MIT 515: An Online Course
	Course Project Proposal PDF File Unit 2 Proposal Link Online Course Link Usability Test for Course Usability Test for Unit 2

Context and Conditions

This project was developed for MIT 515: Web Teaching: Design & Development in the spring of 2003 under the direction of Dr. Sue-Jen Chen. The project was a collaborative effort of a team of four classmates. We worked to develop the overall course proposal and the development of an actual course. As an individual project assignment, each team member was responsible for a developing a specific unit within the course. I designed and developed the course pages for Unit 2: Hardware and Software.

The course was designed for New Hanover County public school teachers who needed instruction on how to integrate technology into their curriculum. The constructivist design of the course activities incorporated Problem-Based Learning (PBL). During the spring semester, the process of development, formative evaluations, and revisions led to the finished product that was uploaded in April 2003.

Scope

We developed a project proposal which contained a front end analysis of learners and the context. The proposal also included a description of the product, description of content, functional specifications, social contextual support, description of the instructional event, and evaluation strategies. The same information was provided for the individual unit.

A formative evaluation had to be conducted a report of the findings was also submitted. The usability test conducted was reviewed to establish the effectiveness of the material , clarity of instructions, navigation of units, screen design for visual appeal, and specific questions referencing the user’s interaction to web site. The observations were recorded and the results collected. The compiled results were reviewed for weaknesses in the course web site and related units for improvement in the overall usability for future users. The goal was to use the results to maximize the effectiveness of the course for the intended target audience.

Role

I took the role as a designer and developer for both the class project and the individual unit. I worked as a project leader to maintain the timeline for the project. I met with the team members outside of class and online via email. I encouraged the team with positive feedback and made recommendations for deadlines throughout the development of the website. I also organized a time and place for final revisions and assisted in the final upload of the project. For my individual unit, I was responsible for the entire design, development, evaluation, and final upload of the unit.

Reflection

During the course, I gained more practice in conducting a front-end analysis. As an instructor, I developed a better understanding of how to design instruction using problem-based learning. As a web developer, I learned the importance of working well with a team and the many technical skills that are needed to design and entire site. As an evaluator, I learned the importance of conducting a thorough evaluation and usability test when producing a self-instructional website.