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Archives for Best Practices

Best Practices

Best Practices

Faculty Spotlight: Steve Dunn Interview

By Eric Peloza
August 13, 2019

August 13, 2019

Picture of Steve DunnThis June, I had the good fortune to sit down and talk with Steve Dunn regarding time management strategies in online courses. Steve is a veteran faculty member of UW Extended Campus’ Sustainable Management program with over six years of teaching experience. He is also partnering with the new Applied Biotechnology program. In our discussion, we covered the three phases of the course cycle: planning, development, and teaching. This blog post will discuss some of the key items that we spoke about for each phase. The main question that I asked Steve was, “If you look back at your years of experience in online education, what are some things that you would tell yourself when you first started?”

Planning

In the first part of our discussion, we talked about the shift to online education and how to approach planning for an online course. We know that the online education provides students and faculty an opportunity to view education from a different perspective. This requires a change in approach, working from the desired result and moving backwards (backwards design). In brief, backwards design is the course development process of starting with objectives, then building assessments based upon those objectives, and finishing development by locating resources that help students complete the assessments. In regard to using backwards design, Steve stated, “Beginning with the end in mind was the single hardest thing to wrap my mind around.” It is important to think ahead when planning your online course, and the backwards design process represents a shift from the traditional line of course design where development starts with a textbook and determines objectives last. If you are new to online education, it may take you some time to adjusting to backwards design, but it is a valuable process.

Along with backwards design, Steve mentioned that one of the biggest changes in the online education was working with a team on course design and development. He said that he was he was at first overwhelmed with the resources and wasn’t used to others asking questions about course design. His advice was to lean into the team approach and listen to the support. Steve said, “Recognize that you are on a team and that the team is trying to help you to make the courses so much better. Most professors are pretty busy with teaching, research, and their personal life, so the team is a big time saver.” Use your resources early and often, and don’t be afraid to reach out for advice! It can save a lot of time in development and when the course is active.

Recognize that you are on a team and that the team is trying to help you to make the courses so much better.

Read more »

Five New Twists For Online Discussions

By , Kristin Kowal
May 1, 2019

May 1, 2019

Introduction

The reality is that most online courses have what we call “traditional discussions,” which follow the read-write-post (and perhaps reply to a peer or two) pattern. Even if the discussion questions are interesting, both instructors and students can get tired of the same old routine. We recommend trying any of these five “twists” on traditional discussions in the next online course you work on. These activities encourage student engagement and critical thinking, and they might help you feel more connected to your students as well!

2 instructional designers surrounded by fruit, putting citrus twists into glasses of ice water
Pictured: Laurie and Kristin preparing some discussion twists to add a little zest to your course.

Twist 1: Adding Images of Examples

What is it?: For this twist, ask students to post images along with their written responses in the discussion forum.

Why we like it: It’s personal, motivates the students, and is a great way to connect at a distance. Erin Ratelis, an online instructor, said, “It not only feels different for the students, but it is also a different type of activity which will stand out for them. It leverages a different technology, and photos are a great visual tool to solidify class insights. It requires students to explore class topics through a very personal lens (no pun intended).”

Field-tested example: In Erin’s course, she asked students to go to a retail environment in their community and find ten ways that consumer marketers influence purchasing decisions. She asked students to post photos but made it optional. Many students chose to include pictures of examples, such as retail displays at Target and other stores. Students even commented directly in their posts about how much they enjoyed the assignment.

Best used for: Drawing attention to real-life examples of course concepts. Think of it as a field trip. For example, a discussion of barriers to a healthy community could include photos from students’ own communities.

Tips and tricks: It is important to remind students about privacy concerns. For example, if they are taking photos at work and sharing them, it would be a good idea to get permission first. Consider beginning the course with an activity like this to pique interest, then doing it again about halfway through the course to add some momentum.

Twist 2: External Discussion and Reflection

What is it?: This twist asks students to have a real-time, 30-minute discussion with someone (in person, on the phone, via Skype, etc.) followed by a written reflection.

Why we like it: The student needs to know enough about the subject matter to have a 30-minute discussion. Instructor Rachel Portinga commented that “Students are asked to discuss information with another person, who may not understand the [content] as well, and that could lead to the student teaching someone else, and therefore reinforcing the information they have learned.”

Field-tested example: In Rachel’s class, she asked students to have a real-time discussion with someone in their life about whether to legalize drugs such as Marijuana, Adderall, or Ritalin without prescriptions. In their posts, students summarized their discussions and shared their conclusions about whether to legalize the drug of choice.

Best used for: We especially like this twist for courses that might be hard to have traditional discussions in, like a self-paced course or program that isn’t cohort based. Think about ways you could get students to connect with community members or professionals in their field with this discussion. For example, a student in a statistics course could discuss the importance of collecting poverty rate information for the U.S. Census Bureau.

Tips and tricks: Some students might have a hard time finding someone to talk to. Remember that students can also call or Skype someone if they’re unable to meet with someone in person.

Twist 3: Debate

What is it?: For this twist, students choose a particular viewpoint on a topic. Students post their viewpoint supported by research, wait for a response from a peer with a different viewpoint, and then reply with a rebuttal. In some cases, students write a final reflection on what viewpoint they agree with (or what other information might be necessary before they can decide).

Why we like it: Crafting an argument and approaching an issue from a specific viewpoint can be motivating and fun. Online instructor Todd Wilkinson agrees, saying, “Debating with other students provides extra motivation to make good arguments and present oneself well, which are both important in this type of work.”

Field-tested example:  In Todd’s course, he picked which side students argued for on the topic of how to best support healthy behavior (more specifically, from an individual level or an institutional level). He asked them to incorporate learning resources from the lesson to support their arguments. In their posts, students supported their arguments with references and explained where they were wavering in their arguments, creating a natural feel with the back-and-forth post-and-response mechanics.

Best used for: If you have a topic where students can choose a viewpoint or a side, a debate is likely a better choice than a traditional discussion. For instance, students in an accounting course can debate the ethics of a particular case.

Tips and tricks: We highly recommend posting a “netiquette” statement as well as a schedule for the debate so there is enough time to go back and forth a couple of times.

Twist 4: Role-Play

What is it?: Students are assigned to particular viewpoints of a topic and then do some research to form and support their arguments. Then, after posting to the discussion board, students review the perspectives of their peers and write a reflection based upon information from all roles and reflections.

Why we like it: Students put themselves in another person’s shoes for a while. This kind of post can be powerful while also providing a safe place for students to explore an issue from a different perspective than their own. Instructor Rachel Portinga commented, “In general, students appear to be more engaged when you ask them to change their format (and to see an issue from someone else’s perspective).”

Field-tested example: In Rachel’s course, she asks students to consider vaccinations from the role assigned to them (e.g., the parent of a child with a healthy immune system, a college student living on campus, a doctor, a community member, or a parent of an immunodeficient child). Students crafted posts that were realistic representations of their assigned roles.

Best used for: This is a great way to provide a lens through which to explore controversial or sensitive topics with three or more perspectives. It also helps amplify viewpoints that might not often be heard. For example, students in an ecology course discussing the impact of climate change can adopt the roles of a CEO of an automobile manufacturer, an environmental research biologist, an EPA representative, a resident of Norfolk, Virginia, or a Mayor of Los Angeles.

Tips and tricks: Ask students to write their role at the top of the post to remind everyone that students are just playing a role. In one case, the instructor read an intense and very affecting post about how her student’s sister died in a car accident recently only to realize the student was being creative and playing a role instead of actually living through that particular trauma.

Twist 5: Fishbowl

What is it?: This strategy is similar to a traditional discussion, but only half of the class participates in the discussion at a time (i.e., inside the fishbowl). The other half observes the ongoing discussion while pausing to reflect on given questions (i.e., outside the fishbowl).

Why we like it: Students get to reflect on the discussion itself, which can be very enlightening and might even make them see discussions in a new way in the future. Instructor Chris Vandenhouten shared that, “Much learning takes place in observing others engaging in discussion. It allows a student to reflect on multiple student perspectives instead of selecting just one or two to review.”

Field-tested example: In Chris’s course, she asked half the class to respond to a traditional discussion question and asked the other half to observe the ongoing discussion and write a response paper including one fact learned, one surprising thing learned, their most salient takeaway, one thing they learned about themselves, and an area they might like to explore in more depth. Later in the semester, the groups switched roles.

Best used for: Switching things up a couple of times in larger classes is great for getting students to reflect on their own learning. It can also encourage students to step back to analyze the flow of the discussion. For example, students can be asked to state which positions seemed to be the most popular initially and whether this changed during the discussion (and, if so, why). Students tend not to observe the major shifts in a discussion when they are focused on addressing a particular topic, and this exercise can help them develop that ability.

Tips and tricks: Use this for at least two discussions so students can switch roles. This is best for larger classes (12+ students). The activity creates a bit more work (for example, it may require using two rubrics: one for the students inside the fishbowl and one for the students outside the fishbowl), but instructors have said it’s totally worth it.

Try one or more of these strategies and see how a little twist can add some zest to your online discussions!

Note: Laurie Berry and Kristin Kowal wrote this article based on their presentation “Discussion on the Rocks? Add a Twist of Fresh Alternatives!”. This article originally appeared in Magna publication’s Newsletter, The Teaching Professor. Link to original article: https://www.teachingprofessor.com/topics/online-learning/teaching-strategies-techniques/five-new-twists-for-online-discussions/

Demystifying Online Group Projects

By Eileen Horn, Eric Peloza
March 11, 2019

March 11, 2019

Introduction

Heather Herdman photo
Heather Herdman, PhD, RN

I was one of those students that always hated group projects because I invariably ended up with somebody who didn’t do their work and I figured I could do it better myself…I always thought students would feel the same way. But I was encouraged to try it out and it’s been great.

Like many students and instructors, Heather Herdman, PhD, entered into the fray of online group projects with trepidation; but, with input from other colleagues in the program and instructional designers, she made the commitment to give it a try.

We all know that students have responsibility for making group work successful and instructors have little control over what students do or don’t do, but we also have a responsibility to provide the best environment for the group work to occur. As instructors, there are things we can do to change the conditions of group work and impact the trajectory to increase the likelihood of success. Today we’re going to take a close look at Heather’s approach to this project as a way to uncover keys to successful teaching with online group projects.

You can think about your work related to online group projects as fitting into three phases: planning, designing, and doing.

Planning

An online group project that isn’t well planned is going to become an unstable learning experience. Students will be more frustrated, asking more questions and offering more complaints. This serves as a reminder that we really need to think about which course or unit objective can be met with a group project. In Heather’s graduate-level course there is a clear connection between the group project and a career in health and wellness. When we asked about the goal of the course, Heather said,

Students should be able to both analyze someone’s research and also conduct research. In health and wellness employment situations graduates will have to work with teams. They have to work with people from different departments, often with people that have very different backgrounds. You’ve got to have a way of bringing those people together. So this course’s project is kind of a nice way to introduce people to the fact that you’ve got to learn to work with people that may come at things from a very different perspective than you do.

As we dive deeper into this case, you’ll see that Heather does an excellent job of explaining this connection to students.

Spending time upfront planning and designing your group project makes it easier to implement. You make it easier for yourself to manage the course and for students to succeed. It is critical to know why the group project is part of the course, because making sure it’s really clear in your mind will help when it comes to communicating the value of the project to students.

Read more »

Designing for Self-Directed, Self-Paced Learners

By Eileen Horn
February 24, 2017

February 24, 2017

BLE 200 Homepage
Homepage sample illustrating the standardized layout and support resources that contribute to student success.

At CEOEL, we are starting to work on developing a new degree for UW System’s Flexible Option. Before embarking on this new journey, I wanted to take some time to reflect on the last one. I had the opportunity to work with a great group of faculty and instructional designers this past year while developing UW–Extension’s first degree, a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA). In this post, I’ll highlight just a few ways that this degree incorporates research-based recommendations for designing and delivering learning experiences to self-directed, self-paced learners. These practices address factors such as learner characteristics, assessment methods, and presentation of materials.

Read more »

Course Momentum

By Kristin Kowal
March 29, 2016

March 29, 2016

In this post, read about an online course that has great pacing and momentum to keep students engaged until the end. What follows is a description of five momentum-building activities from the course, as well as an interview with the instructor. Erin Ratelis developed and currently teaches HWM 335: The Worksite Health Environment.

Five Activities That Build Momentum in HWM 335

1. Photographs on the Discussion Board

Momentum buliders: Photographs of a road and a description of the photographs written by the instructor
Discussion Board Photo Activity (Author: Erin Ratelis)

What it is: Students take photographs of their health environment and post them to the discussion board in the first activity of the course. Erin shares what her environment looks like as well.

What I love about it: This activity does double-duty: an intro to the health environment and a social connector. By sharing their living environments in the context of the course, students are bridging the social gap that often comes with asynchronous online learning. This builds momentum by starting the course off with an activity that is exciting to students and inspires them to learn more in the weeks to come.

Read more »

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