The document discusses the importance of context for students to understand how to engage with course content. It defines context as having four aspects: the purpose of the content, the background information, the goal, and suggestions for how students should comprehend or engage with the material. Examples of places where context is needed include announcements, modules, and discussion boards. The document provides examples of how to write context and encourages the reader to practice adding context to a piece of existing or sample content.

1. CONTEXT,
CONTEXT,
CONTEXT!
ByWhitney Boswell

2. What is
context?
• Context is extremely important for students to
understand what they are supposed to do with
content.
• For content within courses there are four aspects:
– Purpose
– Background
– Goal
– Learning Comprehension Strategy or Suggested
Guidance for Engagement
• Everywhere content is in courses
– Announcements
– Modules
– Discussion Boards
: the parts of discourse that
surround a word or passage and
can throw light on its meaning

3. Purpose • What is the purpose of having this piece of content in
the course?
• Examples

4. Background • What is the background of this particular piece of
content?
• Example

5. Goal • What is the goal of having students consume this piece
of content?
• Example

6. Learning
Comprehensio
n Strategies
• Writing
– Reflect
– Summaries
• paragraph
• 25 words
• golden line
– Key words
• Thinking
– Reflect
– ThinkAloud
• Doing
– Think-Pair-Share
– Mind Map
– Graphic Organizer
– Evidence/Metacognitive
Logs
Context should also include comprehension
strategies or guidance for engagement.
• Example

7. Practice 1. Using your personal technology, look at your course
and find a piece of content that doesn’t have any
context, or think of something you might post in one
of your announcements this quarter for one of your
courses.
2. Write down the:
– Purpose
– Background
– Goal
– Learning Comprehension Strategy/Guide to Engagement
3. Create a short paragraph using all of the above that is
succinct.
4. Share and receive feedback.