Facilitating Online and Blended Learning
Teaching in the online environment can come with some particular limitations. This component provides guidance on facilitating student learning in the online and blended spaces with strategies for communicating with your students, creating community, and addressing the challenges with large enrolment online courses.
Communicating in Online Courses (5 min)
Communicating in online courses requires special consideration to help keep students on track and to engage meaningfully with students through teacher presence. This helps students connect with you as the instructor of the course. Fortunately, there are a few simple approaches you can make part of your teaching practice to up your online communication game.
Next Steps to Consider
- Welcoming students to the online environment - ACUE
- Managing your online presence - ACUE
- What is Blended Learning?
- Preparing a Course Syllabus
- Communicating through Grading and Feedback
- Communicate the technical requirements students need to complete the online portion of your course (e.g., webcam, software, etc.).
- Communicate where learners can go for support (e.g., Technical Support, Academic Support and Health & Wellness)
Creating Community (8 min)
Intentionally building community within your online class is a valuable endeavor and can enhance the learning and experience of your students. Building a community in your class is more than a warm feeling - it impacts the success of your students. A sense of community and a positive classroom climate are related to student learning, persistence, and satisfaction.
Next Steps to Consider
- Why building community is important, and how to foster it in the classroom enviroment.
Designing for Large Enrolment Online Courses (9 min)
Large enrolment classes come with specific challenges and opportunities that we should keep in mind when designing assessment and learning activities in the course.
Questions?
For instructor eLearning questions and support, please contact elearning-support@uwo.ca.
