online learning

The e-Text initiative at Rowan-Cabarrus was a success after its first semester (Fall 2014), so we decided to expand it almost immediately. In Spring 2015, we added two English courses to the e-Text listing—both very similar in their content, course objectives and goals for students. In these two courses, we decided to use the same Cengage textbook, but different editions. In ENG-102, Applied Communications II, we used an earlier version delivered digitally through CourseMate. This was a “simple way to complement (Cengage textbooks) and course content with study and practice materials.”* In ENG-114, Professional Research & Reporting, we Read More…

One of the biggest challenges in e-learning is keeping up motivation throughout the course. For many college students, enthusiasm for classes may wane mid-semester; online students, who lack the face to face feedback to reinforce their motivation, may experience this even more strongly than their on-campus peers. To re-energize your online discussion, think about the kinds of discussion questions that will not only engage your students in the course material, but also help them relate and apply the material beyond the classroom.

Motivation and instructors

“Your instructors will typically be an excellent source of motivation,” Ryan Watkins and Michael Corry advised Read More…

If you teach online courses, you’re aware that your teaching strategies for engaging college students in a virtual setting have to accommodate the lack of face-to-face contact. One of the greatest challenges for an online student is staying motivated throughout a course. How do you engage students in an online environment? Consider these teaching strategies as you reach out to your online students.

Social support

An online learning environment has many benefits, such as self-paced learning, and the ability to view coursework around the student’s own schedule. But the environment can be a lonely one, as well. In order to create Read More…

College students today have a whole new realm of get to know you activities to master — those directed specifically at an online classroom. There are many ways to break the ice and make introductions, some more effective than others. Read on for some how to tips to help you make the online classroom experience positive.

How to make introductions

Maybe you professor has offered specific instructions about how you and your fellow college students should get to know one another. But if they haven’t, what are some things you should consider before you make introductions? First, consider the setting. What you Read More…

The online classroom is gaining ground and popularity. The challenge for teachers at any level is figuring out how to foster a class discussion when all eyes are on a screen, at different times, rather than directly in front of you all at once. A successful class discussion can be difficult when you are in the same room as your students, but engaging students in another room, building or state requires another level of effort. What are some teaching tips you can employ?

Common problems in the online classroom

When it comes to online classrooms, most cater to adult learners Read More…

The Big Easy played host to the inaugural conference geared to education leaders, faculty, system administrators, and course designers in pursuit of quality online learning. Attendees were invited to challenge existing barriers to innovation and re-imagine the learning experience. Through diverse sessions, workshops, and labs, the conference fostered dialogue and networking around emerging ideas in instructional design, pedagogical innovation, mobile technology, accessibility, online learning and course delivery, adaptive learning, and many more.

Thinking beyond the course

In partnership with Learning Objects, Cengage Learning hosted the lively session: Thinking Beyond the Course in Curriculum Design. The hosts, Natalie Skadra, Director of Instructional Design Read More…

The campus career center is an asset to job preparedness, but there are even more career training options available to students that might not be found in every school. Believe it or not, summer is right around the corner, and it might be the perfect time to start building new skills that will look great on your resume, as well as help you in your remaining semesters in school.

Summer courses

In high school, the thought of “summer school” may sound like some sort of punishment. But summer is actually a great time to improve your future hire-ability by picking up some classes Read More…

How do you encourage student collaboration in a digital environment? Share your story of successful student teamwork with your peers in our Make It Count contest. You could win excellent prizes, including a $100 gift card now and a paid trip to a national conference later.

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The ArtisTECH Talk, centered around Art Education, took place at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina on February 25th. The event was a huge success. Art History and Appreciation educators joined forces to learn about new ways to engage students, enhance student success, and improve efficiency in their daily lives.

The event kicked off with an enthralling presentation from Digital Educator, Bridgett McGowen-Hawkins, to get instructors excited about Art Education. After, instructors learned first-hand about our digital learning solution, MindTap. Cengage Learning created MindTap for Art with both the student and instructor in mind. In Art History and Art Appreciation, an image needs to tell the student a lot of information at once. That’s why MindTap was created with text that surrounds the image so students can get the information they need, when they need it. Instructors can rest assured that Cengage Learning has their back! Read More…

Using the terms “flipped” and “model” in Flipped Model can cause would-be newcomers to this style of teaching and learning to dismiss trying it out because they simply do not have the time to try another new thing. During this webinar, Damon Givehand, Digital Educator at Cengage Learning, discusses what this approach really offers, so you can determine for yourself if it is worth giving a shot in your own course!
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