Assignments in the Online Course: How Much is Too Much?

overwhelmed student

Reading Time: 3 minutesGuest Contributor: Robert Onorato Given the seemingly unlimited, media-rich learning opportunities you can offer in an asynchronous online course, it may be tempting to craft a reading or resource list as extensive as your own time allows. But at what point will students reach the saturation point? In this article, Robert Onorato, instructor at Fordham […]

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Promoting Student Civility: Online and Offline

A computer keyboard with keys labeled Rude and Polite

Reading Time: < 1 minuteStudent civility may seem like a common-sense issue for students to work out on their own, but encouraging professionalism with simple rules for respect and consideration for student interactions online and offline can go a long way toward fostering an environment conducive to learner engagement. Here, we offer tips to keeping your students’ interactions respectful […]

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Helping Online Learners Assess Potential Distractions

student being distracted by a tablet computer

Reading Time: < 1 minuteYou can help reduce distractions so students can stay focused on your presentations. However, a unique set of potential distractions awaits the online learner. Despite their best efforts to concentrate fully during a class session, online learners may face temptations that are not within the immediate reach of a student taking an on-site course. In such […]

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Creating Online Activities that Align to Your Outcomes

parallel lines

Reading Time: 2 minutesAs an instructor, you’ve probably seen (or employed) many of the exciting — and research-based — techniques and principles you can use to engage and motivate students in the online environment. However, you have also likely come to recognize that you need to use those tools and techniques in a manner that helps your students achieve […]

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Challenging to Champion: Working with Difficult Online Students

student frustrated with computer

Reading Time: 2 minutesAuthor Shawn Orr, Adrian College I’ve had the privilege of teaching thousands of enthusiastic, motivated, successful online students. I’ve also had the frustration of working with online students that display what I call “non-learning behaviors.” These behaviors include taking over the discussion board with irrelevant comments and topics; lurking in the background but rarely participating; […]

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Clearly Communicating Information About Your Online Course

runner about to take off

Reading Time: 2 minutesWhen you’re teaching online, it’s essential for students to become comfortable with the setup of your course’s Learning Management System (LMS). Though you may go about communicating this information via different means (such as an online lecture, screencast, or FAQ), there are key points of information that can lead your students toward getting up to […]

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Success Strategies for Teamwork in the Online Setting

student looking at computer

Reading Time: 4 minutesGroup assignments teach students far more than simply what they glean from the research they conduct and the project they complete. Astute students will also learn important lessons about communicating clearly, establishing plans and schedules, and collaborating in a proactive and positive manner. They may also hone their leadership skills along the way. Students taking online courses gain the […]

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Get Plugged In: Ten Attributes of a Successful Online Student

Person plugging in a usb drive

Reading Time: < 1 minuteThough students increasingly opt for online courses, many of them are unprepared to work in this environment. This infographic, highlighting the “10 Attributes of a Successful Online Student as listed Joel A. English’s Plugged In: Succeeding as an Online Learner,  lists the practices and attributes of students who succeed in online programs—a great resource to share with […]

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