13.1: Introduction

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Learning outcomes

Identify the primary considerations for planning an online course.
Distinguish among design approaches.
Apply the planning phase to your own course design context.
Map your course elements and identify needs to support your design approach.

“The more you plan, the more room you leave for spontaneity”. – Vella (2006)

Where does the process of planning a course begin? Where does it end? What does a course plan look like, and how does it differ from a course design?

This chapter provides an overview of the broad considerations in preparing an online course plan. A plan is a starting point for moving forward with the design, implementation, and evaluation of an online course:

Who will you work with to design the course?
Who will take the course and why?
What do we know about the learners?
How do instructor styles factor into the planning?
What are the main components of the course?
How will the course be organized?

Even the most open-ended learning activities begin with a plan. However, a plan will, and should be, refined and adjusted during implementation. In this sense a plan evolves, but it continues to provide a sidebar of sorts; something to guide the decisions about the design work that needs be carried out. A plan can be both an ongoing reality check, and way to focus on important elements of a course design.