Course Planning Timeline

Meet with the Instructional Services team's instructional designers to discuss differences between face-to-face (F2F), blended and distance courses.
Conceptualize learning objectives and assessments that will enable to measure progress towards those objectives
Meet with e-learning specialists at the Faculty Development Center to learn Learning Management System tools (Blackboard) and web tools to maximize course delivery methods.
Sign up for professional development and training opportunities to get the most out of the tools you are using to deliver your content.

Meet with the Instructional Services (both instructional designers and e-learning specialists) team to begin mapping out & aligning all course assessments and activities (your students will expect to know all deliverables & other components so they can schedule their entire semester on the very first day).
Begin gathering supplemental materials for the course (audiovisual content, supplemental readings on the web, etc).
Review methods of creating active/engaging content for online learners with instructional design team.
Begin/plan any video and audio recordings of course content.

Meet with instructional design & e-learning support team to discuss options-based assignments, get feedback on content accessibility & policies for student work completion.
Map out the “wireframe” or “navigation pattern” or “organizational strategy” you plan to use on your Learning Management System (e.g. Blackboard).
Begin uploading test questions, resources, supplemental materials, documents, content, & assessments into Blackboard.
New faculty: Submit a Faculty Policies form to indicate your preferences for attendance, delayed viewing, etc. Returning faculty: please review your course policies and re-submit the Faculty Policies form to update any course policies.
Any copyrighted materials, including but not limited to, articles, drawings, CDs and DVDs, must go through a clearance process before they may be copied, broadcast or posted. Submit legally-purchased originals of broadcast media (CD, DVD, audiotape, etc.), or camera-ready copies of print media to UC Learning Services. If you will be posting a course schedule/syllabus exclusively to a course website, please forward any exam dates to UMA Academic Logistics.

Meet with the Instructional Services instructional design & Faculty Development Center team to test web tools & course layout to ensure that your students will be able to navigate the course, schedule, & deliverables you’ve laid out for them.
Make revisions to course design as necessary to ensure students can navigate your modules.
Begin drafting new policies around communication & work submission in the online/blended environment.
Map out grading rubrics & course “netiquette” or “ground rules” for online discussions & other assessments.

Familiarize yourself with the Grade Center and add any grading columns, categories, or weights necessary (if you need help, please reach out to the FDC).
Double check that all of your course content is Copyright Compliant for online courses.
Launch the course.
10 days prior to student use, submit handouts or exams, preferably via email at ucls@maine.edu. Complete the exam policy form with each exam.

For center-based courses: return graded work to students electronically or send them to UMA Academic Logistics (UMA-AL), where they will be recorded and then mailed out to the distance sites.
If you change your course in any way (e.g. postponing exams, canceling a broadcast, starting a course late, etc.), please notify UMA-AL so we may inform staff at your distance sites. This is especially important with ITV and videoconference courses.