Designing an inclusive online learning community that utilizes choice and a variety of learning modalities is critical to enhance student learning. During this presentation, attendees will explore a variety of online teaching techniques and technologies which incorporate all three principles of Universal Design for Learning to foster engagement and inclusion.
Student enrollment in online courses continues to increase; some college programs across the country are delivered entirely online. This session will focus on increasing engagement in an online classroom. The Education Session will encompass the following learning outcomes for participants:
- Understand the role of choice in an online classroom.
- Incorporate methods, tools, and techniques to increase engagement and inclusion in an online setting.
Student satisfaction plays a large role in the success of an online course (Eom et al., 2006). Additionally, experts argue that instructors should focus on the communication between students and instructors (Richardson & Swan, 2003; Schwehm, Saxton, & Stuckey, 2017), communication between students (Schwehm, Saxton, & Stuckey, 2017), and offering student choice (Stefanou, Perencevich, DiCintio, & Turner, 2010) to increase student satisfaction.
For many adult learners, writing is the primary way students interact and connect with classmates and the instructor in an online course. While carefully crafted and worthwhile writing prompts can foster collaboration (Schwehm, Saxton, & Stuckey, 2017), it is important to incorporate a variety of online learning modalities within the course. Furthermore, offering student choice in both content and mastery delivery has been found to increase engagement in a variety of settings (Guthrie, 2015; Parker, Novak, & Bartell, 2017). Student choice also allows learners to take ownership of their learning.
It is also critical that instructors provide opportunities for students to support one another in the classroom (Kanuka, Collett, & Caswell, 2002). Asynchronous peer feedback activities can cultivate this system of support (Kanuka, Collett, & Caswell, 2002), but so can implementing small group synchronous sessions (through a program such as Zoom). Providing both types of activities can enhance student participation and growth.
Universal Design calls for educators to provide multiple means of engagement, representation, and action and expression (CAST, 2018). Furthermore, The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE, 2018) calls for educators in Standard 5 to “design authentic, learner-driven activities and environments that recognize and accommodate learner variabilities.” During this presentation, attendees will first explore and interact with a variety of online teaching techniques and technologies (Loom, Zoom, Screen Cast-O-Matic, and VoiceThread) which incorporate the principles of Universal Design for Learning and ISTE Standards to foster engagement and inclusion. Further success can be found when students are able to choose the technology with which they want to engage throughout a course. Formative feedback and end-of term course evaluations from the presenter's classes found that offering choice and using interactive tools such as Zoom fostered inclusive communities and active participation.
The presentation will conclude with the dissemination of tips and techniques specific to managing student choice and peer feedback within an online course. Participants will have the opportunity to see how specific strategies can be implemented as well as experience a variety of tools available to enhance online learning. Attendees will leave with tangible methods to increase engagement and inclusion in their own course offerings.
Works Cited
CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org.
Eom, S.B., Ashill, N., & Wen, H.J. (2006). The determinants of students’ perceived learning outcomes and satisfaction in university online education: An empirical investigation. Decision Sciences Journal of Innovative Education, 4(2), 215-235.
Guthrie, J. T. (2015). Best practices for motivating students to read. In L. B. Gambrell & L. M. Morrow (Eds.), Best practices in literacy instruction (pp. 61-82). New York, NY: The Guildford Press.
Kanuka, H., Collett, D., & Caswell, C. (2002). University instructor perceptions of the use of asynchronous text-based discussion in distance courses. American Journal of Distance Education, 16(3), 151-167.
Parker, F., Novak, J., & Bartell, T. (2017). To engage students, give them meaningful choices in the classroom. Phi Delta Kappan, 99(2), 37-41.
Richardson, J. C., & Swan, K. (2003). Examining social presence in online courses in relation to students’ perceive learning and satisfaction. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 7(1), 68-88.
Schwehm, J., Saxton, J., & Stuckey, A. (2017). Promoting engagement and community in online courses: It's all about the writing. Adult Higher Education Alliance, 41.
Stefanou, R.; Perencevich, K.; DiCintio, M.; & Turner, J. (2010). Supporting autonomy in the classroom: Ways teachers encourage student decision making and ownership, Educational Psychologist, 39 (2), 97-110.