Newcourse Tips

Tips for Creating Online Assignments

• Weekly graded assignments help keep students on track so they do not fall behind.

• There should be a balance between group discussions and individual assignments. Online classes offer the flexibility of allowing students to work on their own at their own pace but with specific due dates.  The group discussions allow students to reflect on and synthesize their learning. 

• There should be no ambiguity in the directions for the assignments because students will be working on their own for many assignments without the instructor monitoring.  Give your assignments to someone who does not know the material to see if the instructions are clear to them.  Online assignments and discussion questions should incorporate several levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and require learners to apply, analyze, synthesize or evaluate the course content.

• For online learning, constructivist methodology works best where students learn by reflecting on their own experiences to construct knowledge.  When other learners share their own experiences, students can have more input as a basis for learning.

• Instructors should mix media delivery to make sure to accommodate all learning styles.  Consider creating videos or audio clips to put on the class website as well as text.  PowerPoint presentations can also be used. The instructor could mail a CD of audio and video clips to students who have slow Internet connections

Assignments should be linked to what students will do or see in the real world.  Student-centered relevant tasks work best for online students.

• Instructors can take advantage of all of the rich resources on the Internet and provide links to helpful websites.  Too many links, however, can be overwhelming.

• Give students assignments where they can research information on the Internet if the subject area lends itself to it.  Have students write a journal of what they have found.

• Assignments will be different depending on the subject being taught, but in faculty training sessions there could be small groups formed by discipline where instructors could brainstorm about types of assignments that could be used in their subject area.

• The use of online groups for collaborative work is encouraged.  Faculty development training could have small groups that work on a project together online to try it out.

• Have the students do or create something and then post it to share with the rest of the class.  Other class members can comment on the work. Instructors should let students know the guidelines about when and how assignments will be graded.  For example, if a student submits an assignment early, will it be graded at that time?  The instructor may print assignments as they come in, but wait and grade them all at once.  Give a date when grading will be completed and let students know if you are delayed.

• Students should receive an email confirmation from the instructor when an assignment is received, even if it will not be graded right away.  The email assures students that their assignment was properly submitted.

• Send individualized emails with assignment grades and comments. • Many instructors prefer using Sunday at midnight as the deadline for assignments.  A Sunday due date allows online students the flexibility of

completing assignments on the weekend when it is less likely they have other commitments. 

• Instructors should save all student assignments that are submitted for the entire semester in case there is a question later about whether an assignment was submitted.

• Instructors should post grades anonymously by student ID on a certain day of the week, or email students their up-to-date grades the same day every week.

• Every time a student emails you with a question about an assignment use that to make a clarification in the directions for that assignment.

• Student complaints or concerns give valuable feedback for improving the course.

• It is important in an online class to have a good textbook that is very thorough.

• You can make CDs or DVDs with videos that show how to do assignments if the assignments are technology-based.  The discs can be mailed to the students.  Record lectures and post on the class website.  An inexpensive digital recorder can easily record lectures.  Students can listen to them more than once.

source: Tips from Handbook for Online Faculty - by J. Frese, Fresno City College