As you approach the spring semester, staring at an empty Canvas shell can be daunting. eLearning has several resources to make the course-building process easier.

Course design resources, housed in the UAB eLearning Course Template, are customized for the spring semester and provide structure to guide your course set up. This template includes research-based elements for an effective student experience and meets Quality Matters standards. Below is a description of each section.

• Course homepage – This is the landing page of your course. It contains information on how to start on the course (including instructions to read the syllabus), a link to a Canvas tutorial, and buttons for each week of the semester which link to a corresponding module.
• Course Information module – Contains editable pages to guide you through introducing your students to the course and beginning to build rapport and instructor presence by introducing yourself. This module also contains interactive introductions to netiquette and tips for being successful in an online course.
• UAB Policies and Resources module – Contains required UAB policies such as Title IX, Disability Support Services (DSS), and course withdrawal. It also includes the updated COVID-19 DSS information, a list of services available to students, and technology support information for the most used academic technologies supported by eLearning.
• Weekly modules – There are 15 weekly modules that contain a module overview, editable pages for instructional materials (including embedded videos), placeholder discussion boards, and a wrap up page. These elements were chosen based on research related to instructional delivery and adult learning theory.

To download the template, visit the eLearning Instructional Design page and select “Download eLearning Course Template” from the right side menu. All elements (except for the Canvas Overview, Netiquette, and Tips for Online Success) can be edited to fit your particular course content. eLearning Instructional Designers, Technologists, and Media professionals are also available during Open Lab and throughout the semester to support you in all of your instructional needs.