ABSTRACT
Design projects often begin with a design brief that clarifies the problem to be solved. Here we adapt this practice and apply it to the task of building a course in a learning management system (LMS). Two systems for online course quality review—Quality Matters and OSCQR—provide a basis for a synthesis of recommendations that faculty members can use as a blueprint for designing and building a strong, student-centered, and instructionally sound course. The LMS serves as a tool to keep our instructional materials organized, with helpful features to support students’ learning. Furthermore, when our courses exist within our institution’s learning management system, we are poised to pivot in response to unexpected challenges and deliver uninterrupted instruction no matter what we may face.
