1. Active Learning – Using Discussions Online
Center for Distance Education
Instructional Design Services
Dr. Prasanthi Pallapu
Welcome. Thank you for joining us. I am Prasanthi Pallapu, the Lead Instructional Designer at the Center for Distance Education, Upper Iowa University. Some of you already know that I have 14 years of Instructional Design experience and was an adjunct faculty for 4 years.
At this moment, I would like to take the opportunity to introduce Ms. Teaira Cooksey, who is our Instructional Designer.
Please note that a recorded session will be made available on our Faculty Resources website. Within the next few days, you will receive an containing a link to the recording and this PowerPoint presentation.
Please submit your questions using the Q&A feature in Zoom. I will respond to them either during this session or at the end.
Note that when you submit a question, every one who is attending will see your question.

2. Objectives Active Learning Interaction in an online course
Online Discussions

3. Definition Active learning A process
Engages students in learning activities
reading, writing, discussion, or problem solving
Promotes analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of course material.
According to the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching, Active Learning is

4. Benefits Active Learning allows students to
engage with course material
participate in learning activities
collaborate with each other
analyze an argument
apply a concept to a real-world situation
etc…..
According to Teaching Commons from Stanford University, Stanford, California,

5. Student-Student, Student-Content & Student-Instructor
Interaction
Student-Student, Student-Content & Student-Instructor
Synchronous Interaction
Real time
Chat, Audio or Video Conferencing
Asynchronous Interaction
Not occurring at the same time or not in real time
Discussion Forums
, Announcements, etc.
Content items in an online course
In an online learning environment active learning happens through Interaction - synchronous and asynchronous.
Student-Student, Student-Content & Student-Instructor interaction.
Chat and Classlive tools right in our learning management system and Zoom for audio or video conferencing are some tools for synchronous interaction.
For asynchronous interaction, we can use , Discussion Forums and other content items.

6. Why? for Students Do not feel left out - A sense of belongingness
Creates a learning community
Increases motivation and performance
Promotes independent, critical and creative thinking
Encourages effective collaboration
Why interaction is important to students?

7. Why? for Instructors
Good return on the time invested to design the course
When students succeed - it is well worth the time
as it is all about student learning…..
Immense opportunity to get to know your students through interaction
Do not feel disconnected with students
We no longer design instructor-centered courses and moving towards student-centered where the focus and responsibility of learning is more on students. They build their knowledge and learn based on their prior experiences.

8. Know your students Get to know them
Connect and develop a professional relationship with your students
Know each individual student
Respond to each student in the Student Introductions forum
They need to know – you care and listen to them
As they miss the in-person connection
Share personal experiences as you interact for them to know that
You are a real person
You value their contributions
Just like instructors connect and develop professional relationships with their students in a face-to-face class, as a moderator and facilitator in an online learning environment, we need to know your students.

9. Instructor Presence Be Present
Helps students feel that you are there for them
Engage or participate in some discussion
They need to see you are there with them during the discussions
Encourage students to interact with each other
Make sure that students are responding to their peers
In a face-to-face class, when students have questions, we are right there to address them. If they are discussing a topic, we will walk around and answer or clarify any questions that the students might have.
But in an online environment, the only way that the students feel that you are there for them is when they feel your presence. Hence, in an online course, Instructor Presence is very important.

10. Instructor Presence Be Present
Clarify any information timely – provide examples
Facilitate conversations
This determines how students participate
Make sure that your presence does not inhibit student-student interaction

11. Roles Student - Self-Learners Instructor
Interact with the content material
Learn from Others - Interact with other students
Learn from the Instructor - Feedback
Instructor
Moderator
Facilitator
We have several options to make our online course an active learning experience for our students. But as our goal for today’s presentation is ‘using Online Discussions for active learning’, let us jump right into online discussions.
First of all, let us remember the roles of a student and an instructor in online discussions.

12. Expectations Set and share expectations Netiquette Rubrics Guidelines
As an instructor, when designing the course, it is important to set and share expectations for the discussions.

13. Item III. 3 – Discussion and Participation
UIU Expectations
Item III. 3 – Discussion and Participation
As UIU instructor, you might have received the Guide to Develop Online Course Syllabus. I would like to draw your attention to Item III.3 for the essential standards on Discussion and Participation.

14. Discussion and Participation – Initial Response
UIU Expectations
Discussion and Participation – Initial Response
More detailed information is provided in the sample syllabus template that you receive. As you are aware, the syllabus template has locked and unlocked areas. Under Discussions and Participation, the locked area has standard information with unlocked area for your input with a sample.
On this slide, I would like to draw your attention to ‘Include 2-3 thought provoking topics each week’ and ‘that the students cannot view unless they submit they post first’.

15. Discussion and Participation – Participation
UIU Expectations
Discussion and Participation – Participation
The same thing for Participation – locked and unlocked areas.
On this slide, I would like to draw your attention to
‘participation in discussion on 4 of each 7 day online academic week’
Participation posts does not include Initial Response
Participation posts should be substantive
So in order to accommodate the 4 of 7 days participation requirement, the sample indicates very clearly that the students have to post to 2 peers on 2 different days for each DQ

16. Questions Select good topics for discussion questions Reflection
Interpretation
Analysis
Problem-solving
Thought provoking
Real life
Personal Opinion
So in order to accommodate the essential standards set for UIU online courses, it is our responsibility to select good topics for discussion questions – higher order thinking skills of Bloom’s Taxonomy

17. Questions Avoid asking questions that has Compound questions???
Yes / no responses
Facts
Regurgitation from textbook
Compound questions???

18. Samples
Using the information from chapters 7 & 8 on emotional intelligence, give your own example that illustrates at least three of the author’s main concepts. You may use a personal experience or you may create an example.
Discuss three advantages and three disadvantages of xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

19. Personal Experience

20. Personal Experience

21. Personal Experience

22. Demonstration
uiuonline.com

23. Resources
Mastering Online Discussion Board Facilitation
Outcomes of Chat and Discussion Board Use in Online Learning: A Research Synthesis
Engaging students in learning through online discussion: A phenomenographic study

24. Resources
e-Coaching Tip 3: Developing Effective Questions for Online Discussions

25. CDE Professional Development Schedule
Upper Iowa University
Upper Iowa University
CDE Professional Development Schedule
Please visit this website for more information on our sessions.
CDE Professional Development Schedule

26. Center for Distance Education UIU CDE Faculty Tutorials Website
Upper Iowa University
Upper Iowa University
Center for Distance Education
Education Services Invitations to teach and course assignments
eLearning Team Faculty training courses, academic course access, students enrollments
Instructional Design Services Online course design and development.
UIU CDE Resources Website
UIU CDE Faculty Tutorials Website