Motivation and engagement play a central role in student success and satisfaction. However, the online learning environment poses special challenges. Without proper course design and facilitation it’s all too easy for online learners to feel isolated, bored, and unengaged with the materials. The following are
If you’re looking to improve how you handle online office hours, consider the strategies adopted by Deborah Vietze, professor of psychology and urban education at the City University of New York.
A team project should include some lessons about collaboration. In particular, students need to learn how to do shared document editing. Most people are still using outdated systems and methods of collaboration from the paper age that waste time and create errors. Students need to
During a recent Magna Online Seminar, Linda Enghagen, an attorney and professor in the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, responded to two commonly asked questions about use of copyrighted videos in online courses.
The online classroom can be a space that supports and showcases student creativity. The learning management system can become a place where students expand their learning beyond traditional online means. With a host of free tools available on the Internet, online students have the ability
In an age where a school’s web page is its most important information tool, most websites now include faculty biographies. But what do you find in those bios? The faculty member’s PhD- granting institution, publications, research interests, etc. In other words, nothing that is of
Despite the difficulty of scheduling synchronous online meetings, they can play an important role in creating community, engaging students, and helping clarify difficult concepts. In a recent interview with Online Classroom, West Texas A&M instructional designers Susan Fulgham and Krista Favela offered their recommendations on
Threaded discussions can provide excellent opportunities for students to engage in critical thinking. But critical thinking isn’t an automatic feature of these discussions. It needs to be nurtured through clear expectations, carefully crafted questions, timely and useful feedback, and creative facilitation.
The concept of universal design for learning (UDL) was initially developed in order to provide equal access to learning opportunities for students in face-to-face courses. It has since been adapted for many learning situations, including online courses. However, there is still a widespread perception that
Adult students in particular want instructors to show their humanity, because they view instructors more as colleagues and coinvestigators than as the “sage on the stage.” This is why it is critical to establish a rapport with students right at the beginning of your online
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