In order to transition from Emergency Remote Learning, we must first have a shared understanding of what that means. Emergency remote learning is a quick attempt by instructional institutions to continue to provide live instruction as close as possible to how instruction was provided in the face-to-face classroom. For a majority of emergency remote learning implementations, this was done by solely using a web-conferencing tool such as Zoom. So, if there were 30 students in the face-to-face class, there would now be 30 students on the live web-conference (synchronously).
The problem with emergency remote learning is that there are often difficulties with classroom management (everyone trying to talk at the same time online) and students understanding of netiquette (inappropriate chats/posts), poor visual of streaming video quality, dealing with poor audio, dealing with multiple types of distractions (students’ siblings/parents/pets/cluttered backgrounds), images presented in class (holding up a poster to the webcam as opposed to a high-quality image scan). A lot of this occurs because there are problems with faculty support and training. This deals with instructors not knowing how to properly use technology or how to use it to its full effect (example not knowing about breakout rooms within Zoom to allow students to discuss in a smaller group).
Professional online instruction is a fully planned educational implementation that doesn’t focus on replicating face-to-face instruction but instead focuses on effective student-centered instructional presentations and interactions to best address the course’s learning outcome goals. Face-to-face instruction is a purely linear, location-based, synchronous event. Online instruction is different in that it does not have to be linear; students can review an instructional video multiple times if they need/want to. Online learning is mobile and is not tied to a specific location so students can learn from any location. Additionally, although online instruction can use synchronous tools like live web-conferencing, it can and should use multiple asynchronous tools like instructional videos and message boards (Anders, 2019; Hrastinski, 2008). The key takeaway is that online instruction does not have to be, and in most cases shouldn’t be, like face-to-face instruction. There are a lot of advantages to online learning that instructors need to take advantage of to better instruct the student.
Below are what I have identified as the three main components of a professional online course as well as an overarching aspect:
Each one of these components has specific parts to it that need to be used/addressed to maximize student learning. Consider each aspect and how your actions online as the instructor helps to facilitate their success.
INSTRUCTIONAL PRESENTATIONS (Content): notice the many ways that instructional content can be presented to the student online. Use rich media (TEDTalks, YouTube, etc.) as often as appropriate to maximize visualization, interest, motivation, and comprehension. Additionally, remember that the assessment itself can be an instructional presentation (Gajjar, Mirza, Shah, Mistry, 2017). Learning by going through a game, simulation, case-study, scenario, etc., is a great example of this. The key is to present information in a clear way, and always showing relevancy (why is this important, why are we using class time for this).
INTERACTION: engagement within an online course is the key to success. Notice that beyond the typical main 3 important interaction types (student to instruction, student to content, and student to student), (Moore, 1989), 2 additional interactions are listed: student to technology and student to self (Chew, & Kwok, 2014; Nilson, 2016). Addressing students’ anxiety and comfort level with the online course technology can have a huge impact on students’ performance (some students may need additional scaffolding such as course navigation/online tool usage explanation videos). Similarly, understanding the importance of a need for students to reflect and personalize the information being learned can greatly affect their comprehension and retention (use more personally relevant and reflective questions in discussion boards and for essay assignments).
ASSESSMENTS: online assessments can take many forms such as multiple-choice, short-answer tests, essays/reports, group projects, and live student presentations. But those are just examples; thanks to technology and creativity, there are no limits to what can be done. Students could create video examples of what was learned in class, create reflective journals, even create dramatic short films expressing an aspect of the content learned. Students could answer questions via a news briefing format, have to write a screenplay about a topic, could interview someone in the industry being studied; there are so many options available. Just be sure to create clear grading rubrics to help students understand what is required.
It needs to be stressed that relevancy (“why this is important to you personally as a student”) must be explicitly highlighted in all three online instruction components: Instructional Presentation (content), Interaction, and Assessments. This is a major aspect of instructional presence and helps students’ motivation and ability to persist with learning even during challenging instruction or environmental distractions. As always, I recommend instructors use the easy to understand implement Keller’s ARCS (Attention, Relevancy, Confidence, Satisfaction) Model of Motivation (Anders, 2019; Keller, 1987).
That ties in with one final issue to guide your mindset when professionally instructing online, it is all about the student. As instructors we aren’t there to simply express information (lecture), students can get that from a book or video. We are there to help transform the human student’s understanding and thought process. That human student will have questions that need to be answered, will have emotions such as anxiety and joy that need to be understood and addressed. Students will also need to have the information expressed in a multiple of ways, audio/visual/textual and will need to interact with the learning in different ways to truly be transformed and retain the learned instruction (use hands-on learning as often/much as possible). We must always consider the student’s point of view as we design our student/learning-centered instruction. Also, don’t forget to try and make it fun, it increases engagement, motivation, and knowledge retention (Abele, 1995; Anders, 2019; Hascher, 2010; Lucardie 2014).
What are your thoughts? Share your ideas on transitioning from remote learning to professional online instruction in the comments below.
Reference
Abele, A. (1995) Stimmung und Leistung [Mood and achievement]. Göttingen: Hogrefe.
Anders, B. (2017). How to enhance instructional presence: Research & experience based techniques to improve both online & face-to-face instruction. Manhattan, KS: Sovorel Publishing.
Anders, B. (2019). The Army Learning Concept, Army Learning Model: A guide to understanding and implementation. Emporia, KS: Sovorel Publishing.
Gajjar B, Mirza N, Shah N, Mistry M. (2017). Assignment-based learning of essential medicine list concepts among undergraduate medical students. National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology, 2017;8:924-927.
Hrastinski, S. (2008). Asynchronous and synchronous e-learning: A study of asynchronous and synchronous e-learning methods discovered that each supports different purposes. EDUCAUSE Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 4.
Keller, J. M. (1987). Development and use of the ARCS model of instructional design. Journal of Instructional Development, 10(3), 2-10.
Hascher, T. (2010). Learning and Emotion: perspectives for theory and research. European Educational Research Journal, 9(1), 13-28. Lucardie 2014.
Moore, M. G. (1989). Three types of interaction. American Journal of Distance Education, 3(2), 1-6. Nilson, 2016
Nilson, L. B. (2016). Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.