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Hyperlink Dos and Don'ts
When designing a course, you will want to ensure that all students can access the websites and documents that you link. Accessible hyperlinks are particularly important for students with screen readers, who will hear links read out loud. This piece contains best practices for writing and formatting accessible hyperlinks so that all learners can access the content that you have curated for your course.
Project Based Learning
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, Artini, Nitiasih, 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.
Instructor Presence in Online Courses
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).
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.
Game-Based Learning Experiences
Game-based learning (GBL) is a learning experience, or set of learning experiences, delivered through gameplay or game-like activities with defined learning outcomes. GBL is often confused with gamification, which is the application of game elements to a non-gaming experience. GBL engages students cognitively, emotionally, behaviorally, and socioculturally (Plass et al., 2015). Many factors should be considered when designing GBL, including narrative, player positioning, and interactive design (Dickey, 2005).
Inclusive Communication Practices
In asynchronous, hybrid, and multimodal learning environments, strong communication practices greatly aid student engagement and satisfaction (Martin & Bolliger, 2018). Faculty may develop an exceptional course in terms of goals, content, and design, but without proper communication and feedback, the course experience will be significantly diminished.
Representation in Course Images
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, it’s often. That feeling of déjà vu occurs because images reflect an amalgam of artistic, cultural, and ideological influences (Hall, 2015).
Five Ways to Combat Linguistic Bias in the Classroom
Developments such as the evolution of World Englishes (WE) and African American scholars’ use of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) have opened an important dialogue around academic writing standards, language ownership, and linguistic justice (Canagarajah, 2006; Young, 2010). Authors like Gloria Anzaldua who mix, for example, Native Indian, Spanish, and English in texts, are engaging in the literary tradition of code meshing, which has been shown to facilitate acquisition of English when used by multicultural students in the classroom, according to research (Canagarajah, 2006). By adopting inclusive practices, course designers can combat linguistic bias and promote writing achievement for all learners. This blog contains five recommendations for reducing linguistic bias in online education.
Diversity and Inclusion in Online Education
Education should be diverse and inclusive regarding the composition of the student population, the selection of course materials, the methods of engagement, and the opportunities for assessment. However, it is important to avoid using the terms "diversity" and "inclusion" interchangeably, as they possess distinct meanings that should be preserved. Given their fundamental roles in course design and facilitation, this piece highlights the difference between diversity and inclusion in a general sense before applying these concepts specifically to online learning.
Representation Matters: Guest Speakers to Support DEIB
Guest speakers can support diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives while promoting students’ academic and professional growth across disciplines. When designing courses, identify ways to integrate speakers into the curriculum, tap established networks, and ensure that any readings and assignments align with these efforts.