New Online Course Student-Ready Spot Check

Make sure students DON'T see what they shouldn't see

All template notes [found within square brackets] should be revised or removed before students enter your course. Search for bracketed text in these areas:

• All pages of syllabus section.
• All titles and descriptions of course content. Make sure no [Edit this] or [Lesson title] or [Provide a brief lesson description here] notes are still present.
• All unused course tools and menu items are hidden or removed
• All placeholder language in lesson pages is revised. For example, be sure to replace the text for "sample link" with the actual text your own link should contain.

View the following imaegs of places where you should check for these issues:

1. Within modules
2. Lessons homepage
3. Lesson Activities page

Make sure students CAN see what they need to see

• Check availability of content. EVERY item (quiz, lesson page, discussion, assignment, etc.) that students will need to see during your course MUST have the Availability set to "YES."

Read more about availability

• Check that dates are correct. Even if an item is set to be available, if there is a due date set to a date in the past, the item may not be accessed by students.
  • See how to view and manage dates
  • Select List all dates for review
  • You will see a full listing of content with dates set. Edit individual items.

• Check adaptive release conditions. Make sure you have no Catch-22 adaptive release conditions, such as in these examples:
  • If you set a condition that no one can see a discussion until they have made a post in that same discussion, no student will be able to ever post in the discussion.
  • If you have a quiz inside of Lesson 1 that must be passed before Lesson 1 is available, then no one will ever be able to see Lesson 1.

See how to view and manage adaptive release conditions

Make sure you MEAN what you say

Almost everyone makes changes to their course as they build. Have you revised anything in your course since the last time you worked on the syllabus?

• Make sure your grading table, assignment details, etc., match with what is really in your modules.
• Make sure any mention of due dates in your syllabus matches the due dates mentioned in the schedule, lesson pages, and the actual due dates set in the assignment/quiz/discussion options.

Make sure your directions lead somewhere

Maybe you posted a welcome message on the Lessons homepage that tells students to read through the Syllabus Section. But in the syllabus section, is there explicit information on what will happen once they have completed? For example, if Lesson 1 opens based on an adaptive release condition connected to the Syllabus Quiz, do you expect students to just notice Lesson 1 has opened? Or is this spelled out for them? Be sure that whenever you ask students to open a door they know what is on the other side.

• Does your lesson say there is a quiz? Is the quiz really in the module?
• Does your lesson say there is a paper due this week? And do you have details about that paper present for students to review?
• Have you told students how to find your feedback?
• Have you told students when to expect your feedback?
• Confirm all links to external resources function
• Visit your 3rd party (publisher) resources to make sure they have not been updated since you wrote your directions on how to access and use those resources. (This happens frequently!)

Smooth Sailing!

With some preparation and attention to detail, your online course will be ready to launch when the term begins and students will experience a smooth, well-conceived and adeptly-deployed learning experience.

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