Level 3
Level 3: Creating Effective Online Learning Experiences
Suggested Prerequisite Skills for Level 3:
Basic knowledge of some digital tools
Working knowledge of a digital device
Working knowledge of Google Docs and Forms
Working knowledge of a LMS
Knowledge of how to create units & learning experiences in a LMS
Familiarity with share settings to make private documents public (step-by-step directions are included on assessment page)
Ability to take and upload screenshots (step-by-step directions are included on assessment page)
Approximate Completion Time: 3 hours
Goal: To create effective learning opportunities in a digital platform which increases student engagement.
Objectives:
To identify the most appropriate places to integrate digital tools.
To incorporate multiple digital learning experiences with student choice into Learning Management Systems within curricular units.
To understand the role of educators in online learning.
Assessment:
Upon completion of this level, you will be able to identify the most appropriate places to integrate digital tools and create digital learning experiences within your learning management system to provide choice for students. The assessment will ask you to upload a screenshot of your LMS showing the use of multiple digital tools and highlighting student choice.
Level 3 Introduction
To begin Level 3, view Masterson's (2015) YouTube video (1:09) about what a LMS is. Next, read and explore information on different Learning Management Systems available to utilize with students. Document your thoughts or questions in your digital journal.
Common Learning Management Systems (LMS)
As important as digital tools are, the digital learning environment is as important. The online learning environment equals the traditional brick and mortar building (Harasim, 2012). Constructing an online environment where knowledge, collaboration, conversation are as important as they are in the physical building is critical for facilitating online learning (Harasim, 2012).
Many school districts select the LMS their teachers and students will use. Three common Learning Management Systems used by K-12 school districts during remote learning are highlighted below. Blackboard is another LMS primarily used by institutions of higher education. These LMS offer the online environment in which digital tools are embedded for students.
Canvas
View the linked video (1:42) to get to know the Canvas LMS.
For additional tutorials related to Canvas, visit the CanvasLMS YouTube channel.
Google Classroom
View the linked video (3:35) to learn more about the Google Classroom LMS.
For additional tutorials related to Google Classroom, visit the Google for Education YouTube channel.
Microsoft Teams
View the linked video (2:30) to learn more about the Microsoft Teams LMS.
For additional tutorials related to Microsoft Teams, visit the Microsoft Education YouTube channel.
Zimmerman (2019) discussed the pros and cons between Microsoft Teams and Google Classroom. Both LMS are highly praised for their user-friendly interfaces and the ability to engage students remotely with classroom materials. Joaquin (2021a) discussed the benefits of Canvas over Google Classroom with increased design options and increased options for asynchronous and synchronous learning. Joaquin (2021b) also celebrated the 24/7 support network with Canvas. No matter which LMS platform you or your district select, intentional design is critical for students' success and effective implementation of remote learning. Determining where and how to insert digital tools, student choice, and asynchronous vs. synchronous learning experiences is paramount to engaging student learners. Perry and Pilati (2011) described the balancing act required of educators when designing online learning environments. There is an art and science educators must use to blend pedagogy with technology to yield student success.
Favorite Digital Tools
View the Animoto video (1:30) to the left to read why some teachers love specific digital tools. Do you see any you might be willing to try in your LMS?
Active Learning
What is Active Learning?
Bonwell and Eison (1991) as cited by Columbia CTL (n. d.) described active learning strategies as activities involving students in doing and thinking while completing tasks. Additionally, Fink (2003) as cited by Columbia CTL (n. d.) built upon Bonwell and Eison’s definition by describing a holistic view of active learning to include: information and ideas, experience, and reflective dialogue. The active learning framework can help educators consider how students tackle online tasks and meet the student learning objectives for the course. Columbia CTL (n. d.) offered the following explanations:
encounter (new) information and ideas
e.g., by watching videos or reading PDFs in advance, or from a short presentation you give using Zoom’s or Google Meet's Share Screen feature
engage with information and ideas
e.g., through discussions with their peers using Zoom’s or Google Meet's Breakout Rooms feature and documenting their conversations in collaborative Google Docs
reflect on their learning
e.g., by spending the last five minutes of the online class session engaging in reflective writing and sharing their thoughts through an open-ended poll on Poll Everywhere or by using the polling feature in Zoom or Google Meet.
Active Learning Strategies
Harasim (2012) discussed the shift from passive learning in the 20th century to active learning in the 21st century. Active learning is about exchanging ideas and information, gathering knowledge, communication, and collaboration (Harasim, 2012). The active learning strategies you select for your students should simultaneously serve the course learning objectives. Remember, the goal of active learning is not simply for your students to do things, but to also think about what they are doing. As you learn more about the following strategies, consider how effective each would be in promoting the learning you desire from your students.
Here are some questions Columbia CTL (n. d.) offered for educators to think about when selecting an active learning strategy:
What skill should my students be able to perform by the end of our online class session?
Which active learning strategy will allow my students to practice this skill?
When will my students encounter and engage with information and ideas? When will they reflect on what they’ve learned? (These questions can be used before, during, or after the online class session.)
Below are some examples of active learning strategies that utilize online tools and can easily be incorporated into any Learning Management System. Click the down arrow beside each strategy to learn more. Record any notes in your digital journal.
Student Polling
Columbia CTL (n. d.) offered the following information about polling.
Overview:
Polling is a quick, easy way to check the opinions or thought processes of your students. Teachers are able to pose a statement or question and gather students' responses in real time. Zoom and Google Meet have a polling feature allowing for simple multiple-choice polls. Simple polls are useful at the beginning, end, or at specific points during an online class session to engage and assess students.
Tools used:
Zoom’s Polling feature
Google Form
(Alternative) Discussion board with a post first option
Amount of pre-class preparation required:
Instructor: Low (<15 min)
Student: Low (<15 min)
How to Implement:
Determine the purpose for conducting a simple poll in your online class session by considering the following:
What information would you like to get from your students in real-time?
How will you use the poll results or information collected?
Here are some possible ways you can use polls for active learning in your online class session:
Ice breaker
Check background knowledge
Frame the lesson (beginning and end of class) to focus students
Student reflection on what they need help with
Student-provided feedback
Create the poll and determine how much time your students will need to respond to it. Make sure the question title and prompt is clearly worded and not open to misinterpretation.
Just before launching the poll, provide students with verbal and written instructions on how to complete the task. After launching the poll, you will be able to see in real time the number of students who have responded to the poll, the time elapsed, and the results of the poll.
End the poll when the allocated time is up. Decide if you want to show the poll results or not based on the purpose and intent of providing the poll to students. You can then decide whether to show the class the results of the poll.
Student Presentations
Columbia CTL (n. d.) offered the following information about student presentations.
Overview:
Short presentations invite students to synthesize and communicate their knowledge on a topic. Students can be asked to research an issue of interest to them related to the course topic or work on a problem outside of class, and to present their findings during an upcoming online class session. This provides students with the opportunity to link course knowledge with their own interests and experiences, and learn from their peers.
Tools used:
Zoom’s or Google Meet's Share Screen feature
Google Slides
Discussion Board Posts
Amount of pre-class preparation required:
Instructor: Moderate (15–60 minutes)
Student: Significant (>60 minutes)
How to Implement:
Identify a course objective that would best be achieved by engaging students in research and exploration.
Assign student presentations with sufficient time for your students to prepare their presentation. Depending on the topic, one or two weeks could be allowed for research. Be sure to provide specific instructions regarding the format and duration of the presentation, as well as any criteria for evaluation, such as a rubric.
Be sure to provide constructive feedback to students prior to their presentation. Consider having a brief, online meeting with each student presenter or checking in via email to provide feedback on their presentation and to answer their questions several days before the presentation.
When the presentation is complete, have all students reflect on what they learned or what questions they still have. The reflection can be public through a discussion board prompt or individual through student to teacher means like a Google Form.
Alternative active learning strategies with similar setups
Digital scavenger hunt
Book club
Student group presentations
Small Group Discussions
Columbia CTL (n. d.) offered the following information about small group discussions.
Overview:
Small group discussions are one way for students to delve deeper into an issue. Educators can pose an open-ended question or problem, or give students a scenario to work through. The duration is dependent on the task. Groups can then present their results or findings to the rest of the class.
Tools used:
Zoom’s or Google Meet's Share Screen feature
Zoom’s or Google Meet's Breakout Rooms feature
Zoom’s or Google Meet's Nonverbal Feedback feature (including hand raise)
Collaborative documents like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides
Amount of pre-class preparation required:
Instructor: Moderate (15–60 minutes)
Student: Low (<15 min)
How to Implement:
Select an objective that would most benefit from small group discussion. From the objective, develop the discussion prompt that you will assign to your students. For example:
Learning Objective: Analyze Figure 3 of the assigned research article.
Discussion Prompt: How well does the data shown in the figure support the author’s claims?
When assigning the small group discussion, be sure to include clear instructions on what your students are supposed to do. Include details like: how many students will be in a group, how much preparation time is provided, what information needs to be reported during their "share out," and how to respectfully have a small group discussion.
Because students are having these discussions in an online forum, it is recommended to only have 3-4 students per group for approximately 10-minutes.
To facilitate the small group discussion and ensure all students engage, either assign or have your students volunteer for the following roles:
Facilitator + Timekeeper
Note taker
Challenger
Reporter
Roles can be rotated during the course and during multiple small group discussions so everyone experiences the skills needed for all roles.
Let your students know up front that you may drop into the breakout room to check on their progress or answer questions.
Be sure to provide both verbal and written instructions, for students to reference as needed. Also, give them a minute to ask you any clarifying questions before you send them to their breakout rooms.
When time is up, have each group's reporter share with the class by unmuting and/or sharing their screen. Students can use the chat function to ask questions.
Voice and Choice in Learning
Kennedy (2020) discussed the benefits of giving students voice and choice, also known as personalized learning or student-centered learning, to help motivate students. Personalized learning does not require technology, but technology can assist by providing a blended learning environment. In the blended learning environment, teachers can post resources and assignments allowing students a degree of control over their own learning path, pace, time and even place.
Providing resources digitally allows teachers to spend more time building relationships with students. Pandolpho (2018) discussed how students feel an increased sense of belonging when they have more autonomy in their learning. Additionally, parents can participate by seeing what is going on in the classroom and access resources.
Personalizing content delivery and interaction helps students improve by giving them control over their own learning environment. Intentionally designing voice and choice into a LMS allows teachers to be the "guide on the side" to facilitate students' learning and growth (Kennedy, 2020, para. 4). Guiding students to facilitate their own learning fosters ownership in students and empowers them to achieve. Green & Harrington (2020) and Spencer (2020) highlighted how voice and choice empowers students and increases student engagement. Spencer (2020) discussed the importance of moving past compliance to engagement and empowerment to create student agency. Additionally, Grosskopf (2021) challenged teachers to reconsider summative assessments and move past traditional paper pencil assessments to allow students choice in how they demonstrate their learning. At its root, offering choice to students is about creating relevant opportunities for them to become interested in, so they invest time, energy, and effort in the product (Darby & Lang, 2019).
Watch one of the videos or read the article below to explore more about voice and choice. The first video (1:41) discusses how voice and choice moves students into empowerment of their own learning. The second video (3:05) illustrates where the teacher saw increased confidence and improvement when students had voice and choice. To read the article about the ten steps to encouraging voice and choice, click the blue button directly below the video.
Role of Educators in Online Learning
As a facilitator of Online Collaborative Learning (OCL), educators carefully plan their units and join digital tools with tasks for student engagement and success (Harasim, 2012). Educators at this level are also curators of digital learning environments and must seek to create warm, welcoming, respectful, inclusive online environments like traditional classrooms. Educators at this level also understand the importance of collaborative planning. Gonzalez (2020) discussed the importance of discussing the intent and purpose of activities with colleagues to ensure they meet the needs of all students. The Professional Learning Community (PLC) structure of DuFour et al. (2016) becomes more important during online education to ensure equity of learning and access for all students. Educators at this level of expertise collaboratively plan with the end in mind, pair appropriate digital tools with tasks, develop community, provide feedback, structure and organize learning, and engage students with written and verbal discourse to build their knowledge (Darby & Lang, 2019). Also at this level, educators assume the role of facilitator as they help their students, and other colleagues, master digital tools and online environments. Educators at this level, are reflective and might self-review their course design using a digital review rubric like Quality Matters (QM) or the Open SUNY Course Quality Review Rubric (OSCQR). Being reflective and self-reviewing their own practices allows educators to identify gaps in the learning design that might impeded students' progress (Darby & Lang, 2019).
Pulling It All Together
At the mastery level, you are an expert in designing online learning to engage your students. You recognize the importance of creating a digital learning environment within your LMS while easily pairing multiple digital learning tools with students tasks to promote engagement through choice and voice. You recognize the importance of shifting existing in-person strategies and techniques to digital tools to promote digital literacy and 21st Century Skills. You promote active learning in your online environment and seek to help your fellow educators do the same in theirs.
At the mastery level, educators must shift their focus from maintaining their confidence level to offering themselves as experts to collaborate with their colleagues to help them increase their confidence and comfort with online learning. As you transition to the Wrap-Up and Assessment for Level 3, what specific things have you learned about that you can use to refine your existing LMS, the learning experiences and assessments within it, to better facilitate engaging, online learning for your students?
Additional Resources:
7 Things That Happen When Students Own Their Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7S9kyk-odA (1:40)
Empowering Students with Voice & Choice: https://spencerauthor.com/empowering-students/
Facilitating and Promoting Student Engagement: https://youtu.be/LHSq1fU8p0k (12:40)
How Implementing Voice & Choice Can Improve Student Engagement: https://michiganvirtual.org/blog/how-implementing-voice-choice-can-improve-student-engagement/
How to Be a Better Online Teacher: https://www.chronicle.com/article/how-to-be-a-better-online-teacher/
Online Instructional Activities Index: https://www.uis.edu/ion/resources/instructional-activities-index/
Putting Students in Charge of their Learning: https://www.edutopia.org/article/putting-students-charge-their-learning