- Featured Example: BUS 550 - Business Statistics
- Course Developer: Dr. Ghazale Haddadian
- Risepoint ID: Bill Simantirakis
When building an accelerated online course for working adults, it is not enough to present information. Learners need to see how concepts come alive in the workplace, and they need space to practice applying them without fear of failure.
This example from BUS 550 – Business Statistics illustrates how designing with relevant scenarios can make abstract content accessible and engaging. Even if you are not teaching statistics, the principles shown here demonstrate how to connect difficult ideas to authentic applications that resonate with students.
Design Challenge
A common challenge in online courses is that students struggle to transfer abstract knowledge into meaningful practice. In this case, students learning statistics often knew the steps of certain methods but could not see why those methods mattered in real business decision‑making. The design challenge was to help students not only learn the procedures but also practice deciding when and why to use them in realistic situations. This challenge is not unique to statistics. Tt mirrors what many instructors face when students ask, “When will I ever use this?”
Course Vision
The design solution was to create an interactive, scenario‑based learning activity. Instead of only reading or watching explanations, students worked through a click‑through presentation that alternated between short explanations and applied questions. The scenarios were written in business contexts that used authentic examples that reflect the kinds of decisions professionals face in the field.
This approach supported two important goals:
Help students recognize the kinds of questions a concept or method can answer.
Give students repeated opportunities to practice applying knowledge in context, building confidence along the way.
Executing the Design
In the live course, students engage with an H5P activity that brings these ideas to life. Taken together, these design choices turn a challenging topic into a workforce relevant experience that emphasizes application, reflection, and confidence‑building.
Key Design Elements
Scenario‑based framing: Every concept is tied to a realistic situation, making abstract ideas concrete. In other disciplines, this might mean framing lessons around workplace problems, case studies, or role‑play situations.
Varied question formats: Different types of questions — multiple‑choice, true/false, and applied prompts — keep learners active and allow them to demonstrate understanding in more than one way. This prevents monotony and supports diverse learning preferences.
Embedded feedback: Learners receive immediate explanations that clarify why a choice is correct or incorrect. This transforms feedback from a grade into a teaching tool, a practice valuable in any course.
Progressive practice: Concepts are introduced step by step, with checkpoints that build confidence before moving on. Breaking content into smaller parts with built‑in practice is a universal strategy for reducing cognitive load.
Cumulative recap: The activity ends with a brief quiz that revisits the main distinctions. A final recap activity, whether graded or not, helps learners consolidate what they have practiced.
Explore the Scenario
Want to Try?
If you are building an online course for the first time, here are some practical ways to apply these design strategies:
Try this:
- Anchor content in scenarios. Write prompts that mirror professional or real‑world situations in your field. This helps students see relevance and purpose.
- Use a mix of formats. Combine different question types like multiple‑choice, short answer, or decision‑making prompts to keep activities engaging and to check multiple dimensions of learning.
- Provide feedback that teaches. Explain why an answer is correct or incorrect, not just whether it is right. Feedback can be one of the most powerful learning tools.
- Build step by step. Introduce new ideas in small chunks with checkpoints along the way. Scaffolding helps learners succeed and prevents overwhelm.
- End with a recap. A short review or practice quiz, even if ungraded, helps students consolidate what they have learned.
