Enhancing Content Collaboration in Education

Megan VanBuskirk, Director of Quality Assurance at Holistic Learning Solutions, spoke about content collaboration. The title of the session was “Universal Approaches to Content Collaboration: Preserving Curriculum Integrity and Quality Across Platforms.” VanBuskirk has seventeen years of experience in higher education and educational design. They are currently a doctoral student and active with Quality Matters (QM). VanBuskirk spoke about how unclear roles and bottlenecks and lack of templates can be challenges for online learning teams. When the instructional design model isn’t clearly defined, all members of the team have different expectations. Sometimes the Subject Matter Expert (SME) is also the faculty member… and roles can get convoluted. Organizational structures are also needed to prevent accidental content deletion, for example. VanBuskirk emphasized defining roles for faculty, SMEs, instructional designers, and administrators because overlapping responsibilities create confusion. There are different instructional design processes including ADDIE and backward design. VanBuskirk noted that undefined models cause unclear expectations so that there is a shared language. VanBuskirk explained that having a discussion about the system used is critical. Platforms used and permissions for drafting content vary. VanBuskirk shared examples using Google Docs, MS World, Aritculate, and Adobe. Accessibility, formatting, and clear navigation must be part of the workflow since the beginning. VanBuskirk noted that some teams use Google Drives for initial drafts. Others may use the LMS repositories. To have sustainable file systems, standardized naming and folder organization are needed. A strong file management system needs consistency and guidance for new users. VanBuskirk shared how a Microsoft SharePoint system can be used to create a Shared Space home page and link to files and folders that are color coded. I noticed that Microsoft is changing names and features. VanBuskirk said it was important to document feedback and changes. With a clear organization and a vaulting system, data driven improvements can be made, said VanBuskirk.

How can teams work on content creation and preserve curriculum integrity and quality? AI-generated image.