HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Pre-Seminar Welcome to HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online, Unit Seven Seminar Seminar will begin at top of the hour NOTE: Please have Bender (2003) accessible. Use Text Input Box to ask questions No audio? Call Tech Support Seminar will last one hour

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Marilyn Dickey, Ed.D EST

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Goals Address the following questions: -What does “student engagement” mean and why is it important? -What are some ways that a course can be designed to increase student engagement and build a sense of community? -What are some ways that instructors can get online learners engaged in their learning? Review Unit 8 and Final Course Project Answer any course questions

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Outline Student Engagement -Defined -Strategies -Importance -Role of Instructor Unit 8 Review -Discussion Board Final Course Project

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Outline Student Engagement -Defined -Strategies -Importance -Role of Instructor Unit 8 Preview -Discussion Board Final Course Project

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Question What does “student engagement” mean and why is it important?

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Student Engagement: Defined Ideally, we should strive to involve our students to such an extent in the joy of learning that they become deeply immersed (Vella, 1997). We can tell this occurs online when their comments are frequent and involved, as well as being deep, thoughtful, insightful, and excited (Bender, 2003, p. 47). “An involved student is one who devotes considerable energy to academics, spends much time on campus, participates actively in student organizations and activities, and interacts often with faculty” (Astin, 1984, p. 292). “The quality and quantity of the student's involvement will influence the amount of student learning and development” (Astin, 1984, p. 297). Questions: From your experience taking online courses, do you agree or disagree with Bender (2003)? Can you observe if a student is engaged? Astin, A.W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25, Bender, T. (2003). Discussion-based online teaching to enhance student learning. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Outline Student Engagement -Defined -Strategies -Importance -Role of Instructor Unit 8 Review -Discussion Board Final Course Project

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Question What are some ways that a course can be designed to increase student engagement and build a sense of community?

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Student Engagement: Strategies Bender (2003) offers strategies to enhance student engagement at the beginning of the course. They include: “Contacting each student individually at the start of the semester” (p. 47) “Providing a hook” (p. 49) “Designing an informal first discussion topic” (pp ) “Visualization techniques” (p. 49) “Asking students to discuss relevant experiences in their personal introductions” (p. 48) “Playing a game” (p. 49) “Completing a sentence” (p. 48)“Asking students what they hope to learn from the course” (p. 50) “Students interview and introduce each other” (p. 48) “Asking students to write short descriptive stories about themselves” (p. 50) Question: Which strategy would be the most effective in creating engagement? Why?

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Outline Student Engagement -Defined -Strategies -Importance -Role of Instructor Unit 8 Review -Discussion Board Final Course Project

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Student Engagement: Importance Spending time at the start of the course to become familiar with the students, in any of the various ways mentioned, is crucial (1) to establishing an atmosphere of trust, enjoyment and excitement, (2) to engaging them in future work throughout the semester, and (3) in being able to accurately assess their learning outcomes by the completion of the course (Bender, 2003, p. 53). Question: From your experience as an online learner, if the instructor does not engage students at the start of the term, what issues may occur?

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Outline Student Engagement -Defined -Strategies -Importance -Role of Instructor Unit 8 Review -Discussion Board Final Course Project

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Question What are some ways that instructors can get online learners engaged in their learning?

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Student Engagement: Instructor’s Role Instructor Strategy Description Initiate and maintain on- going contact Be proactive in communication with students through weekly group announcements, personal s, and individual contact (as warranted) and high presence in class. With each contact, highlight a sincere personal interest in the learner’s success and emphasize an unfettered availability for student contact. Promptly respond to student needs Set a personal goal for achieving a communication response time of not less than 24 hours. Keep track of student progress, redirect off- task students, and remind students of missed tasks. Facilitate live sessions Provide opportunities for direct communication with students through synchronous meetings using seminars or phone Question: Which strategy do you believe is the most critical as the instructor to engage students? Why?

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Student Engagement: Instructor’s Role (cont.) Instructor Strategy Description Adopt communication to various learning styles Create technology-enhanced items that guide students through the learning process, detailing what is expected, and using available media to provide the feeling of direct instruction and a collective ownership of the course. Personalized weekly announcements Media clips Individualized assignment feedback Create channels of personalization Provide social-emotional cues by extending welcoming messages that include pictures representing personality and self-image. Provide individualized feedback on all student work. Question: Which strategy do you believe is the most critical as the instructor to engage students? Why?

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Outline Student Engagement -Defined -Strategies -Importance -Role of Instructor Unit 8 Review -Discussion Board Final Course Project

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Unit 8: Discussion Board Instructions: For this discussion, share your own plans for continuing your professional development in online teaching and learning. Think of this discussion as the beginnings of a professional development plan for yourself. Keep it and expand on it as you progress in your career. Answer the following questions: 1.What skills do you need to acquire and what characteristics do you need to develop in yourself? 2.What resources will you investigate further? 3.What workshops or additional training would benefit you? 4.Will you read certain journals regularly, and if so, which ones? 5.How will you keep in touch with colleagues who share similar interests? Please respond to your classmates and give them feedback and suggestions on their plans.

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Seminar Outline Student Engagement -Defined -Strategies -Importance -Role of Instructor Unit 8 Preview -Discussion Board Final Course Project

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Assignment: Final Course Project AssignmentCourse Project Final Revisions Course Outcome HE545-1: Compare online and traditional classroom teaching and learning HE545-2: Design online courses to meet program and learner objectives HE545-3: Align teaching approaches to student learning outcomes HE545-4: Assess the effectiveness of online courses Point Value80 DescriptionIn Unit 9 you have the opportunity to review and revise any and all parts of the Course Project. Please use the knowledge you have gained in this course, as well as the feedback you have received from classmates and your instructor to make your final changes.

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar CriteriaMastery Content Knowledge The student thoroughly addresses all components of the assignment, and provides detailed and accurate descriptions for each item. Critical Thinking and Support Provides a strong supporting argument based on best practices appropriate for use in the online environment. Relies on and synthesizes information from the course, the course texts, and reliable primary resources. Writing and Mechanics Well organized. Clearly expressed without grammatical, and/or spelling errors and APA was followed. Final Course Project: Grading Rubric Note: Please submit your Final Course Project to the Learning Space and Dropbox.

HE 545: Teaching and Learning Online Unit Seven Seminar Questions? Contact Information: Marilyn Dickey, Ed.D. (Note: Dr. D. resides in the Eastern Standard Time Zone)