in these lectures (by using bookmarks).
• Prepare additional material which the student can access by clicking on a "to dig deeper" button, for students who may wish to learn more, perhaps beyond the scope of the course itself.
• Give plenty of exercises. Some you solve as a demonstration of the studied material, others, you ask the student to solve, and THEN to click on a "correct answer" button to see the correct solution, and compare. Another option is to use the multiple choice approach, i.e., to ask the student to click on the button that corresponds to his/her answer. In response, the student will either find out that the answer was correct, and will be shown a complete correct solution, or he/she will be told that the answer was wrong, and even why. You may also add exercises for which you do not provide answers. In this case, the student will be asked to email you the answers, and you'll check and respond (if you agree to do so).
• It is very important to bear in mind all the time that, although I refer to you as author (perhaps because you are writing the material and not actually presenting it as lectures), you are not writing a book, but you are "lecturing in writing." The style of the written material should be as if the student is in front of you, and you are talking to him/her.
• Unlike when writing a book, or an article, you are not limited by space. Use figures, pictures, video clips, even audio clips, etc. Arrange the page in a way that helps the student to understand the presentation.
• You may insert rhetorical questions that you answer yourself. In my own CMDL course (CLICK to see it), I ask the student to write down his/her answer, and then to click in order to see my answer and compare. Then I discuss my answer.
• Use colors, highlighting, bullets, a lot of figures, animations, etc. The layout of the page should not be monotonous.

Obviously, these are merely comments and suggestions, and not really a complete set of guidelines on how to prepare a CMDL course. Use your imagination and think of the student who sits in front of a PC and studies the material. Make his study not only useful, but also INTERESTING AND ENJOYABLE.

Many of you, authors, are experienced teachers, who do not need any of these remarks. They are addressed primarily to those who have not prepared or taught formal courses before. I have prepared these comments on how to author a course, also in order to try to give the courses taught via CMDL E&T some standard format. This will make life easier for the students (and the authors/teachers...).

Those of you who are not yet authors of a course, but wish to explore the possibility of becoming one, please contact me.

TO SUMMARIZE:

The important thing is to start. A good starting point is to contact me.
Fill out the questionnaireand send it to CMDL E&T.
Prepare a TOC.
Pick up an easy lecture and start writing it.
Continuously think that the student is sitting in front of you, anticipate his/her difficulties and questions, and respond to them in your lecture, .......and keep in touch!

NOTE:

STUDENTS AT AUTHOR'S COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY/DEPARTMENT

If an author so wishes, students at his/her own college/university/department will be exempt from paying tuition fee for taking the course. This clause in the contract with CMDL E&T will enable authors tojustify requests for support from the college/university/department for preparing the course.

Professor Jacob Bear

CMDL, E&T

Director of Academic Affairs and Publications