A key step to student success in online course is creating a welcoming, consistent environment in which students feel comfortable and can focus on the course content. Overview:     •    Set clear, concise expectations for behavior and participation    •    Minimize the number of platforms students need to access    •    Provide weekly lists of readings, assignments, and other activities before each week begins    •    Provide contact and support information for students Situating Students Create a welcome video for your students to encourage a sense of connection Organize your course to minimize the number of places students need to look for information and submit their work. (E.g., don’t email some announcements, post others to Moodle,…

This section contains articles and resources for each of the preceding topic areas. You will be prompted to log in with your Trinity username and password to gain access.  Myth and Realities of Online Instruction Forer, D., & Bechtel, S., et.al. (2019). Active connections: Means for faculty to create an environment in which students WANT to engage! Journal of College Teaching & Learning, 16(1), 1-10. Goodchild, T. & Speed, E. (2019). Technology enhanced learning as transformative innovation: a note on the enduring myth of TEL. Teaching in Higher Education, 24(8), 948-963. Montelongo, R. (2019). Less than/more than: Issues associated with high-impact online teaching and learning. Administrative Issues Journal: Connecting Education, Practice, and Research, 9(1), 68-79. Course Environment…

The open web and Trinity’s library subscriptions are abundant with rich content that can be brought into a learning context. The appropriateness of the content to the course and how you use it can either enrich your students’ experience or detract from it. This module will address how to navigate and select from the plethora of existing online resources, and how best to make your selections available to your students. Important considerations when choosing digital content, such as accessibility, availability, legality, and technology. Introduction Online content has many dimensions beyond the topics it covers. A few of these include: All of these can have an impact on your students’ ability…

Teaching with discipline-specific or specialized software, along with recreating the rich experience of in-person science labs and the interaction of studio and performing arts, are some of the most challenging aspects of online education. In this section, we provide resources curated from professional societies and other educators that offer innovative ways to reimagine the in-person student experience. Science Labs and Specialized Software Virtual Science Labs List of Simulations and Virtual Labs – Crowd-sourced list of simulations and virtual labs in: Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Cell Biology/Genetics, Chemistry, Civics, Comparative Neuroanatomy, Environmental Science, Geology, Math, Physics, Physiology, Engineering, Epidemiology, etc. Wright, L. Kate, et al. Web-Based Interactive Video Vignettes Create a Personalized Active Learning Classroom…

Using media in a class is an effective complement to other forms of presentation. Audio podcasts, infographics, and digital timelines are all examples. These can create memorable teaching resources, to which students can return for reference. Media can be much more engaging and add some fun to a traditional class. Students with different learning styles benefit from various points of entry into class concepts.  These same tools can inspire interactive assignments.  Students can exercise their creativity by thinking critically with various forms of media to reimagine and process key concepts.  Narrated Powerpoint PowerPoint includes features that will allow you to build a lecture based on a slide deck, along with an audio recording. Viewers can then view your slides, with your…