Abstract: Online learning is continuing to grow at a rapid rate, yet the pedagogy used in digital learning environments continues to be critiqued due to its lack of student engagement, collaborative activities, and innovative teaching methods. With new educational technologies being released on a regular basis, this workshop will demonstrate multiple strategies for using those technologies at no monetary cost to engage students in both course content and collaborative activities. Specifically, this workshop will feature a mini-course on Design Thinking that was created using the “Own It, Learn It, Share It” and “E-Learning Engagement Design” frameworks, and the workshop is organized so that the frameworks are first introduced, analyzed, and then discussed. Next, attendees will have guided opportunities to explore the course and the strategies used to integrate the content, technologies, and activities together, so they promote student engagement and collaboration. Time will be reserved for attendees to interact with the activities, analyze the course design, and share. The workshop will conclude by offering best practices for supporting students in completing the activities as well as resources for locating new educational technologies. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own laptops to the workshop.
Objectives
This workshop’s specific objectives are:
1. Analyze two current frameworks developed for organizing and designing online learning experiences for students;
2. Demonstrate multiple methods for engaging students in collaborative activities in digital contexts;
3. Provide organizational strategies for arranging content and activities in learning management systems and other platforms; and,
4. Offer best practices for preparing and supporting students in completing the digital activities.
Topical Outline
I. Introduction
A. Facilitators’ qualifications and backgrounds
B. Attendees introduce themselves
II. Preview the Workshop
A. Share workshop objectives
B. Overview of model course
III. Transition to Frameworks
A. Present frameworks
B. Compare frameworks
C. Think-Pair-Share activity
Think Prompt: List 3 potential strengths, 2 potential challenges, and 1 question you have
for each framework
Pair Prompt: Please share your ideas about the frameworks with your neighbor(s) and
see if you can come to consensus around the 3-2-1 prompts
Share Prompts: Would any pair like to share their ideas? What were the frameworks
potential strengths and weaknesses? What questions do you have?
IV. Transition to Model Course
A. Attendees open Module 1 Overview
B. Attendees complete Module 1 in pairs
C. After attendees complete it, map the module’s activities to the frameworks
V. Transition to Strategies
A. Explain instructional strategies
B. Use an activity from Module 1 as an example for each strategy
VI. Transition to Remaining Modules
A. Divide the attendees into five groups and assign each group a module
B. Instruct the groups to repeat the process of mapping the module back to the
frameworks and identify the module’s strategies,
C. Allow time for groups to complete that work
VII. Jigsaw Review Activity
A. Explain activity's procedures
B. Complete jigsaw activity
C. Allow time for discussion
VIII. Conclusion
A. Best practices for supporting students
B. Wrap-up conversation prompts
Prerequisites
This workshop is intended for course instructors who teach blended, hybrid, and/or online courses at the post-secondary level and are intermediate to advanced users of learning management systems and educational technologies.
Experience Level
Intermediate
Qualifications
Todd Cherner is the Director of the Master of Arts in Educational Innovation, Technology, and Entrepreneurship program at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and he is also the co-founder of App Ed Review, a startup venture that features free reviews of apps, websites, and digital tools. Cherner has authored over 30 peer-reviewed publications on a variety of educational subjects, with a specific emphasis on digital literacy and educational technology. He also has coordinated multiple graduate-level programs that are online, face-to-face, and hybrid. Cherner’s educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that students should develop the literacy, interpersonal, and critical thinking skills needed for informed citizenry, and he sees educational technologies as being tools for promoting the development of those skills.
Jeremy Dickerson currently serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Distance Education & E-Learning and an Associate Professor of Instructional Technology at The University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Over the past 15 years, Dickerson has held the positions of adjunct instructor, assistant professor, associate professor, professor, and program coordinator. Outside of his faculty role, Dickerson has provided educational consulting services for over 14 years in business and industry, specializing in the areas of training/development and instructional technology leadership. His doctorate is in technology education and training/development from North Carolina State University, and he is a proud military veteran.