October 20, 2016
A debate is a formal competition between two teams, usually with three members each, arguing a discussion statement known as “the moot”. Shaw (2012) believes that debates stimulate critical thinking and can be a highly effective way to actively engage students in research in the online classroom. Student-generated debate presentations can become a welcome change…
October 20, 2016
It has been a challenge to engage students in large-enrollment classes, especially in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The larger the class size is, the less likely students will actively engage in class activities (Rocca, 2010). The lack of engagement creates information overload (Hewitt & Brett, 2007), which consequently resulted in student…
October 19, 2016
The utility of writing assignments to enhance learning biology is well documented (e.g. Mynlieff et al., 2014; Couch et al., 2015). Such assignments can provide the basis for assessing higher-order and critical-thinking skills (Kelly et al, n.d.). Furthermore, when students are able to react to instructors’ feedback by re-drafting or adjusting their written work, exam…
April 9, 2015
Self‐assessment can play a central role in learning, revisions and review (Andreade & Du, 2007; Weimer, 2010). The self‐assessment process involves a complex process of internalization and self‐regulation, and with implications for research and practice. “Researchers see criteria‐referenced self‐assessment as a key component of self‐regulation with the potential to scaffold other components, including goal‐setting, planning…
April 9, 2015
Research suggest that faculty interacting with and providing constructive feedback to students were significantly and positively related to students’ learning gains in professional skills (Bjorklund, Parente, & Sathianathan, 2004). If students work on an assignment which does not exemplify the best they can do to meet the assignment criteria, they are allowed to revise and…
April 9, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: New Online Teaching Practices Added to Open Repository Orlando, Florida, US – April 4, 2014 – The editors of the Teaching Online Pedagogical Repository (TOPR) are pleased to announce the new entries accepted for publication from the Spring 2014 TOPR Call for Submissions. Entries were received from faculty and designers in multiple…
April 6, 2015
In team-based learning, students work in groups on outcome-based or problem-based assignments. Assessing the work produced by teams, however, presents a significant challenge, and this difficulty is especially prominent in online environments. Developing and implementing a transparent assessment process that both supports and recognizes individual and group learning can generate a powerful combination of interdependency…