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Back to Table of Contents for On Course Across the Curriculum
1.
Strategy: Jigsaw Educator:
Stephani Cuddie, Director, Course Development & Update, Florida
Institute of Technology, FL Implementation: Students do the following assignment over two weeks. For Step A, I assign students to home groups of three and have each student choose to become the group’s expert on one of three online communication channels (including appropriate use): 1) Email, 2) Message Posting, and 3) Chat Room. The assignment is to discover the appropriate use and language for each of these communication channels, as well as any dangers such as technological problems or misunderstandings. As resources for learning, students can use their course text, online resources, and instructor provided resources. In Step B, the expert groups meet in the course chat room, discuss what they have learned, and develop a plan on how they will share their ideas with their home group. In Step C, experts meet with their home groups in a chat room to share their knowledge. Each home group then posts a group document sharing what they learned about these three online communication channels. 2.
Strategy: Assorted Learner-Centered and OC Structures and Strategies Application:
Any On-line courses Educator:
Jodi Reed, Faculty, Computer and Information Science, Cuyamaca College, Implementation:
I encourage teachers to take advantage of the unique qualities of the online
environment rather than just trying to duplicate face-to-face strategies. Many
teachers focus their effort on putting lectures online, a structure that isn't
particularly effective in the online environment. Online learning is
particularly rich in resources and opportunities for written interaction and
sharing with a wide audience. The biggest challenge I've found in online
environments is the difficulty in group interaction. It's tough to find a
time for synchronous communication, and most group work benefits from the
learners being together (especially at the beginning stages of a team project).
I have compiled some examples of online learning structures/strategies that
generate enthusiasm and foster learning:
3.
Strategy: Aha Journal Educator:
Barbara Van Syckle, Faculty, Business, Criminal Justice, and Automotive,
Jackson Community College, MI Implementation: Create an AHA Journal "Book" in an online course by setting it up in a discussion board. Reading other students' AHAs can be a rich learning opportunity for other students. It can also serve to establish "experts" in certain areas of the course for student to seek help with questions.
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