Search
There are 19 results.
Tag
Tag
All (72)
Active Learning (3)
Activities (3)
Analytics (4)
Assessments (7)
Asynchrony (6)
Authentic Activities (2)
Backwards Design (1)
Canvas (9)
Case Studies (2)
Collaboration (4)
Communication (5)
Community (5)
Content Creation (4)
Course Maintenance (4)
Course Materials (2)
Course Preparation (3)
Discussions (5)
Diversity (1)
Equity (1)
Faculty Presence (3)
Feedback (6)
Formative Assessments (5)
Game-Based Learning (2)
Gamification (1)
Generative AI (2)
Grading (5)
Group Work (2)
Images (1)
Learning Objectives (1)
Multimodality (7)
Peer Review (1)
Presentations (1)
Qualitative courses (1)
Quantitative courses (1)
Revising (2)
Rubrics (4)
Scaffolding (1)
Social Media (1)
Summative Assessments (1)
Synchrony (8)
Third-Party Tools (2)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (1)
Video (1)
Visual Design (1)
Workload (1)
Written Assignments (1)
Engagement Series: Introduction
There are many components to consider when developing an online course; a key framework to inform course development is student engagement. The Glossary of Education Reform defines student engagement as “the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education” (Great Schools Partnership, 2016, para. 1). Developing and evaluating course content through the lens of engagement can help instructors create an environment that is conducive to learning and mastery of course outcomes.
Accessible PDFs
Developing and delivering accessible instructional content—meaning content that students with and without disabilities can readily engage with and use—is essential to the success of an online course. While many accessibility standards and guidelines are broadly applicable, there are also specific considerations unique to different content formats and delivery modes. In this piece, we present recommendations for enhancing the accessibility of PDFs for students.
Increasing Engagement With Announcements
Announcements are an essential aspect of online course engagement. When surveyed, students rated “sending regular announcements or email reminders” as one of the most beneficial engagement tactics that an instructor can employ (Martin & Bolliger, 2018, p. 216). In Canvas learning management system (LMS), announcements have a distinct advantage over inbox messages or whole-class emails, as announcements allow students to locate important course information in one convenient location, chronologically arranged. In contrast, email or inbox messages can become much more unruly, rendering information harder to find—especially after the course ends. In addition, most students should receive an email every time an instructor posts an announcement.
Zoom Into Online Learning
Faculty often express concern over how to maintain personal relationships with their students in an online course space; incorporating optional synchronous elements to an online course can help “put a face” to a name. Zoom, the video conferencing tool that allows you to create synchronous experiences for their students, has become ubiquitous in educational and businesses in the past two years.
Updating Your Syllabus
Over time, you may want to make changes to the syllabus of a course. The syllabus documents are saved in the “Files” area (1) of the course. To preserve the integrity of the document, the Word document is located in the “Instructor Only” folder (3) and the PDF is found in the “Documents” folder (2) so it is visible to students.
Presentation Best Practices Guide
Many online courses focus on written communication skills, featuring discussion posts, papers, and case study reports among other assignments. However, oral communication and presentation skills are just as integral to students’ success, and, indeed, many employers list presenting as one of the most desirable skills for job candidates (Suhadi et al., 2021).