intro1

Promoting Promoting InteractionInteraction

Teaching onlineTeaching online

InteractionInteractionInteraction often leads to more student Interaction often leads to more student effort, more student learning, and more effort, more student learning, and more student satisfaction with the learning student satisfaction with the learning experience. experience.

However, it is often unclear exactly what However, it is often unclear exactly what is meant by the term "interaction" in is meant by the term "interaction" in online learning, to what specific ends it is online learning, to what specific ends it is being invoked, and how best to elicit it.being invoked, and how best to elicit it.

What do we mean by "Interaction?"

Generally, in learning situations, Generally, in learning situations, interaction refers to the "mutual or interaction refers to the "mutual or reciprocal action or influence" that reciprocal action or influence" that

occurs:occurs:

Between student and instructor.Between student and instructor.Among students.Among students.

Between students and the content Between students and the content they are attempting to learn.they are attempting to learn.

Why use interaction in online courses?

To increase participation and social To increase participation and social engagement in the learning groupengagement in the learning group

To encourage feedback from peers about To encourage feedback from peers about performance, expectations, and attitudesperformance, expectations, and attitudes

To increase motivationTo increase motivation

To enhance understanding of team To enhance understanding of team development and dynamicdevelopment and dynamic

For clarification of understanding or For clarification of understanding or interpretationinterpretation

Why use interaction in online courses?

To develop both expressive and receptive To develop both expressive and receptive communication skillscommunication skills

To enhance elaboration and retention of To enhance elaboration and retention of newly learned informationnewly learned information

For negotiation of understanding

To augment the cross-fertilization of ideas To augment the cross-fertilization of ideas for the discovery and exploration of new for the discovery and exploration of new conceptsconcepts

For closureFor closure

What are some strategies that one What are some strategies that one might use to promote interactive might use to promote interactive

learning?learning?

Partner or Dyad Activities

"Please "Please conference/share/check/review/discuss conference/share/check/review/discuss with your assigned "buddy" the with your assigned "buddy" the advantages and disadvantages of _______, advantages and disadvantages of _______, and email a summary to me by______.”and email a summary to me by______.”


learning?learning?

Asynchronous Group Discussions

"Please sign up to lead a discussion with "Please sign up to lead a discussion with your discussion group for one of the your discussion group for one of the topics/weeks listed below. Also, sign up to topics/weeks listed below. Also, sign up to be a summarizer of the class discussion be a summarizer of the class discussion for another topic/week.”for another topic/week.”


learning?learning?

Project-Based Ventures

"Each workgroup of 4-5 students will "Each workgroup of 4-5 students will create a grant proposal for the create a grant proposal for the development of a _________. Please development of a _________. Please describe your basic assumptions, goals describe your basic assumptions, goals and objectives, potential funding sources, and objectives, potential funding sources, project timeline, budget, marketing plans, project timeline, budget, marketing plans, etc.”etc.”


learning?learning?

Planned Controversy

"You will be paired with another student, "You will be paired with another student, and then each of you will be asked to take and then each of you will be asked to take pro and con sides of a debate on pro and con sides of a debate on ___________. After one week, these roles ___________. After one week, these roles will be reversed. Then, along with your will be reversed. Then, along with your team, you will be asked to write a team, you will be asked to write a consensus paper.”consensus paper.”


learning?learning?

Cooperative Group Research

"Each student in a workgroup will select a "Each student in a workgroup will select a related mini-topic in which to become an related mini-topic in which to become an expert. She/he will then share his or her expert. She/he will then share his or her findings with the group. Mini-topics will findings with the group. Mini-topics will ultimately be combined into a joint group ultimately be combined into a joint group composition, literature review, or other composition, literature review, or other written product.”written product.”


learning?learning?

Synchronous Chats

"On this Thursday PM, we'll be discussing "On this Thursday PM, we'll be discussing _______ in a realtime chat along with _______ in a realtime chat along with visiting professor, Dr. Whizbang. Following visiting professor, Dr. Whizbang. Following this discussion, I'd like you to join with this discussion, I'd like you to join with your team in the assigned Threaded your team in the assigned Threaded Discussion Center and summarize the Discussion Center and summarize the issues related to this situation.”issues related to this situation.”


learning?learning?

Public Tutorial

"In the Discussion Forum, please pose a "In the Discussion Forum, please pose a topic/question that you find to be topic/question that you find to be particularly challenging. Your classmates particularly challenging. Your classmates will serve as collective tutors and assist will serve as collective tutors and assist you in elaborating your you in elaborating your understanding/answer.”understanding/answer.”


learning?learning?

Brainstorming

"Over the next day, brainstorm strategies "Over the next day, brainstorm strategies for solving problem X described in the for solving problem X described in the assigned article. Focus on (1) quantity or assigned article. Focus on (1) quantity or more ideas; (2) the wilder the better; (3) more ideas; (2) the wilder the better; (3) suspending evaluation; and (4) building suspending evaluation; and (4) building on, combining, or improving ideas already on, combining, or improving ideas already mentioned.”mentioned.”