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Representation in Course Images

September 27, 2021
How many times have you looked at an image and thought, ā€œHave I seen this before?ā€ Chances are, if you are browsing a stock photo site, itā€™s often. That feeling of dĆ©jĆ  vu occurs because images reflect an amalgam of artistic, cultural, and ideological influences (Hall, 2015).

Representation Matters: Guest Speakers to Support DEIB

July 11, 2024
Guest speakers can support diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives while promoting studentsā€™ 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.

Six Strategies for Multimodal Content Delivery

November 02, 2022
If youā€™re developing a course with synchronous and asynchronous elements, you have a host of options for engaging students and delivering content. Research suggests that incorporating multiple modalities increases accessibility, engagement, and learning (Mick and Middlebrook, 2015; Margolis et al., 2017). With that said, it is important to be intentional about multimodal course design. Both synchronous and asynchronous methods of delivery are effective, but activities can be better suited to one or the other modality and synchronous time is often limited. Delivering selected content asynchronously can support studentsā€™ understanding of how information is organized and leave more time for interactivity in synchronous sessions.

Inclusive Language

September 16, 2022
Use inclusive language across course content and communications to reach every learner. ā€œInclusive education must be cultivated deliberately if we want to advance in its implementationā€ (MĆ”rquez & Melero-Aguilar, 2022, p. 842). Inclusion entails creating an environment of open participation for all individuals. Inclusive course design works to ensure that all students feel heard, valued, and validated. The thoughtful use of language can establish an environment of inclusion in online learning.

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).

Engagement Series: Introduction

April 26, 2024
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 ā€œthe 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 educationā€ (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.

Case Studies in a Multimodal Course

December 29, 2022
Case-based learning allows students to develop higher-order critical thinking, problem-solving, synthesis, analysis, and communication skills by engaging with a realistic scenario in service of practicing course skills and concepts. Case studies are valuable tools for any class that combines asynchronous and synchronous learning. Indeed, some research (e.g., Webb, Gill, & Poe, 2005) suggests that a multimodal delivery model may be ideal for case study-based work, with the combination of synchronous and asynchronous elements enabling students to participate more fully in cases. In the first half of this piece, we outline some key considerations for using case studies in a multimodal course. In the second half, we make targeted recommendations for effectively prepping, facilitating, and reflecting on your multimodal case studies.

Five Ways to Combat Linguistic Bias in the Classroom

December 29, 2022
Developments such as the evolution of World Englishes (WE) and African American scholarsā€™ 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.

Inclusive Communication Practices

June 25, 2024
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.

Student-Generated Content

September 28, 2023
Student-generated content ā€” materials and tasks created by learners for other learners ā€” can strengthen engagement by providing students an opportunity to express creativity, practice critical thinking, and increase ownership of learning. Developing student-generated content requires learners to produce an instructional artifact, demonstrating new knowledge alongside existing understanding. Student-generated content can include a variety of formats: