This document discusses creating an inclusive environment for online courses. It defines diversity as differences in things like age, culture, abilities, while inclusivity means creating an environment where all students are treated fairly and can participate fully. The key aspects of inclusivity discussed are communication, using inclusive language, universal design principles, promoting diversity in teaching strategies and materials, setting clear expectations, and reflecting on inclusive practices. The goal is fostering a sense of belonging for all students in online classes.
As the world becomes more connected, we have greater access to information than we could have thought possible only a few years ago. This has had a tremendous impact on education, and English teaching is no exception. From greater education and training requirements to a growing emphasis on the use of technology both in and outside the classroom, how can teachers keep up with the pace of change? This talk will discuss current and future trends in teaching and give teachers ideas about how they can stay informed and professionally up-to-date in today’s fast-paced world.
Wikipedia: A Tool for Teaching (Skeptical) Research Elizabeth Nesius
Wikipedia is one form of social media, and often at the bull’s eye of “new media myopia” (Obar, 2012). When asked to do research, Wikipedia is usually the first place students look. While we might want to teach students that Wikipedia is one place to start, it usually is not the one place where we want them to end. Therefore, incorporating Wikipedia into classroom instruction is a powerful way to teach students how to analyze the sources they use. This presentation will introduce educators to possible ways Wikipedia can be utilized in the classroom as a teaching and learning tool.
What are the benefits and challenges of using Open Educational Resources (OER)? This presentation will outline five benefits and five challenges and provide a quick glimpse into the possible future of OER.
As the world becomes more connected, we have greater access to information than we could have thought possible only a few years ago. This has had a tremendous impact on education, and English teaching is no exception. From greater education and training requirements to a growing emphasis on the use of technology both in and outside the classroom, how can teachers keep up with the pace of change? This talk will discuss current and future trends in teaching and give teachers ideas about how they can stay informed and professionally up-to-date in today’s fast-paced world.
Wikipedia: A Tool for Teaching (Skeptical) Research Elizabeth Nesius
Wikipedia is one form of social media, and often at the bull’s eye of “new media myopia” (Obar, 2012). When asked to do research, Wikipedia is usually the first place students look. While we might want to teach students that Wikipedia is one place to start, it usually is not the one place where we want them to end. Therefore, incorporating Wikipedia into classroom instruction is a powerful way to teach students how to analyze the sources they use. This presentation will introduce educators to possible ways Wikipedia can be utilized in the classroom as a teaching and learning tool.
What are the benefits and challenges of using Open Educational Resources (OER)? This presentation will outline five benefits and five challenges and provide a quick glimpse into the possible future of OER.
Negotiating meaning, negotiating place: Peer learning and student participati...Keith Kirkwood
Presentation for the 6th Canadian Learning Commons Conference, May 7-9, Calgary Alberta, about peer mentoring programs in the learning commons of Victoria University in Melbourne Australia.
Student-Led Conferences in the Digital Agemplantan
NMSA Conference Presentation - November, 2009 - Indianapolis, Indiana
Moving from paper portfolios to digital takes student-led conferences to a whole new level.
Amazing web tools to enhance students vocabulary in English language. Technology is the best way to learn english in a funfilled environment. it is an interesting tool to improve one's vocabulary.
Developing 21st Century Learning and Teaching SkillsLooksteinVirtual
Learn why students and teachers need to develop 21st century teaching and learning skills, and how online courses can support that skills development. The presenters, experts in online course development and delivery, guide participants through the identification of quality online courses, with demonstrations of online course lessons, activities and discussions. Examples are taken from courses developed by Lookstein Virtual Jewish Academy.
Negotiating meaning, negotiating place: Peer learning and student participati...Keith Kirkwood
Presentation for the 6th Canadian Learning Commons Conference, May 7-9, Calgary Alberta, about peer mentoring programs in the learning commons of Victoria University in Melbourne Australia.
Student-Led Conferences in the Digital Agemplantan
NMSA Conference Presentation - November, 2009 - Indianapolis, Indiana
Moving from paper portfolios to digital takes student-led conferences to a whole new level.
Amazing web tools to enhance students vocabulary in English language. Technology is the best way to learn english in a funfilled environment. it is an interesting tool to improve one's vocabulary.
Developing 21st Century Learning and Teaching SkillsLooksteinVirtual
Learn why students and teachers need to develop 21st century teaching and learning skills, and how online courses can support that skills development. The presenters, experts in online course development and delivery, guide participants through the identification of quality online courses, with demonstrations of online course lessons, activities and discussions. Examples are taken from courses developed by Lookstein Virtual Jewish Academy.
21 st Century Perspectives on Teaching in Higher EdEileen O'Connor
An overview with visuals and examples of how professionally-focused higher education can integrate newer perspectives on content, learners, and technologies.
Today’s college students arrive on campus with increasingly diverse backgrounds and experiences. That’s why EVERFI and University of California Santa Cruz teamed up to create Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for Students. Watch this free webinar to learn how to provide your students with tangible strategies for creating a respectful and welcoming campus environment.
Frederic Fovet Presentatin at the UDL and Inclusive Practice Symposium: Reach...Frederic Fovet
Post-secondary campuses are attracting an increasingly diverse student population. This must be celebrated as it means that the post-secondary classroom is also increasingly representative of the population at large; it means as well that all students are confronted with diversity in their campus experience and learn to embrace it; the internationalization of post-secondary institutions furthermore leads to greater opportunities to develop global citizenship.
This diversity of the student population, however, is not always perceived by faculty as easy or seamless to address proactively. As a result, students’ expectations can often clash with current teaching and learning practices that have not changed as fast as the composition of the student body has done. This leads to friction. It is not just students with disabilities that are experiencing barriers in their learning; International students, second language learners, culturally diverse and racialized students, first generation students, Indigenous students, and non-traditional learners all report experiencing similar barriers in their learning in the post-secondary classroom. Together, these students often represent a majority on our campuses - a majority that does not feel learning is designed for their needs.
It is becoming urgent therefore to find ways of eroding this friction. The solutions must address the needs of diverse learners proactively, but also support faculty as they rethink their classroom practices. These solutions must be sustainable, user-friendly, cost-effective, and powerful; they must guarantee a rapid change in our teaching and learning landscape, uphold the standards of post-secondary education, and ensure the creation of genuinely inclusive provisions.
The session will explore how Universal Design for Learning is uniquely positioned as a framework to address these pressing needs. The session will be interactive and seek to empower participants with a firm mastery of the UDL principles, to offer them practical examples of their use in the classroom, and to guide them as they begin their journey with implementation.
This presentation covers the major principles of Andragogy as outlined by Malcolm Knowles and ideas and best practices for incorporating these principles in an eLearning environment.
Leveraging Smartsheet to Fast-Track the Instructional Design ProcessDorea Hardy
Presented Sept. 22, 2021, at the first annual HBCU Technology Conference presented by HP.
Presentation Summary:
What does Project Management have to do with Instructional Design? Albany State University has recently reinvigorated its instructional design program through the benefit of project management ... specifically through leveraging the power of Smartsheet. In this presentation, we will look at the project section of the instructional design life cycle, and how ASU's Distance Learning department has leveraged Smartsheet to simplify and streamline the process of initiating the process, tracking the timelines, and even leveraged dashboards to keep the administration in the loop!
Accessibility in Word: A foundation for web contentDorea Hardy
Accessibility is always important ...and it starts with learning how to make your Word documents accessible. If you are a teacher, you need to have all of your documentation in an accessible format as you never know when you will have a student who will need to view it in a non-standard way.
An introductory presentation on the topic of ADA compliance that I put together for my coworkers. This presentation reviews the difference between Disability versus Accessibility, covers some of the applicable U.S. Laws, and introduces the viewer to some of the features available in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat for making documents compliant.
ACED 9400 Assignment - Fall 2013
Article Reviewed:
Pew, Stephen. (2007). Andragogy and Pedagogy as
Foundational Theory for Student Motivation in Higher
Education. InSight : A Collection of Faculty Scholarship,
2, 14-25.
Field Based Project - Introduction to Professional NursingDorea Hardy
Assignment for ACED 9400 - Fall 2013
Conceptual Framework (for Assignment)
In this contextual research assignment, learners will visit an actual adult learning facility (not your own), observe instructional activities in an adult learning program, examine operational policies, and write a report in academic style according to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition.
This presentation is based on the assignment.
Group Assignment for my ACED 8450 course - Reviewing Chapter 4 of the book "E-Learning and the Science of Instruction" - Course was in the Spring of 2015
The Latest Challenge to Today's Leaders - for ACED 9430 Leadership course in Spring 2014. Slide three was a video in the original presentation, video has been added just after slide three.
Utilization of Credit for Prior LearningDorea Hardy
Presentation for my ACED 9440 class (Spring 2015) at Valdosta State University. Discusses the push for more college graduates, the advantages of credit for prior learning, and reasons for low utilization of prior learning programs at institutions of higher education.
Safalta Digital marketing institute in Noida, provide complete applications that encompass a huge range of virtual advertising and marketing additives, which includes search engine optimization, virtual communication advertising, pay-per-click on marketing, content material advertising, internet analytics, and greater. These university courses are designed for students who possess a comprehensive understanding of virtual marketing strategies and attributes.Safalta Digital Marketing Institute in Noida is a first choice for young individuals or students who are looking to start their careers in the field of digital advertising. The institute gives specialized courses designed and certification.
for beginners, providing thorough training in areas such as SEO, digital communication marketing, and PPC training in Noida. After finishing the program, students receive the certifications recognised by top different universitie, setting a strong foundation for a successful career in digital marketing.
Unit 8 - Information and Communication Technology (Paper I).pdfThiyagu K
This slides describes the basic concepts of ICT, basics of Email, Emerging Technology and Digital Initiatives in Education. This presentations aligns with the UGC Paper I syllabus.
Model Attribute Check Company Auto PropertyCeline George
In Odoo, the multi-company feature allows you to manage multiple companies within a single Odoo database instance. Each company can have its own configurations while still sharing common resources such as products, customers, and suppliers.
Embracing GenAI - A Strategic ImperativePeter Windle
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as Generative AI, Image Generators and Large Language Models have had a dramatic impact on teaching, learning and assessment over the past 18 months. The most immediate threat AI posed was to Academic Integrity with Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) focusing their efforts on combating the use of GenAI in assessment. Guidelines were developed for staff and students, policies put in place too. Innovative educators have forged paths in the use of Generative AI for teaching, learning and assessments leading to pockets of transformation springing up across HEIs, often with little or no top-down guidance, support or direction.
This Gasta posits a strategic approach to integrating AI into HEIs to prepare staff, students and the curriculum for an evolving world and workplace. We will highlight the advantages of working with these technologies beyond the realm of teaching, learning and assessment by considering prompt engineering skills, industry impact, curriculum changes, and the need for staff upskilling. In contrast, not engaging strategically with Generative AI poses risks, including falling behind peers, missed opportunities and failing to ensure our graduates remain employable. The rapid evolution of AI technologies necessitates a proactive and strategic approach if we are to remain relevant.
How to Make a Field invisible in Odoo 17Celine George
It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty, In...Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Exploiting Artificial Intelligence for Empowering Researchers and Faculty,
International FDP on Fundamentals of Research in Social Sciences
at Integral University, Lucknow, 06.06.2024
By Dr. Vinod Kumar Kanvaria
Operation “Blue Star” is the only event in the history of Independent India where the state went into war with its own people. Even after about 40 years it is not clear if it was culmination of states anger over people of the region, a political game of power or start of dictatorial chapter in the democratic setup.
The people of Punjab felt alienated from main stream due to denial of their just demands during a long democratic struggle since independence. As it happen all over the word, it led to militant struggle with great loss of lives of military, police and civilian personnel. Killing of Indira Gandhi and massacre of innocent Sikhs in Delhi and other India cities was also associated with this movement.
June 3, 2024 Anti-Semitism Letter Sent to MIT President Kornbluth and MIT Cor...Levi Shapiro
Letter from the Congress of the United States regarding Anti-Semitism sent June 3rd to MIT President Sally Kornbluth, MIT Corp Chair, Mark Gorenberg
Dear Dr. Kornbluth and Mr. Gorenberg,
The US House of Representatives is deeply concerned by ongoing and pervasive acts of antisemitic
harassment and intimidation at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Failing to act decisively to ensure a safe learning environment for all students would be a grave dereliction of your responsibilities as President of MIT and Chair of the MIT Corporation.
This Congress will not stand idly by and allow an environment hostile to Jewish students to persist. The House believes that your institution is in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the inability or
unwillingness to rectify this violation through action requires accountability.
Postsecondary education is a unique opportunity for students to learn and have their ideas and beliefs challenged. However, universities receiving hundreds of millions of federal funds annually have denied
students that opportunity and have been hijacked to become venues for the promotion of terrorism, antisemitic harassment and intimidation, unlawful encampments, and in some cases, assaults and riots.
The House of Representatives will not countenance the use of federal funds to indoctrinate students into hateful, antisemitic, anti-American supporters of terrorism. Investigations into campus antisemitism by the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Committee on Ways and Means have been expanded into a Congress-wide probe across all relevant jurisdictions to address this national crisis. The undersigned Committees will conduct oversight into the use of federal funds at MIT and its learning environment under authorities granted to each Committee.
• The Committee on Education and the Workforce has been investigating your institution since December 7, 2023. The Committee has broad jurisdiction over postsecondary education, including its compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, campus safety concerns over disruptions to the learning environment, and the awarding of federal student aid under the Higher Education Act.
• The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating the sources of funding and other support flowing to groups espousing pro-Hamas propaganda and engaged in antisemitic harassment and intimidation of students. The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is the principal oversight committee of the US House of Representatives and has broad authority to investigate “any matter” at “any time” under House Rule X.
• The Committee on Ways and Means has been investigating several universities since November 15, 2023, when the Committee held a hearing entitled From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between Antisemitism, Tax-Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing. The Committee followed the hearing with letters to those institutions on January 10, 202
Biological screening of herbal drugs: Introduction and Need for
Phyto-Pharmacological Screening, New Strategies for evaluating
Natural Products, In vitro evaluation techniques for Antioxidants, Antimicrobial and Anticancer drugs. In vivo evaluation techniques
for Anti-inflammatory, Antiulcer, Anticancer, Wound healing, Antidiabetic, Hepatoprotective, Cardio protective, Diuretics and
Antifertility, Toxicity studies as per OECD guidelines
Overview on Edible Vaccine: Pros & Cons with Mechanism
Inclusivity in Online Courses
1. Building a Community of Learners
Inclusivity in Online Courses
September 10, 2020
Dr. D. M. Hardy
2. Agenda
• Diversity, inclusivity, and the difference between the two
• Communication is Key
• Inclusive Teaching & Online Learning
• Discussion / Q&A
Inclusivity in Online Courses
3. What is Diversity?
• People of different:
• Ages
• Cultural Backgrounds
• Geographies
• Physical Abilities & Disabilities
• Religions
• Genders
• Sexual Orientation
• But also includes:
• Perspectives
• Preferences
• Characteristics
• Biases
Inclusivity in Online Courses
4. What is Inclusivity?
• An inclusive environment is on in which all individuals:
• Are treated fairly and respectfully
• Have equal access to opportunities and resources
• Can contribute fully to the course’s (or class as a whole) success
Inclusivity in Online Courses
5. What’s the difference?
Diversity
• The “What”
• Focus is on the makeup of your
classes
Inclusivity
• The “How”
• The creation of an environment
and culture that enables all
students to participate and
thrive
Inclusivity in Online Courses
8. Respect and sensitivity through language
• Acknowledge your bias
• Use universal phrases
• Use gender-neutral phrases
• Use inclusive examples / assessment
• Other word choices
Inclusivity in Online Courses
9. Interpretation Awareness
• Consider the potential (mis)interpretation of written forums/feedback
and the impact on student performance/attitude.
• Be clear and thorough
• Create samples of frequent errors with detailed notes that can be
shared with students
• Culture can impact dynamics of exchanges
Inclusivity in Online Courses
10. Universal Design Principles
• Pay attention to:
• Color and size of fonts
• Volume of material on any given page
• Embedding of objectives and directives for the learners
• Be sure to:
• Use only captioned videos
• Images with alt text
• But did you know…?
• People don’t read web pages … they scan them!
Inclusivity in Online Courses
11. Promoting Diversity & Inclusion
1. Understanding
2. Teaching strategies and materials
3. Equal opportunities to all students
4. Celebrate diversity & inclusion
5. Encourage differing perspectives
6. Diverse learning materials
Inclusivity in Online Courses
13. Class Climate that Fosters Belonging
Questions you may be asking:
How can I create a positive online course climate for students in
my live WebEx class sessions and my GaView course site?
How will I know the climate is supporting learning online?
Inclusivity in Online Courses
14. Set explicit student expectations
Questions you may be asking:
How can I ensure that all of my learners are
set up to succeed in my online course?
How can I communicate my goals and
expectations in meaningful ways?
Inclusivity in Online Courses
15. Course Content
Questions you may be asking:
How do I ensure my content recognizes diversity
and acknowledges barriers to inclusion?
How can I engage students with online
content that offers diverse representation?
Inclusivity in Online Courses
16. Design accessible course elements
Questions you may be asking:
How can I make sure that my use of GaView and
WebEx is accessible to all of my learners?
How can I provide students multiple ways to
engage and express their learning?
Inclusivity in Online Courses
17. Reflection
Questions you may be asking:
How can I ensure that my online interactions
with students are inclusive and fair?
What are my beliefs about online teaching?
How might I become more
self-aware about my online presence?
Inclusivity in Online Courses
18. Now What?
What action can you take this week
to make your classes more inclusive?
Inclusivity in Online Courses
20. References & Resources
• Diversity vs Inclusion: What’s the difference? https://www.digitalhrtech.com/diversity-vs-inclusion/
• How to create an inclusive online class https://facdev.e-education.psu.edu/node/443
• Fostering an Inclusive Environment when Developing Online Courses
https://teachonline.asu.edu/2016/01/fostering-inclusive-environment-developing-online-courses/
• Inclusive Teaching and Learning Online
https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/teaching-with-technology/teaching-online/inclusive-teaching/
• Diversity & inclusion in the online classroom https://www.pearsoned.com/diversity-inclusion-in-the-online-classroom/
• Learning to practice inclusion online
https://www.dvv-international.de/en/adult-education-and-development/editions/aed-842017-inclusion-and-diversity/section-3-method/learning-to-
practice-inclusion-online
• Universal Design for Learning http://udloncampus.cast.org/home
Inclusivity in Online Courses
Editor's Notes
Acknowledge Your Bias
Everyone has a bias – it is the lens through which each of us views the world. The first step to addressing that bias is acknowledging that you have one.
If you have international students in your online course, phrases and examples based in Western culture may make no sense to those students.
For example:
Does that analogy comparing an American football play and a natural physical process necessarily translate for someone from another country who knows nothing about American football?
Spend some time before writing content, announcements, emails, essay questions, word problems, quiz questions, etc. thinking about how to be more inclusive.
Use Universal Phrases
- When using American idioms, explain them. Not everyone in your class is an American and will understand typically American phrases.
- Avoid binaries like black/white, male/female, gay/straight.
Use gender-neutral phrases
- Use generic greetings like Dear students, Good Morning Folks, etc. when addressing the class in emails, announcements, video conferences, etc.
- Do not assume someone’s gender based on name alone. One way to clarify this is to introduce yourself using your pronouns (Hi! My name is Jennifer and I use she/her/hers pronouns). Ask students to share the name and pronouns they would like the class to use. Note that the singular pronoun “they” is an acceptable pronoun according to Merriam-Webster and the Penn State style manual.
- When giving examples, be cognizant of being stereotypical about gender. For example, don't only use male pronouns/names when talking about a blacksmith or female pronouns/names when referring to a teacher.
Use inclusive examples/assessment
- Look for ways to include or portray inclusion in your examples, assessments, written content, and images.
Use a variety of ethnic and gender-neutral names.
Include a variety of people in your examples and word problems. ie. include people who are differently abled, people from non-western culture, same-sex couples, etc.
Use a variety of current events or historical examples. Avoid using all Western examples.
Other word choices
Be aware of the words you use and how they might alienate, misrepresent, or offend some groups of people. For example, use:
- significant other rather than wife/husband
- differently abled rather than disabled
- visually impaired rather than blind
- winter break rather than Christmas break
- people of color rather than minorities
Using inclusive language is more than “political correctness.” Inclusivity is about respecting and celebrating people’s differences and including those differences in their educational process. Studies show that increasing inclusivity eliminates unintentional barriers that may hamper a student’s ability to relate to you and to the material, which in turn increases their engagement and learning.
Consider the potential (mis)interpretation of written forums or feedback and the impact on student performance and attitude. Be clear and thorough. We find it helpful to create samples of frequent errors with detailed notes that we can easily share with any student.
Keep in mind that students do not necessarily have to be English language learners for their culture to influence their interpretation or understanding of the meaning of written text within a course. Culture can impact the dynamics of the exchanges as well. Cultural norms — the common beliefs, expectations, and practices of a society — may impact how and when students respond to questions.
First and foremost, consider universal design principles in your course design. It may be as simple as paying attention to color and size of fonts, the volume of material on any given page, the embedding of objectives and directives for the learners, etc. You already know it’s critical to use only captioned videos, images with alt text, etc., but do you know how people tend to scan/read web pages? Are you designing your course with that in mind?
The aesthetics of a course are important. How will your course users see and interpret images, art, photography, movies, and so on? What is the reading level of the material chosen? Is the material engaging? Does the media reflect diversity?
Universal design principles help educators consider how to reach every learner by providing flexible instructional materials, techniques, and strategies. It promotes the engagement of each learner by making learning more accessible. A guiding principle of universal design is that we need to provide multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement for students.
It’s important to note that it is very difficult to identify and address every critical area in a course. Countless articles, some very extensive ones, cover the concept of inclusion and diversity.
If we acknowledge that diversity influences learning, then we may be able to create discussions that result in examples that are culturally relevant. Your work as an instructor sets the tone for a safe space in the classroom where students can share their experiences and perspectives.
How do we promote diversity in our classes?
Strive to understand your students
Utilize different teaching strategies and materials
Structure the course to provide equal opportunities to all students
Celebrate diversity & inclusion, and keep these in mind when designing discussion posts or share articles.
Encourage differing perspectives. Ask the students to share their views & substantiate why they feel/think that way.
Seek to include diverse learning materials.
Principle 1: Establish and support a class climate that fosters belonging for all students.
How can you create a positive online course climate for students in your live WebEx class sessions and your GaView course site? How will you know the climate is supporting learning online?
It is important to think about your learners, their prior experiences with online learning, and their needs.
Survey your students about their concerns, needs, and preferences for online learning. Ask students for their thoughts on online instruction, communication, interaction, collaboration, etc. Their responses can inform your approach going forward, and it allows instructors to be mindful of students’ personal situations and barriers to their learning (e.g., students may not have reliable internet access or a quiet space to learn and complete coursework). One possible question comes from a survey shared by Dr. Lance Gravlee (University of Florida, Department of Anthropology): “What would you like me to know or be thinking about as we try to create the best possible learning environment and keep everyone healthy during the rest of the semester?”
Remote learning is challenging for both students and instructors. Describe your own fears and struggles in teaching and learning online to break down barriers and demystify the online learning process.
Provide opportunities for students to interact with each other online–discussing in small groups using the GaView Discussion spaces or in WebEx – to help students feel more connected to each other and build a sense of community.
Encourage dialogue about online learning experiences and share learning strategies that are working for students.
In online discussions, whether synchronous or asynchronous, use names and pronouns used by students.
Put supports in place to ensure that students meet your expectations. This includes holding virtual office hours; being responsive to student emails, chats, or messages; and periodically checking-in with learners.
Address challenging classroom moments directly, whether during live WebEx sessions or in the GaView discussion space. Create guidelines for online discussions, revisit discussion guidelines that were previously agreed upon, ask students to pause and reflect, and to use “I” statements when discussing difficult issues that arise in conversations about course content.
Ask for feedback from students about the online climate. You can use polls or other tools to gather this information. Review and report back to students.
Principle 2: Set explicit student expectations.
How can you ensure that all of your learners are set up to succeed in your online course? How can you communicate your goals and expectations in meaningful ways?
Students may not know what to expect in this new learning environment. This is a good time to revisit what you expect of your learners and what they can expect of you.
Create community agreements and/or guidelines for online discussion with students. This can be done in a discussion board where students articulate online etiquette, norms and expectations, and take on the shared responsibility to establish and maintain an inclusive and supportive online classroom environment.
Revisit your course goals with a focus on what is essential. Decide on the knowledge students absolutely need to acquire and what skills they need to develop for the remainder of the semester.
Articulate online learning goals that are realistic and make sense to learners given the shift to online learning.
Craft assignments and online learning experiences that align with these course goals.
Make explicit the expectations for online assignments – this includes being clear about assignment instructions, how to submit in GaView and by when, and what resources are available to ensure successful completion, as well as sharing the criteria that will be used to assess. Consider using the rubric feature in GaView for transparency.
Create multiple, low-stakes opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning, which encourages students to stay motivated in the online space and keep track of their progress. Use the Discussions, Assignments, and Quizzes tools in GaView.
Be flexible on deadlines and workload as some students may be in different time zones and may have limited opportunities to have their questions answered and enough time to complete work.
Provide timely feedback on student work. Use a supportive tone and consider audio and video comments (available in GaView) which add a personalized touch.
Model expected online behavior. Be present in the online space through various communication channels. Use the Announcements and Mail tool to be transparent with students about the course. Comment regularly on student contributions in the online discussion space and if possible arrive early to a WebEx class session to engage with learners.
Principle 3: Select course content that recognizes diversity and acknowledges barriers to inclusion.
How do I ensure my content recognizes diversity and acknowledges barriers to inclusion?
How can you engage students with online content that offers diverse representation?
With a wealth of online resources available, consider ways to integrate relevant course materials that bring in diverse perspectives and examples. Encourage students to play an active role in sharing resources they find online and making connections across course content.
Invite students to find and share materials available on the internet, including e-texts that relate to course topics and reflect a range of perspectives and backgrounds.
Critically evaluate the presentation of digital material. If you assign text or media that is problematic or incorporates stereotypes, point out the shortcomings and consider supplementing with other course materials. Encourage students to think critically about course material and related external sources to develop their information literacy skills.
In online discussions, recorded lectures, and live WebEx sessions (whether during class sessions or in office hours), use examples that speak across diverse populations. Draw on resources, materials, and anecdotes that are relevant to the subject and sensitive to the social and cultural diversity of your students.
Principle 4: Design all course elements for accessibility.
How can you make sure that your use of GaView and WebEx is accessible to all your learners? How can you provide students multiple ways to engage and express their learning?
With the rush to online teaching and learning, accessibility should be at the forefront and not an afterthought. All students benefit from accessible content, and opportunities to engage with course materials that set them up for success.
It is important to be mindful that not all students will have access to reliable internet, software and hardware, and devices (e.g., microphone, webcam, printer). Thus it is important to offer flexibility or alternatives for students to access materials online, for instance sharing PDFs instead of videos which require more bandwidth.
Offer synchronous and asynchronous elements to ensure that all students, regardless of time zone, have opportunities to engage with course materials, with their peers, and with the instructor.
Record lectures and WebEx meetings that can be viewed any time. Be sure to include transcripts and captions. For instance, YouTube provides auto captioning. The captions can be edited for accuracy and made available to learners.
When on-screen during a live session or recording a lecture, be sure to verbally describe any visuals like images, diagrams, or charts so that students who have difficulty seeing the visuals can still access the content.
Check in with learners to help them stay motivated and keep up with coursework.
The Universal Design for Learning framework is a valuable resource, and we encourage instructors to draw on it in the following ways:
Provide multiple means of representation
Ease barriers for learning by providing support materials, background information, and multiple types of examples to facilitate knowledge transfer. Provide information in multiple modalities (e.g., multimedia with captions and transcripts) and in a format that learners can adjust themselves (e.g., by increasing text size or altering brightness).
Create accessible presentations and online discussions by using fonts and colors that are accessible to all learners.
Provide multiple means of action and expression
Provide frequent opportunities for informal assessment and feedback on progress, and build into this process places where learners should stop and reflect before acting.
Create opportunities for students to play an active role online by articulating their thinking through online discussion or taking the lead in facilitating a live WebEx conversation.
Provide multiple means of engagement
Encourage collaboration online by using group features like discussion groups in GaView.
Encourage learner autonomy. Invite students to do investigations or research on self-selected topics to draw on personal interests/relevance and to share this through a short video, audio recording, or live WebEx presentation.
Invite students to co-design elements of online classroom activities or assignments.
Principle 5: Reflect on one’s beliefs about teaching (online) to maximize self-awareness and commitment to inclusion
How can you ensure that your online interactions with students are inclusive and fair? What are your beliefs about online teaching? How might you become more self-aware about your online presence?
Whether you are new to teaching online or a seasoned online instructor, taking time to reflect on your experiences, assumptions about your learners, and online learning in general is critical to practice as it provides insights into small changes you can make to foster inclusive teaching and learning.
Take time to reflect on who your students are, and the contexts and conditions in which they may find themselves wherever they may have relocated. Don’t assume that all students are in a space that provides them with an ideal learning environment.
If you are recording your WebEx class sessions, consider re-watching the recordings and making notes about your interactions with students, who you call on, your tone, the types of examples you use, the clarity of your explanations, etc. What trends or specific actions stand out? What impacts might they have on students?
Invite a colleague to observe your online GaView set-up or view one of your recorded WebEx sessions or pre-recorded lectures and provide feedback.
After every live WebEx class session, make notes about what worked well, what could be improved, and what you will do differently next time.
Ask your students for feedback on their learning experiences in WebEx and GaView. Use this feedback to inform your course design and instruction.