eTivities: getting started in eLearning

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eTivities getting started in eLearning

• Malcolm Ryan
• University of Greenwich

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eTivities are

• Motivating, engaging and purposeful
• Based on interaction between participants mainly
  through written message contributions
• Designed and led by an eTutor
• Asynchronous (i.e. take place over time)
• Cheap and easy to run- usually through text based
  bulletin boards

Salmon, 2003
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Key features

• A small piece of information, stimulus or
  challenge (the spark)
• Online activity which includes individual
  participants posting a contribution
• An interactive or participative element- such as
  responding to the postings of others
• Summary, feedback or critique from an eTutor (the
  plenary)
• All the instructions to take part are available
  in one online message.

Salmon, 2003
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In addition

• Use existing personal productivity tools that are
  fit for purpose
• Produce clear objectives
• Focus on activity that generates evidence
• Ensure assessment matches objectives / evidence