Category: Articles

Motivation and engagement are essential in online teaching and learning contexts. The challenge of keeping our students motivated and engaged is common across all disciplines in online learning. Online courses, however, may present some unique challenges. Without face-to-face interaction, faculty may not be able to pick up nonverbal cues from students that can indicate when students may be disengaged. Faculty may also not be able to share their emotions and may find it difficult to express enthusiasm or concern. The online environment can make it easier for students to disengage and consequently participate minimally in your course. Sometimes students may choose to enroll in an online course because they perceive it to be easier. This can lead to students finding it more difficult to engage.

The Learning and Educational Center supports all instructors in the development and advancement of their courses. We developed a checklist based on the Quality Matters Rubric and adapted it from a similar checklist from Western Kentucky University which allows instructors to quickly determine their course readiness as it relates to the Quality Matters (QM) Rubric. The Course Readiness Checklist was designed and aligned with the 8 Standards of the Quality Matters Rubric.  For reference, we have documented the relevant QM Standard in the checklist. Over the next two weeks, we will break down the checklist and review a section or two each week.

The Learning and Educational Center supports all instructors in the development and advancement of their courses. We developed a checklist based on the Quality Matters Rubric and adapted it from a similar checklist from Western Kentucky University which allows instructors to quickly determine their course readiness as it relates to the Quality Matters (QM) Rubric. The Course Readiness Checklist was designed and aligned with the 8 Standards of the Quality Matters Rubric.  For those that are familiar with Quality Matters, we have documented the relevant QM Standard in the checklist. Over the next three weeks, we will break down the checklist and review a section or two each week.  

The Learning and Educational Center supports all instructors in the development and advancement of their courses. We developed a checklist based on the Quality Matters Rubric and adapted it from a similar checklist from Western Kentucky University which allows instructors to quickly determine their course readiness as it relates to the Quality Matters (QM) Rubric. The Course Readiness Checklist was designed and aligned with the 8 Standards of the Quality Matters Rubric.  For reference, we have documented the relevant QM Standard in the checklist. Over the next four weeks, we will break down the checklist and review a section or two each week.

Inside Higher Ed and College Pulse conducted a Student Voice survey of 2,000 undergraduate college students across the country. After more than a year of an increased focus on online education due to COVID-19, students around the country are returning to campus for in-person classes. As they prepare for their return, naturally people are asking what remains ahead for post-pandemic teaching and learning. 

To help students improve performance and achieve academic success, it is essential to make sure that all students feel included in the learning environment, especially in remote education. This article mentions existing indirect prejudices and offers recommendations to bring equity and inclusion to the learning community.

Have you considered accessibility when designing your course? Do you know what it means for your course to be accessible? This article will help raise awareness of accessibility in your course and point you to tools or techniques for improving accessibility in your course.

We all know that good course design is important for a great learning experience. However, no single design fits every situation. For instance, have you ever encountered an online course that was overloaded with content and not enough learning activities? Or maybe the learning activities were not aligned with the learning level of the content or the objectives. How can good course design influence the quality of learning? 

Shark Notes is a brief summary of an article that our staff has found valuable, and here are the highlights from the latest article: Encouraging Self-Advocacy: How to Build Environments for Awareness and Self-Disclosure for Learners with Disabilities. As a professor, it can be challenging to learn about the capabilities as well as the needs of students with disabilities. This article discusses what professors can do to build an inclusive and effective learning environment that encourages self-advocacy. 

This article provides faculty with two principles to foster engagement with their online students to (1) build community to foster engagement online, and (2) create options for students to engage online and is the second part to “How to structure your online class for inclusion.”