The Perfect Module
Presented by Jim Marteney, Certified Etudes Trainer
Our modules are our lectures. It is here, as in our lectures, where we place our key information and our interpretation of the class content. Modules are like mini lectures with a beginning, middle and end with a variety of support materials. But how interesting, exciting, and informative are they? Too often we post a collection of text materials around a subject and wonder why students don't read them.
In this session we will look at a variety of strategies to create a module that is informative, engaging and something students will want to read. To do this we will look at the overall structure of a module including an introduction that “grabs” students, the flow of a quality module, how to make it “look pretty,” different types of materials to support your ideas including videos, and most importantly, some thoughts from the Quality Matters program on designing great modules.
Module Structure
· Beginning
- Previews and gets your students interested in the module
- Sell the importance of the module
- You can add a video
- You can include module objectives
- Think, “What’s in it for me?”
· Middle
- Chunk your lecture
- Make sections pretty, use tables
- Key is variety with graphics and videos
- YouTube has a variety of useful tools
- Slideshare.net is an excellent resource
- Use interactive activities including those already on the internet
· End
- Summarize module and offer additional resources
Key Questions to ask yourself
- What is module’s overall purpose?
- What are the module goals or objectives?
- Did module fulfill the objectives?
- Why should student care about the module?
- How readable are the modules, language choice, fonts, colors?
- Were the sections attractive?
- Any unneeded sections?
- Is a section effectively instructional?
- Is a section just taking up space?
- Are you using the right fonts?
- Have I chosen my words well?
