Category: Higher Education

The MOOC: Window into our Pedagogical Soul

Remember the “Year of the MOOC” of 2012? What would possess us to even consider such a thing as a Massive Open Online Course? Maybe the MOOC captured our life-long-learner imaginations with the potential to enable free university-level education on an enormous scale.

This royalty free image is from pexels.com
This royalty free image comes from pexels.com.

Even the least of us could take a MIT or Stanford course from the leading expert of the world. Or, maybe the MOOC captured our mind’s eye because at our core we are teachers with an absorbing yearning to share our insightful understandings with as many as possible. But alas, the MOOC luster faded quickly. Continue reading “The MOOC: Window into our Pedagogical Soul”

Motivation in Education: Relevance

Throughout this series, we’ve explored Keller’s ARCS Model for Motivation, which includes attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction—four components used in successful face-to-face, online, and blended learning environments.

In my last post, I shared different strategies to motivate students through gaining and maintaining their attention.

Today we’ll look at practical ways you can motivate your students through course content that’s relevant to them in and outside of the classroom. Continue reading “Motivation in Education: Relevance”

Instructional Design Team to the Rescue!

Have you noticed the dark cloud in the corner of your office? That agent of doom that keeps saying: “blended instruction is just a phase,” “you don’t have time and resources to get started with blended,” or “what’s the big deal about blended anyway?”

Continue reading “Instructional Design Team to the Rescue!”

Motivation in Education: Attention

In my last post, I introduced John Keller’s ARCS Model for Motivation. The ARCs model has practical application in face-to-face, online, and blended learning environments. To recap, Keller’s ARCS Model has four parts:

  • Attention
  • Relevance
  • Confidence
  • Satisfaction

This post focuses on how you can gain a student’s attention to increase and improve his or her motivation to learn. Continue reading “Motivation in Education: Attention”

I’m Wondering: Is There a Better Way?

Wonder-thinker pixabay

I spend a lot of mental energy wondering.  I wonder if I did this … I wonder why they did that … I wonder if others wonder.  I often find myself wondering what helps people learn – including myself.  For example, I’m not very mechanically minded.  I have spent a lot of sleepless Christmas Eves trying to assemble that awesome present that looked fantastic in the store.  I often wonder if there is a better way for me to learn.

Continue reading “I’m Wondering: Is There a Better Way?”

Form an Online Connection: Part 2

This post is the second in a series titled, Form an Online Connection. Part 1 was published March 9, 2017. 

In my last post, Form an Online Connection, Part 1, you read about using your voice to connect with students. This time, the focus is on using your eyes. In a face-to-face course, students have the benefit of being in the same room with the instructor. This makes it possible to observe body language, vocal tone, and facial expressions. Valuable connections are made as the professor looks into each student’s eyes and allows them to return the gaze. Continue reading “Form an Online Connection: Part 2”

Motivation in Education: Overview

Motivating students is one of the most difficult tasks for a teacher. Don’t believe me? How many students are like Jeremy in this Zits Comic? A student’s motivation does not rely solely on his or her own effort, but also on the teacher’s behavior and the way he or she presents content. John Keller understood this when he created his ARCS Model for Motivation in 1983. Continue reading “Motivation in Education: Overview”

Form an Online Connection: Part 1

Ask any online student what they like about eLearning and they are likely to respond “the flexibility and convenience to study as it fits my schedule.” Ask them what they dislike and you may hear “the lack of personal connection.”

While students enjoy online learning, they sometimes feel isolated and detached from their instructor and peers. This is why instructors must look for ways to connect with online students. One way to connect is vocally. Continue reading “Form an Online Connection: Part 1”

Blended Learning, Part 2

8 Tips for Implementing Blended Learning in Higher Ed

Blended courses are gaining traction in higher education. In 2015, 42.3 percent of academic officers said the blended format held more promise than online courses (Allen, Seaman, Poulin, & Straut, 2016, p. 31). If you’re considering implementing blended learning in your program or higher ed institution, here are lessons I’ve learned from Spring Arbor University’s launch of a blended nursing program. Continue reading “Blended Learning, Part 2”

Blended Learning, Part 1

Effective blended learning doesn’t happen by accident; it happens by design. When done well, it can be a powerful learning environment. When done poorly, it can be a frustrating mess for students, instructors, and administrators.

As the instructional designer for SAU’s new blended RN-MSN program, I’ve learned some valuable lessons on implementing this format. In a series of posts, I’ll discuss some practical tips you can use when designing blended courses.

In this first post, I’ll give a quick overview of blending learning. Continue reading “Blended Learning, Part 1”

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