Learn at a Distance

  • Fostering Creativity in Assessments

    Fostering Creativity in Assessments

    Creative assessments empower students to demonstrate their ability to synthesize knowledge, analyze complex information, and produce original work. These tasks often culminate in projects, portfolios, or proposals that reflect higher-order cognitive skills, creativity, and real-world problem-solving. However, success in this type of assessment depends on intentional, scaffolded learning activities that…

  • Demonstrating Learning Through Performance

    Demonstrating Learning Through Performance

    Performance assessments are a powerful way to evaluate how well students can apply their knowledge and skills in real-world or simulated professional contexts. Unlike traditional exams, performance-based assessments emphasize active demonstration—whether through presentations, debates, or problem-solving scenarios. However, success in a performance task doesn’t happen by chance. It requires carefully…

  • Designing Effective Tests: Building Competencies for Success

    Designing Effective Tests: Building Competencies for Success

    When designing final exams, it’s easy to focus solely on the content of the assessment itself—what to include, how to structure it, and how to ensure fairness. However, the success of a final test depends as much on what happens during the course as on the test itself. To truly…

  • Three Broad Categories of Final Evaluations: Test, Perform, Create

    Three Broad Categories of Final Evaluations: Test, Perform, Create

    Final evaluations are a powerful way to measure student learning, providing insights into how well course objectives have been achieved. These assessments generally fall into three broad categories: Test, Perform, and Create. Each category aligns with specific course learning outcomes and allows educators to evaluate students’ mastery of essential skills…

  • Final Evaluations

    Final Evaluations

    Final evaluations are a critical component of a well-designed course, providing a summative measure of how effectively students have achieved the course learning objectives. When thoughtfully crafted, these evaluations do more than test students’ knowledge—they validate their ability to apply, analyze, and synthesize what they’ve learned in meaningful ways. Aligning…

  • Setting Time Commitment and Pacing Expectations for Online Courses

    Setting Time Commitment and Pacing Expectations for Online Courses

    Online courses offer unparalleled flexibility, but that same flexibility can be a double-edged sword. Without the structure of a traditional classroom, students often underestimate the time and effort required to succeed. Meanwhile, instructors face the challenge of balancing rigor with accessibility, ensuring that students can meet course expectations without feeling…

  • Creating Effective Revision and Resubmission Policies for Online Courses

    Creating Effective Revision and Resubmission Policies for Online Courses

    In the world of online learning, assessment isn’t just about grading—it’s about growth. But what happens when a student falls short on an assignment? Without the chance to learn from their mistakes and improve, students may view their performance as final, missing an opportunity to deepen their understanding. Revision and…

  • Writing an Attendance and Participation Policy for Online Courses

    Writing an Attendance and Participation Policy for Online Courses

    In the online learning environment, attendance and participation take on a new meaning. Without the shared physical space of a traditional classroom, the act of “showing up” requires intentional effort from students and clear guidance from instructors. Defining what attendance and participation look like in an online course is essential…

  • Communication Policies

    Communication Policies

    Setting Clear Communication Policies for Online Courses Communication is the backbone of any successful online course. Unlike face-to-face classes, online learning relies heavily on written, asynchronous, and digital interactions. Without clear communication policies, students can feel lost or unsupported, leading to frustration and disengagement. A well-defined communication policy not only…

  • Creating vs. Curating

    Creating vs. Curating

    Finding the Right Balance for Online Course Design Designing an online course is both an art and a science, requiring instructors to make thoughtful decisions about how to deliver content effectively. At the heart of this process lies a pivotal question: should you create all your course materials, or should…