Tech tools to help enhance online and blended learning With thousands of educational apps all promising to enhance online learning, choosing the right technology is a challenge. Miral Gibson explains why how pedagogy and teaching strategies should inform these decisions Miral Gibson University of Roehampton
Creating a centralised advice resource to help faculty adapt to new teaching modalities To assist staff in adjusting courses to new online and hydrid teaching modes, the University of Arizona created a centralised information and advice resource. Here is a summary of how they did it and the key considerations and lessons learnedIngrid Novodvorsky , Lisa ElfringUniversity of Arizona
New frontiers of higher education competition Hamish Coates provides insight on how universities can navigate changing competitive frontiers in higher education Hamish CoatesTsinghua University
Building peer support networks to help staff navigate digital teachingKay Yeoman and Alicia McConnell explain how the University of East Anglia has used peer support networks to ensure all university staff have access to the advice, support and training they need to deliver quality online teaching Kay Yeoman, Alicia McConnellThe University of East Anglia
Forum-based online teaching to improve student engagement and motivationA key challenge with online learning is maintaining student engagement and motivation. A forum-based teaching system, in which all students could see and compare their work within a shared online space, helped mitigate this challenge, researchers foundXiaowei Kang, Wen ZhangCapital Normal University, New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark
Five ways to embrace a non-traditional end to a non-traditional year The overhaul of higher education due to Covid-19 has made 2020 a very challenging year for university staff. Wendy Zajack offers advice on how faculty can put the Christmas break to good use and return feeling refreshed for 2021 Wendy Zajack Georgetown University
Immersification – a fresh dimension to learning designMany online courses can benefit from immersive technologies to enhance the learning experience. Here Chek Tien Tan and May Lim outline their method for ensuring technology is chosen to support the desired student outcomesChek Tien Tan , May LimSingapore Institute of Technology
Give students confidence to 'be wrong, loudly’ in online classes For students to learn effectively online, they must be willing to get things wrong and be corrected. But speaking up in an online class can be intimidating so instructors must take active steps to promote fearless class participation, explains Riley Lovejoy Riley LovejoyUniversity of Alabama
Why and how to gather ongoing student feedback right from the start By gathering student feedback throughout your course, you can make ongoing micro-adjustments to resources and teaching methods to improve online teaching and learning, Leonardo Rolla explains Leonardo RollaThe University of Warwick
Instant messaging for improving instructor feedback in distance learning One of the biggest challenges to online learning is lack of immediate instructor feedback, Justin Fendos’ research revealed. So his team trialled instant messaging to enable prompt responses Justin FendosDongseo University
Strategies for scaling up quality online courses in higher education As remote and blended learning models look set to remain in place, universities need to consider how to scale online courses while maintaining quality. Michael Fried and Jenna Joo outline three effective scaling strategiesMichael Fried , Jenna JooIthaka S+R
A guide to effective digital course design and delivery from four online teaching expertsChrysi Rapanta consolidates the knowledge of four online teaching experts to produce guidance on what pedagogical content knowledge faculty need in order to develop effective digital coursesChrysi RapantaNOVA University Lisbon
Making online classes work for students with ADHD Online learning can be particularly challenging for students with learning difficulties such as ADHD. Kate Lister offers some simple steps every instructor can take to help students with ADHD stay engagedKate ListerLeeds Trinity University
How to communicate your online teaching structure to students – and why it matters It is important to explain your online teaching plan to students at the start of the course, so they know what to expect. Here, Dawn Gilmore explains why and how to do this.Dawn GilmoreRMIT University
Tips on avoiding digital burnout after moving all your teaching online Many academics are at risk of "burnout" after working around the clock to move their courses online. A tweet on this subject sparked a flurry of responses offering advice and solutions to faculty overwhelmed by heavy workloads Miranda PrynneCampus
How to support staff across all departments to design quality online courses The sudden shift to online forced university staff to rethink and redesign classes often with little experience or knowledge of remote teaching. Helen Carmichael and Bobbi Moore explain how the University of Southampton supported all faculties to ensure high-quality online coursesHelen Carmichael, Bobbi MooreUniversity of Southampton
Tackling ‘fake news’ in online education Higher education remains awash with claims and theories that are backed by little evidence. Here, Celia Popovic and Fiona Smart debunk some of the more common ‘fake news’ myths in relation to teaching and look at how to apply this knowledge in online coursesCelia Popovic, Fiona SmartYork University, Edinburgh Napier University
In defence of old-school teaching during a worldwide crisis The rapid move to online teaching risks lecturers becoming over reliant on technology and steadily disappearing from their own courses. Here Glenn Geher argues the case for instructors remaining at the heart of their classes and only using technology to support their teachingGlenn GeherState University of New York at New Paltz
How I fostered multilingual student discussion in asynchronous online classes Ioannis Gaitanidis explains how designed his asynchronous online teaching to foster the same level of spontaneous student discussion as his in-person classes Ioannis Gaitanidis Chiba University
Negotiated assessment in online teaching – the same learning outcomes measured in different ways Authentic assessment is one of the biggest challenges associated with online teaching and learning. Here Katherine Baverstock explains why negotiated assessment engages remote students and lowers the risk of cheating Katherine BaverstockRMIT University
Top five strategies for integrating active learning into virtual classes It is all too easy for remote learning to become a passive experience for students, sitting on their own at home. Here Steven Mintz outlines some strategies for ensuring students remain actively engaged with their online coursesSteven MintzUniversity of Texas at Austin
Lessons from navigating the digital pivot Having reopened for a new academic year, universities are looking ahead to how they can deliver the best possible online teaching for the longer term. Here, Robert MacIntosh highlights what has been learned so far in the rapid transition to digital teaching and learning Robert MacIntoshHeriot-Watt University
How Duke Kunshan University transitioned to online learning in two weeks Faced with the rapid spread of Covid-19 on its doorstep, Duke Kunshan University in China decided to move all its teaching online in just two weeks to finish the third term. Here, we look at how this was achieved and the lessons they learned Kevin Guthrie, Catharine Bond Hill, Martin Kurzweil, Cindy LeIthaka S+R , Duke Kunshan University
How to use online tools to offer more personalised teachingThere is no one-size-fits-all model for effective online teaching. Rupert Ward offers advice on selecting tools to promote personalised teaching and to encourage more self-regulated learning online Rupert WardUniversity of Huddersfield