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Incorporating Multimedia in Your Course
Multimedia, which helps create an engaging and interactive online learning environment, has been shown to contribute to improved student performance (Cheng, Basu, & Goebel, 2009, p. 1). Though many online courses incorporate videos, they neglect to feature other forms of multimedia. And, while videos are a staple of multimedia use, there are other exciting options to consider: podcast episodes, graphics, and animations can all enhance course content, enriching the student experience. To maximize the benefits multimedia can provide, consider including these underutilized forms of multimedia in your course.
Universal Design for Learning
Universal Design for Learning (UDL), which has roots in Ronald Mace’s concept of Universal Design, is a pedagogical framework that supports diverse learning needs. According to CAST, the creator of the framework, UDL seeks “to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn” (2018). UDL is not a step-by-step curriculum plan, but rather an approach to pedagogy and curriculum development that aims to make the learning environment as accessible as possible for as many learners as possible (Derer, 2021; CAST, 2018).
Rubrics as a Tool to Support Equity and Inclusion
While student populations have become increasingly diverse, many groups, including first-generation, non-native English speakers, and individuals with disabilities, still face barriers and bias that can derail their success in college (Super et al., 2020). Traditional grading practices—including penalties for late work, writing in dialects other than standard English, and even plagiarism— are prone to bias and only perpetuate disparities, the research says (Feldman, 2019; Savini, 2021).
Improving PowerPoints
Sharing information via PowerPoint presentations is a long-established strategy in higher education. Designing PowerPoint presentations for online courses can pose unique challenges; however, best practices can help overcome these hurdles. With time and attention, faculty and instructional designers can create engaging and purposeful presentations with lasting value.
Inclusive Texts
Today’s students are diverse and include marginalized groups that have historically been excluded from mainstream education (Ladson-Billings, 2013). In 2021, students of color comprised upwards of 40% of the 15.4 million undergraduates enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities (Nam, 2023; National Center for Education Statistics, 2023). Gloria Ladson-Billings, whose work centers on culturally relevant pedagogy, argues that diverse students require inclusive learning to succeed. “[These students] do not fit neatly into the rigid categories of race, class, gender, or national origin” upon which hierarchies of the past have been built (Ladson-Billings, 2013, p. 5), so authentic representation of diversity in higher education is critical. Adrienne Keene, an assistant professor of American Studies at Brown University, writes that instructors can do their part to support underrepresented students by being honest about their own bias and blind spots, critiquing their course materials, and integrating meaningful representations of diversity into the curriculum (Fuchs et al., 2020; Keene, 2015).
Copyright
From time to time instructors may want to include in their courses copyrighted materials like images, print content, audio recordings, or videos. The University of Minnesota Libraries define copyright as “the area of law that deals with creation, ownership, sale, and use of creative and expressive works.”
Self-Recording Best Practices
While traditional lectures are delivered in front of a classroom, allowing you to read students’ engagement and adjust in real time to both content and pacing, online lectures do not afford the same flexibility. Therefore, it is important to carefully plan your videos in accordance with best practices in online learning. There are many video types and formats to choose from (See the Envision blog: Matching Video Production Style to Learning Goals), and one decision you'll need to make is whether you want to appear on camera. This guide covers best practices for videos that will include your webcam footage.
Video Planning: To Record or Not to Record?
For many people, “online learning” conjures images of successive videos, shot in a studio or perhaps on location, featuring high production value and expert, polished speakers, interspersed with short quizzes or activities. Indeed, strongholds such as MasterClass, LinkedIn Learning, and Coursera have mastered this formula and led many to believe that it is the recipe for success. While the economic success of these companies is undeniable, the effectiveness of an online course is measured by student success. When done well, video can have a positive impact on student learning (Clark & Mayer, 2011). Rather than designing your course according to the economic model, follow the evidence and research-based principles of visual communication, cognitive science, and online learning to decide when and how to create instructional videos. Through careful consideration of your learners, your objectives, your constraints, and the following best practices, you can spend your time and resources creating only the most essential videos. For a visual aid that accompanies this article, see the Video Planning Decision Tree.