Designing an interactive online study skills course: A systemic design-based approach

Developing interactive eLearning courses is perhaps one of the most challenging tasks for instructional designers and developers. Nonetheless, the rich literature on instructional systems design provides a plethora of theoretically sound approaches and models for designing interactive online courses. Due to the complexity and diversity of eLearning environments, instructional designers need to document their design processes and share their experiences so that new theoretical knowledge and applications continue to be generated. This study used a design-based approach to document the cyclical and reiterative process of designing and developing the study skills course. The study applied the ADDIE instructional design model as a sub-system model to design, develop, deliver, and evaluate the online study skills course. The qualitative data were collected using document analyses, focus groups, and structured interviews with policymakers, SMEs, and instructors at SQU to define the gap in the practices of the design and development of SPOCs. In addition, a need assessment survey was used to collect quantitative data from the Instructional and Learning Technology (ILT) department at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). The researchers used the instruments associated with each phase of the ADDIE model during the design and development of the intervention (the Study Skills course). The SMEs, instructional designers, developers, and e-learning specialists used a continuous feedback loop and formative evaluation to review each phase. The course evaluation sheet and the overall course grade indicated that the students had a positive online course experience. In addition, new contextual factors were identified and added to the design principles checklist that can be adapted and adopted in other learning environments