Semester maps are holistic overviews of the course which contain materials, notes, and waypoints for the teaching staff. These are different from course outlines, which are student focused, and are aimed at providing additional notes regarding key waypoints in the Semester. For example, a course map could include O-Week onboarding activity, Week 1 tutorial and group formation, and a number of assessment task preview and review weeks
| Semester Map | Task |
| Week 0 | Induction to the course Setting expectations for participation Explaining how to use the course for learning Establish mutual obligation and mutual expectations Demystify the subject Establishing the timing and structure (live events, release dates, assessment dates) |
| Week 1 | Cohort Onboarding Introductory presentation thread (post short video in forum to introduce self to peers) |
| Pre-Assessment Weeks | Onboard requirements for the assessment task Explain purpose of task in terms of Applicable Learning Outcomes, Application to Discipline / Field / Practice, Mindset training (how to think like a member of the discipline)Skill sets (behaviours to be practice)Engagement (doing this assignment connects you to peers / industry / other course / professional development) Onboard practical requirements Submission requirementsPoint of submissionTechnical requirements of the task |
| Post-Assessment | Feedback sessions How to act on feedback in this subjectTask specific feedback for what has been submittedBroader feedback to what gets submitted next |
Session Maps
Session Maps are a good practice inherited from a range of sources, and with the bi-modal nature of teaching in S2 2020 and beyond, mapping the weekly journey expected of the students is useful to consider how the notional 10 hours will be deployed.
The chart below breaks down a possible session map strategy across four outcomes. Timing indicates whether it happens before, at or after a time sensitive real time event. The style of action is indicative of key behaviours that can map ot learning outcomes, and the suggested activities map to the learning behaviours. Lastly, the nature of the activity is listed out in further detail since it encompasses different ways to have the cohort interface with the university via the subject.
- Active: Requires participation and engagement for outcome
- Bi-directional: Between teaching staff and student
- Cohort cohesion: Engagement with other students
- Dynamic: Reactive in real time
- Multidirectional: Conversation between students, to teaching staff and from teaching staff
- Proactive: Requires students to take active steps to complete ahead of real time event
- Reactive tasks: requires preceding activity and content to complete
- Self directed: Requires students to take ownership of own outcomes
- Unidirectional: one way broadcast
| Timing | Style of Action | Suggested Activity | Nature |
| Pre-Sessions (asynchronous+) Any activity I want the students to complete before a live event | Sense making (understanding concepts and content) | Pre-reading (eg a textbook chapter, set reading, link) | Proactive (requires students to take active steps to complete) |
| Embedded content (materials provided) | Pre recorded video (eg class video, Voice over PowerPoint, Case study Video, YouTube content) | Unidirectional (one way broadcast) | |
| Self Assessment (formative activity on sense making) | Pre-Class Quiz, Reflective Journaling | Proactive (requires students to take active steps to complete) | |
| Live Sessions (synchronous) Zoom based tutorials, seminars or socially distanced face to face events | Announcement | Lecturer broadcast (eg Setting expectations for session, explaining instructions for task, wrap up and summary) | Uni directional |
| Analysis | Case study method, presentations from break out groups | Bi-directional / Multidirectional | |
| Discussion | Small break out groups (eg Discuss the reading, Answer Q5) | Engagement with other students; cohort cohesion | |
| Critiques | Student led discussion points on prereadings | Bi-directional / Multidirectional | |
| Demonstrable attainment of Learning Outcome / assessment goals | Demonstration of skills in presenting, group work, or other real time task | Dynamic | |
| Question and Answer | Student centric question | Active, Bi-directional / Multidirectional | |
| Viva / Oral Defence | Conversational assessment (formative or summative) | Dynamic, multidirectional | |
| Guest Speaker / Webinar | Presentation and Q&A | Active, Bi-directional / Multidirectional | |
| Post-Session (asynchronous) | Reflection | Written journals | Reactive tasks |
| Online formative or summative reflective tasks | Reactive tasks | ||
| Self-Evaluation | Post-Event Quiz (eg content recall) | Self directed Reactive | |
| Consolidation | Progression of personal assessment tasks, | Self directed | |
| Self guided study | Reactive tasks | ||
| Forum Discussion Posts (eg write up and review of learning, follow discussions) | bi-directional, multi-directional |
The aim of any toolkit, such as the table above, is not to force people into believe they have to do everything, but rather provide a set of indicative and creative solutions to get student engagement with content, context and cohort.