E-learning literature and research strongly suggest that online instructors should build their presence into a successful asynchronous course. Many faculty, however, often assume that replicating in-person presence requires a talking-head video in every module. Richard Mayer’s (2005) 12 principles for multimedia learning cast doubt on
When I first began teaching online, I thought creating engaging and relevant content was the biggest challenge. And while that’s certainly important, I’ve realized that organizing and communicating expectations to students is at least as critical. One simple strategy that has profoundly changed how I
The asynchronous nature of online learning makes it hard for students to develop a structured schedule since they lack the built-in class times of traditional courses. Additionally, online education attracts many nontraditional adult learners who juggle numerous responsibilities, further straining their schedules.
Student success in online course discussion assignments depends on not only understanding the learning material but also developing fundamental academic skills needed for future course success. While online instructors often create videos focused on course content, and institutions might provide general skill-building resources or access
Virtual simulations are an exceptional way for online students to get experience applying what they have learned to real-life situations. My colleagues and I created 20-minute virtual simulations that had our online students treat patients for cancer and end-stage liver failure, perform a liver
Infographics have become a nearly ubiquitous accompaniment to written reports and presentations. For today’s students, visual communication skills are as important as written and verbal ones. Plus, adding an infographic to a text assignment gets students to think about the central message they are
Higher education has traditionally taken students out of the “real world” by placing them in the artificial world of a classroom to learn. But the digital revolution made it possible to reintroduce real-world learning through student simulations. Instructors can now record videos of hypothetical
Many students fail in their studies not due to lack of ability but rather because of poor behaviors that undermine their learning (procrastinating, spending time on social media rather than paying attention in class, etc.). Digital communication now allows faculty to address these behaviors
Online faculty are often looking for ways to add real-time discussion to their asynchronous courses. But discussions fall flat when only a handful of students participate. I found an activity that solves this problem by combining videoconferencing with group work and a whiteboard in a
While animation used to be the purview of professional studios, today software like Vyond makes it easy for those with no animation skills at all. I design and teach an online college-readiness course that includes a wide variety of engaging content; however, students continue to
