Online learning has been described as internet-based course(s) that occur synchronously (real-time) and/or asynchronously (not in real-time). During online courses, students and faculty engage in learning through the use of technology, e.g., Blackboard. Benefits of online learning include convenience (24/7 access), flexibility, student-centered learning, and expansion of the curriculum to global resources.
Last Reviewed
March 27, 2025
First Published
April 12, 2022
Why Use This Strategy
- During online courses, engaging students through active learning strategies can have a positive impact on student performance.
- Building community within your online course can have “positive effects on the quality of student learning, increases student engagement, and encourages motivation of students”
Teaching Tips
- Create a discussion forum as a parking lot for course information and frequently asked questions. Within this discussion forum, allow students to ask questions.
- Organize course modules based on concepts, topics, or weeks. Course structure and navigation should be consistent, clear, and simple. Use the “student view” in Blackboard to navigate your course as a student to identify issues.
- During online lectures or readings, provide students with guided notes to keep them focused and organized.
- A major challenge when teaching online is the disconnect and isolation that students face. One-way faculty can overcome this challenge is to create a community where students feel welcomed and supported. At the beginning of the course, ask students to share with you the challenges they are facing outside of the classroom.
Resources
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