It's important to establish a way for students to reach you when teaching an online course. If it is not easy--for you or the students--it isn't likely to work. In this week's Teaching Tip, we share a few instructors' methods for connecting one-on-one with students.
Combinatory play is the process of considering two or more unrelated ideas, topics, images, disciplines, etc. and putting them together in a way that is new. Experimentation, deconstruction, synthesis, iteration and failure are part of this process of learning and discovery. Combinatory play utilizes a wide range of learning domains that help to feed creativity and innovation.
Google provides a variety of professional development pathways for those who want to become more adept at using Google Apps with students, including two certification programs. Even if you don’t finish the program, instructors will have a better understanding of how to use the different Google applications in a meaningful and purposeful manner that relates to activities you could actually do in a classroom.
There are powerful alternatives to final exams including final projects and final presentations, but if you’re set on giving a final exam, consider making it comprehensive. Further, consider frequent cumulative benchmark quizzes as part of your students’ practice regimen.
When it comes to marathon running, it has often been said that the race is really about the last few miles. “I ran great for the first 18 miles, but my time really fell off toward the finish.' No. The race IS the last few miles. The marathon is a long challenge requiring deep and substantial practice in order to attain mastery. So it can be with our designed learning experiences.
Like many of you, I still use a mix of analog and digital tools in my teaching practice. I use an old fashioned notebook and pen to keep up with ideas and to-do’s. Things like note taking, providing feedback on papers, and screencasting have all been awkward for me until now. The iPad Pro is broadening my options for practices that involve handwriting or drawing.
Quality matters to UAF instructors. And now UAF CTL is happy to be bringing the proven work of the Quality Matters (QM) organization to UAF in support of continuous improvement of fully-online and hybrid courses.
One of the great things about Google Apps for Education is that you never have to install an update — they update automatically. But this can be frustrating. Just when you thought you were familiar with the interface, Google changes it. A lot of such changes have happened over the past year.
Open-book tests can reduce student anxiety associated with memory recall and better train future professionals for jobs requiring critical thought and constant renewal of domain knowledge.
New to online teaching? Your peers can help. This week’s Teaching Tip features recommendations from experienced online instructors on how to manage online classrooms. Best tip? Use the “Set Grade Center Due Dates' screen under Course Management > Course Tools to update all your due dates at once.
If you are teaching online or if you would like to flip some of your classes, consider creating a series of brief eBook-style lectures using Google Slides. Benefits to using this approach include the ability to include video screencasts, animation, and images easily in a beautifully presentable format.
The Blackboard Grade Center offers options for reviewing student performance on your tests and exams and can be a useful mechanism for evaluating the effectiveness of your test questions. A poorly worded question doesn’t mean your students aren’t mastering the content. Look for Attempts Statistics, Download Results, Item Analysis and Column Statistics as options in the column header for your test.
Creating a simplified version of a concept is a rich learning activity for the student who plays the role of teacher, but also for the student who is being tutored. This teaching tip provides examples and guidance on using the technique in your class. Communicating a simplified translation of a concept for a peer is a learning activity that compounds deep understanding, communication skills and reflection.
