Every course is a BULLDOG.Every module BARKs.

A shared design framework for Pitt Community College online courses, grounded in learning science so students can focus on learning, not navigation.

Pitt Community College Bulldog mascot

Why consistency matters

Students rarely take just one course. A predictable structure lets them spend their energy on your content.

Learn it once

Students shouldn’t have to decode a new layout in every course.

Lower cognitive load

Time spent hunting for assignments is time not spent learning.

Equity by design

Working, part-time, and first-generation students benefit most from predictability.

Your content, your voice

The framework shapes structure. You still own what and how you teach.

Cognitive load theory shows that unnecessary mental effort competes with learning (Sweller, 1988). Community college research also finds that strong instructor interaction is the design feature most tied to student grades (Jaggars & Xu, 2016), which is why Learner Connection is a core standard.

Built on Gagné’s Nine Events

Robert Gagné’s Nine Events of Instruction describe how people process new learning. BARK groups them into four phases every module follows.

Build Interest

Events 1 to 3: gain attention, share objectives, recall prior learning

Overview, a hook, objectives, and a connection to what students already know.

Acquire

Events 4 and 5: present content, guide learning

Readings, short videos, and worked examples.

Rehearse

Events 6 and 7: practice, feedback

Low-stakes practice, discussion, and timely feedback.

Know It

Events 8 and 9: assess, transfer

Graded assessment and a reflection on real-world application.

The BULLDOG standards

Seven course-level standards every Pitt CC online course meets.

Built for Access

Captioned media, accessible documents, readable pages.

User-Friendly Navigation

A Start Here module and the same weekly layout throughout.

Learning Outcomes Aligned

Every activity connects to a stated objective.

Learner Connection

Regular announcements, timely feedback, peer interaction.

Demonstrated Learning

Varied assessments with clear rubrics.

Open Support

Tutoring, library, advising, and tech help one click away.

Guided AI Use

A clear AI policy and assignments designed for integrity.

See it in action

One week of an American History course, built with BARK.

HIS 131 American History I

Week 4: The Road to Revolution, 1763 to 1776

  • Paul Revere’s Boston Massacre engraving with the prompt “News or propaganda?”
  • Module objectives in plain language
  • Quick check: what does “taxation without representation” mean to you?

Guided AI use with STEP

BARK shows where AI fits. STEP shows how students work with it, so AI scaffolds learning instead of doing the work.

Show

Acquire

AI models a concept or worked example.

Try

Rehearse

Students attempt the task with AI as an assistant, not a substitute.

Explain

Rehearse into Know It

Students put the learning in their own words.

Prove

Know It

Students demonstrate understanding independently and verify any AI output.

Read the full framework: STEP: A Vygotskian framework for student AI fluency

Earn the BULLDOG micro-credential

Build your skills one step at a time and earn digital badges along the way.

BARK Builder

Step 1

Redesign one module using BARK.

BULLDOG Standards Series

Step 2

Seven short modules, one badge per letter.

BULLDOG Certified Course

Step 3

A full course review against all seven standards.