Search

There are 156 results.

Data-Driven Insights for More Engaging Videos

December 02, 2022
Whether designing a fully asynchronous course or a hybrid/blended learning experience, you’re likely thinking about recording a video to explain an idea, tell a story, or demonstrate a skill. And, in many situations, you should (see the Envision piece Video Planning: To Record or Not to Record? if you are wondering whether video is appropriate for your unique situation). Most research shows that online students enjoy learning from video and that it can be an effective way to deliver content. Students often appreciate the opportunity to review material at their own pace and to pause, rewind, and rewatch content as needed (Boateng et. al. 2016; Brame 2016).

Building Your Online Course With the Lister Model

September 27, 2021
You are building a course for the online environment. What an exciting adventure! When building an online course, you might use a similar method to what you used when developing a course previously, or you might use an entirely new technique. Either option is a good option. But you may have a few questions when you first begin: How do I organize my materials? How do I display my materials? How do I make sure my students work together?

Inclusive Texts

December 27, 2023
Today’s student population is diverse and includes marginalized groups that have historically been excluded from mainstream education (Ladson-Billings, 2013). In 2021, students of color comprised upwards of 40% of the 15.4 million undergraduates enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities (Nam, 2024; National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). Ladson-Billings (2013), whose work centers on culturally relevant pedagogy, argues that diverse students require inclusive learning to succeed. “[These students] do not fit neatly into the rigid categories of race, class, gender, or national origin” upon which hierarchies of the past have been built (p. 5), so authentic representation of diversity in higher education is critical. Adrienne Keene, an assistant professor of American Studies at Brown University, writes that instructors can do their part to support underrepresented students by being honest about their own bias and blind spots, critiquing their course materials, and integrating meaningful representations of diversity into the curriculum (Keene, 2015).

Increase Engagement Now

September 24, 2021
Whether you’re halfway through the term or just getting started, this piece presents actionable, simple strategies you can implement immediately to increase engagement in your course.

Five Need-To-Know Rubric Grading Tips

October 13, 2021
Rubrics provide a framework for students, helping them submit stronger assignments while decreasing confusion as they write and create. While leveraging Canvas to provide clear, efficient, and consistent access to rubrics, take a minute to learn a few settings, saving yourself valuable time and a possible headache.

Instructor Presence in Online Courses

September 24, 2021
Consistent and meaningful instructor presence is one of the most important drivers of student success and satisfaction in online courses (Roddy et al., 2017). However, establishing instructor presence online can be challenging. In fact, studies have shown that many online students feel their instructors are largely invisible (Tichavsky et al., 2015).

Problem-Based Learning

September 27, 2021
Problem Based Learning is a teaching method used to facilitate student knowledge acquisition. This teaching method is often confused with Project Based Learning, which centers on students applying knowledge. The focus of Problem Based Learning is students acquiring the knowledge. Since the two methods use the same acronym, they are easily confused, but have different objectives for students.

Multimodal Models

December 29, 2022
Designing a successful multimodal course means, at each step of the process, considering what each format does well—structuring the course such that each piece of content, each activity, and each interaction uses the most effective delivery method available. But what does that look like in practice? This piece describes three approaches to structuring a multimodal course. In each model, asynchronous and synchronous time complement one another and support module- and course-level objectives. Where the models differ is in the relative importance of asynchronous activities in enabling students to complete synchronous activities and vice versa.

Representation in Course Images

September 27, 2021
How many times have you looked at an image and thought, “Have I seen this before?” Chances are, if you are browsing a stock photo site, the answer is yes. That feeling of déjà vu occurs because images reflect an amalgam of artistic, cultural, and ideological influences (Hariman & Lucaites, 2007).

Project-Based Learning

September 27, 2021
Project-based learning is learning that is organized around a project (Bell, 2010). It is a student-centered approach to learning, where students choose their topic of study and design an integrative project around the topic (Bell, 2010; Astawa et al., 2017). This form of study promotes self-efficacy in the learning environment. Such self-efficacy enables students to perform more difficult tasks and develop confidence in their abilities (Shin, 2018). These abilities generally help students to transfer their skills to the real world.