The CTLD offers support for instructors who are preparing to teach a new or existing course. Two different types of collaborative course improvement programs are offered: CourseLaunch and CourseAssist. Courses selected to participate in the course development cycle will occur during either fall or spring semester.

Cycle Training

To prepare for a course development cycle, an instructor will meet with an assigned Instructional Designer (ID) for a kick-off meeting. This meeting establishes the working-relationship with an ID and clarifies expectations and goals for the cycle. Prior to the meeting, instructors should ensure they have the following information:

  1. Textbook for the course (Is the instructor using publisher content? Is the instructor open to using an Open Educational Resource?)
  2. Name of course on Canvas
  3. Course syllabus
  4. Course run dates (which semester or SPO)
  5. Goals
  6. Communication preference (email, Teams, etc.)

In addition, instructors will complete an Orientation Training to become familiar with the course design process, the expectations for the development cycle, and the offered CTLD services. During the cycle, instructors should expect to attend weekly or biweekly meetings with the ID and to work five additional hours per week developing the course.

CourseLaunch

CourseLaunch provides the resources necessary to launch a new online or hybrid course at MSU Denver. MSU Denver instructors, with support from instructional design/media specialists, take an active role in shaping the foundational elements of their new course. All completed courses will undergo a rigorous evaluation process to ensure they meet online course design and accessibility standards.

CourseAssist

CourseAssist provides highly-focused individual feedback on an existing course, tailored to the instructor’s unique needs and strengths. The CTLD completes a comprehensive analysis of the existing course. The results of the review help identify the merits and gaps within the online courses and serve as a blueprint for continuous course improvement.