With learning being most often visually represented as an activity that takes place when learners & teachers are simultaneously in one space (f2f or online), it's no wonder a mental model of synchrounous teaching as the norm is being built. But it does not have to be this way. 1/
Learning also happens when we're not around. Learning happens individually & collectively, formally & informally. Technology allows us to let go of space and time constraints, but are we mentally ready to let go of the idea we as teachers can (and should) control learning? 2/
There is still an entrenched belief that asynchronous learning is not as valuable as synchronous learning. In the absence of visual cues, presence & participation are more difficult to gauge. But async learning is all about active listening, reflecting & engaging flexibly. 3/
We cannot design learning, but we can design *for* learning. Let's think of creative ways to engage students through activities that are relevant & challenging. Let's accompany and guide them through their journey. Let's train together to learn online without using Zoom. end/
The way we design our courses has a great impact not only on *what* students learn, but also on *how* they learn. Learning design can shape learning habits. This is why we need to be *intentional* about it. Here are some of my thoughts. 1/
What is *intentional design*?
🔸Focusing on the WHY
🔸Putting students' experience first
🔸Making meaningful choices
🔸Constructive alignment
🔸Learning first, technology second
And here is how it translates into our day-to-day teaching practice. 2/
🟦Structure & sequence
Give the course a clear structure, with an easy to follow sequence of activities. Try to ensure the various *learning moments* build on each other. Feel free to think outside "traditional" formats! Try storyboarding your course: educationalist.eu/whats-your-sto…
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Some of the best student work I've seen happened when students were challenged, trusted & adequately supported. Working on real-life projects where they practice what they learn creates an authentic learning experience. Read more on PjBL in my newsletter: educationalist.substack.com/p/thinking-abo…
Here are 3 things I find crucial for PjBL success:
🔸Instructor's role as coach. It's hard to find a balance between giving enough support and letting students take ownership. It's important to design the right structure & interaction flow. Remember, you are not there to teach.
🔸Bringing in a partner organisation from a relevant sector, with a concrete project is a huge motivating factor for students. Be mindful to keep a balance between the real-life experience and the *learning experience*. As an instructor it's up to you to focus on the latter.
Looking for a piece of advice on establishing your online *teacher presence*? Here are my tips for creating meaningful connections with your students.👇1/
1. Partnership. Effective teaching is *not* a one-way street. Make students co-owners & co-creators of the learning space. Prompt them to reflect on & take ownership of their learning. Not only will this result in a richer experience but it will help them a lot in the future. 2/
2. Inclusiveness. Try to leave no one behind. Strive to create an environment where learners feel "at home". Don't be afraid to reach out to them & ask what they need. Whether it's accessible materials, more time or different form of assesment, it's worth going the extra mile. 3/
We often assume students are proficient in evaluating & managing online information. And more often than not, we are wrong. That is why we need to put *online media literacy* & *knowledge management* skills at the heart of the learning process. Now more than ever. Some ideas 👇
At first sight this may seem outside the scope of your course. But if you give it a try you'll see that training these skills will enhance students’ overall performance & the quality of their academic output. Here are 5 core aspects of knowledge management & infomation literacy:
1. Learning to search for a variety of sources. It's easy to limit our search to the obvious information sources, mostly available online. Do send students to the library & explain them why it's (still) very relevant to read books and to intentionally look for certain resources.
Main roles of breakout rooms: supporting active learning, maintaining engagement and creating the sense of commmunity. @RonOwston@ContactNorth
Sustained engagement using breakout rooms throughout the course is more valuable than one-off activities. Assigning pre-work (reading, collecting data) makes sessions more effective. Defining & clearly communicating the activities boundries is important. @RonOwston@ContactNorth
If you have groups discussing different topics you may want to allow students to choose a group. All these options are useful but it's very important to remember that setting all this up takes some extra time (we need to count that in). @RonOwston@ContactNorth
Looking forward to hearing more about students' experiences of online teaching. Thanks @MaxineDavid for this great idea! It helps us avoid the trap of thinking only from teacher perspective. #PSAwebinar
Main challenges: lack of social interaction, feeling of isolation, technical problems that can hinder participation, disconnect with the deeper purpose of studying (I find that interesting!) & lots of insecurity regarding the future from the career point of view. #PSAwebinbar
In terms of workload: teachers tend to overcompensate by increasing the nr of activities; there is also a large variety of methods and tools used, not a lot of coordination so that can lead to cognitive overload. #PSAwebinar