Search
There are 24 results.
Category
Tag
Tag
All (91)
Active Learning (3)
Activities (1)
Alt Text (2)
Analytics (3)
Assessments (5)
Asynchrony (3)
Authentic Activities (2)
Backwards Design (2)
Belonging (3)
Canvas (7)
Case Studies (2)
Collaboration (4)
Color Contrast (2)
Communication (9)
Community (5)
Competency-Based Education (1)
Content Creation (11)
Copyright (1)
Course Maintenance (5)
Course Materials (9)
Course Preparation (6)
Discussions (3)
Diversity (5)
Equity (2)
Faculty Presence (2)
Faculty Support (3)
Feedback (10)
Formative Assessments (7)
Game-Based Learning (1)
Generative AI (5)
Grading (7)
Group Work (2)
Images (1)
Inclusion (8)
Learning Objectives (3)
Multimodality (4)
Page Design (1)
Peer Review (1)
PowerPoint (1)
Presentations (1)
Qualitative courses (1)
Quantitative courses (1)
Representation (2)
Revising (2)
Rubrics (4)
Scaffolding (1)
Screen Readers (1)
Summative Assessments (1)
Synchrony (4)
Third-Party Tools (2)
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) (2)
Video (1)
Visual Accessibility (2)
Workload (1)
Written Assignments (1)
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.
Accessibility Resources
We've curated a list of our favorite tools and websites that can help you make your course materials accessible to all learners. For an overview of our top tips that support accessibility, see the Envision piece Ten Ways to Open the Gate to Accessibility.
Managing Files in Canvas
Students and instructors alike benefit from consistent file management in online courses. Ensuring that students can readily locate and access the files they need serves to promote engagement and completion of course requirements. Similarly, consistent file management helps instructors to navigate through and update materials efficiently and to avoid introducing file-related errors. This post outlines recommendations and key considerations for optimizing file management within your online course. While recommendations and considerations related to Canvas-specific functionality are threaded throughout, you will also find broadly applicable tips pertinent to multiple learning management systems.
Using PowerPoint in a Video
The familiarity and ease of PowerPoint make it a natural choice for creating instructional videos. After all, your energy is better spent on planning and recording videos than on learning a new tool. However, creating quality slides still requires significant time and attention to detail.
Quizzes for the Multimodal Course
From trivia games to final exams, quizzing tools have a variety of uses for learning as well as assessment. Exams and quizzes have a particularly plentiful range of possibilities in a multimodal or hybrid course, where they can be administered synchronously or asynchronously. Research suggests that the presentation of a tool influences student behavior in response to the tool. When comparing two student discussion boards, one an ungraded discussion and one a graded replacement for a final exam, Cheng et al. (2013) found that students displayed more knowledge on the graded board but more evidence of learning on the ungraded board. The students who participated in the study were more likely to grapple with new ideas when the stakes were low but more eager to showcase topics they were confident about when their responses would have a greater impact on their grades. When considering quizzing tools, we recommend allowing your course goals to guide your usage.
Hyperlink Dos and Don'ts
When designing a course, you 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, which read the links 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.
Accessible Use of Text
Students with diverse cognitive, linguistic, and academic abilities benefit from accessible text. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) establish numerous requirements (known as success criteria) to ensure that text is perceivable, operable, and understandable to all users. This guide discusses the essential criteria related to text accessibility. Following these guidelines when creating course content, such as documents, slides, and pages in a learning management system (LMS), will help you eliminate potential barriers for your learners.
Accessibility Considerations for Students With Motor Disabilities
Online courses can offer numerous advantages to students. In order for all students to benefit from these advantages, it is essential to prioritize accessibility needs in all aspects of course design and delivery. This piece focuses on considerations and recommendations for enhancing the accessibility of online courses for students with motor impairments.
Five Instructor Feedback Essentials
Providing student feedback is a key component of an instructor’s role and an important part of effective instruction. Research shows that ongoing feedback keeps students engaged and improves their morale, motivation, and learning (Best et al., 2015). Yet, providing high-quality feedback can be a time-consuming commitment, especially in courses with large class sizes or numerous written assessments. Instructors should keep in mind the tools, structure, and best practices that can help them provide feedback.
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, the answer is yes. That feeling of déjà vu occurs because images reflect an amalgam of artistic, cultural, and ideological influences (Hall, 2015).