Project CW-2019

ENG 2250: Five Weeks of Creative Writing Online

summer 2019

Challenge:

Design and teach a condensed and virtual 5-week course for a diverse, two-year college using Blackboard as the Learning Management System.

With only a brief catalog description to go on, I created an engaging, accessible online experience that gave all learners clear structure, consistent pacing, and meaningful opportunities to explore creative writing within a short time frame.

Google Sites & Blackboard

Solution:

I drew upon my own experience as a writer, designer, teacher, and, most importantly, as a virtual student with real-world challenges like financial scarcity, technological issues, and time restraints. I created a five-unit course that guided learners through the major creative writing genres—one unit per week. Each unit module in Blackboard included three key due dates to help students stay on track, while the rhythm of weekly readings, writing exercises, and reflections kept energy and focus high. My goals were simple but intentional:

Give students a “taste” of each creative writing genre through strong, approachable examples.
Highlight the craft elements that connect all genres—like word choice, perspective, and tone.
Encourage a personal writing process of reflection and revision that they could carry forward beyond the course.

The course was not structured around a high-cost textbook. Rather, assignments combined short readings, directed creative practice, and reflective writing. Learners were asked to compile and revise three original pieces into a draft “final manuscript” accompanied by a personal reflection of their growth over this short course as well as their goals as writers. As a final step, they were asked to provide feedback to me so I could consider more deeply what worked well and what could have been better.

To make navigation seamless, I designed a custom course in Blackboard built around the weekly units, each with its own learning objectives and table of contents. Using colors and imagery similar to the Blackboard board, I also designed/created an accompanying Google Site that served as a central hub for the syllabus, calendar, contact information, and key resources—something learners could easily return to without logging in to the LMS.

Visit the Google Site

What I learned:

Virtual learning often struggles with engagement. Designing this course pushed me to clarify ideas, connect lessons throughout, and motivate learners without live instruction. Many students stayed engaged and produced strong writing by the course’s end. If I could recreate this course, I would use a more intuitive platform that supports video instruction and stronger community interaction.

BONUS: designed learning tools

This short Creative Writing course is a strong example of my experience teaching writing and developing my own unique curriculum through learner-centered design and project planning. I’ve developed courses that move diverse learners through building their own websites and blogs, and I’ve worked as a consultant within multiple project courses revolving around student publications, such as literary journals and informative websites. I have continuously revised my courses, surveying learners and inviting feedback from them in forms and through open forums. Here, I’m sharing three additional elements I’ve created and used in my writing courses over the years to improve upon direction and assessment.