Steps for Developing New
Online Courses

The course development process involves developing objectives, getting course approval, creating content, designing assessments, selecting technologies, and preparing the course site.

The timeline below also applies to course format changes and new sections of existing courses. You can click on the following links to explore a specific step:

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5

Step 1: Initiate Planning for New Course

Timeline

~7–12+ months from course start

Checklist

Check off each task as you complete Step 1:

Faculty confirms the new course proposal, including course objectives and methods of assessment, with the department curriculum committee.

Faculty contacts the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) to set up a meeting with CTL Director Brian Klaas <bklaas@jhu.edu> and Assistant Director of Learning and Innovation Kathy Gresh <kgresh@jhu.edu>. When possible, the assigned Instructional Designer (ID) will attend the meeting.

In course meetings, faculty are introduced to CTL services, including ID support, resources available on the Teaching Toolkit website, and an overview of the content production process.

Faculty begin to outline the course curriculum and schedule, with guidance from CTL to support learning objective development and alignment and to ensure best practices in syllabus design.

Faculty and their ID meet and discuss milestones for course development.

Deadlines

Department submits the course proposal to the Committee on Academic Standards (CAS) by the online new course/section submission deadlines indicated on the Academic Affairs Key Dates and Deadlines resource below.
There is a limited annual queue for new courses and section development, so contact CTL as early as possible to ensure your course can run next year.

Resources

Step 2: Design Course Content

Timeline

~5–6+ months from course start

Checklist

Check off each task as you complete Step 2:

Faculty builds CoursePlus syllabus.

Faculty consults with ID to develop a course overview and course site structure with attention to accessibility expectations; this includes schedule, landing pages, and linked CoursePlus tools.

Faculty identifies course readings and resources.

Faculty and ID set milestones to develop a teaching plan, including facilitation and administrative needs.

Faculty and ID create shared, collaborative development resources (e.g., folder, spreadsheet, Microsoft Loop).

Resources

Step 3: Develop Content with CTL

Timeline

~3–5+ months from course start

Checklist

Check off each task as you complete Step 3:

ID supports faculty in developing content.

Faculty meets with ID to discuss slide design, including the BSPH PowerPoint (PPT) template and tips for authoring accessible lectures.

Faculty and guest speakers schedule content delivery options according to the applicable content-type deadlines. For narrated PPT recordings or audio-only content, the speaker schedules recording sessions using the scheduling page. For video content recorded with CTL, the speaker contacts the ID to coordinate their project.

Speaker attends a prerecording meeting with ID and producer to clarify the recording process.

If PPT will be used, speaker shares slides with ID and producer at least 3 days before recording.

Speaker records audio, lecture, and/or video content with guided support from CTL. (Speaker may need to respond to queries from the CTL production team regarding slides.)

Deadlines

All PPT-based lecture content is recorded ~3 months from course start.
All video content is recorded ~2 months from course start.

Resources

Step 4: Confirm Instruction and Activities

Timeline

~2–3+ months from course start

Checklist

Check off each task as you complete Step 4:

Faculty and ID review the objectives and activities for alignment and clarity.

Faculty and ID select and set up CoursePlus and other tools for instructional activities.

Faculty confirms pacing, schedule, and workload balance.

Faculty finalizes course resources, readings, instructions, rubrics, and content on course site.

Deadline

Share reading list with eReserves ~1+ months from course start.

Resources

Step 5: Finalize Course Site

Timeline

~1 months from course start

Checklist

Check off each task as you complete Step 5:

CTL posts lecture materials to the course site and conducts quality confirmation.

Faculty adds LiveTalks to the course site.

Faculty and ID do a final review of the course site and orient Teaching Assistants (TAs).

Resources

After the course begins, CTL continues to provide support for pedagogical and technical needs. The faculty–ID partnership continues through subsequent iterations of the course.

Steps for Developing New Online Courses

Step 1: Initiate Planning for New Course

Timeline

Checklist

Deadlines

Resources

Step 2: Design Course Content

Timeline

Checklist

Resources

Step 3: Develop Content with CTL

Timeline

Checklist

Deadlines

Resources

Step 4: Confirm Instruction and Activities

Timeline

Checklist

Deadline

Resources

Step 5: Finalize Course Site

Timeline

Checklist

Resources

Steps for Developing New
Online Courses