Weekly Tip: Considerations when Selecting Resources

Selecting resources for your course can be a challenge. Especially when there are a wide variety of resources to choose from. A previous Weekly Tip entitled How to Choose a Quality Third-Party Resource, provided a checklist of considerations for selecting resources. Here are some additional points to consider.

Considerations

Minimizing Financial Cost

Rising costs are often a detriment to students. Resources are no exception. Textbooks and software can become costly very quickly. Consider selecting free or low-cost resources such as OERs (Open Educational Resources).

Avoiding Technology Overload

A benefit of creating course content in the 21^st century is the plethora of outstanding educational technologies. Too much technology can have the opposite of the intended effect: students end up spending more time learning the technology than examining the content.  Consider narrowing down your selection to avoid student burnout.

Prioritizing Learning Outcomes Over Resources

It can be tempting to build an entire course around a resource, but a course is most structurally sound when it is built around learning outcomes. Additionally, you will save yourself work in the future if a resource becomes unavailable. For example, if you wrap a course around a textbook instead of learning outcomes, the course will need to be completely redesigned when that textbook is no longer available.

For more tips on selecting resources, reach out to us at aoi.li@wsu.edu.

Additional Resources 

Weekly Tip- How to Choose a Quality Third-Party Resource