Barbara Fagundes, PhD

Learning Scientist | AI in Education | Computing Education
K-12 STEM | Responsible AI Integration

Instructional Design & E-Learning Development · Case Study

Online Teaching for Engineering and Technical Topics

Graduate-level online course design · Higher Education · 2024

Overview

This project involved the design and development of instructional materials for a graduate-level course preparing learners to teach engineering and other technical topics online. The course introduced key features of online teaching, including content design, learner engagement, platform use, accessibility, and assessment. Learners then applied these concepts by designing their own online instructional units for lecture-based and laboratory-based contexts.

Design Challenge

The challenge was to translate broad online teaching principles into practical, structured, and application-based learning materials. The course needed to help learners understand core concepts of online teaching and then apply those concepts to the design of their own instructional units, moving from theory to practice within a structured and accessible format.

My Role

I supported the instructional design, development, and LMS implementation of the course by creating and revising module content, slide decks, instructional scripts, examples, accessibility-focused materials, Brightspace homework assignments, and applied learning activities. I also helped organize course content in Brightspace, align learning goals with activities and assessments, and revise materials based on instructor feedback.

Key Deliverables

Module content and course structure
Slide decks and instructional scripts
Scenario-based examples
Accessibility-focused learning materials
Applied learning activities
Homework assignments and assessment prompts
Brightspace course content setup
Multimedia-ready instructional content
Materials designed for face-to-face and asynchronous delivery

Design Process

Analyze → Design → Map → Prototype → Develop → Implement → Iterate

Analyze Identified the needs of learners preparing to teach engineering or technical topics online.

Design Organized content around five key features of online teaching: content design, student engagement, course platform use, accessibility, and assessment.

Map Structured the learning experience into three modules: online teaching foundations, lecture-based instructional unit design, and laboratory-based instructional unit design.

Prototype Developed draft slides, scripts, examples, and multimedia-ready materials.

Develop Created instructional materials that could support both face-to-face and asynchronous online delivery.

Implement Organized course materials and homework assignments in Brightspace to support learner navigation, access, and course delivery.

Iterate Revised materials based on instructor feedback, course goals, and later implementation feedback.

Course Structure

Module	Focus	Purpose
Module 1	Online Teaching Foundations	Introduces content design, engagement, platform use, interactive materials, accessibility, and assessment
Module 2	Online Lecture-Based Unit	Guides learners in designing a short instructional unit for a lecture-style technical course
Module 3	Online Laboratory-Based Unit	Guides learners in adapting instructional design principles for lab-based technical learning

Sample Artifacts

Module Map

Module Content Map

Example of module content structure and learner-facing instructional sequence across the three course modules.

Coming soon

Video-Based Lesson Sample

Recreated video-based lesson sample showing how instructional slides, narration, and captions support asynchronous learning. This excerpt focuses on accessibility and culturally responsive design in an online technical training scenario.

Learning Activity

Applied Learning Activity

Example of an applied activity prompting learners to revise their instructional unit using accessibility, engagement, and online teaching principles.

Coming soon

Brightspace Assignment

Brightspace Assignment Example

Sample LMS-based assessment prompt designed to help learners apply online teaching principles to a real course design task.

Coming soon

Adapted artifact samples shown for portfolio demonstration. Additional materials available upon request.

Learning Experience Design Features

Scaffolded module structure
Scenario-based examples
Assessment alignment
Brightspace LMS setup
Homework and applied design tasks
Accessibility guidance
Instructional scripts
Learner engagement strategies
Iteration based on feedback

Impact / Feedback

The course was implemented and received positive feedback from enrolled instructors and an instructional design review group. Feedback from the first offering informed revisions to later modules, especially around differentiating the laboratory-based unit design experience from the lecture-based unit design experience.

Skills Demonstrated

Instructional Design Learning Experience Design E-Learning Development LMS Implementation Brightspace LMS Assessment Design Assignment Creation Content Sequencing Learning Objectives Accessibility Instructional Writing Script Writing Faculty Collaboration Iterative Design

Note: This case study uses adapted examples from original materials I developed for portfolio demonstration purposes. Course-identifying details and unpublished materials have been omitted.