Learn at a Distance

Accessibility: The design of course materials and activities to ensure that all students, regardless of disabilities or differences in learning styles, can access and engage with the content. Accessibility features may include captioned videos, alternative text for images, and screen-reader compatibility.

Active Learning: A teaching approach that emphasizes student participation and engagement in the learning process. Active learning strategies may include group discussions, problem-solving activities, and hands-on projects, which encourage critical thinking and collaboration.

Adaptive Learning: An instructional approach that uses technology to adjust the pace, path, and difficulty of learning based on individual student needs. Adaptive learning systems provide personalized feedback and resources to support student growth.

Alignment: The process of ensuring that course goals, learning objectives, assessments, and activities are consistent and support one another. Proper alignment ensures that each component of the course is working toward the intended learning outcomes.

Anonymous Evaluation: A method of assessment where students or instructors provide feedback or grades without attaching names to the evaluations. This is used to reduce bias and encourage honest feedback.

Affective Domain: A category of learning objectives related to attitudes, values, and emotions. Objectives in the affective domain focus on personal development and emotional engagement with course material, which are best measured through self-reflection.

Assessment Criteria: The specific standards or benchmarks used to evaluate student work. These criteria are often outlined in rubrics and provide transparency for students regarding how their performance will be measured.

Assessment Rationale: A justification for the chosen assessments, explaining how they align with the course’s learning objectives. The rationale clarifies the purpose of each assessment and how it will help measure student progress and learning outcomes.

Assessment Strategy: A comprehensive plan that outlines how assessments will be used to measure student progress throughout a course. The strategy includes both formative and summative assessments, ensuring alignment with learning objectives.

Asynchronous Learning: A learning model where students access course materials, complete assignments, and participate in discussions on their own schedule, rather than in real-time. Asynchronous learning offers flexibility, allowing students to work at their own pace.

Backward Design: An instructional planning method that starts with defining the desired learning outcomes and then works backward to develop assessments and learning activities. Backward design ensures that every part of the course aligns with the final objectives.

Case Study Analysis: A learning activity where students analyze real-life or hypothetical scenarios to apply course concepts and problem-solving skills. Case studies encourage critical thinking and the practical application of knowledge.

Chunking: The process of breaking down course content into smaller, more manageable units or “chunks.” This helps students process and retain information more effectively, reducing cognitive load.

Cognitive Domain: A domain of learning related to mental skills, such as knowledge acquisition, analysis, and problem-solving. The cognitive domain is commonly associated with Bloom’s Taxonomy, which classifies levels of learning complexity.

Cognitive Load: The amount of mental effort required to process information. In course design, it’s important to manage cognitive load by breaking new content into manageable chunks and avoiding overwhelming students with too much new information at once.

Collaborative Learning: An instructional approach where students work together to achieve learning objectives. Collaborative learning can take the form of group discussions, peer reviews, or team projects, promoting shared knowledge and diverse perspectives.

Benchmarks: Key points in the course or module where students are expected to complete certain tasks or assessments. Milestones help structure learning and keep students on track toward the final learning objectives.

Competency-Based Learning: A learning model where students progress by demonstrating mastery of specific skills or competencies, rather than based on time spent in class. This approach focuses on student outcomes and ensures that all learners meet the necessary benchmarks.

Concept Mapping: A visual representation of relationships between ideas, concepts, or pieces of information. Concept mapping helps students organize and structure their understanding, making it easier to see connections and synthesize new knowledge.

Content Mastery: The degree to which a student understands and can apply the key concepts, principles, or knowledge in a subject area. Content mastery is often assessed through summative assessments, such as exams or final projects.

Content Rationale: An explanation for why specific content was chosen for a module or course. The rationale links the material to learning objectives and outlines how it contributes to student understanding and course goals.

Course Goals: Broad statements that define the overall purpose of a course and what students should understand by the end. Course goals are deliberately open-ended, allowing for a wide range of learning outcomes. They reflect essential questions in the subject area.

Course Policies: Guidelines that outline expectations for behavior, participation, submission deadlines, and academic integrity. These policies help maintain fairness and structure in the course, providing students with clear boundaries and rules.

Critical Thinking: The process of analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information or arguments to form a reasoned judgment. Critical thinking is often emphasized in assessments, discussions, and activities that require deeper engagement with course material.

Discussion Forum: An online platform where students can post comments, questions, and responses related to course material. Discussion forums facilitate asynchronous interaction and allow students to engage with each other and the instructor outside of class time.

Discussion Questions: Prompts designed to engage students in conversation about course material, either in synchronous or asynchronous settings. Discussion questions encourage critical thinking and allow students to connect the material with their own experiences, promoting deeper understanding.

Duration: The length of time allocated to complete a specific module or chunk of content. Duration is often flexible, allowing for self-directed exploration and reflection as students work through the material.

Engagement: The degree to which students are actively involved and interested in the learning process. High engagement often leads to better learning outcomes and can be encouraged through interactive activities, discussions, and practical applications of knowledge.

Feedback: Information provided by instructors or peers regarding student performance. Feedback helps students understand their strengths and areas for improvement and is critical for guiding their development throughout the course.

Feedback Loop: A continuous cycle of feedback where students receive input on their work, reflect on it, and make improvements. This iterative process helps students refine their skills and deepen their understanding over time.

Final Project: A culminating assignment that requires students to apply the skills and knowledge gained throughout the course. Final projects are typically summative assessments that may take various forms, such as research papers, presentations, or creative works.

Flipped Classroom: A pedagogical model where students are introduced to new content outside synchronous class time (usually through readings or videos) and use class time for interactive activities, such as discussions or problem-solving. This approach inverts the traditional learning structure, allowing for deeper engagement during class sessions.

Formative Assessments: Ongoing, low-stakes evaluations that provide students with feedback throughout the course. These assessments help students identify areas for improvement and offer guidance for instructors to support student learning. Examples include quizzes, discussions, and drafts of projects.

Formative Feedback: Constructive feedback provided to students throughout the learning process, with the goal of improving performance before final evaluations. Formative feedback helps guide students toward mastery by identifying areas for improvement.

Gamification: The application of game-design elements, such as points, badges, and leaderboards, to educational activities. Gamification can increase student engagement and motivation by making learning more interactive and competitive. Gamification can also reduce student engagement by emphasizing extrinsic motivators over intrinsic motivators and inviting competition between students.

Grading Scheme: A description of the grading method used in a course, such as traditional letter grades, labor-based grading, or specifications grading. The scheme should align with the course goals and explain how student performance will be evaluated.

Hybrid Learning: A model that combines both in-person and online instruction, often with a flexible schedule that allows students to participate in class remotely. Hybrid learning offers the benefits of face-to-face interaction while providing the flexibility of online coursework.

Inclusivity: The practice of designing courses that are accessible and welcoming to students from diverse backgrounds, abilities, and perspectives. Inclusive course design ensures that all students have equal opportunities to succeed.

Instructor Information: A section of the course where the instructor introduces themselves, sharing relevant background, teaching philosophy, and contact information. This information helps build rapport and sets the tone for student-instructor interactions.

Instructional Methodologies/ Strategies: Techniques used by instructors to facilitate learning and help students achieve the course objectives. Examples include direct instruction, collaborative learning, problem-based learning, and flipped classrooms.

Interactive Content: Digital learning materials that require active participation from students, such as quizzes, simulations, or interactive videos. 

Knowledge Checks: Short, low-stakes assessments designed to gauge student understanding of the material at various points in the course. Knowledge checks can take the form of quizzes, polls, or brief assignments that provide immediate feedback to students and instructors.

Knowledge Transfer: The application of skills and knowledge learned in one context to new situations or problems. In course design, knowledge transfer is a key goal, helping students apply what they have learned to real-world scenarios.

Labor-Based Grading: Labor-based grading focuses on the effort and process students put into their work rather than the quality of the final product. In this approach, students are rewarded for completing tasks, meeting participation requirements, and investing time in their learning, rather than for achieving high scores on traditional assessments. 

Learning Activities: Tasks or exercises that students complete to reinforce learning objectives. Activities can be interactive, collaborative, or individual and often include discussions, case studies, problem-solving tasks, and role-plays.

Learning Analytics: The process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data on student performance and engagement to improve the learning experience. Learning analytics can help instructors identify struggling students and optimize course content.

Learning Objectives: Specific, measurable actions students should be able to perform upon completing a course or module. Each objective aligns with a course goal and targets a particular aspect of student performance.

Learning Objectives Template: A structured framework used to write clear and measurable learning objectives. This template helps instructors articulate what students should be able to do by the end of a course or module. Consider the following template for learning objectives: After (the training period, semester, module, interaction with content) learners will (perform an action, analysis or demonstration) under the following conditions (individually, in a group, in writing, orally) with a specified degree of proficiency (criteria for success).

Learning Outcomes: The specific knowledge, skills, and abilities that students are expected to demonstrate by the end of a course or module. Learning outcomes are measurable and directly related to the course objectives.

Learning Pathway: A personalized route through the course content that allows students to engage with material in a way that suits their learning style and pace. Learning pathways offer flexibility and adaptability, supporting student autonomy.

Low-Stakes Assessments: Formative assessments that carry little or no weight in the final grade but provide important feedback on student progress. Low-stakes assessments reduce pressure on students and allow them to take risks and explore new ideas without fear of failure.

Metacognitive Journal: A tool for students to document their learning experiences, thoughts, and progress throughout the course. Reflection journals promote self-awareness, critical thinking, and personal growth by encouraging students to regularly reflect on their learning.

Peer Teaching: An instructional method where students take on the role of the instructor, teaching concepts to their peers. Peer teaching helps reinforce concepts and competencies for both the teacher and the learner, fostering collaboration and communication skills.

Personalized Assessments: Customizable evaluation methods that allow students to demonstrate their understanding in ways that align with their strengths or interests. Examples may include creative projects, alternative formats, or self-designed tasks.

Portfolio: A curated collection of a student’s work that tracks their learning progress over time. Portfolios may include various assignments, reflections, and projects, showcasing growth, skill development, and engagement with the course material.

Portfolio Artifact: The process in which students select and submit work for inclusion in their portfolio that demonstrates growth and alignment with course objectives. Each portfolio contribution is evaluated based on quality of work, depth of reflection, and skill development.

Pacing: The speed and flow at which a course progresses, which can be flexible or structured depending on the course design. Pacing ensures that students have enough time to learn each concept before moving on to the next.

Problem-Based Learning: An instructional approach where students learn by solving complex, real-world problems. This method promotes active learning, collaboration, and the development of critical thinking skills.

Professional Development: Ongoing learning opportunities for instructors and educators to enhance their teaching practices and stay current with educational trends and technologies. Professional development may include workshops, seminars, certifications, or collaborative learning.

Project-Based Learning: A student-centered approach where learners gain knowledge and skills by working on extended projects that address complex questions or challenges. Project-based learning promotes critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration.

Psychomotor Domain:

Reflection: A metacognitive process where students think critically about their learning experiences, identifying areas of growth, challenges, and insights. Reflection can be encouraged through journaling, discussions, or self-assessment.

Role-Playing: A teaching method where students take on specific roles or personas in a simulated scenario to explore different perspectives and practice problem-solving. Role-playing activities help develop communication, empathy, and decision-making skills.

Rubrics: Tools that outline specific criteria used to evaluate student performance. Rubrics typically include categories like content mastery, organization, critical thinking, and participation, with descriptions of performance levels for each.

Rubric-Based Feedback: A structured form of assessment where feedback is provided according to specific criteria outlined in a rubric. This method ensures consistent evaluation and provides students with clear guidance on how to improve their performance.

Scaffolded Learning: A teaching method that provides students with successive levels of support to help them achieve deeper understanding. As students progress, the support is gradually removed, allowing them to take greater responsibility for their learning.

Self-Assessment: A process in which students evaluate their own performance, typically using criteria outlined in rubrics or reflective prompts. Self-assessment encourages students to take an active role in their learning and identify areas for personal growth.

Self-Directed Exploration: Learning activities where students independently research, explore, or reflect on topics without direct instruction. This promotes autonomy and helps students develop problem-solving and research skills.

Socratic Method: A teaching technique that involves asking a series of open-ended questions to stimulate critical thinking and draw out underlying assumptions. The Socratic method encourages deep inquiry and active participation in the learning process.

Social Constructivism: A learning theory that emphasizes the active and essential role of social interactions and collaboration in constructing knowledge. In a course setting, social constructivism supports group work, discussions, and peer feedback as critical to student learning.

Student Autonomy: The level of independence a student has in directing their own learning, including setting goals, managing time, and making decisions about how to approach tasks. Autonomy is often fostered in self-directed learning environments.

Student Responsibility: The expectation that students will take ownership of their learning, managing their time, engaging actively with the material, and seeking help when needed. This responsibility grows as students progress through the course and take on more autonomous roles.

Summative Assessments: High-stakes evaluations used to measure cumulative student learning at the end of a course or module. Summative assessments typically include exams, final projects, and research papers, and they carry more weight in determining a student’s grade.

Summative Feedback: Evaluative feedback provided at the end of a module or course that summarizes a student’s overall performance. Summative feedback typically accompanies final grades and offers insights into the student’s cumulative learning.

Synchronous Learning: A learning model where students and instructors interact in real-time, often through video conferencing, live lectures, or discussions. Synchronous learning provides immediate feedback, allows for improvisation, and fosters real-time collaboration among participants.

Technical Skills: The specific competencies students need to successfully engage with course tools and materials, such as using software, navigating the LMS, or creating multimedia presentations. Technical skills are often a prerequisite for effective participation in online or hybrid courses.

Tool fatigue: In online learning refers to the overwhelming experience learners and instructors face when required to use too many digital tools or platforms. This can lead to cognitive overload, reducing engagement and effectiveness in the learning process.

Virtual Tours: An immersive learning experience that allows students to explore real-world environments or simulations digitally. Virtual tours can enhance understanding by providing context and experiential learning opportunities.

VoiceThread: A multimedia tool that allows users to create, share, and comment on presentations, often used in online or hybrid courses to facilitate discussions and reflections. VoiceThread can incorporate audio, video, and text-based responses.

Weekly Quizzes: Short, frequent assessments used to measure student understanding of content covered in a week. Weekly quizzes provide ongoing feedback and help students stay engaged with the material.