EDT 420

EDT 420 - Introduction to Teaching and Learning Online

This course will introduce students to best practices in the design, creation and implementation of instructional materials in an online environment. Students will create and implement several instructional activities and assessments in blended, hybrid and online environments.

This class was very beneficial with introducing me to different tools that can and should be utilized to efficiently integrate technology into the classroom. Online education can be challenging and this introductory class was very helpful in creating a platform for my peers and I to construct and share resources.

Some of the activities we worked on include:

1. “Peer-Review”

2. Collaborative/Individual learning projects and problem solving

3. Video with audio narration

4. Online resources for success

Below, I have shared a site development essay that I completed this semester.

Example 1: LMS Review and Site Development - Select a LMS and review the various features it has to offer to become familiar with that particular learning environment; Provide a brief summary of the different features available in your chosen LMS; Demonstrate that you are familiar with the features of the LMS you have selected.

During this development work, I was given the chance to review an LMS platform by the company Epignosis. I explored the sites variety of platforms and which ones would best suited for different instructional environments. I was able to explore, in depth, all of the features of the LMS and construct a rationale of the platform that I chose to utilize. It also gave me a chance to explore the different paths that Instructional Design offers, as well as the many other resources available to instructors online. Skills and knowledge improved in this work include research skills.

Example 2: Reflection Of Online Learning Activity - Reflect on the overall experience of teaching online.

I chose to include this assignment in my portfolio because it helped me outline the ways that I was able to utilize Blendspace in an educator's perspective. Reflecting and reasoning and has been something that I did a lot during this course. It is very beneficial to the design and decision-making process of instructional design, and it is a great way to evaluate the efficiency of a tool to improve and develop a course further. Being an educator means being able to improve and adapt to different audiences and environments. Reflecting on previous instructional developments is great way to evaluate which parts of the process need to be updated. Skills and knowledge improved during this work include reflection and evaluation.