For many, deadlines just sort of blow right past them, and changes don’t get made. One of the more seductive aspects of digital content is that it feels sort of permanent even though it can so easily be updated. So much digital content in courses need updating because of changes in research, in available digital resources, in pedagogical methods, and in technologies.

Some make changes on the fly. As they realize there are issues to fix, they go ahead and make the fixes then. There are benefits to that as long as the latest versions get saved and used.

When to Revise?

Having textbooks change is often a common motive to revise. Most textbook authors are savvy enough not to go for holistic revisions. If their textbooks were adopted, there must have been some strengths to the original TOC (table of contents). However, there are sufficient changes that a new text is needed.

However, what about for the bigger over-hauls? The changes to fundamental assignments? Or grading methods? Or the integration of new learning and new technologies? There are so many reasons to update. One of the foremost ones would include not boring the instructor…who can usually use some shaking up of things.

Having a calendar for regular revisiting of the aspects of a course seems like that would make sense, sort of like a regular engine tune-up.

On a programmatic level, it may make sense to institute sustainable strategies for course maintenance. When should a course be updated? Replaced? Discontinued?

Shakeup in the Move to a New LMS

This has all come to the fore again with a switchover to a new LMS for the organization that I teach for / through. Now is a golden opportunity to make some basic improvements.