Online Course Development

The Office of eLearning and Academic Technologies encompasses a variety of talented personnel available to assist with the design and development of online courses. 

Instructional Design
Ms.Alynne Wize (Assistant Director, Division of eLearning and Ms. Bette Poutre (Instructional Designer) are available to collaborate with faculty in the design, development, and delivery of online learning experiences. Alynne and Bette both hold Master's degrees in education and have several years of experience developing online courses.  
Ms. Alynne Wize: awize1@creighton.edu
Ms. Bette Poutre: bpoutre@creighton.edu

Instructional Technology
Ms. Anne Keefe is available to assist in learning to use several of the educational technologies employed within distance education courses.  
Ms. Anne Keefe: afeefe@creighton.edu

Electronic Assessments
Electronically delivered assessments are created for online (QuestionMark) or offline (ExamSoft) needs. Ms. DeDe Hedlund (Application Administrator) coordinates the electronic assessment services. For assistance with creating quizzes, exams, and formative assessments, faculty should contact:

• Pharmacy Program:  Ms. Kristine Langley Mahler (QuestionMark Testing Assistant Coordinator)
• Occupational Therapy Program:  Ms. Kate Young (ExamSoft Application Administrator)
• Physical Therapy Program:  Ms. Liz Flaherty (Physical Therapy Administrative Assistant)

Ms. DeDe Hedlund: dhedlund@creighton.edu
Ms. Kristine Langley Mahler: klangley@creighton.edu
Ms. Kate Young:  KatherineYoung2@creighton.edu 
Ms. Liz Flaherty:  LizFlaherty@creighton.edu

Graphic Arts
Mr. Phil Beagle is our very talented graphic artist and School photographer. Phil is able to create new graphics, edit existing images, as well as shoot and edit photographs for inclusion in distance education courses. 
Mr. Phil Beagle: pbeagle@creighotn.edu

Copyright Librarian
Ms. Judy Bergjord from the Health Sciences Library provides copyright support for online courses by assisting faculty seeking copyright permissions or with general copyright questions.
Ms. Judy Bergjord: bergjord@creighton.edu

Online Course Development Process

When you are ready to create a new online course or hybrid course (partially online and partially face-to-face) the following process serves as guide.  BlueLine, the University's learning management system, is used for all online courses and the online portion of hybrid courses.  Additional information about the tools available in BlueLine as well as other instructional technologies available may be found under the Resources menu to the left.

Online Course Development Process for New Online Courses

1. Contact an instructional designer  either via email or by sending a meeting request.  (Ms. Alynne Wize: awize1@creighton.edu or Ms. Bette Poutre: bpoutre@creighton.edu)
2. The instructor and the designer will have a conversation to inform the designer about the course.  In general, the designer will need:
   • Learning objectives for the course
   • A copy of the course syllabus
   • How student learning is currently assessed, or a vision for how it could be assessed
   • Learning experiences in which  the students currently engage or ideas for learning experiences
   • Information about the audience for the course (how many students, entry-level or post-professional students, general location of students, etc.)
   • To observe a face-to-face class session if the course is currently taught on-ground.
   • Instructor's ideas and concerns about creating the course for the online environment
   • Instructional materials already created by the instructor.
3. Using the BlueLine templates created for the Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, and Physical Therapy programs, the designer will create a prototype of a partial course.
4. The designer and instructor review the prototype and identify changes needed.
5. The designer and instructor engage the graphic artist and copyright librarian as needed.
6. The designer makes necessary changes.
7. The instructor and designer review edited course prototype and finalize course design structure. 
8. The designer finished building the course using the agreed upon design structure and learning materials provided by the instructor.
9. The instructor works with the designer and instructional technologist to become proficient in using the technologies employed within the course.
10. The instructor and designer review the course and make changes as needed.

Online Course Development Timeline for New Online Courses
Timelines for course development vary depending on the number of credit hours and course content type.  Generally, to ensure instructors and designers have adequate time to create a high quality course the following timeline is followed.

• 3 months prior to course start date - initial contact and meeting with instructor and designer
• 2 months prior to course start date - first review of course prototype
• 1 month prior to course start date - course build is completed, instructor works with instructional technologist as needed to become proficient with instructional technologies used in the course
• 1 week prior to star date - instructor and designer finish review and edits to course

Editing Existing Online Courses
Editing of existing online courses is accomplished by the course's instructor(s).  
If an existing course needs to be redesigned the instructor contacts an instructional designer and the process and timeline for new course development is followed.