Ready for better course design? Try using the “Default Shell” Blackboard course template
The following message was shared with faculty and staff via email on Dec. 9.
Course design best practices tell us that consistent and predictable design reduces cognitive load and makes it easier for students to get to the content and assignments they need.
The open letter from the New Paltz Student Association (Oct. 23, 2020) echoed this instructional theory as students requested that faculty keep courses consistent and as they expressed fatigue from navigating multiple platforms and expectations.
How Can We Help?
If you have not gone through online/hybrid development within the last few years, one of the best ways to accomplish this goal of consistent design is to use the “New Paltz Default Shell.”
A “shell” is a course template in Blackboard that is pre-built with features that take into consideration course design best practices and also follow the SUNY Course Quality Rubric (OSCQR).
Consider these key features:
- Default main menu, so students know exactly where to go
- Incorporated web-conferencing links for synchronous sessions
- Pre-built module folders
- Placeholder areas that explain where content should go
- Prompts to add materials or information
- Accessible syllabus template can be downloaded
- Pre-initated Ally accessibility report – just click to get score!
- Links to support for academics, technology, and wellness
- Link to the Student Online Learning Orientation
- Remote Learning Survey (with health/wellness check-in)
Want to Preview the New Paltz Default Shell?
We believe the New Paltz Default Shell is a great fit for any class, but we understand you might want to preview it before adoption! All current faculty have been added to a preview version of the shell (in a student role), so they can look at what the shell has to offer.
Request a Copy of the New Paltz Default Shell
Once you’ve decided you would like to use the default shell in your own courses, you can put in a request through our support ticketing system.
The shell works best when building or rebuilding a course from scratch, but if you already have some content in Blackboard that you’d like to incorporate with the shell, please request a consultation with an instructional designer in the Office of Instructional Technology before requesting the copy.