Integrating Interactivity into Integrating Interactivity into Online CoursesOnline Courses

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Diana ZilbermanDiana ZilbermanAugust 21 August 21

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Integrating Interactivity into Integrating Interactivity into Online Courses Online Courses

I Rationale - why we should do itI Rationale - why we should do it

II Strategies - how to do itII Strategies - how to do it

III Faculty Training - how to III Faculty Training - how to encourage implementation encourage implementation

Integrating Interactivity into Integrating Interactivity into Online Courses: Online Courses: Part I: RationalePart I: Rationale

What is the pedagogical value ofWhat is the pedagogical value of

interactivity?interactivity? Interactivity in conventional classroomsInteractivity in conventional classrooms

versus interactivity onlineversus interactivity online

Part I: RationalePart I: Rationale Why Interactivity?Why Interactivity?

interactivity in the learning interactivity in the learning process adheres to the process adheres to the constructivist cognitive theory by constructivist cognitive theory by

which learners create their own which learners create their own knowledge knowledge

Part I: RationalePart I: Rationale Interactivity appeals to all Interactivity appeals to all learning learning stylesstyles because of its emphasis on because of its emphasis on learning by learning by doingdoing.. visual, aural, or kinesthetic visual, aural, or kinesthetic sequential or simultaneous (multi- sequential or simultaneous (multi- task) task) concrete or abstract preferentialconcrete or abstract preferential

Part I: RationalePart I: Rationale Strengths of the conventional classroom Strengths of the conventional classroom (although it’s teacher-centered)(although it’s teacher-centered)

high level of high level of teacher-student interactionteacher-student interaction high level of high level of student-student interactionstudent-student interaction ideal at demonstrating and teaching ideal at demonstrating and teaching concepts and application concepts and application

real time feedbackreal time feedback (Niedrauer, 1998)(Niedrauer, 1998)

Part I: RationalePart I: Rationale Possible drawback of the online course Possible drawback of the online course (although it’s student-centered):(although it’s student-centered):

minimal minimal student-student interactionstudent-student interaction timeliness of feedback timeliness of feedback difficulty in teaching concepts and difficulty in teaching concepts and

applicationapplication(Niedrauer, 1998)(Niedrauer, 1998)

Challenges for online courses:Challenges for online courses:

introducing more interactionintroducing more interaction student to studentstudent to student student to instructorstudent to instructor student to contentstudent to content

More challenges:More challenges:

bringing the benefits of the conventional bringing the benefits of the conventional classroom into the distance education classroom into the distance education settingsetting

drawing on technology to bring innovative drawing on technology to bring innovative ways to promote interactionways to promote interaction

encouraging the traditional instructor to encouraging the traditional instructor to make the transition from an instructor-make the transition from an instructor-centered to a student-centered settingcentered to a student-centered setting

II StrategiesII Strategies How to includeHow to include student to studentstudent to student interaction interaction

post student pictures, short biographies, post student pictures, short biographies, and favorite web sitesand favorite web sites make first assignment “meet your fellow make first assignment “meet your fellow

students” students” for example, each student to e-mail to two for example, each student to e-mail to two

others in the class and a cc to instructor others in the class and a cc to instructor (no instructor reply necessary; just inventory)(no instructor reply necessary; just inventory)

II StrategiesII Strategies How to includeHow to include student to studentstudent to student interaction interaction

threaded discussionthreaded discussion ask provocative, open-ended questionsask provocative, open-ended questions encourage/make mandatory student to encourage/make mandatory student to

student responsesstudent responses respond fast and enthusiastically to first respond fast and enthusiastically to first

postingspostings invite your school administrators to invite your school administrators to

participate in discussionsparticipate in discussions

II StrategiesII Strategies How to includeHow to include student to studentstudent to student interaction interaction

chatschats work great for brain storming sessionswork great for brain storming sessions good to initiate group projectsgood to initiate group projects excitingexciting informalinformal

II StrategiesII Strategies How to includeHow to include student to studentstudent to student interaction interaction

peer reviewpeer review require two or more student feedback on require two or more student feedback on

assignments/projectsassignments/projects encourage/require subsequent revisions encourage/require subsequent revisions

group projectsgroup projects

II StrategiesII Strategies How to includeHow to include student tostudent to contentcontent interactioninteraction

encourage web-based researchencourage web-based research require students to check websites’ require students to check websites’

reliabilityreliability encourage students to share website encourage students to share website

discoveriesdiscoveries

II StrategiesII Strategies How to includeHow to include student tostudent to contentcontent interaction …interaction …continuedcontinued

““What’s in it for me?”What’s in it for me?” encourage student input regarding encourage student input regarding contentcontent of assignments and projects of assignments and projects benefits:benefits:

makes course more relevantmakes course more relevant allows students to integrate life experiences into allows students to integrate life experiences into

the course the course motivates students to be more investedmotivates students to be more invested

II StrategiesII Strategies How to includeHow to include student tostudent to contentcontent interactioninteraction

encourage student input regarding encourage student input regarding formatformat of assignments and projects of assignments and projects

allows students to showcase special talentsallows students to showcase special talents encourages creativity encourages creativity

II StrategiesII Strategies How to includeHow to include student tostudent to contentcontent interactioninteraction

allow/encourage students to self-allow/encourage students to self-assess their assess their learning learning and/orand/or work work

II StrategiesII Strategies How to includeHow to include student to instructorstudent to instructor interactioninteraction

include instructor picture and “about include instructor picture and “about me” information; keep it updated me” information; keep it updated make first assignment easymake first assignment easy respond to technical questionsrespond to technical questions include controversial statements to include controversial statements to trigger students’ reaction trigger students’ reaction

III Faculty Training - how to III Faculty Training - how to encourage implementation of encourage implementation of interactivity in online courses interactivity in online courses

ask faculty these questions:ask faculty these questions: can the interactivity of my conventional can the interactivity of my conventional

class be applied to the online course?class be applied to the online course? what kind of interactive exercise is possible what kind of interactive exercise is possible

onlyonly on the online course? on the online course?

ConclusionConclusion

interactivity is a sine qua non condition of the interactivity is a sine qua non condition of the online courseonline course it is central to online coursesit is central to online courses

the online course should not be a mere information the online course should not be a mere information delivery tooldelivery tool

interactivity mut be built in the course designinteractivity mut be built in the course design

Web-based distance learning is Web-based distance learning is evolving its own pedagogy.evolving its own pedagogy.

pedagogy is unique to the pedagogy is unique to the

technologytechnology faculty are still learning about and faculty are still learning about and experimenting with ways to facilitate experimenting with ways to facilitate interactivity in online courses interactivity in online courses

The End...The End...

And remember, a student-centered And remember, a student-centered course means that the instructor is notcourse means that the instructor is not

Cognitus Magnificus,Cognitus Magnificus,

butbut Ducere Mentorus Maximus Ducere Mentorus Maximus

(adapted from www.learnscope)(adapted from www.learnscope)