The Salsa project completes Phase 1

Having successfully provided web-accessible online syllabi to more than 5,000 students during the Fall 2014 pilot program, the Salsa project completed Phase 1 on January 31, 2015.

Phase 1 was made possible through funding provided by the Utah Science and Technology Research (USTAR) initiative, and a partnership between Commercial Enterprises and the Center for Innovative Design & Instruction (CIDI).

Salsa is an open-source, web-based application for creating accessible higher-education syllabi. The full application is available for download at GitHub.

Keeping the GUI simple with the HUI

The Hidden User Interface

As we strive to maintain the "easy as dirt"* usability of the Graphic User Interface (GUI) in our open source Salsa application, we are creating a customizable User interface that lives "beneath" the GUI. We have even coined an original term: Hidden User Interface (HUI).**

We're still fleshing out the concept, but here are some thoughts:

GUI

1. Achieve simplicity and beauty through "ruthless reduction" (inspired by Fedarko's description of dories in The Emerald Mile).
2. Provide an interface that is accessible for all Users.
3. Maintain a common "top-level" interface to support interactions between Users: collaborative creation of SALSAs, feedback, coaching. 
4. Maintain a common "top-level" interface to optimize resources and services provided for Users: documentation, training, support.

HUI

1. Provide the ability to adapt to a User's spatial and/or visual preferences.
2. Allow the User to select the level of instructional scaffolding that is visible.
3. Allow Users to also share HUIs through the "Template Link" (currently allows a User to share content without creating a User account).

SALSA template link

*Actual client feedback on a beta version.
** Originality claim based on an exhaustive (several minutes) Google search.

PDF Syllabus Builder is Need-to-Know News

Thanks to Debbie Morrison at the online learning insights blog for featuring the PDF Syllabus Builder in today's post: Need-to-Know News: The Making of a MOOC, College Scorecard and Syllabus Builder Tool.

Beta version of the PDF Content Blueprinting Tool

Today the beta version of the PDF Content Blueprinting Tool was finished. Academic Partnerships has developed the tool as part of its Faculty eCommons, a social learning community for faculty that will be available soon.

The official release of the tool will take place at an upcoming Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) conference.

Introduction to the PDF Syllabus Builder

Here is a 3-minute video introduction to the PDF Syllabus Builder.

You can now download version 1.0 of this open-source tool.

How to develop a Canvas Course in 7 Steps

I've posted a video to YouTube demonstrating a development sequence that uses a design blueprint to create a course in Canvas--the learning management system from Instructure: www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVnFpa6fUDQ.


The design blueprint was created with the PDF Course Schedule Builder.

PDF Assignment Builder surpasses 4000 views

I was on YouTube today and saw that the "how-to" video on the first version of the PDF Assignment Builder now has more than 4000 views. When I posted the latest version, the original only had about 2500, but I guess people are still watching it :)

Presentation on the OAR model at Utah State University

On Thursday I presented to the Instructional Technology Student Association (ITSA) from the Instructional Technology and Learning Sciences (ITLS) department at Utah State University. I was speaking to graduate students and gave them an overview of the Objectives-Resources-Activities (OAR) model, explored the FACT Instructor Guidebook for online course development and answered their questions about Instructional Design.

Here's the video.

Course Activity Maps

I've posted a new video to YouTube that shows a Course Activity Map featuring the new Acquisition Activity and Application Activity icons from the OAR model. This CAM also incorporates Activity Layers and Activity Increments.