Digital Learning Instructional Strategy Guides
Course Structure & Alignment, Student Onboarding, and Data-Informed Instruction
Publication Date: 2022
Format: PDF
This series of three guides supports the effective use of digital courseware by highlighting instructional strategies that leverage technology and high-impact teaching practices. Developed through the work of 21 colleges implementing digital learning transformation, the guides focus on: course structure and alignment, student onboarding, and data-informed instruction. Each guide is organized around a definition, rationale, who’s impacted, and actionable, manageable steps for implementation. While especially helpful during course design or redesign, they can also serve as just-in-time supports for faculty during instruction.
Connections to the Transformation Journey
and How Institutions Transform
Stages of Transformation
- Act with Purpose: These highly specific—and therefore highly actionable—guides are best leveraged once an institution has prioritized digital learning as part of its transformation efforts. Each guide supports a distinct instructional strategy that emerged from the work of 21 colleges implementing digital learning reforms and is framed as an essential element of student-centered courseware design. Institutions further along in their journey will find these guides especially useful for supporting implementation through concrete, manageable steps tailored to course development and instructional delivery.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Evidence-Based Practices
- Digital Learning Reform: This series of guides supports faculty in the thoughtful use of digital learning tools through three instructional strategies: course structure and alignment, student onboarding to digital courseware, and data-informed instruction. Each guide draws on lessons learned from digital teaching and learning initiatives at 21 colleges and offers practical approaches grounded in real-world implementation experience.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Core Institutional Capacities
- Student-Centered Mission: Guide 2, focused on Student Onboarding, offers a concrete strategy for elevating the student experience in the design and delivery of instruction particularly in digital learning contexts. It helps teams adopt practices that center student needs beyond onboarding alone, reinforcing student-centered mindsets throughout instructional planning.
- Strategic Data Use: Guide 3, focused on Data-Informed Instruction, supports strategic data use by highlighting how near real-time learning analytics can inform instructional decisions. It brings data use closer to the classroom than traditional momentum metrics and encourages dynamic, responsive approaches to meeting student needs.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Continuous Improvement
This resource is most relevant to the following cross-functional roles:
- Faculty: These guides are designed specifically for faculty leading digital learning implementation. Each guide offers a clearly defined instructional strategy, supported by a rationale, audience considerations, and step-by-step actions—often accompanied by visuals—that make it easy to apply during course development or delivery.
This resource connects to the following phase(s) of the PRPAM framework:
- Act: These guides are best suited for institutions that have prioritized digital learning and are ready to implement targeted strategies. Each guide supports action by translating institutional priorities into practical instructional improvements aligned with student-centered, courseware-enabled learning.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Other Considerations
- This resource is a series of three guides and includes a useful, stand-alone Introduction to the trio. The three individual guides are Course Structure and Alignment, Student Onboarding to Digital Courseware, and Data-Informed Instruction with Courseware. Each guide can be used independently or as part of a cohesive instructional toolkit to support faculty in delivering effective, equity-centered digital learning experiences.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Stages of Transformation
- Act with Purpose: These highly specific—and therefore highly actionable—guides are best leveraged once an institution has prioritized digital learning as part of its transformation efforts. Each guide supports a distinct instructional strategy that emerged from the work of 21 colleges implementing digital learning reforms and is framed as an essential element of student-centered courseware design. Institutions further along in their journey will find these guides especially useful for supporting implementation through concrete, manageable steps tailored to course development and instructional delivery.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Evidence-Based Practices
- Digital Learning: This series of guides supports faculty in the thoughtful use of digital learning tools through three instructional strategies: course structure and alignment, student onboarding to digital courseware, and data-informed instruction. Each guide draws on lessons learned from digital teaching and learning initiatives at 21 colleges and offers practical approaches grounded in real-world implementation experience.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Core Institutional Capacities
- Student-Centered Mission: Guide 2, focused on Student Onboarding, offers a concrete strategy for elevating the student experience in the design and delivery of instruction particularly in digital learning contexts. It helps teams adopt practices that center student needs beyond onboarding alone, reinforcing student-centered mindsets throughout instructional planning.
- Strategic Data Use: Guide 3, focused on Data-Informed Instruction, supports strategic data use by highlighting how near real-time learning analytics can inform instructional decisions. It brings data use closer to the classroom than traditional momentum metrics and encourages dynamic, responsive approaches to meeting student needs.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Continuous Improvement
This resource is most relevant to the following cross-functional roles:
- Faculty: These guides are designed specifically for faculty leading digital learning implementation. Each guide offers a clearly defined instructional strategy, supported by a rationale, audience considerations, and step-by-step actions—often accompanied by visuals—that make it easy to apply during course development or delivery.
This resource connects to the following phase(s) of the PRPAM framework:
- Act: These guides are best suited for institutions that have prioritized digital learning and are ready to implement targeted strategies. Each guide supports action by translating institutional priorities into practical instructional improvements aligned with student-centered, courseware-enabled learning.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Other
Considerations
- This resource is a series of three guides and includes a useful, stand-alone Introduction to the trio. The three individual guides are Course Structure and Alignment, Student Onboarding to Digital Courseware, and Data-Informed Instruction with Courseware. Each guide can be used independently or as part of a cohesive instructional toolkit to support faculty in delivering effective, equity-centered digital learning experiences.
Learn more about the Transformation Journey and How Institutions Transform.
Recommended Citation:
Adams, S, Buchan, T, Garth-McCullough, R & Hampton, M (2022 October) Digital Learning Instructional Strategy Guide Series. Every Learner Everywhere.
