Designing an Online Course

This assessment was completed as part of ADL6001 Engaging Learners in Digital Environments

About

After reviewing the LinkedIn Learning course ‘Avoiding Phishing Scams', I made the following recommendations:

  • Develop this 8 minute course into a complete learning experience with scaffolding techniques
  • Measure learner effectiveness through the addition of assessment tasks
  • Increase learner engagement and critical thinking skills using active learning components


In alignment with these suggestions, I will be designing a new course called 'Staying safe from scams' for an Australian government organisation targeting stakeholders residing in Australia.

About scams

A scam is designed to trick and manipulate a person into providing their personal details or transfer money.


The Australia Bureau of Statistics (2023) revealed that 65% of respondents have received an unsolicited scam SMS, email and/or phone call.


Scamwatch (2023) statistics show that Australians have lost $569 million dollars to scams in 2022.

Wespact Banking Corporation (2021)

Problem statement

The horrifying impacts of a scam has driven financial institutions, businesses, and government agencies to proactively educate their stakeholders on the topic of scams.


The Australian government has allocated funding in the 2022-23 to establish a National Anti-Scams Centre (ACCC, 2023).

Australia New Zealand Bank (2023)

National Australia Bank (2023)

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (2023)

Wespact Banking Corporation (2023)

Scamwatch (2023)

The problem

The first and most severe impact of a scam is to the individual; the victim of a scam may not only lose their life savings, but suffer emotional distress, mental and physical harm.


There are domino impacts to businesses. the government, and the industry as a result of scams. When a business is impersonated, customers lose trust in these organisations (Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre, n.d.). Australians may feel the government has not prevented and supported their citizens from scams.

About the learner

Anyone can fall victim to scam, from teenagers to the elderly.


The only way to stay safe from scams is through raising awareness. For that reason, the learning course is targeted at everyone.


A large target audience can result in many competing accomodation requests.

  • Older learners may have difficulties understanding the concept and unique characteristics of technology.
  • Each learner comes from different socio-economic backgrounds.
  • Learners may not have the right resources to complete the course.
  • Financial and digital literacy skills may be inadequate for the course.


Most of the time, the learner is motivated by negative reinforcement. They want to avoid the negative impacts of falling victim to a scam.

The solution


The 'Staying safe from scams' course will be fully online and asynchronous.


Since COVID-19, online learning is the preferred education modality (Cash, Cox, Has-Vaughn, 2021).


Online learning provides the learner maximum flexibility of time and space. Learners are able to undertake this course in a time and space that aligns with their personal, work, and lifestyle commitments (Leif, 2022).


The course is presented on the organisation's webpage, styled as an online learning environment with learning materials and activities.


Be Connected (n.d.)

Be connected is an example of an online course hosted directly from the government organisation's website.

Universal design for learning

As the learner target audience is large and inclusive, the learning design framework utilised will be the Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Applying UDL principles is an effective way to design the learner experience and materials to be inclusive to diverse learner populations (Cash, Cox, Has-Vaughn, 2021).



UDL's three key principles will be applied in the course:

The learning outcomes are designed to be relevant to current scam risks the learner may have been exposed to.


The learning materials need to be accessible in different modes (CAST, 2018).


There will be different types of application and assessment tasks for the learner to complete.


The learner has the autonomy to chose the topics they are interested in.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines will be referenced.This will make the course accessible to learners with disabilities and difficulties.

Activities will range from informal activities throughout the course and a formal assessment at the end.

Communication

As this course is hosted directly on the organisation's website, it is not practical to have an open discussion board in an attempt to facilitate learner and peer conversations.


There will be ways to share this course and facilitate discussions on different channels. Sharing this course on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn can instigate conversations and discussions on scams.

Active Learning

Some tools included in this course to promote active learning are:

  • Upon completion, the learner will receive a virtual badge that can be added onto LinkedIn and a certificate ​of completion.
  • The learning material will be multimodal and consider of readings, flyers, infographics, booklets, and ​YouTube videos.

Measuring learning effectiveness

The course aims to educate people living in Australia about scams; this is not a skill they build and apply in their life, but a learning on how to stay safe from scams.


This means that the ways to assess learning should be casual and provide feedback to learn from. Kennedy (2022) argues that feedback is crucial in online learning.

Customer Affaris Victoria (n.d.)

As the course is not part of a higher education course nor a workplace obligation, a formal assessment task such as exams or written reports is not appropriate.


Instead, some financial institutions and organisations create quizzes to measure the audience's knowledge about scams.

Informal learner activities can assess the learner's ability to apply their knowledge through the course.


For the topic on spotting the red flags in a scam communication, a simulation or case study is would be most effective. The learner can apply their knowledge to practice, and the organisation can determine their skills at that point in the course.

Main Bank Street (2021)

References


Australia and New Zealand Bank n.d., Security centre | ANZ, ANZ, viewed 2 March 2023, <https://www.anz.com.au/security/>.


Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023, 13.2 million Australians exposed to scams, Australian Bureau of Statistics, viewed 2 March 2023, <https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/132-million-australians-exposed-scams>.


Australian Competition & Consumer Commission 2022, ACCC receives additional responsibilities in budget, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, viewed 2 March 2023, <https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-receives-additional-responsibilities-in-budget>.


Cash, CM, Cox, TD & Hahs-Vaughn, DL 2021, ‘Distance Educators Attitudes and Actions towards Inclusive Teaching Practices’, Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching & Learning, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 15–42.


CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org


Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre n.d., The total impacts of fraud, Commonwealth Fraud Prevention Centre, viewed 2 March 2023, <https://www.counterfraud.gov.au/total-impacts-fraud>.


Consumer Affairs Victoria n.d., Scams quiz, Consumer Affairs Victoria, viewed 2 March 2023, <https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/resources-and-tools/scams/scams-quiz>.

eSafety Commissioner n.d., Phishing scams, Be Connected, viewed 3 March 2023, <https://beconnected.esafety.gov.au/topic-library/identifying-and-avoiding-scams/phishing-scams>.


Kennedy G, 2020, Seven Ways to improve students’ online learning experiences in your subject, The University of Melbourne, CSHE.


Leif, E 2022, Five Ways to Rethink Online and Blended Learning Post-COVID, EduResearch Matters, viewed 30 November 2022, <https://www.aare.edu.au/blog/?p=12141>.


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90/100 High Distinction