Best Practices

Best Practices for Editing TRU-OL Curriculum Materials
[for checklists: expand each item in the list to link to subpage]

Conduct a Pre-Edit
Before starting to edit a course, confirm with Editing Coordinator (Brian):
 * Issue (course) has been entered in JIRA[link] and assigned to you
 * Any info that might impact the editing process

Discuss and verify with the instructional designer, course lead, subject matter expert (SME), or course writer:
 * Scope of edit: this may change as editing proceeds and may differ from information captured in JIRA
 * How to handle duplicate edits (for a standard web (SW) and print (PT) course, for example)
 * How to handle URLs: best practice is as weblinks with author/originator stated, title of resource in bold font, URL provided, instructions to Production
 * How to handle lists of resources (provide short lists in module or unit and references list at end of course)
 * Whether to and where to provide a resources page
 * Layout in the web (for example, if the Course Schedule will have a separate page or be included in the Course Guide)
 * What citation style is to be used (generally, either APA or MLA)

Verify with the curriculum assistant:
 * Details of the textbook(s) (name, author, edition); companion website; and other resources
 * Editor's access to the resources (get the textbook)

Set up a style sheet:
 * Either set up a new style sheet or get one from the previous editor
 * Log in to Blackboard Learn[link] and note in the style sheet choices already made for the course

Set up the course folders and files:
 * Save all original files with their original names
 * Save all original files renamed according to File Naming Conventions[link]
 * In the renamed files, accept all changes (if any remain) but keep any comments by previous reviewer

Back up all materials on the O: drive:
 * Use a folder under O: Open Learning Share> Curriculum Services> editing [check] and back these up each day

In JIRA:
 * Enter any relevant comments regarding previous edit and scope of the current one
 * Log preliminary work

Use JIRA

 * 1) Log work. If there are two MODs (methods of delivery), log work under each one.
 * 2) Enter comments for top-level information (from which an editing memo can be made) on the main page.
 * 3) Enter comments for granular information under the log work page.
 * 4) Estimate percentage of work done.

Use the Style Sheet

 * Use and add to the Style Sheet [link to example]

Send Documentation

 * Email edited Course Guide to the appropriate CA

Use Generic [use other word?] Email Addresses
Some OL teams do work on campus or work with several other teams so they might have generic sites. Rather than email a particular person in the Intellectual Property Office (IPO), for example, we use the IPO's generic email address. Generic email addresses: * Copyright: Copyright@tru.ca[link] * CA Business: CA1@tru.ca[link] * CA Arts: CA2@tru.ca[link] * CA Health: CA3@tru.ca[link] * Media Services : media@tru.ca [verify][link] * Default Course Lead (Naomi) and Project Manager (Andrea C): CurriculumServices@tru.ca[link] * Exams (Jennifer C): CSexams@tru.ca