When educators are looking for new teaching strategies, they listen to their peers. Researchers Joanna Dunlap, from the University of Colorado Denver, and Patrick Lowenthal, from Boise State University, used crowdsourcing to curate recommendations from experienced online educators about engaging students online. They tested the efficacy of this approach in order to broaden the conversation about online learning and to take “advantage of educators’ collective intelligence.”
Dunlap and Lowenthal felt the results of this approach were “authentic and credible” information from experienced postsecondary online instructors. The researchers noted that in recent years, crowdsourcing has proven itself an effective research technique for rapid data collection. Over seven conferences in a two-year period, they sent out a call to professors across multiple disciplines. The responses fell into four defined areas. Highlights for each of the areas are featured below.
Supporting Student Success
One of the unifying threads from the recommendations was the power of incorporating student voice. Postsecondary educators are in the midst of shifting from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered instruction. Look for opportunities to champion students’ voices and give them choices of activities to learn and demonstrate their knowledge. This practice addresses all learning styles and creates opportunities for students to solve their own problems. Make students accountable for their learning with contracts and assessments.
Online courses need to be interactive. Vary the technology used by creating podcasts, streaming video, and interactive presentations. Follow up with synchronous video conferencing for discussions. Format these discussions so that roles rotate on a weekly basis. Have students lead the main discussions as well as those in break-out rooms. Collaborative work projects allow students to work on topics they choose while still meeting the learning objectives of the course.
Providing Clarity through Content Presentation
Be intentional about content by presenting it in accessible, digestible chunks. Structure access to additional resources so that they are only one click away. Be explicit and clear about your expectations. Err on the side of too much communication rather than too little.
Take advantage of guest lecturers, TED talks, or field practitioners to expose students to diverse perspectives and deep conversations about potential areas of interest. Help students glimpse the wider world beyond the course. Only assign meaningful work that supports students’ learning progression.
Encouraging a Supportive Learning Community
Building authentic relationships is a critical component of building a supportive learning community. Connect with students early to ensure they’re comfortable communicating with you and each other. Communicate with students informally via social media to build camaraderie. Model sharing personal stories that articulate your experience and have students share theirs.
“When building a course, think like a film director: everything in the frame is there for a reason. Control the environment—keep it focused…Think like a good hostess—keep everyone involved, keep things moving, but don’t be the focus of attention.” Have students connect, collaborate, and build community in real time with Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, or another video conferencing platform.
Being Better Prepared as an Educator
Find and use communication tools outside the LMS to help you better achieve your instructional goals. There are more digital tools to help facilitate this than ever before. However, be prepared. At some point, technology fails. Make sure you always have a backup plan. Remember that good teaching is good teaching whether you are teaching online or face to face. The tools may be different, and the responsibility for learning has shifted from the teacher to the student, but what experienced educators know about student learning is still relevant.
For a deeper dive into the curated recommendations for making online learning engaging for students, go here.