Online Teaching at Its Best Merging Instructional Design with Teaching and Learning Research

Bring pedagogy and cognitive science to online learning environments

Online Teaching at Its Best: Merging Instructional Design with Teaching and Learning Research, 2nd Edition, is the scholarly resource for online learning that faculty, instructional designers, and administrators have raved about. This book addresses course design, teaching, and student motivation across the continuum of online teaching modes—remote, hybrid, hyflex, and fully online—integrating these with pedagogical and cognitive science, and grounding its recommendations in the latest research. The book will help you design or redesign your courses to ensure strong course alignment and effective student learning in any of these teaching modes. Its emphasis on evidence-based practices makes this one of the most scholarly books of its kind on the market today.

This new edition features significant new content including more active learning formats for small groups across the online teaching continuum, strategies and tools for scripting and recording effective micro-lectures, ways to integrate quiz items within micro-lectures, more conferencing software and techniques to add interactivity, and a guide for rapid transition from face-to-face to online teaching. You’ll also find updated examples, references, and quotes to reflect more evolved technology.

• Adopt new pedagogical techniques designed specifically for remote, hybrid, hyflex, and fully online learning environments
• Ensure strong course alignment and effective student learning for all these modes of instruction
• Increase student retention, build necessary support structures, and train faculty more effectively
• Integrate research-based course design and cognitive psychology into graduate or undergraduate programs

Distance is no barrier to a great education. Online Teaching at Its Best provides practical, real-world advice grounded in educational and psychological science to help online instructors, instructional designers, and administrators deliver an exceptional learning experience even under emergency conditions.

Linda B. Nilson, Ph.D. is director emerita of the Office of Teaching Effectiveness and Innovation (OTEI) at Clemson University and the author of several books including Teaching at Its Best: A Research-Based Resource for College Instructors, Creating Engaging Discussions: Strategies for "Avoiding Crickets" in Any Size Classroom and Online, and Creating Self-Regulated Learners: Strategies to Strengthen Students' Self-Awareness and Learning Skills. She is a frequent keynote speaker, workshop leader, and instructor.

Ludwika A. Goodson, M.A. been an instructional designer and project manager for over 30 years, the last 20 of which focus on online teaching in higher education. Goodson is the former Associate Director for Faculty Development at the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching at Purdue University Fort Wayne and co-author of the first edition of Online Teaching at Its Best. Goodson has consulted on faculty development projects, including National Science Foundation and privately grant-supported projects in STEM and reviewed curriculum outlines on online teaching for the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE).

The Authors xi

Preface xiii

1 Teaching at Its Best, No Matter What the Environment 1

teaching Quality as Key to Learning 1

the Many Modes of teaching today 8

the special Challenges of online Learning 13

Interweaving two Unconnected Literatures 14

Reflections 17

2 Setting Significant Outcomes 25

Why students need What We teach 25

How Content Becomes the Wrong Driver 26

Leading students to a Meaningful Destination 27

examples of significant Learning from Instructional Design 28

examples of significant Learning from College Courses 29

examples of significant Learning from Adaptive Learning 32

the Process of Reflection 32

Reflections 34

3 Designing a Coherent Course 41

online Course Design standards 41

Phases of Course Design 43

organizing for Your students’ needs 45

Course Design templates and Maps 47

Writing and sequencing Learning outcomes 51

Developing Valid Assessments 54

Mapping Learning Activities to outcomes 65

Choosing online and offline Course Content 69

Online Copyright Guidelines 72

The Syllabus: What to Include 74

Organizing Your Files for Yourself and Your Students 77

Reflections 78

4 Applying Cognitive Science to Online Teaching and Learning Strategies 91

Twenty-Five Principles of Learning from Cognitive Science 91

How These Principles Can Inform Online Course Design and Teaching 94

Reflections 107

5 Motivating Elements 115

Motivating Student Effort and Achievement 115

Creating Too Much of a Good Thing? 117

Leveraging Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivators 117

Reinforcing and Punishing 118

Gaining and Maintaining Attention 119

Ensuring Relevance 120

Encouraging Goal Expectancy and Self-Efficacy 123

Creating Satisfaction 127

Fostering Social Belonging 129

Motivating as Our Major Task 129

Reflections 130

6 Developing Interactivity, Social Connections, and Community 139

Effects of Interactions on Learning 139

Student-Instructor Interaction 141

Student-Content Interaction 145

Student-Student Interaction 163

Interactions with Technology 169

Reflections 171

7 Making Accessibility for Everyone Much Easier 181

Why Use Student-Centered Design? 181

Sources of Obstacles 183

Overcoming Obstacles 183

Guidelines and Standards for Designing Accessibility 185

Specific How-To’s of Ensuring Accessibility 187

Additional Resources and Advice 201

Reflections 203

8 Creating a Supportive Culture for Online, Remote, and Hyflex Teaching 209

The Importance of Quality in Online, Remote, and Hyflex Courses 209

Faculty Challenges in Remote and Hyflex Teaching 213

Faculty Challenges in Transitioning to Online Teaching 215

Faculty Support for Remote and Hyflex Teaching 217

Faculty Incentives and Support for Online Teaching 219

Designing Effective Professional Development 224

Models for a Professional Development Program in Online Teaching 229

Conclusion 233

Reflections 234

Appendix A: Online Course Development Checklist 241

Essential Quicksteps 241

Course Beginnings 248

Technology 250

Assessments and Grading 252

Course Materials 254

Student Interactions with the Content, Instructor, and Peers 255

Appendix B: Accessibility Resources 257

Strategies to Make Access to Course Materials Easy 257

Ways to Make Accessible Document Files 259

Ways to Design Accessible PowerPoint Presentations 262

Captioning Resources 262

Accessibility Checks 263

Resources for Students 263

Index 267

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