Connecting Learning, Life and Aloha
‘O ka ‘imi na‘auao, ke ola a me ke aloha kā kākou e huliāmahi ai

UH Hilo Distance Learning

Course Design and Development

The University of Hawaiʻi has a new Learning Management System named Lamakū (powered by D2L Brightspace). For up-to-date information regarding a transition/implementation timeline, training, and support, please refer to the Discover Lamakū: Your Guide to D2L Brightspace at UH webpage.

For Lamakū information and training resources, visit the Lamakū Help for Faculty and Staff webpage.

Visit the UH Hilo Distance Learning website for more faculty resources and information. Looking for some great Professional Development opportunities to continue with, or get you started on, your online course development? Visit the Faculty DL Professional Development Opportunities webpage.

Design Your Course in Nine Steps!

  1. Contact the UH Online Innovation Center for hybrid and Distance Learning course design support.

  2. Review Best Practices for Teaching Online Courses to get valuable guidance on the development of overall course organization and content, syllabi, learning objectives, student engagement, and assessments.

  3. Review the UH Online Quality Course Design Review program.

  4. Login to and choose the desired course.

  5. To get a jump-start on your course design and development, consider using one of the Course Starter templates that was designed by the UH Instructional Design Professional Learning Community (ID PLC). You can copy the entire course template or select course template components into your destination course. For more information, review the "Accessing Templates in Lamakū Discover" section of the Lamakū for Instructorʻs Start Here document.

  6. Develop and upload a Syllabus that includes contact and office hours information, course attendance and expectations, university policy and service statements, technical assistance information, and a course schedule. Our Syllabus Template will provide a good foundation with helpful sample text that you can modify for use in your course. It includes the above referenced syllabus information, plus course completion requirements and a course schedule you can fill in.

  • Important Considerations and Resources
    • What Do I Do About Artificial Intelligence?
      • Determine Your Policy for Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use in Your Course.
    • Provide a link to the Support Available to Students document. This document is maintained by the stakeholders and includes statements on:
      • Computer Support
      • Academic Advising
      • Academic Integrity
      • Academic Success
      • Basic Needs
      • Campus and Community Resources
      • Disability and Access Services
      • Mental Health/Suicide Prevention
      • Student Conduct
      • Students of Concern
      • Title IX
    • Provide a Netiquette statement that states rules for behaving properly online by using this Sample Netiquette Text.

  1. Add a Welcome page, referred to as "Overview," to your Laulima course site to provide students with important information.

    • If you are using the UH Hilo course template (see step 6 above), an Overview is provided for you that you can update with your information.
    • If you have chosen not to use the UH Hilo course template, here is an Overview template. It will provide a good foundation with helpful sample text that you can modify and add to your course.

  2. Find tutorial videos and guides for course content delivery, communication, assignments, exams, and more.

  3. Two weeks prior to the semester, send out an email to students with important information about your course:

For assistance:

Get Certified!

For more details, visit the UH Online Quality Course Design Review website.

Updated 11/15/24