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Module Blueprints

Module roadmaps keep a course organized and consistent by providing a foundation for a more effective learning experience. Modules should always include an introduction, describe learning outcomes, and provide specific steps to completion. Likewise, a welcome module is a specific type of preface for an entire course. Our blueprints below will help you get these essential elements into your course.

Module Roadmaps

Module Roadmaps are a consistent method of communication contextual information to students. The Module Roadmap consists of three parts:

  • Module Introduction
  • Learning Outcomes
  • Steps to Completion

The Module Introduction is a brief text (1-2 paragraphs) or video (2-3 minutes) introduction to the content the students will engage with in the module. The introduction should give the students an idea of why the content they will be learning is significant and how it will help them achieve the goals of the course.

The Learning Outcomes for the module give the student an idea of what they should be able to do by then end of the module. When writing outcomes, consider how students will demonstrate their understanding of the content in the module. Do you students to engage with course content at a lower Bloom’s Level (e.g., Remembering) or a higher Bloom’s Level (e.g., Evaluation)? Writing your outcomes clearly will help students achieve desired outcomes, and it will help you create assessments that are aligned with the expectations of your course.

Last, Steps to Completion give the students a concrete list of the things they need to do in order to successfully complete the module. Consider list all actions you expect the students to take during the module in this list (e.g., readings, assignments, discussion posts). Clear communications of these expectations will help students budget their time so they are more able to take ownership of their learning.

The Welcome Module

The welcome module is a specific type of roadmap that acts as a guide to an entire course. Noted by its name, it is one of the most important components as it provides students with information about the instructor, details the course layout, and guides the student on how to navigate through the online class.

Suggested items to include in a Welcome Module include:

  • Welcome from the instructor
  • Course syllabus
  • Course schedule
  • Technical support information
  • Student support information
  • University and instructor policies
  • Course overview or orientation
  • Introductory discussions

Building Roadmaps

There are a few options for creating a welcome module in your course, including:

  • Importing an existing module, such as one of our blueprints below.
  • Adding a module and creating or uploading files yourself.

The easiest way is to import one of our blueprint files. If you’re feeling more advanced, creating your own gives you more control over the appearance. Instructions for both options are below.

Importing Roadmaps from Blueprints

If you are starting your course from scratch, you can download one of the Module Roadmap Blueprint zip files and import it into a blank eLC course. There are currently four different versions of the Module Roadmap Blueprint available for download. The best version for you depends on your course.

NOTE: If you are editing an existing course, you should not import these files. Doing so will add new modules to your course that you will need to clean up. These files are only recommended if you are working from a blank course.

Using the Blueprints’ Basic Page Templates

As an added feature, the blueprints contain a document template that you can use when creating pages in eLC. While this feature is not directly related to the concept of roadmaps, it is a way that you can make the pages you build in eLC more attractive. This document template is aligned with UGA’s Style Guidelines and powered by the UGA Online Design System. The use of these page templates is entirely optional. You can still use the blueprints on their own if you do not intend on using the page templates.

NOTE: Do not apply a document template to an existing page in eLC. Doing so will overwrite the existing page. eLC will warn you before this happens.

To enable the page templates on new pages you are creating in eLC, please follow these steps:

  1. Inside any module in your course, select the blue Upload/Create button and choose Create a File
  2. Choose the Select a Document Template dropdown and pick Basic Page from the resulting list
  3. Build the page using the editor provided by eLC. Visit this link to find instructions for using the page editor in eLC.

Creating Your Own Roadmaps

If you want more control over the appearance of your roadmaps, you can create your own. Depending upon your level of comfort, you can import and update roadmaps or build your own from scratch.

Import and Update Existing Template Files

If you are comfortable downloading zip files and importing components into eLC, you may want to use the welcome module template files.

  1. Download the zip file for the Welcome Module Template
  2. Import the zip file into your course in eLC.
  3. Update the imported files to remove placeholders and personalize them for your course.

Create and Build Your Own Module

If you prefer to build you own content in eLC rather than using a starter template, you might want to build your own welcome module from scratch.

  1. Add a module to hold the welcome materials.
  2. Create or upload materials into the module.