The spring of 2020 forced higher education into emergency mode. Faculty pivoted overnight, students logged in from bedrooms and kitchen tables, and courses were stitched together with speed, grit, and a whole lot of caffeine. Five years later, many of those courses are still running with minimal updates.

It’s time for a refresh.

What’s Changed Since 2020?

A lot. Students are navigating new challenges: mental health strains, a shifting job market, and the ethical integration of AI into their academic work. They’re craving relevance, structure, and connection—and they’re far less tolerant of digital disorganization. 75 percent of students now report wanting real-world relevance in their coursework.

Meanwhile, AI has upended the higher-ed landscape. Generative AI tools are being widely adopted across key institutions, reshaping teaching and learning in real time (axios.com). What was once a hasty blend of PowerPoint and video now has the potential to become a dynamic, media-rich experience if we take the time to build it right.

Red Flags to Watch For

Courses born of crisis often show their age. Among the biggest issues:

• Inconsistent navigation: When due dates, file formats, and modules vary wildly, students spend more time searching than learning.
• Outdated content: If the world has changed but your readings haven’t, students notice and disengage.
• Cognitive overload: In a media-saturated world, students need clarity, not clutter.

You want students to use their energy analyzing your content, not decoding your course layout.

What Students Need Now

Today’s learners expect clarity, multimedia integration, and real-world relevance. They benefit from concise instructions, detailed rubrics, and annotated exemplars that show (not just tell) what success looks like. They need faculty who understand the importance of flexibility, consistency, and empathy in online environments.

Scaffolded technology integration works especially well: Introduce new tools through zero-stakes practice, then partner projects, then individual use. The result? Deeper learning and greater tech fluency, mirroring how students engage with tools in other areas of their lives (insidetrack.org).

It’s Not Just an Aesthetic Issue

Poor course design is more than a minor annoyance. It can derail engagement, inhibit learning, and drive students away. In fact, less than half of students felt truly engaged during pandemic-era remote learning, and only 19 percent believed it was worth the cost (CRPE).

Outdated design wastes students’ and faculty’s energy. When you remove unnecessary friction, students can focus on the work that matters. Faculty benefit, too, with fewer repetitive questions and smoother grading experiences.

What a Refresh Really Looks Like

A refresh doesn’t mean starting over. Sometimes, a light refresh is all that’s needed: standardized rubrics, reorganized modules, updated content. In other cases, especially when the LMS is used as a glorified file dump, a full redesign may be in order.

At Six Red Marbles, we meet faculty where they are. Our instructional design team builds a collaborative process tailored to each instructor’s goals and workload. We don’t strip away faculty voice—we clarify it. We keep your module titles, readings, and personal flair. We just make it easier for students to find, follow, and flourish.

If you’re short on time or staff, our Semester Prep service offers a light-touch, cost-effective way to ensure courses are ready to launch. We’ll handle quality checks, fix navigation issues, and align formatting so faculty can start the term strong with minimal lift.

Accessibility, Media, and AI Done Right

Accessibility isn’t optional. We align with institutional standards and WCAG guidelines to ensure your course is equitable for all learners. From heading styles to alt text, we check the details that make a big difference.

We also help you integrate meaningful media and learning technologies. Whether it’s adding high-quality videos from your librarian’s archives or creating custom interactive objects with our media team, we ensure students know your course was built with intention.

Generative AI can be a powerful ally when guided responsibly. Tools like AI teaching assistants are transforming learning by providing timely feedback and enabling personalized support (ft.com).

What’s the ROI?

Refreshing your course is as much about outcomes as it is aesthetics. Benefits include:

• Improved faculty experience
• Smoother communication and stronger student outcomes
• Higher student engagement
• Better performance in foundational courses
• Greater alignment with accreditation and accessibility goals

Courses that are clear, structured, and aligned with student expectations support retention and enrollment while demonstrating institutional commitment to teaching excellence.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

If you’re unsure where to begin, we recommend starting small:

🎯 Pilot a few course refreshes with a range of faculty. Choose one enthusiast, one skeptic, and a few in between. Let us walk alongside your team to improve structure, clarity, and student outcomes while gathering feedback that builds internal advocacy.

Or . . .

🛠 Consider a Product Development Workshop. This strategic engagement allows us to assess course quality, instructional tools, alignment, and learner experience. We’ll deliver a comprehensive recommendations report that serves as a roadmap, whether you’re refreshing one program or hundreds of courses. It’s a fast, high-impact way to gain clarity, stakeholder alignment, and a clear path forward.

Either way, we’ll help you move beyond the emergency fixes of 2020 and design experiences that meet the needs—and expectations—of today’s learners.

Need a quick solution before the term starts?

Semester Prep is a fast, budget-friendly way to get courses ready for day one. It’s ideal for institutions that want to clean up LMS issues and ensure consistency without major redesign work.

Let’s talk about what’s next for your courses.

Contact Six Red Marbles to explore a course refresh pilot, schedule a Product Development Workshop, or get started on a Semester Prep pilot.

 

Sources

1. Irish Educational Studies. “Relevant, practical and connected to the real world: what higher education students say engages them in the curriculum.” Students Crave Real-World, Practical, Connected Curriculum.” tandfonline.com
2. Axios. “AI tutors are already changing higher ed.” axios.com
3. U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations (2023). ed.gov
4. InsideTrack. “Supporting Student Technology Fluency in a Digital-First World.” insidetrack.org
5. Center on Reinventing Public Education (CRPE). Students count: highlights from COVID-19 student surveys. crpe.org
6. EDUCAUSE. 2025 Students and Technology Report. educause.edu
7. Inside Higher Ed. “Making every minute count: reimagining the post-pandemic learning experience.” insidehighered.com
8. Financial Times. “Business schools ease their resistance to AI.” ft.com