Page 36 - Campus Technology, March/April 2020

FEATURE Online Learning
ease the transition process. For example, many students have used synchronous teleconferenc- ing tools and social media applications that often mirror functions in the online learning environ- ment. Providing students this frame of refer- ence as a corollary can assist with the adoption process as you find analogous examples to your online learning environment. Ultimately, the process of learning requires the exchange of thoughts, ideas and information with an avenue for assessment; and focusing on these aspects and a virtual environment still allows for this
to occur.” —Marc Booker, associate provost; and Kelly Herman, vice president, Accessibility, Equity & Inclusion, University of Phoenix
“In this time of uncertainty, the key is simplify- ing. When designing online curricula, less is more. It’s important to use technology that students are already familiar with whether it be via mobile phones or computers.” —Sara Monte- abaro, learning lead, MIT Solve
“Most students should have no problem getting used to an online platform like Zoom, given Gen- eration Z is more tech-savvy then anyone. The biggest problem students may have is not get- ting distracted by the rest of the internet while watching their course. Therefore, I’d recommend closing all other applications such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.” —Shaan Patel, founder of Prep Expert
“Online students should approach this in the same way that in-person students do. Show up for class at certain times, put in the work. Find a way to communicate with your fellow class-
mates and engage with your professors.
“If students don’t have experience working on-
line, they should first set up a comfortable and quiet place in their homes that’s free from dis- traction. If possible, use headphones to drown out other noises. Download any software need- ed to join videoconferences or to obtain refer- ence materials. Bookmark content that faculty has set up to get to quickly and easily. If attend- ing a live class via video, try to fully participate with the instructor and fellow classmates by turning on your video. Set up study groups with fellow students via video technology as well.” — Wayne Bovier, founder and CEO at Higher Digital
What are the easiest components of a course to transition to online delivery — the low- hanging fruit?
“Sharing materials, communicating information, and discussing topics or responding to questions are all core components of teaching and easily done online. Teachers need to know which tech- nologies are available to them to facilitate these core activities, and how they can get started.” — Carli Tegtmeier, vice president of Sales and Higher Education at Pronto
“Homework-type assignments are easy. [Make sure they can be] e-mailed either in the body of an e-mail or sent as an attachment. What resources can be pointed to for research as- signments? Are there videos on YouTube or TED Talks that show some of the content? Can quizzes be created from that? And how can quizzes be done in a non-traditional format? [Use] something like Kahoot! to have students ‘play’ against each other.” —Kara Longo Korte,
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CAMPUS TECHNOLOGY | Mar/Apr 2020