Follow these tips for creating more impactful online assignments for your online, hybrid, or face-to-face courses:
Take advantage of the web as a learning environment. There is no need to be constrained by the limitations of D2L, Zoom or other platforms when developing online assignments. The web offers a wealth of information, services, and tools that can be incorporated into assignments and course activities; you can use its networked, hypertextual nature to stimulate curiosity, encourage exploration, and promote critical thinking.
Start engaging students early in the course. The first assignment is a good indicator of whether a student will complete the course. Interesting, provocative assignments early in the course draw students in, habituate them to the kinds of coursework you have planned, and engage them actively in the course community.
Be transparent in your motives and articulate a clear rationale. All assignments benefit from a clearly articulated rationale, but this is especially true online, where it can be more difficult for students to ask clarifying questions. Explaining why you have chosen a particular assignment and why you believe it is valuable is often the best way to persuade students to try out an assignment they might otherwise approach skeptically.
Connect multiple parts of the course. Assignments and activities can weave together different parts of the course, helping students integrate what they learn and develop a deeper understanding of the material.
Provide clear criteria for evaluation and assessment. Because grading and assessment practices vary widely in online courses, students often benefit from knowing how their work will be evaluated. Providing clear grading rubrics and other evaluation criteria in advance can help students focus on the most important aspects of the assignment.
Provide detailed instructions and prompts. Detailed instructions are crucial - but they must also be concise enough that students will actually use them. Consider using video prompts or instructions when you need to convey a lot of information related to an assignment.
Demonstrate variety and flexibility. Flexibility and variety let students exercise more control over their choices, making assignments more engaging. Providing multiple options for completing assignments is one way to introduce flexibility; designing assignments that allow for multiple types of answers or learning approaches is another.
Provide good (and bad) examples. Examples act as models that help students learn to develop their own ideas or responses and to think more creatively. Examples also help students who may not be familiar with expectations or practices for certain types of assignments. Pointing out an example's best and worst features can be especially useful.
Make assignments inclusive and accessible. Assignments that are designed from the beginning to be accessible are ideal for online environments. Following principles of universal design ensures assignments find the broadest possible audience.
Adapted from Characteristics of Effective Online Assignments (Brown University)
Additional Resources:
Interactive Activities in Online and Hybrid Courses (Carelton College)
Peer Assessment in Online Courses (Brown University)