Techniques for Engaging Online Learners

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Techniques for Engaging Online Learners

• Donna Harp Ziegenfuss
• Instructional Design Specialist
• Faculty Technology Center
• Widener University
• 610-499-4072
• dhz0300_at_mail.widener.edu
• Donna.H.Ziegenfuss_at_widener.edu
• http//muse.widener.edu/staff/dhz0300/public/index
  .html

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Engagement Strategies
Design considerations for engagement
Setting expectations for the course
Work to establish a community
Motivation strategies
Communication strategies
Strategies for identifying and helping problem
students
Charting new territory in faculty technology
development opportunities ? Donna Harp
Ziegenfuss, Widener University
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Course Design Considerations

• The instructional design of the course can impact
  student learning
• The teaching strategies can positively or
  negatively impact student learning
• The content and course materials can impact
  student learning
• BUT!!!!!!!!!
• Materials themselves do not teach but provide a
  medium that with appropriate use can support
  learning (Oliver, Herrington, Omari, 1996)

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Course Design Considerations (cont.)

• Logical organization of online materials
• Set clear directions upfront on how students
  should navigate through materials
• Provide materials in a variety of formats
• Addresses learning styles and preferences
• Require student participation in the utilization
  of course materials
• Formatively assess as you go
• What do student like, what materials are most and
  least useful

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Setting Expectations

• Set and state expectations upfront
• Overview of course, technical requirements
• Email turn around time and modes of communication
• Available avenues for support, etc (technical,
  writing, library resources, etc)
• How often and to what extent they must have a
  presence in the course
• Who is responsible for what and when
• Deadlines, procedures and policies
• How to use the discussion forum and chat features
  
• How they will submit projects to you

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Community Creation

• Establishment of a rapport and personal
  relationship with students
• Provide avenues for personal interaction and
  sharing (ice breakers), esp. in the beginning
• Project a personality, sense of humor, interests
  and encourage students to do the same
• Timely response to student concerns, interject
  and guide to keep conversation going
• Encourage student-student communication
• Give students a stake in the community

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Motivation Strategies

• Authentic activity over inactivity (encourages
  involvement and participation)
• Relevant challenging activities,
  problem-solving projects, project variety
• Assessments to monitor progress
• Self assessments for feedback to students
• Formative course assessment for continual
  adjustment
• Collaboration and team-based projects
• Establishes a student-student support system
• Give students course facilitation
  responsibilities
• Increase ownership in their learning

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Communication Strategies

• Keep up the communication
• Dropping off in communication and response to
  students may encourage disengagement
• Have specific goals for communication projects
• Provide a variety of avenues of communication
• Synchronous (chat, telephone, F2F)
• Asynchronous (discussion forum, email, voicemail)
• Student-student, student-faculty, group-faculty
• Model and support the communication behavior you
  want to encourage
• Risk taking, freedom to express opinions, depth
  and breath, example of meaningful dialog

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Troubleshooting Strategies

• Set the expectations and gather information
  upfront
• Screen students and offer a course overview (what
  is expected, skills required)
• Gather information from students in the beginning
  (prior computer experience, online course
  experience, learning style assessment)
• Check course statistics (if available) hits,
  logons
• Keep lines of communication open (and remind
  students of these ways to get help)
• Encourage collaboration, peer study groups
• Provide feedback loops (self and peer
  assessments, genuine interactions to keep student
  involved and on task)