Ready to retire "post once; reply twice"? Want to stop surveilling students but don't know another way to measure engagement? Instructors of every generation may find themselves craving something different, but unsure of where to begin. In this workshop, explore how common and long-favored online instructional practices have good intentions, but may limit student access, participation, and learning. Come ready to share and learn about design options that may create more equitable and inclusive learning communities.
As I work with other faculty who are new(er) to online learning, the most common concern I hear is about how to (re)create meaningful online engagement without falling back on old school practices that don't work for students or instructors. Most repeat practices they were shown without questioning how those well-intentioned practices might alienate diverse learners. In this workshop, I hope to explain why folks might want to reconsider repeating long-favored design options, particularly if those options reinforce learning as merely a transactional endeavor. I'll use humor and research to build a story about how we who seek inclusive classrooms may actually be doing more harm than good with some practices, but decolonizing our classrooms are imperative to identify and overcome potential roadblocks to access and participation.
The focus of this workshop is on faculty and instructional designers who feel called out by "OK Boomer" statements that imply older folks are less competent with newer ideas. I don't intend to make fun of any particular generation, but will share some of my own failures, hoping that if folks feel comfortable laughing with me, they might be more willing to examine how their own work might benefit from a tune-up. I will introduce a decolonization and racial justice imperative that could shape future design in online college classrooms, but aim to keep the workshop entertaining and useful, as I guide folks through redesigning old tools for a new generation.