I found this short answer to the question, “How can we reduce bias in online teaching?” which I composed a couple of years ago. I’m curious about my suggestion that Standard English is a method whereby we can reduce bias. I’m not sure I would give that suggestion now. Is that inclusive language or not? Read More
The one feature of my online classroom that students always say they appreciate is the video introductions. (I teach completely online courses at a community college that offers face-to-face, hybrid, and online versions of courses I teach. My students typically are taking most of their courses in each of those three modalities.) There are three Read More
Instructors have many options when creating materials for students. They may have various operating systems, productivity suites, and media creation applications on their devices. Students may not have the same devices and applications installed on their computers and devices as their instructors have. As a result, students may not be able to open files that Read More
The names given to chunks can contribute to the ease of navigating your online classroom. By giving chunks meaningful and descriptive names, instructors both make it easier to find materials and introduce organizing themes to the course. Consider these names that could be applied to a course in which students are learning to use various Read More
Backwards design is intended to both support the organization of course chunks and also to ensure the chunks are aligned. Alignment refers to the connection between the goals, the assignments by which students will demonstrate new learning, and the lessons by which they will learn what they are expected. The fundamental assumption of education is Read More
Ease of use refers to the effort participants must expand to navigate your course, see and hear the materials, and complete the work you assign. Students are more likely to learn the curriculum if the classroom is easy to use. A related idea, which further supports the importance of easy to use classrooms, is cognitive Read More
Storytime… About 20 years ago, I was looking to refocus my career. I had an interest in library science, so I found an online program and singed up for two courses with the intent of matriculating in the master’s program before the deadline during which I was to study. The two courses were interesting. I Read More
What exactly is a high-quality online course is a question that has held the attention of researchers, practitioners, and entrepreneurs for decades. Many schools have adopted their own set of guidelines, perhaps even templates other methods of making sure instructors have in place what the school leaders believe to be effective practices. Some schools have Read More
Your experiences in the field will serve you well as you teach. Your examples and stories will help your students understand the context of the ideas they study, see connections, and they will make your class more engaging and effective. Your experiences will limit you, also. We all adapt to the culture in which we Read More
Instructors create information for their students. In some cases, the material is original, for example they may create presentations or documents, or the material may originate from publishers or open education resource providers and instructors revise them for their specific needs. Many instructors find the ability to share documents they make is one of the benefits of Read More