Contributed by Jane Nguyen, Instructional Designer I (CSE)
Last time I wrote, I meditated on Robert Austin’s “The Pros and Cons of 7 Digital Teaching Tools.” There’s so much more to say, since remote learning will definitely outlast the pandemic.
To pick up on Austin’s ideas, let’s consider a standard component in online classes: discussion boards. Austin says that implementing asynchronous discussion boards in a vacuum is okay (that is, prompts provided somewhat “out of the blue” in order to start a discussion), but he thinks they are best used as a continuation of where a synchronous discussion (in-person or on video conference) left off. To this, I say…it doesn’t have to be either/or. A course can have pure starter prompts and ones that are a continuation of a discussion that began in person or in Zoom. Obviously, courses that are 100% asynchronous have no choice but to use the former approach.
Either way, a professor may consider occasionally asking a student, especially in the continuation model, to write the verbiage to get a conversation going (or going again). Since education is increasingly student-centered, faculty should embrace opportunities to let students be the voices of discourse rather than the professor. If the professor finds that the student does not steer the conversation in a way that the professor had hoped, or the student missed a golden opportunity to broach an insight or idea, the professor can chime in to direct the conversation as needed. The fact of the student voice being present initially is still crucial, as it gives students a sense of ownership in the course and over their learning.
Austin also speaks about varying multimedia content (and using it in the first place). I wholeheartedly agree. I’ve been an educator at the community college level for years, with a good deal of high school teaching mixed in, but I’ve also been a student plenty in the past 5 years, including many online classes. I can attest to how much students appreciate multimedia and multi-sensory content. This does not mean that professors have to overload students so much so that they are distracted by bells & whistles rather than focused on actual learning. But…it is very true that students thrive on variety.
Here’s an example of how a professor can introduce variety & multimedia content: consider alternating text and audio announcements. One week, type straight into a text editor to make your announcement. The next week, create an audio clip of yourself speaking the announcement, and post it to the class in announcements or wherever else your students are used to hearing from you. The students hearing your voice rather than just reading your words on a screen constitutes more “presence” on your part and more connection to the students.
Multimedia variety happens in other ways too. If you teach a literature class or any other humanities class, post-- in addition to your lecture videos--links to music from a time period or era, or images of art from the era. When you offer YouTube videos (TED talks, documentaries, panel discussions, lectures, etc.) or similar pre-created videos, you are drawing from curated content.
Austin emphasizes that curated content is highly engaging for students. Because so many people spend their time on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and the like, having some of this content—presumably the more academic & high-quality material--in their academic courses can function as a bridge between their academic life and their social [media] life. Students are comfortable in this space of connectedness, viewing content that they know people all over the world are viewing as well. As the instructor, you bring to the table context and making connections that subsequently help the students make meaning, draw conclusions, & explore ideas related to the course material.
If you have new ideas for your online course and want to talk to a member of the IDT team about best practices and possible innovations, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are happy to help with technology and pedagogy.
