Tool to facilitate course design and development

[Susan_Coon]

Has anyone developed a tool to facilitate course design and development between subject matter experts and designers/development specifically for Canvas?

[awilliams]

The absolute gold standard (in my humble opinion at least) of course design and development tools  are CIDI Custom Tools​ created by  @kenneth_larsen ​. I haven't convinced my IT department to implement them yet (we're a small institution) but check out that link and you'll be left wanting!

[kona]

I agree that kennethware​ by  @kenneth_larsen ​ is definitely the way to go if you can get the IT support to implement it! We are smaller and haven't been able to swing it.

[mpoole]

Hi Kona and Adam,

I was wondering if you could explain IT's hesitation in installing the custom tools?  I have been browsing and they seem great but I am an academic technology curriculum specialist, not an IT specialist so I wanted to have a sense of the potential challenges before I go skipping in to IT making more work for them.

Thanks!

Melissa

[kenneth_larsen]

awilliams​ and  @kona ​, thank you for the endorsement, that means a lot to me. I am sorry to hear that your IT teams are hesitant to support the tools but you are not alone.  @mpoole ​, I can tell you some of what I have heard from schools seeking to implement the tools and maybe Adam and Kona can chime in if they have anything to add.

Here is a brief summary of what I have heard and encountered:

• Fear of being overwhelmed with support calls based on the tools
• Disconnect between IT departments and instructional designers (IT doesn't think the benefits outweigh the effort they may need to devote to install and update the tools)
• Administrators that don't trust what designers/instructors will do with the tools
• No access to a PHP server or an online place to host the tools
• Fear of opening potential security vulnerabilities
• No one with the time or knowledge to install

I'm sure that the list could go on but that covers the majority of what I have heard. USU is currently looking into what it would take to offer a hosted version of the tools to make the support, maintenance and update process easier but it will probably be several months before they reach any sort of decision.

Just as a fun side note, I am working on a new and improved version of the tools that I hope to give a sneak peak during my presentation at InstructureCon.

[kona]

Melissa, for us it's the time vs. benefit issue. We aren't sure if the time it would take our part part part time IT guy to get this working and maintain it would be worth the number of faculty who may use it. In addition, since faculty build their own courses, there would be the time to get faculty trained and ready to use it.

I think it's an amazing tool though and I'm excited to see the next version at InstructureCon!

[awilliams]

Hey  @mpoole ​,

 @kenneth_larsen ​, pretty much hits the nail on the head with points #2 and #6. Basically our IT department is small and already feels overwhelmed so their is a de-facto position of resistance to anything additional. Without being "in the mix" with faculty every day I'm not sure they fully realize the elegance of what Kenneth has done and the potential for student success, retention, and faculty engagement in course design. They're all great people, they're just also incredibly busy people with their own to-do lists and priorities.

 @kenneth_larsen ​, are their any thoughts or plans on spinning this off into a contracting gig? It may be easier to convince the institution to pay an outside contractor to implement and train on the maintenance of this product and it may be a good way to recoup some monetary rewards for your incredible efforts and generosity in open-sourcing it.​

[kenneth_larsen]

USU is currently exploring whether it would be viable to offer these tools as a service where USU would provide hosting, support and maintenance. We will see what they decide.

[travis_thurston]

I have had the pleasure of working alongside  @kenneth_larsen ​ at USU and have been able to use the CIDI Custom Tools​ since their inception. In fact, Kenneth created the tools based on the instructional design process we were working through, so it's very intuitive to the actual workflow of designing a course with a SME. We usually develop a course map with the SME or instructor and then input the details of modules, assignments, quizzes, etc. into the template wizard and the course shell is ready to go. It has changeable themes and the ability to copy content pages, and so much more.

I can't imagine trying to develop a course without the tools at this point. My advice to any ID is to do anything in your power to get your hands on the kennethware​ tools. They will seriously change your life.

[scottdennis]

Hi All,

If you have technical questions about implementing kennethware, you might consider posting them over in the Canvas Developers​ group.