Inspire Blog

Universal Design for Learning in Online Courses

UDL

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a practical tool for guiding course design to ensure that every learner succeeds, based on scientific insights into how humans learn (cast.org). As seen from the illustration below, there are three main principles of UDL, namely: multiple means of representations, multiple means of engagement, and multiple means of expressions (image by Tianhong Shi, CC0) There are many applications of UDL design principles in OSU Spring 2018 online courses. A. Multiple Means of Representations as seen in BA 354 S18’s weekly content planning. reading in text (Chapter 1 of Trevino and Nelson, Managing Business Ethics) listening to podcast (Ponzi Supernova podcast audio from Radio-lab watching instructor lectures in video (Course Introduction) Watching complicated assignment explained … Universal Design for Learning in Online Courses
by · April 16, 2018

Student Personas (An Introduction)

What is a Student Persona? A student persona is a summary of a specific type of student. This persona represents archetypes NOT stereotypes of a broader student segment or group. A student persona summarizes who the student users are and why they are using the learning system, as well as what behaviors, assumptions, and expectations determine their view of the learning system. Why Create Student Personas? There are many reasons why instructors and instructional designers and developers create and use student personas, such as: To represent the major needs of the key student user groups. To provide a reliable and accurate representation of your targeted student audience. To enable you to focus on a manageable and memorable group of students. … Student Personas (An Introduction)
by · March 16, 2018

Two Ways to Apply the New Science of Learning . . . Online

The New Science of Learning is a slim but instructive volume designed to guide college students to better attune their learning efforts with how their brains function. Authors Terry Doyle and Todd Zakrajsek apply the findings of neuroscience to the daily learning that takes place in higher education. Though the book is written for students, it’s a valuable quick-read for everyone involved in blended and online teaching and student success efforts. As you look ahead to spring term, let’s consider two ways you can employ Doyle and Zakrajsek’s advice in online and hybrid teaching environments: Tip 1 – Learning is significantly strengthened by encountering the content in multiple formats or modalities. Problem: Much of the information we encounter online is … Two Ways to Apply the New Science of Learning . . . Online
by · March 6, 2018

The Guest Expert Video Interview: Planning & Production

This article is the first of a two-part series on producing video interviews featuring guest experts for online courses. Part I focuses on planning while Part II will address the faculty role in the video interview production process. Part I: Planning With A Purpose Interviews of guest experts are valuable forms of course media because they can serve a number of instructional purposes. Traditionally classroom instructors might consider including guest experts as part of instruction to… Connect learning with an authority in the field. Communicate what the practices are in a given field. Describe the nature of work of a professional in a given field. Show important work environments or processes. Introduce a second, collaborative voice to instruction (Laist, 2015). … The Guest Expert Video Interview: Planning & Production
by · February 23, 2018

Ready-to-Use Online Teaching Tips

Beauty is everywhere and in every moment, if we pay attention. I saw this beautiful sunrise driving by Eureka, Nevada on Highway 50, the loneliest road in America, during the tail of my one-week road trip vacation. Similarly, good teaching practices are flourishing in OSU online courses as we discover from our talks with Ecampus instructors. To inspire you to expand your teaching toolkit, here are some ready to use online teaching tips from the book “Small Teaching: Everyday Lessons from the Science of Learning” by James Lang.  Teaching Strategies Online Teaching Tips Retrieving Syllabus Quiz Weekly reading journals Frequent quizzing such as quizlet practices or weekly quizzes predicting Pretesting with immediate grading and immediate feedback including exposure of content teaching; Role play: how might … Ready-to-Use Online Teaching Tips
by · February 2, 2018