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Engagement Series: Introduction
April 26, 2024
There are many components to consider when developing an online course; a key framework to inform course development is student engagement. The Glossary of Education Reform defines student engagement as “the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education” (Great Schools Partnership, 2016, para. 1). Developing and evaluating course content through the lens of engagement can help instructors create an environment that is conducive to learning and mastery of course outcomes.
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Accessible PDFs
June 14, 2024
Developing and delivering accessible instructional content—meaning content that students with and without disabilities can readily engage with and use—is essential to the success of an online course. While many accessibility standards and guidelines are broadly applicable, there are also specific considerations unique to different content formats and delivery modes. In this piece, we present recommendations for enhancing the accessibility of PDFs for students.
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Hyperlink Dos and Don'ts
December 12, 2022
When designing a course, you want to ensure that all students can access the websites and documents that you link to. Accessible hyperlinks are particularly important for students with screen readers, which read the links out loud. This piece contains best practices for writing and formatting accessible hyperlinks so that all learners can access the content that you have curated for your course.
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The Need to Rethink Assessments in the Age of Generative AI
January 27, 2025
The rapid advancement of generative artificial intelligence (genAI) technologies has sent shockwaves through the education sector, sparking intense debates about academic integrity, assessment practices, and student learning (Roe et al., 2023; Rudolph et al., 2023; Susnjak & McIntosh, 2024; Swiecki et al., 2022; Yeo, 2023). Since the public release of ChatGPT in November 2022, educators have grappled with concerns about cheating and the potential erosion of traditional academic values (Gorichanaz, 2023; Sullivan et al., 2023). However, as our understanding of genAI capabilities evolves, so too must our approach to assessment and teaching (Lodge et al., 2023).
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Matching Video Production Style to Learning Goals
November 03, 2022
You have decided to record a video for your course (See this Envision post first: Video Planning: To Record or Not to Record?). Your next concern might be choosing the technology that can match the production quality of the videos in MOOCs (massive open online courses) such as MasterClass or Coursera. But have no fear—research shows no association between production value and learning outcomes (Hansch et al., 2015; Sturman et al., 2018). Furthermore, selecting your technology without initial consideration of your video style would be premature. “When thinking about video for learning, the choice of video production style will have a great impact on a video’s ability to effect pedagogical objectives and desired learning outcomes” (Hansch, et al., 2015, p. 20). Production style refers to the holistic organization of a video, which we will discuss in terms of type (what the video aims to accomplish) and output (what the video looks like). Choosing the right style for the content centers the learner and ultimately facilitates an easier selection of technology.
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Designing High-Quality Assessments in Competency-Based Education
August 20, 2025
This piece is part of a series exploring competency-based education (CBE):
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Audio and Narration Best Practices
November 03, 2022
This guide highlights best practices for recording narration for online course content, whether video or audio. Your instructional designer can provide appropriate technical guides for your chosen recording method. For videos that will include your webcam footage, see the Envision piece Self-Recording Best Practices.
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10 Key Considerations for Online Course Development
March 25, 2025
Designing and delivering effective online courses requires careful consideration of numerous factors. As a result, it can be difficult to determine where to begin in the process, particularly for course developers and instructors who are new to online learning. This piece presents a curated list of resources aligned with 10 key considerations applicable across academic disciplines and degree programs.
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Developing Written Course Content: Personal Experience Insights
August 28, 2025
In our Personal Experience Insights series, members of the Everspring Learning Design department share first-hand accounts of creating online learning content and meaningful takeaways from their professional experiences.
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Best Practices for Screencast
April 26, 2024
Do you want to deliver presentations, share tutorials, or teach complex applications in your online course? If so, creating screencasts may be a great option for you. This piece defines what a screencast is, identifies important development considerations and common instructional use cases, and highlights best practices for creating screencasts for your online course.
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