Be Intentional
Review all content and adjust for online delivery.
Rethink course objectives and assignments.
- Shift in faculty role – coaching and mentoring students, creating and curating experiences and facilitating interactions.
- Asynchronous interactions – provide students opportunities to interact with content, peers, and you (the instructor) in their own time to supplement what is being done in class.
- Active learning – encourage learners to be active, do more thinking, writing, reflecting, and interacting with peers. Students also take on more responsibility for their learning.
- Flexibility – embrace learning resources that are more flexible. Encourage students to play an active role in sharing, flexibility in varied assignment submissions (video, writing, other).
- Ongoing assessment – facilitate assessment that is continuous, with low-stakes assessment throughout and frequent discussion posts that allow instructors to get to know their learners.
Plan from the Beginning
Consider what can be translated, what works well, how can it be adapted for online learning? Opportunity to rethink course structure. Are there new tools to try? Improved delivery?
Here are some reflection questions to begin to assist you in considering these decisions.
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Reflection on your current practices:
- What are your experiences with online teaching and learning? If applicable, how might you draw on lessons learned from your experiences teaching remotely?
- What is your familiarity with Canvas and other Arcadia-supported tools for teaching and learning? How have you used these in your face-to-face courses?
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Plan for your online course context:
- Who are your online learners? What are their needs and expectations? What are their experiences with online learning? What devices, equipment, or bandwidth do students have in order to access course materials and fully engage in the course?
- What are the expectations of your department and school for online teaching and learning?
- What support might you be able to draw on as you are teaching your course?
Review Your Existing Syllabus
Online course syllabi includes many of the components of a face-to-face course, a syllabus for an online course also features objectives that are appropriate for the online teaching and learning context; a course schedule that organizes content, activities, and assessments into accessible modules; explicit instructions to keep students on track; and guidelines for communicating and interacting effectively online.
Some course policies and procedures that you may revise or add for the online context include participation guidelines, discussion guidelines, academic integrity, and technology support resources.
To begin revising your existing course for the online format, review your course goals and objectives for the face-to-face version of your course, and consider how realistic, appropriate, and relevant they are for an online version.
Reflect on your current practices:
- What are the learning objectives of your course?
- What are your approaches to teaching a face-to-face course (e.g., lecture, discussion, demonstrations, etc.)?
Plan for your online course context:
- Which of your course learning goals will need to be revised for the online context? Since online teaching can take more time than teaching face-to-face, what learning goals or content would be prioritized in your course? What could your course do without while still meeting your learning goals?
- How can these goals best be achieved using online tools and teaching methods? What adjustments might you make to your course based on the needs of your online learners? How might you adjust your teaching approaches?
Examples on Transitioning Activities to an Online Classroom
| Approach used in face-to-face classroom |
Adapting to synchronous online classroom |
Adapting to asynchronous online classroom |
|---|---|---|
| Introductions around the room; learning student names | Students take turns introducing themselves through the camera/audio; they can also contribute a slide to a shared class slide set that lists everyone;In Zoom, participant names are shown (students may change how their names are shown for security, if needed) | Students can contribute a slide to a shared class slide-set that lists everyone; use discussion forum or similar posting thread for introductions; utilize video/audio tools to post to introduction space |
| Visual presence in every session and throughout class | Visual presence should be maintained. Check in with students that turn off their camera periodically to make sure they are still present. | Visual presence is not necessary in asynchronous classes, but participatory presence can be established through forums and other assessments. |
| Lecture | Instructor may share slides and use annotation or whiteboard function (in Zoom) for synchronous notes; additional techniques for sharing notes or text; remember that mini-lectures (up to 10 minutes) are preferred in online environment, so provide activities for breaks. | Instructor may pre-record lectures with slides and annotation tools as for synchronous lecture; chunk lectures into sections of up to 10 minutes and intersperse with activity; additional tips for creating. |
| Brainstorming | Students may write text simultaneously on a shared whiteboard or shared google document, using annotation function (Zoom) or use the Chat function to write down ideas. | The “live” aspects of brainstorming are more difficult to capture in asynchronous classes, but threads in forums can focus ideas; shared google documents also work well. |
| Small group discussion and reporting out | Students work in breakout rooms with video and audio; they may record ideas on whiteboard to share with larger group. | Groups can be formed in Canvas or Google to focus on topic for timed period (e.g. 1-3 days) and then report back to larger group through whole-class forum through text, audio, or video. |
| Case studies or extended problem-based discussion | Case study can be screen-shared with the students, who may work in small groups (breakout rooms) or as a whole class to answer questions. Responses can be made through the chat function, through a whole class google doc, through annotations (depending on size of class – works best in small group), or through video/audio discussion. | Pose questions in Discussion Board or other tool such as Padlet, for initial written/voice/video responses and then ask for follow-up responses – either to instructor-posed questions or to peer comments and questions; schedule windows of time for each of these activities; Canvas groups may also be set up as needed. |
| Think-Pair-Share | Students work in breakout rooms with video/audio enabled; they can record their ideas on breakout room whiteboard, and then share with larger group in a report-out session. | Less applicable as an immediate feedback technique in asynchronous setting, though see small group work for ideas for a slow “think-pair-share”; Padlet boards could also be used to highlight pair interaction; Canvas groups can also be set up. |
| Jigsaw discussion (assigning parts of reading or problem to students to discuss and report back) | Students may work in breakout rooms on their assigned part of reading or problem; report back verbally, through whiteboard, google doc, or shared slide set. | Use group functions in Canvas or other tools and create whole class space for reporting back (e.g. Discussion Board). |
| Large group discussion | Students share with the whole group using video and audio. Establish organization for participation: raise hands visually; raise hands; or use the Canvas built in Chat tool. | Students respond to prompts on discussion threads; these can be designed with initial post with follow up post within scheduled time frames; they can be instructor-student or student-student responses; instructors should regularly post as well to give feedback, keep discussion focused, and to model posting style and content. |
| 1-minute paper or “muddiest point” notes | Student feedback/questions can be contributed to live shared slides or google docs; added to Chat window; posted to screen-shared PPT or whiteboard through annotating tool; clarify which tools are anonymous and which identify students. | Create space (discussion forum or social media channels) for focused feedback; remember to remind students this is not anonymous feedback. |
| Question and answer | Allow time for students to respond; consider writing time before answering questions; see also notes for large group discussion. | Use quizzes or targeted discussion forums with delayed posting times. |
| Polling for quick feedback | Students can respond to simple polling questions. Answers may be displayed as students respond or delayed; Canvas surveys can also be used. | Use Canvas surveys for anonymous feedback on specific questions. |
| Student presentations | Students may share slides through screen-share or provide simple video/audio presentations. | Students can post slides with voice-over or simple video/audio presentations to Canvas Studio. |
| Peer review | Students can work in breakout rooms to share drafts and give feedback; or they can complete review outside of class and then use breakout rooms to provide feedback; or they can work through google docs to comment, without live feedback. | Peer feedback can be organized through multiple means, including google docs; Canvas peer review tool or other tools like Padlet. |
| Quick check-ins | Students can use the emoticons for quick feedback on simple questions about pace of class or comprehension of activities. This is not anonymous. | Canvas surveys can give anonymous feedback; other tools can provide informal |
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