Description Individualizing assignments in an online course promotes student and instructor interest, challenges students to strengthen their research skills, and prevents students from paraphrasing other students’ work and presenting it as their own. This entry describes a strategy used to teach an online course in Urban Sociology, however, this strategy could be applied to many …
Continue reading “Individualize Assignments in an Online Course”
Related Tags:
Assessment,
Assignments,
Project-Based Learning,
Sociology
Description Nonlinguistic strategies require students to create a representation of new information that does not rely on language. Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock (2001) define non-linguistic representations as the use of visual, kinesthetic, and whole body systems to acquire and store knowledge. Mental images and physical sensation combined with linguistic modes allow students to better reflect. …
Continue reading “Provide Non-Linguisitic Representations to Foster Reflection”
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Assessment,
Concept,
Critical Thinking,
Discussions,
Image,
Interaction,
Non-Linguistic,
Reflection,
Visual
Description Changing the culture of the online university classroom from one of passivity to active engagement requires purposeful planning by the university professor (Kuh, 2005). Related to the so-called “minute paper,” exit slips offer easy, quick, and informative assessments that help encourage student connections to content, self-reflection, and a purpose for future learning (Marzano, 2012; …
Continue reading “Require Online Exit Tickets for Active Engagement”
Related Tags:
Assessment,
Feedback,
Formative,
Image,
Muddiest Point,
Reflection,
Visual
Description When the majority of instruction takes place in an online environment, it may offer more challenges for monitoring student learning and understanding of course content. Certain pedagogical techniques that combine theories and practices from face-to-face instruction can be infused in online teaching to help address these concerns and keep instruction engaging, rigorous, and responsive …
Continue reading “Stop and Pause for Engagement in Online Video Lectures”
Related Tags:
Assessment,
Engagement,
Lecture,
Online Accountability,
Video
Description Weekly lab reports are an integral part of the foundational engineering curriculum. In many conventional science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) curricula, students are required to write a report after each weekly experiment, documenting the lab process. Recent research by Vargas and Hanstedt (2014), however, indicates limitations of weekly lab reports, including reduced effectiveness …
Continue reading “Strengthening STEM Laboratory Assessment Using Learner Portfolio and Electronic Assessment”
Related Tags:
Assessment,
Critical Thinking,
Engineering,
ePortfolio,
Laboratory,
STEM,
Student Centered,
Writing
Description It can be difficult to build a sense of community in an online course (Moskal et al., 2010), especially in mathematics where written work is usually somewhat limited. I find that regular class discussions provide a considerable benefit in this process. But the practice that has most effectively improved connections between students and between …
Continue reading “Present Homework through Videos”
Related Tags:
Assessment,
Assignments,
Interaction,
Social Presence,
Student Choice,
Student Presentation,
Video
Description Aligning students’ instructional preferences with course activities and providing opportunities for learner choice are widely recognized as educational best practice, helping students to engage with content and learn more effectively (Kern & State, 2009; Patall, Dent, Oyer, & Wynn, 2013; Patall, Cooper, & Wynn, 2010), and researchers and practitioners have started extending this instructional …
Continue reading “Use Academic Challenges and Experiential Missions to Provide Learner Choice and Engage Students in Online Course Activities”
Related Tags:
Assessment,
Course Design,
Experiential Learning,
Instructional Preference,
Learner Choice
Description 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 …
Continue reading “Use Online Debates to Enhance Classroom Engagement”
Related Tags:
Assessment,
Communication,
Debate,
Engagement,
Interaction,
Rubric
Description Reading assignments are often the basis for understanding much of the information and material content delivered in class. It can often be challenging – and overwhelming for students – to encourage reading and assess comprehension in the absence of traditional face-to-face class discussions. Utilizing student created discussion prompts as a means for peer review …
Continue reading “Use Student Created Discussion Prompts for Peer Review”
Related Tags:
Assessment,
Discussions,
Feedback,
Peer Review
Description 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 …
Continue reading “Use Learner Created Videos for Student Engagement in a Flipped Classroom”
Related Tags:
Assessment,
Constructivism,
Engagement,
Engineering,
Flipped Classroom,
Interaction,
Large Classes,
STEM,
Video
