The Media Innovation team at SHSU Online has developed a new web-based application, called the Online Course Styling Tool, to help educators enhance the look and feel of their instructional content in online courses. The tool includes a collection of features that enable users to effortlessly employ a variety of consistent and attractive stylings that can add visual interest and instructive context to course content.
With the Online Course Styling Tool there are a variety of opportunities to enhance the presentation of instructional content, from videos and graphics to text, and strengthen the delivery of course concepts.
Text Content Styling
Textbooks are a prime example of how course content is at its best when presented in an organized system and displayed in an easy-to-understand way. While text styling options included in the new Blackboard Ultra interface are acceptable in most cases, they don’t always leave room for deeper customization of text-based course content.
The text content styling features of the Online Course Styling Tool allow you to circumvent the base level of styling and use more advanced styling in line with that of a textbook.
Course Banners
Course banners are a simple way to visually identify and contextualize a course and its content for students. The course banner feature of the Online Course Styling Tool allows anyone with access the ability to quickly create banners for courses using a collection of images and options.
Banners made with this feature have a “pixel” styling, similar to what is used in SHSU Online marketing, as well as a primary color that is overlayed on the chosen background image. The banner colors help courses stand out in the course selection menu and can strengthen the identity of courses when also used for content elements throughout the courses.
Video Thumbnails
Implementing cohesive thumbnails or “poster images” for the videos in your course is small touch that can add context and continuity to instructional content. To make creating these assets quick and simple the Online Course Styling Tool includes a video thumbnail creation feature. Thumbnail images created with this feature also have the benefit of visual consistency with course banners and other text styling that can be created with the tool.
Overall, the Online Course Styling Tool is a useful resource for educators looking to improve the delivery and engagement of their online course content. Try it out here.