Examples

Example # 1

Student-generated content using digital tools; non-disposable assignment.

I have always incorporated student-generated content in my teaching practices even before I enrolled in @ONE's courses. However, @ONE's courses introduced other ways in which student-generated content can be delivered.

In the past, I would assign students (either in groups or individually) to summarize and orally present a certain segment of a particular chapter that we are covering. The presentation required no digital tools. After taking several @ONE courses, I modified this assignment to include the use of digital tools such as Adobe Sparks, YouTube, Canva, and other appropriate digital tools.

Below is an example of a student-generated content that requires the use of digital tools. This is also an example of a non-disposable assignment since the assignment has a life beyond the end of class and leverages digital technologies to support sharing with wider audiences.

Example # 2

Open pedagogy.

An example of open pedagogy that quickly made an impression on me is one that asks students to write test questions (Open Pedagogy Notebook by Dr. Rajiv Jhangiani). This practice fits very well with my own teaching philosophy which combines the guidance of an instructor with students' initiatives in their own learning experiences. I am a proponent of instructors having a less authoritative relationship with students and more of a learning partnership. I believe that a learning partnership ultimately results in students taking ownership of their learning. If students are asked to write test questions, not only will they have a deeper level of comprehension on a given subject but also develop analytical thinking which is essential to higher learning.

Below is an example of open pedagogy adopted from Dr. Jhangiani where I ask student to create exam questions.

Example # 3

Teaching digital ethics.

One thing that resonated with me regarding the interaction with digital environments is the profit for polarization. Although I was generally aware of the idea, I did not consider its effect in an online course. Polarization is "the intentional pitting of groups against each other so that they might focus on the ways they are different rather than the reasons they might unite." I believe collaboration fuels the speed at which society evolves. It could be that if society is focused on ways that can potentially divide it, then the chance of societal development and advancement is frustrated.

To promote digital ethics and combat profiting from polarization, I introduce students to Brené Brown's video on empathy. Unfortunately, not many people understand what it means to empathize. If people are able to empathize, then perhaps polarization would not have such a destructive effect on people because being able to empathize means being able to understand another person’s perspective without judgment.

Below is an example of how I incorporate teaching digital ethics with course concepts.

Example # 4

Microlearning.

Microlearning refers to any pedagogy that encourages learning in short segments, and it can be supported through many platforms, including social media. Among other benefits, research shows that learning in bursts yield better engagement for learners and better retention of concepts.

Below is a short video presentation I created using Microsoft PowerPoint to explain the basics of partnership taxation in under 8 minutes.