Creating Successful Online Learning Environments

Content

VCC workshop

March 2009

Tannis Morgan

Guiding Questions

1. What does content look like in your course?Eg. is your content dynamic

(changing all the time) or relatively static? Is your content a support to the textbook/readings?

2. What concerns do you have about conveying your content online?

Guiding Questions

Guiding Questions

3. What do you do best when you deliver your content?

Guiding Questions

4. How do you think your content could be enhanced?

Guiding Questions

5. What resources are available to you?

Borrow

• http://www.freelearning.ca• http://ocwfinder.com/

• http://www.flickr.com• http://compfight.com/

• http://www.oculture.com/2007/02/university_vide.html

• http://cnx.org/

But don’t steal ( unless you have to…)

Tools

Use the tools to connect the dots…

Tools

There are many options available to us:  text, audio, video, screencasts 

What combination works for you and your students?

Instructor Voice

 Write as you would as if you were talking to the students directly 

Don't regurgitate the readings

Connecting Dots

Use your narrative to connect the dots between the content and the activities.  

Avoid sending students from page-to-page, link-to-link without making the narrative connection between all the components

Signposts

• Provide students with instructions about what part of the website or section of video you want them to read or view--help them focus

Use visual cues:  looks DO matter  

a. no design example (jpeg)

b. Html version (nursing sample)

Connecting Dots

Audio is an underused tool• Intros• Summaries• contextualizing• content

Considerations:• short clips or long clips?  • transcript or not?• Does it add value or repeat?  

Connecting Dots

Screencasts• useful for orienting students or

talking them through a digital document, diagram, photo, formula, process, etc.

example

Connecting Dots

Do’s and don’ts

• DON'T use ppt, unless there is an audio narrative.  

• Don’t assume a sequence = connections

• Getting creative: metaphor to connect, narrative, real life scenarios—what suits the ‘story’ of your course?

Connecting Dots

Do’s and don’ts

• Consider organizing content in 15-30 minute learning chunks– Easier to step away and come back to– Other thoughts?

The other end of the continuum…

Dynamic content or just-in-time teaching

• Elluminate live or “live” classrooms• Weblogs

Thanks!

• Revisit the presentation and resources at:

http://testingcentre.wordpress.com/