July 6, 2021
Meeting the needs of students in online courses is essential in today’s educational landscape. When asked about aspects of online courses that are important to them, students repeatedly indicate that features that help them feel comfortable with the structure, format, and expectations of the course are of utmost importance (Hixson, Buckenmeyer, & Barczyk, 2015; Ralston-Berg,…
June 9, 2021
One of the tenets of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is that of Multiple Means of Action and Expression. Far too often, faculty in higher education enact principles of UDL for the singular purpose of accessibility for learners with disabilities rather than looking at it as a framework of inclusivity for all. It is integral…
June 7, 2021
Discussions in asynchronous online courses provide an opportunity for students to share their thoughts and learn from classmates in a fashion emulating in-class discussions. This allows students to contribute their thoughts and take time to respond to classmates’ comments. In a large enrollment online course, dividing the class into groups provides the opportunity for students…
June 2, 2021
Competency-based education (CBE) is an alternative modality of learning. Instead of courses, a CBE program is comprised of competencies and rigorous assessments. Students progress through the program by successfully passing competency assessments. CBE is a valuable option for non-traditional students who have work experience. With prior knowledge of a specific competency, a student may choose…
April 8, 2020
Description When a classroom is typically “flipped,” course materials are introduced online before face-to-face class time, and face-to-face class time is focused on application of what the student has learned online. The instructor’s primary role in the face-to-face classroom is to coach and facilitate, rather than lecture. But how best to blend the two learning…
March 18, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New Online Teaching Practices Added to Open Repository Orlando, Florida, US – March 22, 2020 – The editors of the Teaching Online Pedagogical Repository (TOPR) are pleased to announce the new entries accepted for publication from the Fall 2019 Call for Submissions. Entries were received from faculty and designers in multiple disciplines from…
March 10, 2020
Traditionally, student learning has been recognized and stored through the official transcript. However, transcripts are limited to credit hour instruction and formal learning. Digital badges are a form of digital credentialing that recognizes learning in a range of learning environments and often smaller increments of learning. They have become increasingly popular as a way of…
March 2, 2020
Description Case-based learning is often used in social science classes, as well as in other disciplines. This can be challenging to implement online. By dividing a class into smaller groups, and assigning a separate discussion board to each group, the groups can do their planning asynchronously and completely online, while the instructor has a complete…
March 2, 2020
Traditionally, feedback on student work is a one-way communication from instructor to student. Due to the inherent complexity of unilateral feedback, students may feel emotional and psychological impacts, a lack of power or autonomy, or demotivation. Re-engineering this process to include student-instructor dialogue in order to break down one-way flow provides space for interactive exchanges…
February 20, 2020
Description Student introductions are a high-impact practice: they build community within the course, set the stage for more substantive forms of student-student and student-instructor engagement, and can reveal unknown issues or strengths on the part of students (Dolan, Kain, Reilly, & Bansal, 2017). Building community in online classes (Nelson & Goodson, 2018) through introductions helps…