When it comes to instruction, BYU Continuing Education settles for nothing less than the best. The countless online courses provided by Continuing Education can’t just be decent; they must be phenomenal. But how, exactly, do these courses get made?
The Instructional Design Team is behind it all. The team’s 21 full-time members and 60 student employees work tirelessly to push the envelope. In 2023 alone, the team developed 102 full courses from start to finish, and they’ve kept their momentum going this year.
The team develops courses for BYU Online, the World Language program, and both High School and University Independent Study. They work with a wide range of top educators, ensuring that, despite the classes’ virtual format, they meet or exceed the BYU standard of quality.
Each course usually takes the team five to six months to complete. During this time, the course goes through a rigorous review process. Courses are evaluated according to 62 different criteria after one week of material is finished, at 50% completion, and at 100% completion. This evaluation is carried out by various groups, administration, teachers, and student experience specialists.
The team’s Herculean efforts pay off; BYU Continuing Education offers over 650 diverse courses. High school students can get a head start with AP classes, BYU students can knock out GEs online, and middle schoolers can take classes in almost any subject.
Continuing Education courses include some uniquely intriguing offerings. Want to learn Arabic newspaper and magazine vocabulary? We have your back. How about North Korean culture or intermediate sewing techniques? Just sign up! High schoolers can even take a course titled “Dating: Romance and Reason.”
One popular offering is the Independent Study High School Automotive course. Designing an online course about the intricacies of automotive engineering may seem daunting. It wasn’t easy, but the team pulled out all the stops, strategically using photos, videos, and interactive experiences designed in-house. The ingenuity of the Instructional Design team made the class engaging and applicable, despite the challenges of the digital medium.
BYU Continuing Education courses are made with the students in mind. The main criteria used to evaluate the impact of courses is student feedback. Grades and course completion come into the picture, but qualitative feedback is what matters most. The team constantly pays attention to what students and parents are saying about the courses. This customer-first approach reflects BYU Continuing Education’s Christ-centered nature and ensures meaningful learning experiences.
Middle school, high school, and university students alike should look at what BYU Continuing Education online courses have to offer. Whether you’re an aspiring aerospace engineer or an art aficionado, there’s something for you!
