It is important to consider the structure and design of your module site. Module sites are useful areas that, when organised and clear, help students navigate, study and complete tasks outside of live lectures. To make the most of your virtual learning environment it’s useful to have appropriate materials and instructions online as well as discussing them face to face, this will ensure that all students have access to the materials when they need it. By using a clear and consistent format, your students will have a much easier time finding the resources needed for their learning.

This is because good structuring will manage student expectations on where to find resources by providing consistency, as well as chunking content into manageable pieces.

Generally speaking, there are two main types of structure:

• Weekly

• By-topic

In a weekly format, student resources are provided in a chronological timeline from the first week to finish. This allows students to align your content with their timetable, in addition, it allows them to maintain a clear overview of their progress throughout the course.  

Something to consider in a weekly format, is that it’s essential to ensure that each week is well-organised, with clear headings, and a brief summary of what students can expect to cover, as the content may not be obvious otherwise. In addition, weekly formats work best for courses that have a linear progression, where each week builds upon the previous one, rather than, for example, tangentially related content.  

In a by-topic format, related content is grouped together in a non-linear fashion. This can make it easier for students to dive deeper into specific areas of the course, as related content is intrinsically linked together. This approach works best for courses that are more modular in nature, as it can provide students with a more flexible approach to explore topics at their own pace. 

It is good practice to have a contained, easy to find, and visible area on your course page that clearly lays out how your course will be assessed. This should include the method of assessment, percentage weightings for assessment types, clear submission dates & timelines, how & where to submit and ideally the submission points themselves.