Category: Methods
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Leveraging Digital Tools to Create Engaging Online Learning Activities
In your online course, the right tools can transform a course from a static presentation of information into a dynamic learning experience. Platforms such as Google Docs, Google Slides, VoiceThread, Perusall, Zoom, Panopto, and Blackboard Ultra Discussion Boards offer versatile ways to design collaborative, reflective, and interactive learning activities that…
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A Glossary of Learning Activities
Affinity Mapping: A synchronous or asynchronous brainstorming activity where students categorize ideas, concepts, or responses into clusters based on common themes. This activity helps organize complex information and identify patterns in data or student insights. Annotated Readings: An asynchronous activity where students highlight and comment on key points within articles…
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Concept Explanation Videos
Videos are a cornerstone of online education, and concept explanation videos, often thought of as mini-lectures, are an essential tool for breaking down complex material into digestible, engaging lessons. These brief yet focused videos provide the clarity students need to understand fundamental ideas and build a strong foundation for deeper…
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Student Presentations
Student presentations are a valuable way to assess knowledge, encourage communication skills, and promote professional development in online graduate courses. However, delivering a presentation—especially in an online environment—requires a range of skills that students may not have fully developed. By providing targeted support, you can help your students excel in…
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Becoming a Reflective Practitioner
Asking the Right Questions Teaching adult learners requires not only a solid grasp of content and technology but also the ability to adapt to diverse experiences, expectations, and challenges. Reflection serves as a bridge between teaching methods and student outcomes, helping instructors continually refine their practices to foster deeper engagement…
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Reflective Practice in Teaching
A Guide for Online Graduate Educators Reflective practice is an essential element of effective teaching, particularly for those working with adult learners in online graduate programs. In this context, reflection allows educators to continuously adapt to their learners’ diverse experiences and professional goals. Guided by the foundational insights of Jack…
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Designing a Learning Activity with Multi-Dimensional Engagement
Course Context: Marketing Ethics and Sustainability in Business Sample Learning Outcome: “Students will evaluate the ethical implications of marketing strategies and propose sustainable, customer-centric solutions that align with professional standards.” The Challenge This learning outcome challenges students to critically evaluate ethical issues in marketing, synthesize diverse perspectives, and propose actionable…
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The Anatomy of Learning Activities
Learning activities are where the abstract goals of education—learning outcomes—take root and grow into concrete achievements. They are the structured experiences that transform theoretical concepts into applied skills, making education tangible and actionable. At their best, learning activities engage students fully, leveraging the dimensions of engagement—cognitive, emotional, social, behavioral, agentic,…
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Types of Learner Engagement in Online Courses
Insights and Strategies Engagement is the cornerstone of effective online education, bridging the gap between learners and their goals. Yet, fostering engagement in virtual spaces presents unique challenges. Unlike traditional classrooms where interactions happen naturally, online environments require intentional strategies to connect students with the material, their peers, and the…
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Specifications Grading
An Alternate Grading Scheme for Online Graduate Courses In an online graduate classroom, one of the biggest challenges instructors face is creating a grading system that motivates students, sets clear expectations, and reduces grade disputes. Enter specifications grading, a structured yet flexible approach that prioritizes clear, standards-based assessment. Specifications grading…
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