“Best Practices in Engaging Online Learners Through Active and Experiential
Learning Strategies, 2nd Edition offers a unique and fresh perspective on how
instructors can create authentic and dynamic learning experiences for all online
learners. This book is a must-read for new and experienced online teachers
for its practical suggestions on fostering high-quality interactions in online
environments, regardless of the discipline or cohort of students. Filled with
strategies for using real-world contexts to create meaningful and engaging
activities for students, this book is a rare treat for those instructors seeking to
take their teaching to a new level of practice and community!”
— Molly Mott, Associate Provost and Dean of Academic
Support Services and Instructional Technologies at the
State University of New York at Canton, USA
“Best Practices in Engaging Online Learners Through Active and Experiential
Learning Strategies, 2nd Edition is an important and timely publication that
will guide even the most analog-minded teachers to use it, refer to it, and
be transformed by it. The sheer variety of this expansive book will leave no
instructor unsupported in enhancing their online learning environments with
innovative approaches to teaching and learning. I strongly recommend this
inspiring and timely resource to young and seasoned educators.”
— Nina Araújo, Learning Experience Designer at
Northeastern University, USA
Best Practices in Engaging
Online Learners Through
Active and Experiential
Learning Strategies
Best Practices in Engaging Online Learners Through Active and Experiential Learning Strategies,
Second Edition, is a practical guide for all instructors, instructional designers, and online
learning administrators designing, developing, teaching, and leading online, hybrid and
blended learning courses and programs, who seek to provide supportive, engaging, and
interactive learner experiences. This book explores the integration of active and experiential
learning approaches and activities including simulations, gamification, social media integration,
project-based learning, scenario-based learning, virtual tours, and online micro-credentialing
as they relate to the development of authentic skill-building, communication, problemsolving, and critical-thinking in learners. New and emerging learning technologies of virtual
and augmented reality along with artificial intelligence are included in this updated edition
with examples of how instructors can actively use them in online courses to engage learners
in experiential experiences. Readers will find guidelines for the development of participatory
and peer-learning, competency-based learning, field-based experiences, clinical experiences,
and service-learning opportunities in the online classroom. In addition, the authors provide
effective learning strategies, discipline-specific examples, templates, and additional resources
that align learner engagement with assessment practices and course outcomes.
Stephanie Smith Budhai is Associate Professor in the School of Education and Human Services
at Neumann University, USA, and has spent over a decade designing, developing, teaching,
and assessing undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral online courses and programs. Stephanie
holds a Ph.D. in Learning Technologies and is a previous International Society for Technology
Education (ISTE) Awardee for Excellence in Teacher Education. In addition to being certified in
Instructional Technology, Information Technology, and Technology Education, she is a Quality
Matters Certified Online Course Reviewer, a VoiceThread Certified Educator, and a Google
Certified Educator Level 1. She is on the southeast regional board of the Pennsylvania Association
for Educational Communications and Technology and her Twitter handle is @DrBudhai.
Ke'Anna Brown Skipwith is the Assistant Provost for Advances in Learning at Wentworth
Institute of Technology, USA. She partners with academic departments and organizational
divisions to enhance the curricula and integrate innovative pedagogical approaches. Ke'Anna
has over a decade of experience developing and designing online and hybrid programs. She has
been instrumental in implementing institutional learning practices and academic strategies
to elevate the student learning experience. Ke'Anna has been an adjunct professor, committee
co-chair, curriculum planning team member for various professional development programs
and workshops, student organization advisor, and a host of an online teaching and learning
podcast.
Best Practices in Online Teaching and Learning
Series Editor Susan Ko
For a full list of titles in this series, please visit: www.routledge.com/BestPractices-in-Online-Teaching-and-Learning/book-series/BPOTL
Best Practices for Teaching with Emerging Technologies by Michelle
Pacansky-Brock
Best Practices in Online Program Development: Teaching and Learning in
Higher Education by Elliot King and Neil Alperstein
Best Practices for Flipping the College Classroom edited by Julee B. Waldrop
and Melody A. Bowdon
Best Practices in Engaging Online Learners through Active and Experiential
Learning Strategies by Stephanie Smith Budhai and Ke'Anna Brown Skipwith
Best Practices for Teaching with Emerging Technologies, 2e by Michelle
Pacansky-Brock
Best Practices in Planning Strategically for Online Educational Programs, by
Elliott King and Neil Alperstein
Best Practices in Designing Courses with Open Educational Resources, by Olena
Zhadko and Susan Ko
Best Practices for Administering Online Programs, by Daniel Hillman, Robert
Schudy, and Anatoly Tenkin
Best Practices in Engaging Online Learners Through Active and Experiential
Learning Strategies, 2e by Stephanie Smith Budhai and Ke'Anna Brown
Skipwith
Best Practices in Engaging
Online Learners Through
Active and Experiential
Learning Strategies
Second Edition
Stephanie Smith Budhai and
Ke'Anna Brown Skipwith
Second edition published 2022
by Routledge
605 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10158
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2022 Taylor & Francis
The right of Stephanie Smith Budhai and Ke'Anna Brown Skipwith to be
identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance
with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,
now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording,
or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
First edition published by Routledge 2017
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A catalog record for this book has been requested
ISBN: 978-0-367-68184-5 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-367-69094-6 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-14040-5 (ebk)
Typeset in Minion Pro
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
Access the Support Material: www.routledge.com/9780367690946
This book is dedicated to my children, Kingston and Kennedy.
May this book serve as a reminder that there is no limit to what
you can achieve.
Stephanie Smith Budhai
I dedicate this book to the loving memory of my grandparents,
William and Inez Brown, who always believed in me and for
inspiring me to pursue my passion.
Ke'Anna Brown Skipwith
Contents
Acknowledgmentsx
1 Online Learner Engagement: Beyond the Traditional
Discussion Board
1
2 Real-World Connections: Field-Based Experiences, Civic
Engagement Opportunities, and Simulations
11
3 Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning: Virtual Labs,
Artificial Intelligence, and Virtual and Augmented Reality
33
4 Staying Connected: Gamification and Social Media
53
5 Building Social Presence: Participatory and Peer-Learning
Opportunities69
6 Assessment Practices: Evaluating Active and Experiential
Learning87
References106
Index110
ix
Acknowledgments
From Stephanie Smith Budhai
This book would not have been possible without my family of educators, especially my Aunt Jackie and late Uncle Reggie, who have inspired me to continue
to hone my pedagogical practices and make academic contributions to the field.
To my mother, Charlotte, for your constant encouragement and unwavering
support. For listening to the long titles of articles and books I am working on
and always seeming interested. To my brother, Malik, who has been a needed
support as both sibling and fellow educator. To my husband, Winston, who
never complains while I am always writing and who listens to me read drafts all
of the time. To my colleagues from Drexel University, Fred and Kristine, who
gave me my first experience with teaching online courses. And to my co-author,
Ke'Anna, for working with me and bringing her expertise in instructional
design to this book. I would also like to thank Senior Editor Daniel Schwartz,
who has been a tremendous support throughout the entire process.
From Ke'Anna Brown Skipwith
Writing this book has contributed to my desire to partner with instructors to
develop and implement effective online learning practices that enhance the
student educational experience. I want to thank my community of supporters (you know who you are) for their ideas, suggestions and for inspiring me
to share these examples and resources with the world. I am also grateful for
the invaluable advice and feedback from my amazing mentors throughout this
endeavor. To my mother, Robin, and sister, Sade’ , for their continuous encouragement. And to my co-author, Stephanie, for the opportunity to collaborate
and for sharing her expertise in online teaching. Finally, special thanks to Daniel Schwartz and Susan Ko, Series Editor, for their guidance and support in
making this book a reality.
x
1
Online Learner Engagement
Beyond the Traditional Discussion Board
KEY TERMS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Active Learning
Asynchronous Learning
Discussion Boards
Experiential Learning
Flexible Learning Environments
Higher Order Thinking
Instructional Design
Synchronous Learning
Towards a Paradigm Shift
Online learning has rapidly become a sought-after pedagogical option for
teaching and learning. Offering opportunities for both asynchronous and synchronous experiences, online learning can provide faculty a wide range of ways
to connect students with content from a distance. It is no secret that prior to
the year 2020, many instructors were already actively engaging their learners
in the online learning environment. These are our champions and pioneers in
this area, and we applaud their forward thinking. Despite the growth in courses
offered online, some may still think online education is largely based on independent work, with little opportunities for active learning and collaboration,
or application of learning in an authentic way. This type of thinking is highly
detrimental to the integrity and reputation of online teaching and learning.
Research has proven that frequent high-quality interactions between learners
and instructors add to their success and serve as a learner engagement technique (Brinthaupt, Fisher, Gardner, Raffo, & Woodard, 2011; Martin & Bolliger,
2018). These findings encourage us to change the way we are thinking regarding interactions and engaging learners online. Learning online does not mean
that students will be isolated while consuming course content. On the contrary, there are a myriad of ways students can learn online while being actively
engaged in the experience. This book aims to provide practices and techniques
1
2 • Online Learner Engagement
to structure online courses with active and experiential learning opportunities
to engage learners in any academic discipline.
The role of online learning in higher education has drastically changed
how learners access and process information in the past decade. According to
Quaye and Harper (2015), education is moving from a one-size-fits all learning model, and “dependency on sameness is no longer appropriate” (p. 3), for
any learning environment. As of 2017, almost 3 million students were taking classes online (Allen & Seaman, 2017), and that number will continue to
increase expeditiously. Students need to practice and learn through experience
(Dewey, 1938), and there are many ways to do just that. For example, nursing faculty teaching online have used virtual clinical simulations (Aebersold &
Tschannen, 2013) to allow students to practice making patient care decisions.
Through digital games such as Foldit, used to identify and design proteins
that help scientists better understand how to treat Alzheimer’s, Cancer, and
COVID-19, gamification has helped students learn traditionally unengaging
content and raise their interest in solving real-world problems (Sailer, Hense,
Mayr, & Mandl, 2017). Adapting and developing these high impact, deeper
learning, active and experiential techniques can truly connect learners to the
course content and prepare them to make meaningful contributions to society
before they graduate.
Active and Experiential Learning Opportunities
in the Online Classroom
Active learning and experiential learning are common terms, but they are often
defined differently. The Association of Experiential Education (2015) defines
experiential education as:
a philosophy that informs many methodologies in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection
in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, clarify values, and develop
people’s capacity to contribute to their communities.
(para. 2)
Experiential learning activities require learners to go beyond the confines of
the online classroom and connect their learning to the real world, often making
contributions to their future professional field and society. In traditional faceto-face on-campus programs and courses, learners often participate in different
types of experiential learning activities that help connect course content with
real-world practice in their field. There are several types of experiential learning
models including problem-based learning, project-based learning, servicelearning, and place-based education (Wurdinger & Carlson, 2010), as well as
field experiences, practicums, internships, study abroad, and inquiry-based
Online Learner Engagement • 3
learning. David Kolb (1984) has expanded on the instructional approaches
of John Dewey by developing an experiential learning model that consists of
four key components: concrete experience, observation and reflection, forming
abstract concepts, and active experimentation. We will discuss these in more
detail in the next chapter. Geographical constraints (Waldner, Widener, &
McGorry, 2012), and the required time during the day for course instruction
are more flexible and not impacted by experiential learning in online courses.
All of these experiences include a reflective piece, which could occur through
the use of several emerging learning technologies.
Active learning is defined as an instructional approach that engages learners in the learning process. Through active learning, learners participate in
meaningful activities “that involves them doing things and thinking about the
things they are doing” (Bonwell & Eison, 1991, p. 2). Some examples include
using virtual labs, embedded videos with quizzes, role-playing, and interactive simulations as active learning techniques to shape the evolution of a new
learning landscape for online learners. As shown in Figure 1.1, there is a broad
range of active learning techniques that can be integrated into online courses.
Incorporating active learning in online learning environments is crucial
because it includes collaboration, exchanging ideas, and fostering an inclusive
environment.
Figure 1.1 A spectrum of active learning techniques by complexity and classroom
time commitment
Source: Chris O’Neal and Tershia Pinder-Grove, Center for Learning and Teaching, University of Michigan
4 • Online Learner Engagement
Active learning approaches can also help instructors focus on hands-on
experiences and interactive lessons in a real-world context within online
courses. It can lead to high retention of students learning valuable concepts
tied to a specific event, experience, or learning opportunity. While passive
learning activities such as reading chapters from a textbook and viewing
prerecorded lectures are not less important and should not be ignored, it is
recommended that they are coupled with active learning activities that help
reinforce the skills needed to understand the content. By focusing on learning activities that active and experiential, learners are exposed to multiple
opportunities to engage with course content, which is a necessary process in
self-reflection and a valuable exercise in social and professional situations that
generally lead to increased learning and understanding of a particular event
or subject area.
The instructional design of online courses, taken together with active learning, deals with motivation, challenge, individual learning preferences, and
social interaction. When instructors incorporate active learning techniques
closely tied to desired learning outcomes, they can transform practical experiences into the online classroom environment. Experiential opportunities
create authentic opportunities for sharing and transferring knowledge of information to learners in order to meet the required course learning performance
goals and standards. These examples cultivate learner development, build on
learners’ previous knowledge, and help learners develop in-depth knowledge
and enhance team building, problem-solving, analysis, and critical thinking
skills. In this section we shared just a few ways faculty can engage learners by
incorporating active and experiential learning activities into online courses.
Throughout the book, a plethora of additional strategies, online resources and
teaching tools will be shared.
Rationale for Engaging Online Learners
We have found that online education environments provide opportunities for
exciting and innovative experiences. It is difficult to imagine that learners who
complete online courses be passive consumers of content. Michelle Pacansky-Brock (2017) argued that one of the difficulties college instructors face
is low engagement and motivation in the classroom. It is not uncommon for
instructors and instructional designers to experience similar challenges when
designing and teaching online courses focused on actively engaging learners.
It is important to foster experiences in the online classroom that learners enjoy
and want to be part of. Additionally, retention and attrition are always a topic
of substance, and with over 29 percent of college students taking at least one
course online (Allen & Seaman, 2017), should be focused on. We should recognize that online learners are more at risk of feeling isolated psychologically from
the course experience (Bigatel & Williams, 2015), and use that as a catalyst to
Online Learner Engagement • 5
ensure that learners feel connected to the online class and institutional community. Interestingly, despite all of the innovation and creativity that has surfaced
in the last decade surrounding online teaching, many still rely on traditional
practices such as lecture and text-based discussion boards.
The active and experiential learning strategies that we employ in traditional
courses can be, and already are being, translated into the online course environment by many instructors and instructional designers. In the past, a common
question would be: why move a traditional course that is already well structured and actively engages learners into the online environment? In addition
to environmental factors that have pushed many college courses online, there
may be a course that an instructor has taught for years in the traditional classroom setting very well, but due to demands from administration to offer more
courses online, or a personal interest of the instructor to instruct in a different
setting, the course must now be delivered online. Also, with a recent global
pandemic that has caused what we see as “emergency online learning”, now is a
key time for all instructors, instructional designers, and program administrators to adopt ways to actively engage learners online. While the availability of
robust Learning Management Systems (LMS) has helped streamline the process of translating content and learning activities into the online environment,
structuring courses to match the level of engagement and learner interest typically present in a traditional course, while developing learning activities that
allow learners to be full, active participants in their learning process, can present some challenges.
Aside from ensuring pedagogical soundness in online courses, competition
from a wide variety of online programs can be the impetus for rethinking about
how we shape our online classrooms. Learners seek online learning experiences
that go beyond reading words on a computer screen and responding to questions
by typing their responses. While it adds an interesting interactive component
to the course, the traditional use of the discussion board does not necessarily
create a course that is designed with active and experiential learning in mind.
Since the discussion board is often an element overly relied upon, embedding
more active participation into the discussion board by reframing questions and
prompts intentionally with a “doing” aspect can provide an active learning element to it. Learning activities that allow for going beyond the discussion board
provide more intentional opportunities for learners to actively engage in their
own learning. We see these active and experiential learning opportunities as
what a marriage between the upper echelon of Bloom’s taxonomy of higher
order thinking (Bloom, 1956) and the major tenets of John Dewey’s theory of
experiential learning (Dewey, 1938), would look like. The way in which content
is presented and how opportunities for learners to engage with content must be
grounded with these two in mind. Learners must have the chance to learn while
doing in the online classroom in order to create, produce, evaluate, and access
deeper learning experiences (Czerkawski, 2014).
6 • Online Learner Engagement
The opportunity to receive course content online has allowed for several
populations of learners who would not have previously had the chance to access
a post-secondary course. By rethinking pedagogy in the online classroom and
incorporating a host of active and experiential learning strategies, these things
can come to fruition. The question is not whether the quality of instruction and
learning experiences can be maintained in the online classroom. The question
is, how can instructors and instructional designers build courses that encourage deeper learning (Czerkawski, 2014) while fully engaging learners in the
learning process? We answer this question in this book by providing active and
experiential learning strategies that can be integrated in online learning environments. In addition, simple, practical, and ubiquitous emerging technology
tools that support the integration of active and experiential learning strategies
are shared and connected to discipline specific examples.
Opportunities for Flexible Learning Environments
Online learning has allowed institutions of higher education to reach a more
diverse and global learner population. According to Allen and Seaman (2017),
over 15 percent of college students take some combination of both online
and on-campus courses. Online learning is also providing learners with flexible learning opportunities that suit their busy lifestyles, providing affordable
financing options, as well as accessibility to connect with their instructors and
classmates across the world. This flexibility means offering different formats and
modalities of courses. A synchronous online course structure does not immediately translate to a more engaging learning experience than asynchronous.
Both synchronous and asynchronous learning must provide opportunities for
students to deeply and holistically engage in the learning experience. With the
evolution of online learning and emerging technologies, there are limitless ways
to actively engage learners in online courses in all types of formats.
Asynchronous Online Learning
What is the main difference between asynchronous and synchronous learning
in an online environment? The asynchronous learning model is self-paced and
allows the learner to complete the course materials at a time more convenient
for them. Instructors working within this learning modality can post course lectures, assignments and knowledge checkpoints that are completed individually
by each learner. However, learner interaction in many asynchronous environments solely takes place through discussion boards and other designated areas
using the LMS tools. Assigned by the instructor, learners may be required to
provide a response or feedback to one another after posting initial responses,
typically regarding the course readings. Creating opportunities for active and
experiential learning for asynchronous online courses can help ameliorate the
lack of collaboration and engaged activity in asynchronous online courses.
Online Learner Engagement • 7
Synchronous Online Learning
The synchronous learning model inherently requires active learner participation with the instructor and their peers because course sessions will be live,
occurring at specific dates and times throughout the duration of the course.
Learners are required to attend and participate fully in synchronous learning
activities and assignments. Instructors working within this learning modality can also post recordings of the live course lectures as described above in
the asynchronous learning environments. The key difference in synchronous
learning environments is that students and instructors are live together, which
can provide multiple ways to share, collaborate, and exchange knowledge.
Learning in the 21st century calls for online learning environments to be
flexible, participatory, and to not depend on a specific learning modality (e.g.
asynchronous or synchronous). Through active and experiential learning
activities, any type of online environment can be transformed and engaging
to students.
Creating Learning Communities of Practice
Online educators must create instructional strategies that cater to diverse learning preferences, student learning comprehension, and capacity. Some learners
may prefer to go through the content multiple times, resulting in them taking
longer to complete the content within a given timeframe. Other learners may
choose to get through the content more quickly. Learners are acquiring useful skills through participation in online learning environments. In addition,
this can be beneficial in how an individual’s online experiences can be used to
facilitate learning and assess learning outcomes and abilities in the classroom.
Through active and experiential learning activities, quality interactions can be
present in both synchronous and asynchronous online courses.
The evolving landscape for online learning includes effective learning communities of practice. Wenger-Trayner and Wenger-Trayner (2015) describes
communities of practices where learners share a concern or a passion for
something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.
Communities of practice are cultivated and controlled by learners and facilitated by the instructor. It is the learners that determine what type of content
to interact with, and which learning tools can reinforce certain learning goals
of the subject matter. In this sense, communities of practice are strengthened
by instructors if they shift the focus of learning from an individual assignment
such as the discussion board to group interactions with targeted activities that
allow students to connect with one another on a regular basis, within the constraints of their time and interests. Simply put, this approach allows new ways
of communicating and synthesizing information and all learners should be
exposed to these emerging active learning trends, even and especially within
the online classroom. As methods for online learning expand, it is important to
8 • Online Learner Engagement
seize opportunities to teach and share strategies for engaging online communities of practice to ensure that learners are aware of these new and emerging
techniques and strategies.
Ideas for Going Beyond the Traditional Discussion Board
A major aim of this book is to provide strategies to engage online learners in
active and experiential learning activities. And while this chapter has focused
on online learner engagement beyond the discussion board, we would be
remiss if we did not highlight how to incorporate active and experiential learning activities within the discussion board. Table 1.1 includes ideas by discipline,
to go beyond the traditional discussion board of asking students to respond to
questions based on the week’s readings or summarize their understanding of
the readings.
Table 1.1 Discipline-specific examples for active learning activities within the discussion board
Discipline
Art History
Description of what students will be required to do on the
discussion board
Post an image in the discussion board and ask students to
respond using video with the image as the background slide, and
articulate the connection to the historical era it was created in.
Business
Post a business plan and have the students respond by
suggesting ways to improve it. You can assign students certain
parts of the business plan to focus on or let them choose.
Counseling
Have students role play different counseling scenarios and post
the videos on the discussion board.
Foreign Language
Use the discussion board to have students translate phrases
that the instructor posts in the foreign language that they are
studying.
All Disciplines
• Have students create an infographic to introduce themselves
to the class instead of typing a response.
• Choose a student each week to moderate the discussion
board.
• Use case studies and have students present their responses as
opposed to have students simply summarize the readings.
• Require students to use either voice or video record their
responses to discussion board questions instead of typing
text.
• Organize students in small learning communities throughout
the course and post the discussion questions only to each
group area.
Online Learner Engagement • 9
Moving Forward with Active and Experiential Learning Strategies
We hope that the content of Chapter 1 has excited you about continuing or starting to reframe the online class environment to include active and experiential
learning activities and move online learners from being passive consumers of
information to active participants of their learning. With the growth of online
learning and newly available learning technologies, we have updated this second volume to share contemporary ways to incorporate active and experiential
learning strategies into online and hybrid courses.
The following chapters will provide more details on how to incorporate
active and experiential learning strategies into online classrooms, with examples covering various disciplines. Chapter 2 covers experiential learning in more
depth, focusing on real-world connections, field-based experiences (clinicals,
practicums, student teaching), virtual field trips, civic engagement, and simulations. Chapter 3 explores project-based learning, scenario-based learning,
virtual labs, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality. Chapter 4 discusses
gamification and social media with ideas for including badging and progress
indicators to motivate learners. Chapter 5 examines organizing and facilitating
participatory and peer-learning and building social presence, while managing
their inherent challenges. Chapter 6 focuses on how to assess learner engagement and active learning to ensure that the strategies incorporated are effective
in positively impacting the learning environment. Throughout each chapter
are examples of active and experiential learning strategies that can be adopted
in different academic disciplines, correlating technology tools that can be used,
and planning templates that can help you get started.
What’s New in the 2nd Edition?
We have added several features throughout the book to help you plan and
implement active and experiential learning strategies in your online courses:
Updated Technology and Online Resources: The second edition has
been updated to include cutting edge and new technology and online
resources that can be used in online courses to engage learners. Outdated technology tools that are now obsolete or not as impactful
have been removed, and new and emerging technologies have been
included. Also, to provide a greater ease of access to the technology
tools mentioned throughout each chapter, at the end of each chapter,
starting with Chapter 2, there is a list that contains all of the technology
tools and online resources mentioned in that chapter.
Planning Template: Chapters 2 through 5 contain planning templates
that can help you organize and prepare to include the active and experiential learning strategies described in each chapter into your own
online courses.
10 • Online Learner Engagement
Discipline-Specific Examples: To better help you situate some of the
ideas mentioned in this book into your own discipline, we provide
a wide range of discipline-specific examples throughout each chapter that you can easily reference. As you use the planning templates
mentioned earlier, feel free to include some of the discipline-specific
examples found throughout each chapter.
Contemporary Chapter Titles: In addition, we have renamed the chapters to better reflect the new content and updated technology tools
available. We also cover a myriad of emerging topics such as augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence, micro-credentialing,
competency-based learning, simulations, virtual field trips and virtual
labs. We hope that you find the content useful as you engage your
online learners in active and experiential learning activities.
2
Real-World Connections
Field-Based Experiences, Civic Engagement
Opportunities, and Simulations
KEY TERMS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Clinical Experiences
Internships
Online Journaling
Practicums
Service-Learning
Simulations
Student Teaching
Study Abroad
Video Conferencing
Virtual Field Trips
Virtual Scheduling
Vlogs
Experiential Learning
Over the last century, experiential learning has been the subject of much
research. Engaging with the community (Dewey, 1915), reflective thinking,
and learning from experience (Dewey, 1933) are some of the major tenets of
experiential learning. In order to create authentic learning experiences for
learners, opportunities for gaining experience must be integrated with education to create unique non-formal learning for students to learn while doing
(Dewey, 1938). This holds true too for courses that are delivered in online formats. Dewey (1938) held the “belief that all genuine education comes from
experience” (p. 13) and that through the experiences that learners would receive
as a result of “learning by doing”, they would grow and develop to be active
members of society.
Kolb (1984) added to the work of Dewey and presented a model for understanding the process of experiential learning through a four-stage cycle: concrete
experience, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active
experimentation (see Figure 2.1). In the concrete experience stage, learners
11
12 • Real-World Connections
Figure 2.1 Kolb’s (1984) Experiential Learning Model
Source: Creative Commons
experience and participate in a new experience or a familiar experience in
a different way. In the next stage, reflective observation, learners have the
opportunity to reflect on the experiences gained in the first stage. Abstract conceptualization is when meaning is made from what the learners thought about
in the second stage. The final stage, active experimentation, is the application
piece. Learners take the experience they have through experiential learning and
apply it in their real lives and future professions.
According to the Association of Experiential Education (2015), experiential
learning is defined as:
a philosophy that informs many methodologies in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection
in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, clarify values, and develop
people’s capacity to contribute to their communities. Experiential educators include teachers, camp counselors, corporate team builders, therapists,
challenge course practitioners, environmental educators, guides, instructors,
coaches, mental health professionals . . . and the list goes on. It is often utilized in many disciplines and settings: Non-formal education, Place-based
education, Project-based education, Global education, Environmental education, Learner-centered education, Informal education, Active learning,
Service learning, Cooperative learning and Expeditionary learning.
(para. 2)
Real-World Connections • 13
Types of Experiential Learning
Clinical Experiences
Clinical experiences provide hands on opportunities for students in healthcare related programs to practice their skills in facilities (Sand, Elison-Bowers,
Wing, & Kendrick, 2014), that are similar to those that they will work in the
future. Clinical experiences are extremely important as they connect students
with real-world practice as they hone their craft. Nursing students learn bedside
manner, taking temperatures, and working with patient care, while physical
therapy students see real-life structures of the body and how to work within
a therapeutic setting. Clinical experiences also benefit medical students in the
different specialty areas. Students in counseling programs use clinical experiences to practice working with clients and leading them through therapy.
Cooperative Education (Co-op)
Similar to internships in that learners complete their experience in a professional work environment related to their career goals and profession, co-ops
are usually longer than internships, 6–12 months in duration, and learners are
typically competitively compensated. The Cooperative Education and Internship Association (2019) define cooperative education as:
a structured method of combining classroom-based education with
practical work experience. A cooperative education experience, commonly known as a “co-op”, provides academic credit for structured job
experience. Co-op experiences are either full-time (40 hours per week)
alternating periods (semester, quarter) of work and school or part-time
(20 hours per week) combining work and school during the same time
period. Co-op experiences are paid, supervised by a professional who has
followed the same career path of the student and students complete more
than one assignment (2 or more) with progressive levels of responsibility.
(para. 12)
Some institutions have co-op experiences embedded as a requirement for learners in all academic programs, while other institutions may only require it for
certain majors such as business and law. Completing a co-op experience while
completing other courses online is a very attractive option because learners can
take more courses while working during the day at their co-op site.
Internships
An internship is a short-term experience, paid or unpaid, that provides learners with real-world experience in the profession they are hoping to be part of
14 • Real-World Connections
upon graduating with their degree. The National Association of Colleges and
Employers (2011) define internships as:
a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory
learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give learners the opportunity
to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the
opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.
(para. 6)
To complete an internship, an accounting major may spend six weeks during the summer as an intern at an accounting firm, or a social work major
may spend a semester interning for a social services agency. Internships have
a defined start and end time, or number of hours, and learners are supervised
by a site manager and their instructor. Learners typically receive college credit
for their internship experience but may not be required to take a full load of
courses during the time they are completing their internships.
Practicums
A practicum is an experiential learning experience where learners go out in
the field to experience the work of the academic disciplines they are currently
majoring in. Practicums are short-term experiences and typically last a few
hours a week or month, throughout the course term. Practicums are generally
not paid experiences, but they are connected to course content and students
receive academic credit for it. Learners are usually required to complete field
reports based on their experiences at the practicum site.
Service-Learning
Service-learning combines service to the community and reflection, with course
content. Jacoby (1999) defines service-learning as a “form of experiential education in which learners engage in activities that address human and community
needs together with structured opportunities intentionally designed to promote
student learning and development” (p. 20). Service-learning is distinct from
volunteerism or community service as it is directly connected to a course and
typically learners receive academic credit for completing their service-learning
experience as part of a course. There is also a critical reflection piece required for
service-learning courses that serves as a mechanism for learners to think deeply
about their civic commitment in relation to the course content. It is important
to note that a goal of service-learning experiences is for learners to carry out
similar jobs in the chosen professions for which they are presumably attending
college for. Learners are not paid for their service-learning contributions.
Real-World Connections • 15
Student Teaching
The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (2020) defines student teaching as “Extensive and substantive clinical practice in P-12 schools for
candidates preparing to teach” (para 21). Student teaching is the culminating
experience for students in teacher education programs and provides the chance
for them to put all of their training into practice. Student teaching occurs in
an academic classroom setting including both brick-and-mortar and virtual
PK-12 learning environments.
Study Abroad
Study abroad is an experiential learning experience where learners travel to a
foreign country to study, learn and develop. Typically, study abroad experiences
have a distinct focus, for example, to practice a language, learn about global
affairs, or study the country’s educational, business, law, or health system.
Study abroad experiences can range from one-week short-term experiences to
one-year experiences. Depending on the length of the service experience, the
number of credits that a learner will take and the intensity of the course that the
service experience is being required of, will vary. Study abroad experiences can
also include an internship component, particularly when a learner’s major has
an international affairs focus.
We created Figure 2.2 on the EdWordle website and it serves as a visual
separation between subtopics. This could be used as a header for an online
course to pull together visuals that display some of the major concepts of the
course.
Figure 2.2 Importance of including experiential learning opportunities in online
courses
Source: This image was created on www.edwordle.net
16 • Real-World Connections
It is important that learners taking online courses have the ability to benefit
from some of the experiential learning experiences they would normally participate in, in a traditional brick-and-mortar course. The physical presence of
the instructor and other learners is not always possible in online courses, and
interactions between people can be more limiting in an online course (Abedi &
Badragheh, 2011). By including experiential learning into online courses, we
can prevent learners from feeling “eSolated” (Appana, 2008, p. 15) and provide
them with various engaging ways to connect with course content. This includes:
• Making real-world connections (Jacobson, Oravecz, Falk, & Osteen,
2011): In addition to communicating with other online learners who
are located in geographically separate locations around the globe,
experiential learning can provide opportunities for learners to engage
in their local communities or area and make connections with others. By going into field-experience or practicums, learners see what
is going on in the world and have the opportunity to think about
how what they are studying in the online classroom interacts with it.
Learners then bring that experience back into the online forum, share
those experiences with their classmates, and make further meaning of
it when presented with future content.
• Hands-on experience (Abedi & Badragheh, 2011): Part of learning
involves hands-on practice. This is particularly true in fields such
as Athletic Training, Education, Medicine and Accounting. Learners, regardless of the forum used to disseminate content, should
have the opportunity to put their learning into practice. Internships
and apprenticeships are great experiential learning opportunities for
learners to practice health and human services techniques, pedagogical skills for education majors, and mathematical computations.
• Practice at professionalism: An extended practical experience such
as a co-op would allow learners the opportunity to be in a similar
professional work environment as the career that corresponds with
the degree they are in school for. There are some professional and
ethical practices that must be learned on the job through others and
within the work context. Co-ops, being more extended in nature than
internships, can help learners grow and develop their professional and
ethical skills, while gaining useful experience that can be added to
their resume.
• Social interactions: There are many ways to build social presence
(Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2001) in online courses, and because
online learners do not always have opportunities for a traditional
campus experience, it is important to provide ways learners can interact with others outside of their online classroom. Any of the types
of experiential learning activities (e.g. study abroad, clinical field
Real-World Connections • 17
experiences and internships) would allow learners to interact with
others in meaningful ways while learning. The site that the learners
are on, becomes an alternative to the “campus” in a sense.
• Civic contribution: Service-learning experiences embedded within
an online course can provide learners with the opportunity to tackle
societal issues, while learning. Guthrie and McCracken (2010) have
identified the combination of online instruction and service-learning
as opportunities “to be individually and collectively relevant” (p. 79).
John Dewey’s (1915) work on active citizenry is relevant and present
today. This is one of the areas of development for college learners to
experience how to be active members of society and make meaningful contributions. Learners in online courses should have the same
opportunity.
We have laid out what experiential learning is, the many different types of
experiential learning, general outcomes of experiential learning for learners,
and the importance and impact areas experiential learning can have within an
online class. What is provided next are several examples of experiential learning
activities in different academic disciplines, and an integration of how different
types of learning technologies and multimedia applications within and outside
of LMSs can be leveraged to connect the experiential learning activities to the
online course content.
Virtual Field Trips
Virtual field trips are great ways to offer students opportunities to visit sites
and locations, without physically being there. Learning content is often better
understood when there is an experiential component that connects the course
concepts to the real world. Faculty members can embed virtual field trips into
the fabric of their courses, to ensure that all online learners, regardless of their
physical location, can experience visiting sites. Offering opportunities for virtual field trips are particularly important for online learners as it provides them
with an additional learning environment beyond the LMS.
Although learning may take place online, this does not mean that students cannot explore the world, and virtual field trips offer a way to do just that. There are
four major components that faculty members should consider when including virtual field trips into their online courses including: 1) assignment selection, 2) virtual
field trip location, 3) corresponding field notes, and 4) class connections.
Assignment Selection: Virtual field trips allow for students to explore
course concepts more deeply and through different perspectives. Faculty members should first choose the course assignment that a virtual
field trip would be embedded into. Students should never feel like the
18 • Real-World Connections
virtual field trip is an add-on or something done in isolation. Instead,
there should be coherence and continuity throughout the assignment
and virtual field trip experience.
Virtual Field Trip Location: There are many types of virtual field trips
that students can experience. We have listed a sample in Table 2.1 that
could be used for education, art, science, and history courses, however, there are a countless education, museum, government, and medical institutions offering a wide range of virtual field trip experiences.
It is important to thoroughly review the virtual field trip offerings,
exhibits, related learning activities, and other relevant information to
ensure that it fits seamlessly with the assignment’s learning objectives.
Corresponding Field Notes: There will be a wealth of information to
be learned during the virtual field trip. Faculty members may want
to consider having a template that students can use to take field notes
during the virtual field trip. Having targeted topics and concepts
on the template can also help students hone in on the aspects of the
experience that you want them to, and that connects mostly with the
course. Students can also use a comprehensive tool such as Zoho Notebook to document their experience through text, creating a checklist,
audio recording, uploading photos, saving files, and sketching notes.
Class Connections: Since students will likely experience the virtual field
trip asynchronously, it is helpful to create a time for the entire class to
come together and share their learning. Using a tool such as Wakelet
can be one way for students to not only document their experience but
also share with the class. Regardless of the mode in which class connections are made, it is important to offer the entire class the chance
to share their learning from the virtual field trip as a class community.
Table 2.1 Virtual field trip sites
Name
Suggested Academic Discipline
360 Cities
Geography, Urban Planning,
Architecture, and Engineering
American Museum of Natural History
History and Science
Discovery Education
STEM, Economics, Agriculture, and
Manufacturing
Georgia Aquarium
Marine Biology and Ecology
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural
History
Geography, Culture, and Science
Education
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) Art, Art History, and Art Education
The Nature Conservancy
Virtual Field Trips
Natural Science, Environmental
Science, and Renewable Energy
Real-World Connections • 19
Simulations
Simulations allow for students to experience virtually going through course
materials, while experiencing the steps and process involved. Simulations can
be conducted at any time, and anywhere online, and do not require students to
be physically present at a certain location. Regardless of if the instructor thoroughly explains all aspects of the course content, and because individuals retain
more knowledge if they experience it, including simulations in online courses
can have many benefits that can positively impact learning outcomes.
Lateef (2010) provides a comprehensive definition for simulation-based
learning in stating that:
Simulation is a technique for practice and learning that can be applied
to many different disciplines and types of trainees. It is a technique (not
a technology) to replace and amplify real experiences with guided ones,
often “immersive” in nature, that evoke or replicate substantial aspects
of the real world in a fully interactive fashion. “Immersive” here implies
that participants are immersed in a task or setting as if it were the real
world.
(p. 348)
There are many benefits to utilizing simulations in online courses:
Less Risk: This is one of the most important benefits of using simulations. Sometimes students are being introduced to concepts and processes or need more practice before entering the real world. This is
particularly true for health and science majors dealing with placing
needles in the correct vein of a patient or mixing the correct chemicals
in a lab. Going through a simulation is less risky because if a student
makes a mistake, it is not done on real patients and they do not have
to be concerned with the potential of a chemical explosion that could
result from incorrectly mixing chemicals.
Confidence Builder: Similar and connected to being less risky as mentioned earlier, going through simulations can build the confidence of
students. There is a popular saying that practice makes perfect, and
while there may not actually be such a thing as perfection, the more
practice an individual gets doing the same thing, the more likely they
will develop that particular skill. As students continue to engage in
the simulations, they will feel more confident in carrying out the skills
they are learning.
Deeper Connection: Not only do faculty members want students to learn
about course materials, they also want students to deeply connect to
it. Going through multiple simulations will help students feel more
20 • Real-World Connections
connected to the course and strengthen their understanding of the
different constructs. Written and audio narrative explanations can
only go so far in helping students comprehend the what, why, and
how of concepts and content.
Immediate Feedback: Students have the desire, and rightfully so, to
know how they are doing in the course and if they are correctly
mastering content. One of the benefits of simulations is that students can get immediate feedback. This not only allows the student to know immediately what they need to improve on, but it
takes some of the load off of the instructor in terms of providing
feedback. Some online simulation tools may have reports that can
provide instructors and students with analytics and information
for progress monitoring.
As you consider including simulations in your online courses, know that there
are many ways and times during the course to do so. For example, you could
use the simulations to introduce new content. Instead of having a lecture or
readings that describes the content and how to do something related to it, a
simulation could be used so students can get a “feel” for it. You could also use
simulations to reinforce learning or concepts that have been already introduced. Simulations are a great way to include training and development into
the online course. Finally, in general and in any course, simulations can always
be used for out of class time practice, similar to homework. There are simulations specific to certain subjects. Table 2.2 contains simulation resources to get
you started.
Table 2.2 Simulation resources
Name
Description
History Simulations
A variety of historical events in simulation form.
LabXchange
Lab simulations, interactives, and videos on various
science subjects which include Biological Sciences,
Chemistry, Physics, Global Health, and Health Science.
Merlot Materials
STEM related simulations and interactive learning
exercises.
National Stock Market
Simulation
Provides realistic gamified versions of stock exchange
as lessons.
PraxiLabs
Contains 3D science simulations.
Smithsonian Learning Lab
Hands-on simulation activities with embedded
resources for assignments including audio, video, and
Smithsonian collections.
Real-World Connections • 21
Technology Tools to Leverage in Facilitating Experiential Learning
in Online Courses
Vlogs, Virtual Blogs, and Journals
Vlogs, virtual blogs, and online journals are essential multimedia tools that
learners in online courses completing an experiential learning activity or experience can use to document their experiences. Vlogs are video versions of blogs
that include some sort of video and picture content. Vlogs use audio and video
to capture the thoughts and facial expressions of the person creating the vlog.
There is something powerful about seeing and hearing a learner’s reactions, and
a vlog can provide this type of experience.
Blogs are a collection of personal thoughts written in an informal way that is
publicly shared on a website. Instead of using audio and video, words are simply
typed to get across the person’s thoughts and ideas. Sometimes pictures are added
to blogs as well to complement the words. Online journals are private spaces
housed online with the words, thoughts, and ideas of someone. Many Learning
Management Systems (LMSs) have an online journal feature embedded as an
optional tool, but there are free multimedia apps that can serve the same purpose.
Vlogs, virtual blogs, and online journals can be incorporated in a variety of ways
with experiential learning activities. For example, they can be used to:
• Reflect on the service experience (service-learning): One of the ways
service-learning is different from community service is the required
reflection piece that takes place within a service-learning experience. In a typical brick-and-mortar classroom, learners are given the
opportunity to reflect in the classroom setting, sharing their experience with their classmates and instructors. Online learners can record
their reflections on a vlog or virtual blog and then post within the
online course shell or use a multimedia tool such as VoiceThread (see
Figure 2.3). This can afford learners taking an online course with a
service-learning component the opportunity to complete their reflection and share their experiences with their classmates and instructor.
If the instructor would like to have the learners reflect privately, where
only the instructor can view, online journaling can be used. This is a
feature that is usually embedded in LMSs. The online journal feature
is similar to a digital blog, with the exception that it will not be shared
with the entire class, unless the instructor wants to use it in a different capacity. The learners can use the online journal to capture their
thoughts about their service experience from each visit.
• Share learning with instructor and classmates (internships,
practicums): vlogs, blogs, and online journals can also be used for
learners completing internships and practicums to keep a recorded
history of their experiences. Instructors can post weekly/bi-weekly
22 • Real-World Connections
Figure 2.3 An example of how VoiceThread can be used as a learning tool to
emphasize a point with the doodling feature and to use video and voice while
reflecting on a service experience within an online class
Source: Image used with permission from VoiceThread LLC
prompts that learners need to respond to and provide learners with
a choice of where to house their documentation of the experiences
they gain at their placement sites. These prompts can be connected
to some of the areas of professionalism the learners were focusing on at their internships/practicum sites, while connecting to
the current or prior course content. Since the vlogs and online
blogs will likely be uploaded to a public forum within the online
course shell, learners in the course may recognize that they are
having similar experiences at their respective sites, and offer support, ideas, and commiseration. The online journal can be used
privately by the learner with access granted to the instructor for
learners to document their growth and development as it relates to
their experience at their placement. Another way to use the online
journal is to record questions that learners may want to address at
a later date with the instructors.
• Document their experiences with visuals (study abroad): Learners
who are completing a study abroad experience as part of their online
courses can take advantage of mobile technologies to document their
experience and share with their instructors and classmates. Depending on the structure of the online course, learners may all be in the
same country, or in different countries throughout the world. For
example, the online course could be a public health course, where
Real-World Connections • 23
online learners complete a study abroad experience in a developing
country in a public hospital or medical facility working with people
on public health concerns.
Vlog, Blog, and Online Journal Tools
Many LMS tools have features that would allow learners to create blogs
and journals within the online course system. Some may even have a video
capability feature to create vlogs. Table 2.3 details other tools options that
learners can use to reflect on their service-learning experiences, share their
learning with their instructors, and document their experiential learning
experiences.
Table 2.3 Vlog, blog, and online journal tools
Tool
Short Overview
InShot
Vlogging tool with video editing and animated stickers features.
Journalate
Online journal tool with features including adding images, video,
and connecting to social media.
Penzu
This site allows for blog creation using attractive templates.
VoiceThread
Allows for the creation of vlogs using audio, video, and
complementary text, with the option for the ability of having the
instructor and classmates comment directly on the vlog, at any
times.
WordPress
This site allows for blog creation using attractive templates.
Video Conferencing Tools
The use of video conferencing tools to connect with learners in real-time
when they are completing an experiential learning experience is critical in
guiding the learners’ experiential learning experiences. Video conferencing is different from web conferencing, as web conferencing is more of a
one-way interaction. In a web conference, large amounts of data are typically shared to a large group of people. This format can be highly efficient
and useful in large online lecture-based courses where the instructor needs
to teach a substantial amount of content to learners, with no time to meet
with students individually. Since learners who are completing experiential learning activities would spend so much time out of the online course,
video conferencing would be a more appropriate way for the instructors
to connect with the learners and provide them with instruction, creating a
two-way interaction experience. Video conferencing with learners can serve
different purposes depending on the type of experiential learning experi-
24 • Real-World Connections
ence the learners are completing; however, in general, video conferencing
can be used in the following ways:
• Continuity of course content delivery: One reason why it may be believed
that it is not feasible to include experiential learning into an online course,
is because there is seemingly no way to hold a class with all learners, or
a seamless way to provide the course content that connects the experiential learning to learners who are in different cities, states and countries,
while completing their internships, practicums, service-learning and
study abroad requirements. Video conferencing can be used to provide
the course content to learners that connect to the experiences they are
having while studying abroad, completing an internship, or participating
in a practicum. Not only can course content be delivered through video
conferencing, but learners can also ask questions and receive clarification
that can impact their experiential learning experience. If time zones are a
concern, video conferences can be recorded, and students can post questions to be responded to asynchronously.
• Providing learners with feedback: Video conferencing can also fill
the void in not being able to physically meet with learners to guide
their experiential learning experiences and provide them with feedback. Feedback is extremely important in any class, but particularly
in online courses where learners may feel isolated. Establishing regular check-in video conferencing sessions with learners can assist with
facilitating the experiential learning experience for learners, from a
distance.
• Meeting with site supervisors and community organizations:
Meeting with site supervisors and representatives from the different
community organizations that learners are completing their experiential learning experiences at is critical. Depending on the type of
experiential learning activity it is, the number of meetings will vary.
For example, when setting up an internship, the instructor may want
to meet at the beginning of the course to go over the expectations
of the experience. In a service-learning course, community organizations hosting learners may want to meet more regularly to reflect on
how things are going. In a study abroad experience, the instructors
may meet with a representative of an institution several months before
the course is expected to begin to plan the in-country activities.
Scheduling Video Conferences in Asynchronous Online Courses
Scheduling meetings at a mutually agreed upon time to video conference with
your learners about their experiential learning experiences can be one of the
most difficult aspects of organizing an experiential learning component into
Real-World Connections • 25
any online course. Similar to trying to meet with colleagues in person, finding a common time to meet with people with many other obligations can be
quite challenging. There are several free options for web-based scheduling
services. Doodle is a popular option particularly when seeking to schedule a
meeting time for several people. As the instructor, you can select several time
slots on different days that work for you and create a Doodle poll (see Figure 2.4). Once the poll is created, a link is generated and can be sent to learners.
If you would like to meet with smaller groups of learners within the larger class,
you will be able to visually identify times that each group member is available.
Once appointments have been scheduled, the instructor may also want to post
the schedule somewhere within the online course, so the learners are always
reminded of their upcoming video conference. Some examples of videoconferencing and scheduling tools are described in Table 2.4.
Figure 2.4 Doodle is a free web-based scheduling tool that can be used to
schedule conference times with online learners
Source: Image used with permission of Doodle
Table 2.4 Virtual scheduling tools
Tool
Key Features
Calendly
Robust option for scheduling both 1:1 and group meetings. Features
include time zone detection, calendar integration, and option to
include buffer times between meetings.
Doodle
Scheduling tool with the ability to sync with Google and Outlook
calendars when searching for a shared time to meet without the need
to email back and forth.
LettuceMeet
Simple scheduling tool where all parties enter their availability to find
a time to meet as a group that works with everyone’s schedule.
26 • Real-World Connections
Instructor’s Role in Organizing Experiential Learning in Online Courses
As an online instructor, it may be your responsibility to assist learners with
finding a suitable placement related to the type of experiential learning activity the learner will be involved in. This is particularly true if your institution
does not have dedicated office or personnel to assist with varied experiential
learning placements. This process will be different from what it would be if
the learners and experiential learning sites were all located in an area close to
campus, as it would be in a typical brick-and-mortar course. Because students
are geographically distant, as an instructor, you may not have any local contacts
to rely on. The online instructor must determine a plan for receiving updates
on the experience throughout the course and what tangible assignments will
be required from learners. Throughout the experience, the online instructor
should connect course content to the experiences that learners are engaged in
and help them to think critically about the experiences and application of them
in the real world. It may be helpful to create a questionnaire using SurveyMonkey, Google Forms, or similar tool to collect at a minimum the following:
•
•
•
•
•
a site supervisor contract/commitment form
learner expectations
a description of the experience
related course assignments
an evaluation form for site supervisors and learner
Resources for Coordinating Experiential Learning Placements
Depending on the institution, the level of involvement from instructors in
terms of helping learners to coordinate their respective experiential learning experiences will differ. Many colleges and universities will work through
offices such as career development, civic engagement, and their respective academic departments to assist learners with securing placements. If your course
is more independent, with the greater responsibility given to the instructor and
learner, not having local connections since the learners are scattered around the
country and world, might present a challenge. In the following, we share a few
organizations to start with when looking for placements for learners. This list is
in alphabetical order and is not exhaustive:
• American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy—AACP Advanced
Pharmacy Practice Experience
• American Bar Association
• American Health Information Management Association (Professional
Practice Experience (PPE)
• American Nurses Association
• Association for Experiential Education
Real-World Connections • 27
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Association of International Education Administrators
Association for Teacher Educators
Campus Compact
Cooperative Education and Internship Association
Institute of International Education
International Association for Research on Service-Learning and
Community Engagement
National Association of Colleges and Employers
National Association of International Educators
National Business Education Association
National Education Association
National Society for Experiential Education
WACE (Cooperative and Work-Integrated Education)
Summary
This chapter has provided you with an understanding of the many opportunities for experiential learning in the online classroom including internships,
cooperative education, practicums, study abroad, student teaching, clinical
experiences, and service-learning. Ideas for embedding experiential learning
opportunities into online courses were shared, and explanations of how to
connect specific types of experiential learning activities to various academic
disciplines were provided. We highlighted vlogs, virtual blogs, online journaling, video conferencing, mobile apps, and video and picture documentation
tools that can be used to connect experiential learning experiences with course
content, instructors, and other learners. The next chapter will look at how to
embed project-based learning and scenario-based learning along with virtual labs, artificial intelligence, and augmented and virtual reality into online
courses.
Chapter 2 Technology and Online Resources
The following list includes all of the technology and online resources with corresponding links mentioned throughout Chapter 2, in alphabetical order.
Name of Tool
URL
360 Cities
www.360cities.net/
American Association of Colleges of
Pharmacy-AACP Advanced Pharmacy
Practice Experience
www.aacp.org
(Continued)
28 • Real-World Connections
Name of Tool
URL
American Bar Association
www.americanbar.org/aba.html
American Health Information
Management Association (Professional
Practice Experience (PPE)
www.ahima.org/ppe
Association for International Education
Administrators
www.aieaworld.orght
Association for Teacher Educators
www.ate1.org/pubs/home.cfm
American Museum of
Natural History
www.amnh.org/plan-your-visit/fieldtrips
American Nurses Association
www.nursingworld.org/default.aspx
Association for Experiential Education
www.aee.org
Calendly
https://calendly.com/
Campus Compact
http://compact.org
Cooperative Education and Internship
Association
www.ceiainc.org
Discovery Education
www.discoveryeducation.com/
community/virtual-field-trips/
Doodle
https://doodle.com/
Duolingo
www.duolingo.com/
EdWordle
www.edwordle.net/
Fuze
www.fuze.com/
Georgia Aquarium
www.georgiaaquarium.org/webcam/
beluga-whale-webcam/
Google Forms
https://www.google.com/forms/about/
Google Meet
https://meet.google.com/
Grist
www.getgrist.com/
History Simulations
www.historysimulation.com/
InShot
www.inshot.com/
Institute of International
Education
www.iie.org
International Association
for Research on
Service-Learning and
Community Engagement
www.researchslce.org
Journalate
https://myjournalate.com/
LabXchange
www.labxchange.org/explore
LettuceMeet
https://lettucemeet.com/
(Continued)
Real-World Connections • 29
Name of Tool
URL
Merlot Materials
www.merlot.org/merlot/materials.htm
Microsoft Teams
www.microsoft.com/en-us/
microsoft-365/microsoft-teams
National Association of
Colleges and Employers
www.naceweb.org/internships/
National Association of
International Educators
www.nafsa.org
National Business Education
Association
www.nbea.org
National Education
Association
www.nea.org/home/1600.htm
National Society for
Experiential Education
www.nsee.org
National Stock Market
Simulation
www.nationalsms.com/
Penzu
https://penzu.com/
PraxiLabs
https://praxilabs.com/en/3d-sciencesimulations
Simplenote
https://simplenote.com/
Slack
https://slack.com/
Smithsonian Learning Lab
www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-weare/how-we-work/youth-engagement/
nature-lab/virtual-field-trips/
Smithsonian National
Museum of Natural History
https://naturalhistory.si.edu/visit/virtualtour
SurveyMonkey
www.surveymonkey.com/
The Metropolitan Museum
of Art (The Met)
www.metmuseum.org/art/onlinefeatures/met-360-project
The Nature Conservancy
Virtual Field Trips
www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/who-weare/how-we-work/
youth-engagement/nature-lab/virtualfield-trips/
VoiceThread
https://voicethread.com/
WACE (Cooperative and WorkIntegrated Education)
www.waceinc.org
Wakelet
https://wakelet.com/
WordPress
https://wordpress.com/
Zoho Notebook
https://www.zoho.com/notebook/
Zoom
https://zoom.us/
30 • Real-World Connections
Discipline-Specific Examples
To better help you situate an idea from this chapter into your discipline, we
provide a wide range of discipline-specific examples in the following table that
you can easily reference.
Discipline
Description of what students will be required to do
Criminal
Justice
Take virtual tours through different types of prison systems
including juvenile detention centers, county jails, state prisons, and
federal prisons. Students can use an online note taking tool such as
Simplenote to document the similarities and differences they see
during the virtual tours.
Cybersecurity Students can complete a series of cybersecurity simulations where
they have to eradicate a system that has been hacked online.
Marketing
Through a market research campaign that has to be conducted
virtually, students will create a marketing plan for one product that is
only sold online for a non-profit company. This project could count
for a service-learning or civic engagement requirement.
Mathematics
Students are required to review, clean-up, and re-create an online
spreadsheet for a company as part of a practicum or internship
requirement using a free online tool such as Grist.
Psychology
Students can experience going through online simulations that explain
how the brain works and the different perspectives surrounding it.
Planning Template
For this chapter, we have developed a planning template with an example of
a foreign language instructor using a service-learning activity that focuses
on translation and dictation skills in an online course. More specifically, the
instructor will match each student with a community organization where they
will receive service hours. Students are assigned to review their organization’s
website and translate either a section, page, or the entire website in the language
that they are studying in the online course. The first column in the following
table is filled out completely as a model for your course planning.
Chapter 2 Planning Template
Type of Active and Experiential
Learning Activity
Civic Engagement/Service-Learning Opportunities
Academic Discipline: Foreign Languages
Topic
(A few words description)
Translation and Dictation Skills
(Continued)
Real-World Connections • 31
Chapter 2 Planning Template
Type of Active and Experiential
Learning Activity
Civic Engagement/Service-Learning Opportunities
Academic Discipline: Foreign Languages
Learning Objective(s)
(What learners should be able to
do/understand after participating
in the learning activities?)
Students will be able to:
• Understand the difference in the meanings of
words from their native language and foreign
language they are studying
• Translate short passages, sentences, and
phases
Description of Activity
(What learners will be “doing”)
Students will be paired with a community
organization where they will be completing
service hours. Students will be required to
review the organizations’ website, and translate
a section, page, or the entire website (depending
on what level the Foreign Language course is
and the needs of the community organization).
The translated language will be the language
that the students are studying. Students can use
the Duolingo app for assistance.
Deliverables
(What learners will “turn in” for
feedback and grading?)
The translated section, page, or entire website.
Assessment
(The grading criteria the
instructor will use. Add link to
grading rubric)
The translation materials will be graded
based on:
• The accuracy of the translation
• Adherence to writing mechanics, per the
foreign language
Completion Time
(Estimated amount of time the
activity will take to complete)
4–6 hours depending on how much content is
being translated
Required Tech Tools
(Technology tools required to
carry out and complete learning
activity)
Duolingo
Now, take a moment to reflect on an online course that you are currently
teaching or will be teaching in the future. Use the provided blank planning
template below as an organizational tool to use as you plan how to include fieldbased experiences, civic engagement opportunities, simulations, and virtual
field trips in your online courses. This template is also available for download
on the book’s resources webpage. We encourage you to include some of the
technology and online resources mentioned throughout this chapter, as well as
the discipline-specific examples mentioned earlier.
32 • Real-World Connections
Chapter 2 Planning Template (Blank)
Type of Active and
Experiential Learning
Activity
Topic
(A few words
description)
Learning Objective(s)
(What learners
should be able to do/
understand after
participating in the
learning activities?)
Description of
Activity
(What learners will be
“doing”)
Deliverables
(What learners will
“turn in” for feedback
and grading?)
Assessment
(The grading criteria
the instructor will
use. Add a link to the
grading rubric where
available)
Completion Time
(Estimated amount of
time the activity will
take to complete)
Required Tech Tools
(Technology tools
required to carry out
and complete learning
activity)
Civic
Engagement/
Service-Learning
Opportunities
Academic
Discipline:
Field-Based
Experiences
(Co-ops, student
teaching,
internships,
practicums, study
abroad)
Academic
Discipline:
Simulations/
Virtual Field Trips
Academic
Discipline:
3
Project-Based and Scenario-Based
Learning
Virtual Labs, Artificial Intelligence,
and Virtual and Augmented Reality
KEY TERMS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Artificial Intelligence
Augmented Reality
Extrinsic Motivation
Intrinsic Motivation
Project-Based Learning
Scenario-Based Learning
Virtual Labs
Virtual Reality
Introduction
When we think of project-based and scenario-based learning, learners have the
opportunity to interact with course content and help each other solve problems.
One of the strongest historical proponents of this strategy was Lev Vygotsky,
who pioneered the sociocultural view of learning and development. Vygotsky’s
(1979) sociocultural theory explained that that learners can develop through
the influence of culture or social interaction and interpersonal communication
refers to a person’s knowledge for how to do something based on the social
context. This learning environment provides the basis for which a learner’s
culturally or socially shaped cognitive development is applied to real-world
situations. Furthermore, the way the world appears to learners through projectbased and scenario-based learning influences their culture’s understanding of
the world and how learners can use the appropriate techniques to practice or
demonstrate their learning. Multiple identities are formed by group participation in the culture and use of the tools.
Project-based and scenario-based learning in the online classroom helps
to shape the influence of social context among the learners within the learning environment. Particularly, Vygotsky (1979) indicates that the role of the
teacher, facilitator, peer, or another teaching device such as a computer, tablet,
and mobile phone is critical to how learners learn. When learners are engaged
33
34 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
in these types of activities, learning takes place. We realize that digital technology provides an effective platform for instructors to maximize learning online.
The “teaching devices” that Vygotsky (1979) mentions can be many forms of
technology and plays a significant role in shaping a learner’s identity by affecting the way they learn.
Project-Based Learning
The Buck Institute for Education (BIE) states that project-based learning is
a dynamic classroom approach in which learners actively explore real-world
problems and challenges, and learners are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they are studying (Buck Institute for Education, 2015).
More specifically, through project-based learning, the learner investigates significant questions that require them to gather information and think critically.
The core learning approach of project-based learning also allows the learner
to learn through motivation, interest, and apply new knowledge in a problemsolving context. Figure 3.1 illustrates the core learning goals of project-based
learning as related to its teaching practices.
Figure 3.1 The seven project-based teaching practices
Source: Buck Institute for Education, Creative Commons
Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning • 35
According to Barron and Darling-Hammond (2008), a project-based learning curriculum includes:
• students gaining knowledge to tackle realistic problems as they would
solve them in the real-world
• increased learner control over their learning
• instructors serving as coaches and facilitators of inquiry and reflection
• learners (usually, but not always) working in pairs or groups
When engaging students in project-based learning, the instructor is the facilitator who interacts with learners to help guide them to frame meaningful
questions, organize tasks, facilitate the conversation of knowledge development, and provide ongoing feedback on what learners have learned from their
project-based learning design experiences. There are many ways to embed curricula into project-based learning. Figure 3.2 provides project-based design
elements that instructors can include in project-based learning activities and
outcomes.
Figure 3.2 The seven project-based design elements
Source: Buck Institute for Education, Creative Commons
36 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
Buckingham (2006) mentions the differences between the types of technologies that can shape project-based learning experiences. The two categories are
social technologies and cultural technologies. Social technologies are tools that
organize social activities within the learning environment. The primary focus
of social technologies is on the group members. In online learning environments, examples would include participation in social media such as Instagram,
Facebook, Twitter, or group areas built in the LMS. Cultural technologies, on
the other hand, are tools that organize processes for group communication and
collaboration. Google Docs, YouTube, and virtual labs are examples of cultural
technologies in which learners can be involved when collaborating on documents in real-time or capturing information to build on their learning. When
learners are engaged in these activities, the learning is mediated by the social
positions and community contexts that organize participation, which forms an
identity in that particular environment.
Since project-based learning can afford creative expression, role play, and
mentorship, they have become well known spaces for innovation and learning.
This sounds ideal because every online course can incorporate a project-based
learning assignment—where learners believe their contributions matter and
they feel socially connected. However, instructors cannot just change lesson
plans to create such an environment; there must be entire shifts in the way
they teach. Project-based learning is a unique learning approach because it
creates an engulfing learning environment, that old-school traditional classroom methods could not do. There needs to be some vehicle, which transports a
classroom from the traditional lecture to a more interactive and richer environment. That vehicle is project-based learning within the sociocultural context, of
which Vygotsky was a huge proponent.
One of the benefits of project-based learning is that learners will have equal
opportunity to access the course material whether they are novices or experts
of the information. In a way, this is an acting apprenticeship, where instructors
take on the role of the facilitator in the learning environment and serve as a
resource of knowledge for those learners not as familiar with the subject matter.
In the online classroom, project-based learning can happen virtually, bringing
together learners that may have never met. These connections open a whole
new world to hands-on, collaborative learning and experiences.
Learners are acquiring valuable skills through project-based learning in
these types of learning environments. In addition, this can help learners use
their problem-solving skills to facilitate learning and assess learning outcomes, alternative methods for communication, and abilities in the classroom.
The impact of project-based learning on learning is vast and will continue to
expand over the years. Active learning and continuous engagement are crucial
to understanding the evolving relationship between project-based learning and
learner mastery.
Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning • 37
Scenario-Based Learning
Evans and Taylor (2005) define scenario-based learning as “stories focused on
a user or group of users, which would provide information on the nature of
the users, the goals they want to achieve and the context in which the activities will take place” (p. 8). Scenario-based learning has a significant advantage
in the online course environment over the traditional learning methods. Scenario-based learning involves using interactive components that present course
concepts in various formats where learners are prompted to make choices to
address an issue or complex problem.
Sorin, Errington, Ireland, Nickson, and Caltabiano (2012) outlined six types
of scenarios that can be implemented in the classroom. Note that each type
of scenario is suited for teaching a particular type of skill and that instructors
would have to decide which type of scenario would be the most effective based
on the course materials. The six major types of scenarios are:
1. Branching Scenario: Using branching scenarios allows learners to
examine more about a particular issue or problem and practice making informed decisions for various situations.
2. Gaming Scenario: This type of scenario involves the use of games as
learning tools.
3. Issue-Based Scenario: In this type of scenario, learners take a stand
on issues, usually with humanitarian perspectives, and explore these
to understand how this affects decision-making in professional
settings.
4. Problem-Based Scenario: This type of scenario is ideal for situations
where learners have to integrate their theoretical and practical knowledge to investigate a problem. Decision-making, logical reasoning,
and critical analyses are integral components of these scenarios.
5. Skill-Based Scenario: In this scenario, learners demonstrate skills and
knowledge they have already acquired.
6. Speculative Scenario: In this scenario, learners have to predict an
event’s outcome in the future.
Scenario-based learning is a great teaching tool for an active learner. It presents
learners with the opportunity to learn through direct experience by playing a
role and infusing themselves into a virtual situation. Scenario-based learning
can have a myriad of playful activities and essential exchanges that relay skills,
knowledge and information viewed, and tools by which the learner can select
and determine the affiliation or method best suited for them.
A benefit of scenario-based learning is that it allows learners to apply their
content knowledge and problem-solving skills to explore new or complex
situations that support learning outcomes. It also provides learners with the
38 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
opportunity to reinforce learning concepts in a way that learners can always go
back and practice their skills using motivation as a guide to make the appropriate decisions to get to the correct answer as seen in Figure 3.3. Finally, creating
scenario-based learning for the classroom environment can add value to the
learning experience. In online learning environments, learners can share and
apply their understandings of the subject matter. This form of scenario-based
learning enhances the learners’ abilities and ensures that they are being challenged appropriately when finding solutions. One limitation to using the
scenario-based learning approach is that it involves a huge amount of time from
both the instructor and designer. The instructor must be intentional about the
content and provide narrative feedback at every level to scaffold (Vygotsky,
1979) the learning.
In this respect, scenario-based learning’s plethora of options for interaction
and information sharing is reshaping the landscape for online learning and its
learners. Thus, scenario-based learning must be balanced with the scenario’s
challenges, skills that you expect the learners to gain, and with the problem
Figure 3.3 Articulate 360 contains tools that allow instructors to create webbased scenarios
Source: Articulate Global, Inc.
Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning • 39
activities that need solving to determine learner mastery or comprehension.
Project-based and scenario-based learning tend to focus on specific topics
and information for learning and encourage learners to be active learners.
These learning experiences give learners the freedom to participate in areas
that interest them. Learners can try things without fear of being wrong, promoting innovation, and have the capability of adopting different perspectives
and discovering new things. Scenario-based resources have been provided in
Table 3.1.
Table 3.1 Scenario-based resources
Name
Description
Adobe Spark
A platform that allows you to create free web
stories, graphics, and short videos.
Articulate 360
A suite of tools that can be used to create online
scenarios and engaging content layouts.
Cognitive Informatics
Scenario-based Simulations
Hands-on simulations for learning and skill
development.
Mindmoto
A collaboration tool for mind and concept
mapping tasks and ideas.
SBL Interactive
Contains a variety of scenario resources to
incorporate in the online classroom.
Student Motivation in Project- and Scenario-Based Learning
Psychology has made significant contributions in helping people to understand how an individual learns. Based on psychological research, motivation
or interest can be classified in the Self Determination learning theory (Ryan &
Deci, 2000). As an instructional approach, the Self Determination Theory
(SDT) supports the learning environment in a way that helps to differentiate
between the various types of motivation that can lead to a particular action
or response (Ryan & Deci, 2000). This is essential for learning because educators can understand the importance of fostering an environment that promotes
active participation from learners and allows them to take responsibility for
their learning. According to Ryan and Deci (2000), motivation involves energy,
direction, and persistence—all aspects of activation and intention. Motivation
invokes a particular response to a certain task where learners are stimulated to
act by different factors. For example, they can be motivated because they value
an activity or particular task. A major focus of SDT has been to understand
motivation as being exhibited at any given time. SDT has been able to identify
distinct types of motivation, such as intrinsic and extrinsic, both of which have
played a key role in learning and performance.
40 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
Intrinsic Motivation
Ryan and Deci (2000) define intrinsic motivation as the doing of an activity for
inherent satisfaction rather than for some separable consequence. Learners that
are intrinsically motivated are moved to act for the enjoyment or pleasure that
it entails. In other words, intrinsic motivation naturally exists within individuals. People tend to be motivated to participate in some activities and not others.
This is a crucial element in the learning environment because it is through this
type of motivation that learners will act on their interests to develop knowledge
and skills for the subject matter.
One example that instructors can use to promote intrinsic motivation in the
classroom using project-based and scenario-based learning is to involve learners
in choosing their role in the learning activities. Project-based and scenariobased learning can facilitate choices in learning and have the ability to offer
feedback about the effectiveness of the choice being made. For example, learners
can choose what to do (role, approach, tasks, etc.) for scenario-based learning
assignments. This learner choice increases feelings of self-determination, interest, and engagement. Allowing learners to choose learning activities which they
are familiar with encourages active participation, creativity and improves problem-solving skills. Furthermore, choice in scenario-based learning gives learners
a greater sense of responsibility which in turn increases the motivation to learn.
Extrinsic Motivation
The second type of motivation is extrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation
happens whenever the activity is done in order to attain some separable outcome or for instrumental value, rather than that one may find it interesting
(Ryan & Deci, 2000). A typical example of extrinsic motivation can be seen
in project-based learning where learners are working together to achieve a
particular goal or task. The most useful thing is that learners get to see how
the decisions they make affect others by using real-life situations. This form
of extrinsic motivation plays an imperative role in the learning process, as it
focuses on decision-making skills and communication skills that can lead to
greater persistence to internalize, apply, and understand the content material.
Motivation, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, can increase learning and engagement through the use of project-based and scenario-based learning activities.
For example, teachers can refer to what Nakamura and Csikszentimihalyi
(2002) describe as Flow theory in which motivation occurs when there is a balance between the learner’s skills and the challenges they face with the content or
activity. In order for the learner to stay motivated, the challenge or the learning
activity has to increase as the learner’s skills increase. The area of perfect balance between skills and challenge is called the “flow channel” is illustrated in
Figure 3.4 and is known as the state of maximal motivation in which the learner
is truly engaged and highly motivated to solve a problem.
Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning • 41
Figure 3.4 The flow channel
Source: Csikszentmihalyi’s Flow Channel courtesy of Jesse Schell
Virtual Labs
There has been an increase demand for colleges and universities that offer
courses in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
disciplines to expand their academic technology toolkits to include virtual
labs. Learners can engage with course content through interactive virtual
experiences that mimic real hands-on experiments and creates an affirming
learning experience (Rowe, Koban, Davidoff, & Thompson, 2018). Virtual
labs allow learners to interact with diverse learning methods such as exercises, practice quizzes, activities, and simulations to reach the learners’ goals,
such as mastery of specific skills and understanding of relationships among
concepts anytime and anywhere (Ahmed & Hasegawa, 2014). Many faculty
have adopted virtual labs into their courses to not only facilitate an interactive
learning experience but to also provide students with the essential technical
skills to plan and perform a range of scientific experiments needed to interpret
the data generated and communicate the findings (Coleman & Smith, 2019).
Advantages and Challenges of Virtual Labs
Virtual laboratories are increasingly used in various educational settings since
they support faculty in expanding the educational process’s scope by stimulating students’ interest (Zervas, Fiskilis, & Sampson, 2014). Also, they allow
online students to work with discipline-specific equipment and supplies.
One of the key benefits of using virtual labs is to reduce costs, as physical
laboratories need expensive equipment and personnel to maintain. As virtual
42 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
laboratories can be accessed from any place at any time, the availability to
use virtual labs is essential and there is no need to worry about having the
appropriate space requirements. Laboratory activities help inspire students
to further their education and prepare them for high-technology careers by
fostering skills sought by potential employers (Hernández-de-Menéndez,
Vallejo Guevara, & Morales-Menendez, 2019). For example, students watch
short lab presentations, then answer a set of questions. Based on how they
perform, they are presented with additional information and focus on areas
the student needs help with while going through the virtual lab as seen in
Figure 3.5. For courses that have a lab component, some online resources
provide homework exercises, activities, and additional videos for students to
get hands-on practice.
With the support of virtual labs, students actively participate in the learning
process, have real or almost vivid experiences, work in groups or independently,
and their attention can also be increased, which improves their engagement
(Senthamarai, 2018). More specifically, students are allowed to review and
understand the experiments in an active mode of learning that improves their
performance. Virtual labs may provide ways to share skills and resources,
thereby improving the educational experience. Students can even take part in
virtual lab activities by uploading their results or give a brief statement that can
be submitted describing what they learned and what they would have done
differently (Senthamarai, 2018).
Figure 3.5 Labster virtual lab, Antibodies: Why are some blood types incompatible?
www.labster.com/simulations/antibodies/
Source: Labster
Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning • 43
Aligning Virtual Labs to Learning Outcomes
The use of virtual laboratories helps students develop critical thinking skills
and can motivate them (Potkonjak et al., 2016). Potkonjak et al. (2016) provide
learning outcomes that can measure virtual labs in the following areas: knowledge and understanding, inquiry skills, practical skills, and analytical skills.
Virtual labs have become increasingly common as a form of teaching aid in
different learning situations (Stahre Wastberg et al., 2019) where learners can
use the same virtual equipment at the same time. They allow and encourage
learners to make mistakes since they are easy to replicate situations that arise
in the real-world. Finally, Ahmed and Hasegawa (2014) mentions three critical
advantages of virtual labs to help the learners improve their performance in
terms of experiments, equipment, and tools in the real labs including:
• Motivation: Virtual labs create excitement in learning through interactive simulation about reality and theoretical ideas, which encourage
learners to continue their learning process.
• Knowledge: Virtual labs facilitate the process in helping learners to
reach a high level of knowledge, especially in practical experiments,
concepts, laws, rules, relationships, processes, and ideas in various
courses, which leads to improving learning.
• Creation: Virtual labs offer the possibility of original experiments by
testing new variables on the virtual representation about some theoretical ideas, which conduce to creativity in learning.
Table 3.2 provides several virtual laboratory resources that can be used to add a
virtual lab component to your online courses.
Table 3.2 Virtual lab resources
Name
Description
JoVE
The Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) is a peer-reviewed
scientific journal that publishes experimental methods in video format.
It contains a collection of over 9,500 videos demonstrating experiments
from laboratories at top research institutions. Students have access to
understanding key concepts and fundamental techniques. The lab video
demonstrations include subjects in biology, chemistry, environmental
science, psychology, medicine, and engineering.
Labster Gives students access to a realistic lab experience that will let them perform
experiments and practice their skills in a fun and risk-free learning
environment. They include labs related to these disciplines: biology,
chemistry, engineering, medicine, physics, food science, and nutrition.
(Continued)
44 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
Name
Description
Merlot
The Merlot Project (Multimedia Education Resource for Learning and
Online Teaching) has a variety of virtual labs and online resources that
can be used for many different science subjects such as biology, chemistry,
physics, earth science, environmental science, engineering, and math.
PhET
PhET is known for physics, education, and technology, however, they have
branched into providing free, research-based, and open-source virtual labs
and simulations in disciplines such as chemistry, biology, math, and earth
science.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a fast-growing field and its applications to online
learning is beginning to change what the future might look like in education.
It is expected that artificial intelligence in the United States will grow by
47.5 percent from 2018–2021 (TechNavio, 2018). Even though most experts
believe the critical presence of instructors is irreplaceable, there will be many
changes to the faculty’s role as technology emerges.
Principles of adaptive learning have been used to build algorithms to support predictive models for students (Marr, 2019). AI allows a continuous and
burden-free remote monitoring of the student’s progress for improvement and
overall success. To build these learning activities, artificial intelligence has
developed a variety of metrics that in turn provide a new basis for analyzing
cognitive processes. These metrics are used to express structural and procedural mechanisms and theories about human problem-solving and planning,
representing knowledge and understanding text by computers (Marr, 2019).
A curriculum might teach the knowledge and strategies in a content-independent form, and then show how they apply to different content areas. Either
approach would help the student to acquire more readily an understanding of
a particular domain of knowledge. Transferring these skills would also have a
significant effect on students’ ability to acquire other quite separate domains of
knowledge (Marr, 2019).
Shaping the Online Learner Experience With AI
To improve the current online teaching model in which the instructor is
the source of knowledge and the student is the recipient, we need to fundamentally reimagine the role of an instructor in the university. Advances in
automated assignment grading and remote monitoring services (e.g. Turnitin,
etc.) allow instructors to forgo repetitive, time-intensive tasks and instead
dedicate their time to teaching. For students that don’t thrive in a traditional
classroom setting, AI-enabled LMSs can deploy surveys to categorize individuals into distinct learning categories such as visual and auditory which can
Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning • 45
provide effective and targeted content that fits with each preferred learning
style (TechNavio, 2018). These categories can also help chunk long lectures
and reading assignments into smaller, bite-size components that are easily
understood.
AI has many uses, which are constantly emerging. AI can be used to assist
international students whose language barrier may complicate progress, but
cutting-edge research in text translation and AI aims to create deep-learning
systems that can translate English lectures into the student’s native tongue
(Marr, 2019). Similar technologies in voice recognition and text summarization can transcribe an entire lecture with stunning accuracy (Marr, 2019) and
reduce paragraphs of text into just the relevant bullet points for review. AI algorithms can similarly be deployed over a course curriculum to flag areas of bias,
complexity, and ambiguity for review by the instructor. The implementation of
AI techniques may seem time-consuming, but students, teachers, and administrations will appreciate the benefits of AI as it evolves.
Some Practical Uses of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence is about designing learning experiences that can analyze the student’s environment and help them make intellectual choices
(Marr, 2019). Here are some practical uses of AI that instructors can consider
according to Marr (2019):
• To automate the grading system. This can be assessed based on how
the learning process can be improved.
• To help students understand the native language and respond to the
questions asked.
• To assist students in scheduling appointments for virtual office hours
or web conference meetings.
• To automate the repetitive tasks performed by faculty to connect with
students.
• To assist faculty with understanding the learning analytics to gather
information on student progress on course topics.
These practical uses of AI, while impressive, are still mostly limited by their
application. Instructors should keep in mind that even though you can use an
AI tool to accomplish specific tasks, you cannot teach an AI tool to do all the
tasks faculty can do. Moreover, there are also potential issues, irregularities, and
inequalities that instructors should be aware of when using AI, particularly for
grading, when relying on flawed algorithms to make decisions about student
performance. These technologies cannot, and should not replace the role of the
instructor (Wagner, 2020), and great care should be taken to ensure the accuracy and reliability when using AI for teaching and learning.
46 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
AI Improves Student Access and Support
Artificial intelligence tools can help make the online classroom accessible to all
types of learners including those who speak different languages or who might
have visual or hearing impairments. This also opens up possibilities for students who require learning at a different level or on a particular subject that is
not available (Woolf, Lane, Chaudhri, & Kolodner, 2013). Tutoring and studying programs are becoming more advanced thanks to artificial intelligence and
are able to respond to a range of learning styles. There are many AI applications
that are being developed including AI mentors for learners, adaptive learning
content and they are useful in virtual class meetings that are web-based, and
even more techniques will continue to be developed (Woolf, Lane, Chaudhri,
& Kolodner, 2013). Table 3.3 shows a few AI based resources that your students
may find helpful.
Table 3.3 Artificial intelligence resources
Name
Description
Google Translator
Online language translation for text (words and phrases)
and web pages.
Grammarly
A digital writing tool used for writing and language
processing.
Presentation Translator PowerPoint plugin that creates subtitles in real time for
what the teacher is speaking or presenting course content.
Virtual and Augmented Reality
Virtual and augmented reality has evolved over the years, and these technologies have also reshaped how we interact with content. Sciforce (2018) defines
virtual reality as “an immersive experience in an environment generated by
the computer and is presented to our senses to experience it as if we were
really there; whereas augmented reality combines digital information with the
existing physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented or
supplemented by computer-generated sensory input including sound, video,
graphics or Global Positioning System (GPS) data,” (para. 4).
Bringing virtual and augmented reality applications into the online classroom
can be costly, requiring specific resources to develop and design learning material that allows active student participation. However, the educational features are
beneficial to using virtual and augmented reality to stimulate the online learning
experience by facilitating interactions that immerse students into environments
that use 3D visualizations and videos to understand the course content.
According to Sciforce (2018), “students want to enjoy being educated and engaged,
these technologies are poised to become prevalent in the future” (para 15).
Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning • 47
Instructors can integrate augmented and virtual reality experiences into their
online courses using the resources outlined in Table 3.4 as well as assessing
student learning, actions and decisions in the following ways:
Table 3.4 VR and AR Resources
Name
Description
Access Mars
3D experience that allows users to visit several locations on Mars
based on the discoveries made by NASA’s Curiosity rover.
BioDigital Human Free 3D visualizations for human anatomy that show interactive
models of structures and health conditions.
ClassVR
Provides an engaging, immersive experience for students and
allows them to view and understand subjects and topics through
personal experience.
Google Earth
Create maps, share images and videos, and immerse users into
virtual guided tours of different locations and cultures around
the world.
• Students can practice defining vocabulary words using an augmented
reality mobile application for a foreign language course, giving them
the ability to interact with the content by virtually touching objects to
reveal their English translation.
• Require students to use Flowcode to create and embed QR codes in
their final presentations to describe diagrams, images, resources, and
other essential information.
• Have students design an interactive timeline or virtual museum
based on a historical event using clickable 3D artifacts to highlight milestones, significant contributions, behaviors, and selected
deliverables.
• Require students to work in small teams to develop a building facility
model using augmented reality technology to visualize and manipulate real-life components, characteristics, and conditions.
• Students can discover virtual scenes, locations, and adventures using
Google Cardboard viewer to immerse themselves in 360-degree video
experiences to help retain course content and provide a deeper understanding of learning concepts.
Summary
In conclusion, project-based learning and scenario-based learning can help
with supporting the learner, provide helpful activities that are designed to
enhance their learning, and assist them in understanding what is relevant to
48 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
the learning activity before having to complete the assignment. Project-based
learning and scenario-based learning tend to focus on certain topics and information for learning, as well as encouraging learners to be active learners. These
types of learning experiences give learners the freedom to participate in areas
that interest them. Learners can put their learning into practice without fear
of being wrong, promoting innovation, and confidence in their capability of
adopting different perspectives and discovering new things. Finally, other valuable attributes that were mentioned in this chapter specifically were the benefits
of incorporating virtual labs, artificial intelligence, and AR/VR learning opportunities that allow students to acquire an understanding of the course material
in more diverse ways by immersing themselves into a highly engaging learning
environment. Students are able to not only interpret and share knowledge, but
also practice and see the impacts of their own actions and decisions when constructing real-word concepts. In the next chapter we will focus on how tools
for gamification and social media can be implemented in the online learning
environment in engaging and meaningful ways.
Chapter 3 Technology and Online Resources
The following list includes all of the technology and online resources with corresponding links mentioned throughout Chapter 3, in alphabetical order.
Name of Tool
URL
Access Mars
https://accessmars.withgoogle.com/
Adobe Aero
https://www.adobe.com/products/aero.html
Adobe Spark
https://spark.adobe.com/
Animoto
https://animoto.com/education/classroom
Articulate 360
https://360.articulate.com/
BioDigital Human
www.biodigital.com/
Canva
www.canva.com/
ClassVR
www.classvr.com/virtual-reality-downloads/
Cognitive Informatics
www.pnnl.gov/cogInformatics/showcase_objects_
Scenario-based Simulations environments.stm
e-Skeletons
http://eskeletons.org/
Facebook
www.facebook.com/
Fligrid
https://info.flipgrid.com/
Flowcode
www.flowcode.com/
Google Docs
https://docs.google.com
Google Earth
www.google.com/earth/
Google Translator
https://translate.google.com/
(Continued)
Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning • 49
Name of Tool
URL
Grammarly
https://grammarly.com/
Instagram
www.instagram.com/
JoVE
www.jove.com/
Labster
www.labster.com
Merlot
www.merlot.org/merlot/materials.
htm?keywords=virtual+labs&sort.property=relevance
Mindmoto
www.mindomo.com/mind-maps-for-education
PhET
https://phet.colorado.edu/
Presentation Translator
https://tinyurl.com/y4hno8gk
SBL Interactive
www.sblinteractive.org/
Synth
https://gosynth.com/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/
YouTube
www.youtube.com/
Discipline-Specific Examples
To better help you situate an idea from this chapter into your discipline, we
provide a wide range of discipline-specific examples in the following table that
you can easily reference.
Discipline
Description of what students will be required to do
Construction
Have students participate in a virtual construction site or online visit
of a location or facility to gather information and collect data based
on their inspection using Flipgrid as the learning tool to share their
observations online.
Earth Science Have students create and share augmented reality models using Adobe
Aero to make decisions and access their knowledge on key concepts.
Law and
Policy
Students will participate in an online debate (oral presentation) by
discussing court cases or research topics of interests which would
have them choose a “side/stance”. They can use Synth, to record
and post short audio recordings (no longer than 4-minutes) of their
rationale and explanations to support their arguments.
Business
Management
Students are assigned a specific project management role to review
and provide feedback on the company that the entire class is studying.
Students can work either individually or in groups to record a shared
video presentation using Animoto to provide recommendations and a
list of improvements based on their assigned role.
Public Health Using Mindmoto, students can post their key points for current
events and/or articles to learn more about a particular issue and
present solutions to the class to share their insights on these
trending topics throughout the semester.
50 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
Planning Template
For this chapter, we have developed a planning template that includes an
example of a kinesiology instructor using a virtual lab simulation in an online
course. In this example, the instructor will allow each student to choose a region
of the human body to examine using the eSkeletons simulation. Students are
assigned to create a visual presentation based on the anatomy and function of
their selected region of the body. The first column in the following table is filled
out completely as a model for your course planning.
Chapter 3 Planning Template
Type of Active and Experiential
Learning Activity
Virtual Labs
Academic Discipline: Kinesiology/Biology
Topic
(A few words description)
Compare and contrast the human skeletal
anatomy
Learning Objective(s)
(What learners should be
able to do/understand after
participating in the learning
activities?)
Students will be able to:
• Identify the major bones in the human body
• Compare and contrast different human bones
Description of Activity
(What learners will be “doing”)
Students will use the eSkeletons simulation to
explore and examine the different parts of the
human body.
Next, students will select one body section and
create a visual representation of the human bones
located in that section of the body.
Deliverables
(What learners will “turn in” for
feedback and grading?)
Students will also use Canva to create a digital
infographic labeling the different parts of the
human bone structure and show that they are
placed in the correct anatomical position.
Assessment
(The grading criteria the
instructor will use. Add a link to
grading rubric where available)
Canva infographic and presentation criteria:
• Organization of Information
• Visual Appeal and Design
• Delivery of Presentation
Completion Time
(Estimated amount of time the
activity will take to complete)
2–3 hours
Note: Students can use the entire online week to
complete this activity. The final presentations can
be scheduled at a later date if students need more
time.
Required Tech Tools
(Technology tools required to
carry out and complete learning
activity)
eSkeletons simulation and Canva
Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning • 51
Now, take a moment to reflect on your course. We have provided a blank
planning template as an organizational tool as you start to plan how to include
project-based learning and scenario-based learning, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality in your online courses. This template is also available
for download on the book’s resources webpage. We encourage you to include
some of the technology and online resources mentioned throughout this chapter, as well as the discipline-specific examples mentioned earlier.
Chapter 3 Planning Template (Blank)
Type of Active
and Experiential
Learning Activity
Virtual Labs
Academic
Discipline:
Project- and Scenario- Artificial Intelligence/
Based Learning
Virtual and Augmented
Academic Discipline: Reality
Academic Discipline:
Topic
(A few words
description)
Learning
Objective(s)
(What learners
should be able to
do/understand after
participating in the
learning activities?)
Description of
Activity
(What learners will
be “doing”)
Deliverables
(What learners
will “turn in” for
feedback and
grading?)
Assessment
(The grading
criteria the
instructor will use.
Add link to grading
rubric)
Completion Time
(Estimated amount
of time the activity
will take to
complete)
(Continued)
52 • Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning
Chapter 3 Planning Template (Blank)
Type of Active
and Experiential
Learning Activity
Required Tech
Tools
(Technology tools
required to carry
out and complete
learning activity)
Virtual Labs
Academic
Discipline:
Project- and Scenario- Artificial Intelligence/
Based Learning
Virtual and Augmented
Academic Discipline: Reality
Academic Discipline:
4
Staying Connected
Gamification and Social Media
KEY TERMS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Digital Games
Game-Based Learning
Game Design
Game Play
Gamification
Instructional Design
Player Types
Privacy
Social Media
Introduction
Klopfer (2008) defines games as “purposeful, goal-orientated, rule-based activity that the players perceive as fun” (p. 11). Games are great tools for learning
content because they create authentic opportunities for 21st-century learners
to build on previous knowledge and develop in-depth knowledge and skills.
Games are highly engaging, interactive, and in order for a game to be effective
in the learning environment it must be used effectively. Today’s online learners desire interactive learning experiences and it is vital that through research,
educators explore the possibilities of using emerging digital media technologies
like games in the learning environment.
Game-based learning and social media technologies have the potential to
actively engage online learners. Educators cannot just change lesson plans
to create such an environment as there must be entire shifts in the way educators teach. Gamification and social media are unique because they create
an immersive learning environment; something that traditional classroom
methods do not do. There needs to be some vehicle, which transports an
online classroom from the recorded lecture to a more interactive and richer
environment. Gaming and play are considered great teaching tools for an
active learner. Digital gaming presents the opportunity for students to learn
53
54 • Staying Connected
through the direct experience of playing a role or becoming a character and
infusing oneself into a virtual situation. This affords the learner an increased
understanding for using new knowledge within the gaming context in which
individuals play games in different ways, using different gaming strategies
and decision-making skills.
Game-based learning not only cultivates learner development, but also
enhances skills needed in education; such as trouble-shooting, trial and error,
team building skills, problem solving, lateral thinking, concentration, memorization, information gathering, analysis, developing and testing solutions (Gros,
2007). Game-based learning is most prevalent in the K-12 environment where
the value of teaching learners in a risk-free environment provides an interactive atmosphere that incorporates all of the design elements in which learners
can interact with games in a meaningful way (Hew & Brush, 2007). We are now
seeing the potential benefits for game-based learning as a way to actively engage
learners in post-secondary course content and higher education institutions
are starting to engage in quality game-based learning for undergraduate and
professional learners’ online learning programs.
Learning Through Game Play
The concept of play, particularly in the context of learning, is complex and multifaceted, but a commonly accepted definition is “free movement” (Vygotsky,
1979, para. IV) which relates directly to learning in different ways based on
students’ intellect, developmental level, and past experiences. However, the
learning process is constrained by rigid structures such as the “correct” answers
and processes for the subject.
Play has always been considered a source of learning and can be used as a
vehicle to communicate how new knowledge and ideas can be transferred in
the classroom. Early philosophers, like Plato, believed that “play in childhood
is preparation for future career” (Huang & Plass, 2009, p. 53). Therefore, seeing that play is an already accepted mechanism for learning and recognizing
that play exists in many forms of participatory culture gives rise to the notion
that participatory culture is shaping the development of learning. Yet, the real
learning challenge lies in connecting knowledge with decisions in the context
of our everyday situations. As depicted in Figure 4.1, game-based learning provides opportunities for students to improve course outcomes by engaging in
digital game-based content that automatically addresses whether students can
apply what they have learned. According to Snow (2016), game-based learning is more effective when designed to supplement with other instructional
content. In addition, game-based learning allows learners to develop a growth
mindset when introduced to new concept areas and skills that they can practice
in a non-traditional learning environment that could also meet online learners’
needs.
Staying Connected • 55
Figure 4.1 Benefits of game-based learning for non-traditional students
Source: From The Potential for Game-based Learning to Improve Outcomes for Nontraditional Students, Bert Snow, Muzzy Lane, 2016
Play as a learning tool can be implemented in the learning environment.
In game play, rules can be established to govern the learning content, but
learners are free to experience the content in their own unique ways. Through
playful activities, learners are motivated by the end-goal of the learning task,
although the exact rules for achieving the learning goal are not known or
shared with learners. In this example, we see that play can be transformative. In fact, transformative play, in the context of learning, is optimal for
maximizing the zone of proximal development, as outlined by Vygotsky
(1979). This is because changing the rigid structure of play in response to
the participants’ progress would effectively change the potential for effective
interaction with the environment and instructors. A fitting example of this
would be a computer adaptive learning tool that alters the learning framework based on the learners’ previous answers. Maximizing learning for the
learner would require the tool to recognize a pattern of answering and to
develop an assistance module to effectively aid the user when answering subsequent questions. Using games within simulated virtual worlds to explore
is yet another way that transformative play is shaping the evolution of a new
learning landscape.
56 • Staying Connected
Game Play Styles and Player Types
Game researchers believe that player styles can be viewed as fluid. Players tend
to move from one play style to another and engage in a wide variety of play
styles at various times, and in different contexts. Let’s review the five player
types of learning games classified by the studies of Richard Bartle (2004) and
Nick Yee (2004) which include:
• Achievers: Achievers play games quickly and naturally focus on doing
well or finding ways to achieve mastery. They require strict goals and
increasing challenges and would strive on playing games that offer
specific point goals and performance measurements, which in turn,
offers them some sort of in-game reward.
• Explorers: Explorers are slow players that tend to enjoy game mechanics
rather than following game guidelines. They do not necessarily need challenges during game play but tend to enjoy testing hypotheses and studying
the game-world through customization and free access to more content.
• Self-validators: Self-validators are players that do not like failing. They
desire easy game play with levels that are not challenging, easy to navigate
and have the ability to quickly receive high scores. Self-validators also need
games that offer them game play hints and clues, provide practice sessions, avoid negative feedback, and allow them to hide bad performances.
• Careless: Careless players play games quickly. They tend to be very
spontaneous, lack motivation to progress to the next level and make
mistakes while doing so.
• Lost: Lost players, like explorers, play games slowly; however, they
make many errors and tend not to enjoy the gaming-based learning
experience. They like easy challenges where the game adapts to their
skills along the way.
Play styles coupled with motivation are what ultimately drive players to choose
their game strategy. Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in games have implications for play styles and learning. Thus, Achievers are motivated by extrinsic
achievement goals like winning and approval. Explorers are motivated by intrinsic goals, taking an interest in the content of games. They also enjoy exploring
ideas, role-playing, and game mechanics more than earning top scores (Heeter,
2009). Self-validators appear to be motivated by rewards, such as achieving the
highest score, and desire easy game successes.
Role of Motivation in Game Play
Motivation, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, can increase learning and engagement through the use of games. Games can facilitate choices in learning and
have the ability to offer feedback about the effectiveness of the choice being
Staying Connected • 57
made. Some games can present the learner with different scenarios where they
have to make decisions about what to do. The most useful thing is that players get to see how the decisions they make affect others in the game by using
real-life situations. Secondly, games can help with supporting the learner, providing helpful cues to enhance self-directed learning. Games can be used to
help learners understand what is relevant to the learning activity before having
to complete the assignment. Games tend to focus on certain topics and information for learning. They can encourage learners to be active learners.
Games can be used to increase motivation and active participation is through
the use of virtual environments. In virtual environments, educators can allow
learners to meet virtually, and create learning activities that allow the learners
to explore the virtual world in real time (Dede, 2007). It is through this virtual
environment that instructors can promote a different learning perspective that
evaluates learner performance, monitors the interaction between classmates
(peer learning), and fosters intellectual discussions or reflections online.
Implications for Game Design and Curriculum Design
Instructional design and game design deal with motivation, challenges, individual differences, and social interaction. Learning outcomes and goals set
by teachers are closely related to the goals presented in digital games. Game
designers must consider the player types and learning styles they want to
accommodate and encourage in their game and design games accordingly. The
game designer will try to focus on pleasing a certain player type and learning
style, rather than trying to please them all.
Educators create instructional strategies based on learner needs and interests.
Learner motivation also plays a huge role in education. Teachers utilize learner
motivation, both extrinsic and intrinsic, in the online classroom. When using
educational games in the online classroom, teachers must consider not only the
content and orientation of a game, but also, the individual characteristics like
motivation of the learners, or in this case the player types. Characteristics like
motivation, competition, social interaction and learning styles must be evaluated prior to introducing games in the classroom. Motivational principles for
empowering learners include the “ability to grant power, autonomy, and challenge at a player’s level and implications for learners’ identity” (Foster & Mishra,
2011, p. 37). Learning styles detail learners’ strengths and weaknesses, which
must be understood when incorporating not only games in the curriculum, but
also any instructional approach. According to Heeter (2009), “because educational games have learning as well as entertainment goals, learning game player
types need to incorporate player-learner characteristics such as learning styles,
abilities, and achievement orientation” (p. 3).
Digital games not only cultivate learner development, but also enhance skills
needed in education, like troubleshooting, trial and error, team building skills,
58 • Staying Connected
problem solving, lateral thinking, concentration, memorization, information
gathering, analysis, developing and testing solutions. Characteristics of digital
games, like competition, challenge, exploration, fantasy, goals, interaction, outcomes,
people, rules, and safety, relate to the educational process. Learners can develop a
deeper comprehension of content by using trouble-shooting and problem-solving
skills while playing games (Wagner, 2012). Motivation, whether intrinsic or extrinsic,
can increase learning and engagement through the use of games in the classroom.
Thus, when games are closely tied to desired learning outcomes, learners are able to
transform practical experiences into the online classroom environment.
Implementing Games in the Online Learning Environment
Game-based learning applications, coupled with e-learning platforms, have created many possibilities for sharing and transferring knowledge and information
to learners. This provides a potentially large cohort with games and simulation
technologies that can be used more for engaging and supporting practices, as
well as moving learning into informal domains, including knowledge management and performance support. Gaming applications that integrate learning
and technology foster communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills, and can be used especially in the online environment to meet the
required learning performance goals and standards.
Game-based research is used to study learning environments, which are designed
and systematically changed by the researcher (Squire, 2006). We believe that utilizing game-based learning to analyze and understand a particular learning concept
is beneficial not only to obtain results but also because it provides the ability to
modify the curriculum and to understand how game-based learning can enhance
the learning environment. Here are several ideas of how to implement game-based
elements in the online classroom using progress indicators, leaderboards, and polls.
Progress Indicators
Progress indicators are used as a learning metric that can motivate students to
complete course activities and assignments. They are typically not only used to
reward students for the successful accomplishment of specific learning activities but to also provide continuous and immediate feedback on the student’s
progress (Werbach & Hunter, 2015). Instructors can determine whether this
tracking is automatic by using the LMS to grade the activity as complete once
the student participates or manually allowing students to indicate completion
by tracking themselves. Helping clarify student progress can serve as both a
reminder and a motivator keeping students connected not only to the online
classroom environment but also to the course material.
Staying Connected • 59
Leaderboards
Another way of gamifying the classroom is to introduce leaderboards. Leaderboards rank players according to their relative success, measuring them
against a certain success criterion (Costa, Wehbe, Robb, & Nacke, 2013) and
are indicators of progress that allow students to see how they are performing
relative to others in the same course. Leaderboards can be used to motivate
learners, to reach the next level or milestone. This also allows instructors to
quickly review the status of their students at any given time (Costa, Wehne,
Robb, & Nacke, 2013) and is especially helpful for identifying students who
may be at risk of falling behind.
Polls
Polls provide visual representations of student accomplishments of learning
outcomes or objectives (Hamari, 2013). Polling students during the online
course is very engaging and can be used as a quick checkpoint to get a pulse
on how students are understanding the course material and achieving the student learning outcomes. For example, instructors can use Slido to create polls
to gather student feedback and see the results in real time. All polls can also
receive submissions through different devices. Students can text message or
submit their responses online with a smartphone, tablet, laptop, or computer
(Hamari, 2013).
Games are great tools for learning content because they create authentic opportunities for 21st-century learners to build on previous content
and develop in-depth knowledge and skills. It is through gamification that
the motivational power of games can be applied to real-world problems
such as, in this case, engaging online learners. Understanding the role of
gamification in education, therefore, means understanding under what circumstances game elements can drive learning behavior. Making use of the
game-based learning framework, we can better break down the impact of
gamification. Gamification can change the rules, but it also affects learners’
emotional experiences, their sense of identity and their social positioning.
This game-based approach to learning is supported by Leblanc’s (2004)
intrinsic motivation theory in which learners can change their identities
as learners based on how motivated they are to learn the content. You may
decide to use gamification tools and strategies to actively engage learners
in your online course. Table 4.1 provides some examples of games that can
be implemented.
60 • Staying Connected
Table 4.1 Examples of games that have been implemented in the learning environment
Game
Description
Digital Breakout/Escape Learners complete missions or mini activities testing their
Rooms
knowledge (created by the instructor) to allow them to
break out once they reach a certain performance level.
Foldit
Learners problem-solve through playing protein-folding
games to help researchers under their functions in diseases
like AIDS, cancer, and COVID-19.
IEEE: Try Engineering
Learners are provided with the specific requirements and
data in order to design or test their prototype.
Innov8
Learners participate in a business process management
mission and work with a virtual team to optimize the
company’s business processes.
Minecraft
Learners can practice vital skills related to the subject-area
and produce a final product that can be used to assess their
mastery.
United Nations
Challenges
Learners have the opportunity to prevent global disasters
and contribute to ending hunger and climate concerns.
The Role of Social Media in Learning
Learning in the 21st century now requires classrooms to be more participatory and collaborative, allowing learners to use social media technologies to
network and to transfer material. Social media has allowed learners of differing
perspectives to enter into a platform where every learner has a voice, and access
to a learning community where:
• They believe that their contributions to the content matter.
• They feel more socially connected with one another and the instructor.
• They appreciate the feedback and responses they receive that shapes
their learning perspectives.
Cognitive development through participatory culture has a great advantage
over traditional learning methods. Social media is becoming more widely
accepted by educators. These tools are effectively incorporated into the learning
environment to engage learners through social positions and highlight community contexts. Today, most social media tools or applications are being used
to build a stronger connection between the instructor and learners, especially
having increased access to course materials outside of the classroom.
A growing number of schools and instructors are utilizing social media in the
remote classroom to further engage students in the learning process. Figure 4.2
provides a graphical representation of four types of social media applications.
Staying Connected • 61
Figure 4.2 A graphical representation of the types of social media applications
used for learning
Source: Image used with permission of Shutterstock, Inc.
Social media is a tool that instructors can use to make their classroom more
engaging, relevant, and culturally diverse. There are two key benefits of using
social media in an online classroom: the sense of community it fosters among
students, and the ability for students and instructors to share information with
each other.
Examples of Use:
• Students can use social media tools to critique and comment on each
other’s assignments, collaborate in teams to create content and can
easily connect with each other and the instructor with questions when
needed.
• Many colleges and universities use social media tools like Twitter and
Instagram to communicate with students, and students use social
media to promote events for their clubs or organizations to the campus
community.
• Social media can also connect students to other courses promoting
creativity, collaboration, and practicing communication skills.
62 • Staying Connected
• Instructors can ask students to use their mobile devices or computers
to respond to polls and quizzes created by social media technologies.
For example, students taking an online math course can post problems to a digital and interactive whiteboard, where a struggling student
could work with classmates to solve it.
Building Community and Inclusivity With Social Media
Social media platforms provide a collaborative learning environment in which
students are able to share information with each other but also connect and
communicate with others globally.
• Example: When it comes to building community, LinkedIn is a great
social media tool. Colleges and universities typically maintain a presence on LinkedIn, and there are numerous LinkedIn groups geared
towards smaller groups within the larger community. LinkedIn groups
are devoted to building community among alumni, veterans, colleges,
departments, and student led organizations throughout the college or
university. Instructors can use LinkedIn Learning as an active learning technique to provide students with content-specific resources
developed by experts in the field to meet learning outcomes.
Wages (2021) states, “the collaborative environment and open forum that
social media encourages, along with the rapid pace of information sharing that it
facilitates, means that students can accelerate the development of their creative,
critical thinking, and communication processes in certain ways when they use it”
(p. ix). In online classrooms, social media can help instructors present relevant
course materials that promote deeper learner engagement through active discussions that lead to a high level of student awareness, reflection, and success. Using
social media tools such as Edmodo and Piazza appropriately can also foster inclusive online communities to enhance student learning. Thus, social media allows
students more freedom to connect and collaborate beyond the traditional classroom; all students, no matter their geographical location, can start to experience
the globally connected world long before they enter the workforce (Wages, 2021).
Table 4.2 Types of social media tools and uses in the online classroom
Tool
Description
Edmodo
Allows instructors to build a community where they can share their
content, distribute quizzes, assignments, and manage communication.
Instagram
An image capturing tool that learners can use to showcase their projects/
sample work as well as post images from a city or local exploration.
(Continued)
Staying Connected • 63
Tool
Description
Piazza
An online discussion area where learners can post questions and
answers in real time. Mostly computer science and engineering
learners like this tool because it includes LaTeX editor to allow coding
and computations.
Pinterest
A bookmarking tool that allows learners to create and document their
ideas visually using images.
Snapchat
Allows learners to engage with each other and the instructor on classrelated topics. It can be used to humanize the course for instructors to
host virtual office hours and Q&A sessions with students.
Twitter
Allows learners to interact and share ideas, post images, and
communicate with each other in real time.
Strategies to Protect Student Privacy When Using Social Media
in the Classroom
One benefit of social media is that it is free and accessible to everyone. The
challenge with social media is that not all students are careful about what they
post. Since students can choose to make their settings private or public there is
a good chance that other students may be featured in a video or image without
their permission. Given that social media content can go viral very quickly,
this becomes a huge privacy concern for everyone, including the instructor,
students, and perhaps the institution.
We’ve already explored some of the possibilities of including social media
within the online classroom to promote collaboration and engagement among
students however, instructors should be careful not to require students to use
social media in order to participate in the learning experience. We recommend
that instructors should always have an alternative way that students can contribute to the learning activity. Some students may not be comfortable with
creating a social media account or sharing information about their learning on
these public platforms. One example is to have students work in pairs or small
groups where some students are comfortable with sharing while the other students can still contribute to the learning without being required to post.
In an online classroom environment, it is important to establish netiquette
expectations, protect students’ personal identifiable information, and follow
student data privacy guidelines for how to incorporate social media into the
learning experience. Please review these helpful strategies:
• Review your institution’s acceptable use policy. This would include
social media guidelines that your school has in place. You and the students may want to consider creating separate accounts for educational
needs and professional use.
64 • Staying Connected
• Consider having student consent/opt-out forms. If you plan to
share any activities in your online classroom, make sure to get students’
consent.
• Review privacy settings on your social media accounts. For example, you can set your Instagram account to “Private” so only those who
follow you can view your stories or images.
• Explain to students the purpose of using a social media platform
for learning. Let students know ahead of time what, when, and how
they will be using social media, and review both the benefits and the
risks. Encourage your students to talk to you privately if they have
concerns about their pictures, videos, or personal information being
shared.
• Use the LMS. Consider using your institution’s LMS to create a course
site where students can access course materials, including videos, documents, and web resources, in a protected digital environment. Students
can upload files, share documents, and use built-in social tools such as
notifications, discussion forums, and audio/video features to connect
and communicate with you and their peers.
• Make sure to review any photo or video before posting to a social
media platform. It is good netiquette to take a moment to review all
images or videos closely prior to uploading online. You and your students may be unaware of privacy implications or data security risks
when revealing information such as location, ID numbers, and profile
details. Consider cropping or blurring your background, documents
that may contain sensitive material, and people’s faces, especially if
you did not ask for their permission.
• Review data collection and user analytics guidelines. It is important to understand how your information will be collected, stored, and
used on social media platforms. Instructors should research and be
aware how student information will be used. Most social media tools
provide this information per request and it’s helpful for instructors
to always provide students clear guidelines of how their engagement will be tracked and monitored to evaluate their overall learning
performance.
Summary
Implementing gamification and social media in higher education is changing
how courses are being designed and developed, especially with the rise in the
use of mobile technologies. Learners more than ever have the opportunity to
engage not only with the course material (within the online classroom environment), but they are also able to create, collaborate, and articulate their practical
Staying Connected • 65
experiences (outside the online classroom environment). In this form of active
learning, the roles of the instructor and student can be defined as either learning designers or players in which they are tasked to use game-based elements
and social media to make decisions on how to use the course materials to demonstrate their learning in meaningful ways. In the next chapter, we will focus on
strategies on how to build and establish social presence through participatory
and peer-learning opportunities in online courses.
Chapter 4 Technology and Online Resources
The following list includes all of the technology and online resources with
corresponding links mentioned throughout Chapter 4, in alphabetical
order.
Name of Tool
URL
Digital Breakout/Escape Room
https://sites.google.com/site/digitalbreakoutjb/
sandbox
Edmodo
https://new.edmodo.com/
Foldit
http://fold.it/portal/info/science
Genially
www.genial.ly/
IEEE: Try Engineering
http://tryengineering.org/play-games
Innov8
www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/ws-bpminnov8/
Instagram
www.instagram.com/
Minecraft
https://minecraft.net
Piazza
https://piazza.com/
Pinterest
www.pinterest.com/
Slido
www.sli.do/
Snapchat
www.snapchat.com/
Twitter
https://twitter.com/
United Nations Games
https://unric.org/en/category/united-nationsdigital-engagement-hub/united-nations-videogames/
YouTube
www.youtube.com/
Discipline-Specific Examples
To better help you situate an idea from this chapter into your discipline, we
provide a wide range of discipline-specific examples in the following table that
you can easily reference.
66 • Staying Connected
Discipline
Description of what students will be required to do
Cultural Anthropology
Have students search for cultural images and digital
artifacts using Pinterest for their final project presentations.
Foreign Affairs
After learning that world hunger is a global issue,
students can participate in the United Nations World
Hunger virtual game challenge to gain skills on how to
advocate for this cause.
Interior Design
Challenge students to create an infographic or
interactive image of their design assignments using
Genially. Students can also post updates and reply to
peers on their progress on their design plans.
Physical Therapy
Students can use Snapchat to demonstrate movements and
create instructional video postings for potential clients.
All Disciplines
To successfully complete the digital escape classroom,
students complete short activities to answer or provide
solutions based on the weekly topics covered. If they
get the correct answer, they receive a code/clue to
“unlock” the next level and so on until the last level is
unlocked where they “break out” and escape the digital
classroom showing mastery of key concepts.
Planning Template
For this chapter, we have developed a planning template that includes an example of
an English as a Second Language (ESL) instructor using a social media application to
improve writing and vocabulary skills in an online course. In particular, the instructor
will create a discussion prompt which will allow students to practice using a vocabulary list to respond to one another through the class Twitter channel. The first column
in the following table is filled out completely as a model for your course planning.
Chapter 4 Planning Template
Type of Experiential and Active Learning
Strategy
Social Media
Academic Discipline: ESL/Language
Topic
(A few words description)
Develop writing skills and learn new
vocabulary terms.
Learning Objective(s)
(What learners should be able to do/
understand after participating in the
learning activities?)
Students will be able to:
• Write correct form of vocabulary
terms when posting to social media.
• Summarize and respond to social
media comments.
(Continued)
Staying Connected • 67
Chapter 4 Planning Template
Type of Experiential and Active Learning
Strategy
Social Media
Academic Discipline: ESL/Language
Description of Activity
(What learners will be “doing”)
Using the class Twitter channel
(hashtag) created by the instructor,
students will use Twitter to tweet and
respond to each other using English
and different languages to practice
conversations and sharing ideas.
• Resources may include a vocabulary
list, assigning students a prompt or
interesting topic (e.g. current events,
personal experiences, etc.).
• Also, if you want the students
to practice longer phases and
paragraphs, Instagram would be a
better option.
Deliverables
(What learners will “turn in” for feedback
and grading?)
Students can show evidence of their
tweets in the following ways:
• Add the class hashtag.
• Include individual names
(@twitternames).
• Upload a screenshot/image of tweet.
Assessment
(The grading criteria the instructor will
use. Add a link to grading rubric where
available)
Written posts will be based on:
• Vocabulary and word choice.
• Contribution to responses.
• Grammar and spelling.
• Relevance to topic.
Completion Time
(Estimated amount of time the activity
will take to complete)
30–40 minutes
Note: Instructors may need additional
time to set-up and adjust Twitter settings.
Required Tech Tools
(Technology tools required to carry out
and complete learning activity)
Twitter or Instagram
Note: Instructors and students will need
to create an account and make sure to
follow each other for this activity.
Now, take a moment to reflect on your course. We have provided a blank
planning template as an organizational tool as you start to plan how to
include gamification and social media in your online courses. This template is also available for download on the book’s resources webpage. We
encourage you to include some of the technology and online resources mentioned throughout this chapter, as well as the discipline-specific examples
mentioned earlier.
68 • Staying Connected
Chapter 4 Planning Template (Blank)
Type of
Experiential and
Active Learning
Strategy
Topic
(A few words
description)
Learning
Objective(s)
(What learners
should be able to
do/understand after
participating in the
learning activities?)
Description of
Activity
(What learners will
be “doing”)
Deliverables
(What learners
will “turn in” for
feedback and
grading?)
Assessment
(The grading
criteria the
instructor will
use. Add a link to
grading rubric)
Completion Time
(Estimated amount
of time the activity
will take to
complete)
Required Tech
Tools
(Technology tools
required to carry
out and complete
learning activity)
Social Media
Academic
Discipline:
Digital Games/
Apps for Learning
Academic
Discipline:
Polling/Progress
Indicators
Academic
Discipline:
5
Building Social Presence
Participatory and Peer-Learning
Opportunities
KEY TERMS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Accountability Teams
Case Studies
Curation of Content
Jigsaw Projects
Peer Learning
Peer Reviews
Robust Creative Works
Social Presence
Team Conferencing
Team Projects
Virtual Team Spaces
Peer and Cooperative Learning in Online Courses
While some people may think of online courses as the last place where team
projects would be, the online learning environment actually presents a unique
opportunity to engage students in learning experiences with their peers. With
the prominence of asynchronous and self-directed learning activities within
online environments, having a dedicated time and opportunity to work with
others in the class is often welcomed by online learners.
Benefits
There are many benefits for both learners and instructors when engagement
in team projects is a requirement of the course. The opportunity to work with
peers closely on an assignment provides the chance to learn a great deal from
others, while actively engaging with online course content. Team projects
inherently bring a social aspect to the forefront. There will be opportunities
for team meetings, sharing, and time to contribute to the overall project which
will make learners feel more connected to the online course. For instructors,
69
70 • Building Social Presence
having to grade five team projects versus twenty individual projects also has its
advantages. The instructor can spend the same amount of time that they would
be grading individual assignments; however, more detailed feedback can be
given since the instructor would have more time and energy. Another benefit of
team projects in online courses is that larger projects become more manageable
since the workload is shared. This is particularly true for online courses that are
accelerated, running in less weeks than traditional semester brick-and-mortar
courses.
Challenges
While there are many benefits to peer learning, there are also potential challenges. Some of these challenges are particularly inherent in online courses
including making the initial connection with classmates, knowing students’
individual work styles, and helping students navigate needed technology tools
that they may be unfamiliar with. It is important in online courses for the
instructor to design and facilitate team projects in a way that minimizes potential challenges that come with online teamwork and address team conflicts and
grading equity. In this chapter, we provide suggestions for building peer and
participatory learning opportunities within online courses.
Social Presence
In order to actively engage learners in online courses, there must be opportunities for interactions with others. While there is something special about
connecting with course content and with the instructor, opportunities to reflect
on learning and share the process with other individuals taking the course are
invaluable. The idea of social presence is part of the community of inquiry
framework developed by Rourke, Anderson, Garrison, and Archer (2001). In
the research done on social presence, three categories are focused on: affective, interactive, and cohesive, which relate to emotions and immediacy, being
present and extending learning, inclusivity and connectedness of the class as
a whole, respectively. There are many ways to include social presence into the
fabric of online courses and doing so, can positively impact the overall learning
experience.
Building social presence in online courses should be at the forefront and
serve as a catalyst to creating targeted opportunities for learners to address
course content through active engagement. The following list includes seven
simple solutions that instructors can pull from to start building social presence
in their online courses:
1. Bring a sense of self into the online courses. It can be difficult in online
courses for students to get a sense of their instructor’s personality.
Building Social Presence • 71
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Using bitmojis and avatars in announcements and communications
can help add a bit of spirit to the online course. Similarly, the use of
emojis can also bring some affective emotions to the online course
environment.
Require students to build their LMS profiles. When reviewing
discussion board postings, it is helpful to be able to see the face of
the student whose posting you are reading and responding to. Simply by requiring students to post a picture of themselves within the
LMS profile, instructors can put a face with the students’ name and
narrative posted. Also, having students introduce themselves at the
beginning of the course and sharing an introductory video can add to
getting to know the student and bring their presence into the online
course.
Use students’ names. When responding to discussion posts and
other correspondences, address students by their names. For example, instead of saying “great ideas that you shared here”, say “Kennedy,
these are great ideas that you share here”. Model this for students and
they will also use the names of their classmates when responding to
postings.
Send out non-grade related announcements. When sending out
announcements to the class each week, balance reminders of assignments with general messages not directly related to due dates. This
could be anything from an article you found that connects to the
week’s topic or an inspiring video to share.
Integrate students’ ideas into the content. Dedicate a section of the
LMS for students to share ideas, related content, and other materials
that they have found that connects to the course. Use some of what is
posted as prompts to engage discussions or in recorded and live lectures. Students will have a sense of pride and accomplishment after
seeing that they are making a contribution to the course.
Provide students with opportunities to share. Students need the
chance to share their learning beyond the discussion board. Have
students lead live lectures and online class sessions or serve as facilitators.
Have fun and use appropriate humor. Memes can be effective in
bringing in humor to the course while making a specified point. Using
humor in the online course will help show students that you are human
too and not a robot in the computer simply spewing out content.
Students in online courses must have opportunities to connect with course
content, with the instructor, and with their peers. Keeping these seven simple
solutions that instructors can pull from to start building social presence in their
online courses is a great starting point.
72 • Building Social Presence
Designing Peer-Learning Projects in Online Courses
Participating in team projects offers learners the chance to develop interpersonal communication skills (Figueira & Leal, 2013), build relationships with
classmates, and increase the level of collective competencies as each group
member brings something different to the team. However, in the online environment where the majority of the work may occur asynchronously, learners
may resist having to work with others (Smith et al., 2011) on graded assignments. Learners often say that they do not like team assignments because
they expect that they will have to contribute more than their teammates or
that they will have difficulty scheduling times to meet with team members.
They also may be uneasy about being assigned a grade based on the work
of the team. Regardless, it is important for instructors to provide online
learners with different learning activities where they can work collaboratively with peers while engaging with the academic content in the online
classroom.
Examples of Peer-Learning Assignments in Online Courses
Regardless of the academic discipline, there are specific types of assignments
that lend themselves to peer learning, while other types of assignments may
be better suited for individual assignments. Accountability teams, case studies,
jigsaws, peer reviews, and robust creative works are assignments that are complex, comprehensive and can be broken down into parts that teams can work
on together. These types of assignments can be part of any online course as a
means to engage learners with one another, while deepening their understanding of the course content.
Accountability Teams
An accountability team can be useful for learners to help each other complete individual assignments. For example, in a research class or a course with
a research project requirement, every learner will have their own individual
research projects that they will carry out. However, the class can be split into
accountability teams where they will provide peer-feedback and support to each
other during each step of the research process. To ensure that the teams take the
accountability piece of the assignment seriously, the role of the accountability
team should be laid out by the instructor and contributions made should be
part of each student’s overall assignment grade.
• When to Use: For assignments where students will turn in an individual project, but rely on a team to secure resources, discuss ideas,
and stay on track.
Building Social Presence • 73
• Example: You assign a literature review paper with a topic based on
the academic discipline of the course. Students will need to secure at
least 20 references for the literature review. Accountability team members can post articles in a shared virtual space such as Notion, where
they can organize the different articles, write notes to one another, and
meet to discuss progress.
• Related Technology Tool:
• Notion: An online collaborative space that has the capability to
share text, notes, documents, and schedule meetings.
Case Studies
Case studies are a team project option that requires the use of higher level and
critical thinking skills. Case studies are ideal if your online course includes
comprehensive cases that need to be analyzed. For example in a law course
or a counseling psychology course that rely on the use of case studies to help
learners master the content. Teams can go through the cases and related
facts, make arguments for and against, and ask questions. Case studies are
often complex and require breaking down information to develop potential
solutions. Having a team work on them can make the experience more invigorating for online learners, as well as help to challenge each other’s thought
processes.
• When to Use: For assignments where the information to be reviewed
and analyzed can benefit from working in teams.
• Example: For a law, business, counseling, or education course where
you are covering topics of ethics and professional standards. Provide
students with a case study of the issue at hand, and in teams, they have
to work through the case study and provide a solution. Case study
teams can use Microsoft Teams to review the documents, chat, meet
live, and record and present their case study analysis
• Related Technology Tool:
• Microsoft Teams: To use as a space for each case study team to
exchange documents, meet live, record presentation, chat, and
schedule meetings.
Jigsaws
Jigsaw assignments are those that are broken into “pieces” or sections, but when
the sections are put together, they create a whole project. Jigsaws are ideal for
team projects because each team member will have the responsibility for completing a defined section. However, they will have to work with the other team
74 • Building Social Presence
members to ensure that the projects are cohesive and filled with continuity.
The team will also have to come together if there is a presentation component
to the assignment.
• When to Use: For assignments that have large components that could
be broken up into sections that different teams can work on.
• Example: In a history course, you are covering a unit on the American
Revolution, Civil War, or Renaissance era. The class can be broken
up into equal Jigsaw teams who will each cover a section of the topic.
Each group can create one shared Google Slides presentation to create
the slides. Once the slides are created, VoiceThread can be used for
each jigsaw group to voice record their presentation over their slides.
In the end, there is one collective presentation on the entire unit.
• Related Technology Tools:
• Google Slides: To create a shared presentation with slides from
each jigsaw team.
• VoiceThread: To record over the individual slides for the presentation part of the assignment. The capabilities of VoiceThread will
allow for the recording to be done at different times, but on the
same presentation.
Peer Reviews
Peer reviews provide a wonderful opportunity for online students to engage in
participatory and peer learning. Consistent with its name, a peer review happens when a student in a course reviews the academic work of another student.
Peer reviews can be used for almost any assignment, in any discipline. What
is special about including peer reviews in online courses is that it provides a
dedicated and guaranteed time where online learners know they will be able to
connect with another student in the class and make a meaningful contribution
to the overall learning community.
• When to Use: For assignments that you want students to get a second opinion or different perspective from someone other than the
instructor.
• Example: Using a writing assignment in any academic discipline,
place students in peers (or trios if the numbers are not even), and
have students review their peer’s writing assignment. Create a rubric
specific to the writing assignment that each peer can follow in order
to provide valuable feedback.
• Related Technology Tools:
• Google Forms: For the rubric that each student will complete to
provide feedback to their peer/partner.
Building Social Presence • 75
• Trello: For a shared space that each peer review team can use to
upload their writing assignment for their peers to see. The link to
the Google Form and results can be posted on the Trello as well so
students can easily receive feedback from their peers.
Robust Creative Works
Often there are assignments that instructors would like learners to work on,
but there may not be enough time in the course to complete them with fidelity. This is particularly true in certain online courses of accelerated length.
These types of assignments would work well in a team capacity where there
are flexible guidelines, and each final project is expected to be distinct from
one another. Robust creative works are different from jigsaws, which have
clearly defined sections. Also, with assignments that rely on innovation and
creativity, it is often more effective to combine the thoughts and ideas of multiple parties.
• When to Use: For creative projects that require innovation and
invention.
• Example: Requiring students to build code to keep hackers out of
private accounts for computer science and data analytics majors or a
prototype for engineering majors.
• Related Technology Tool:
• Milanote: A creative space that serves as a shared online canvas to
doodle, upload images, video, and type text with a team.
Online Instructor’s Role in Designing Team Projects
Provide a Virtual Team Space
All LMSs have tools and applications that serve teamwork well. Instructors
should create a private virtual space for each team where team members can
connect with one another and share ideas. At a minimum, the shared virtual
team space should include a discussion board, a file sharing area, and a space
for live, real-time sessions or chat. Instructors should provide an overview of
each feature of the virtual shared space and make suggestions for how it should
be used. While this may seem intuitive for instructors, some learners may not
know how to best leverage the space or use the individual features. This can lead
to underutilization of the shared virtual space and a less efficient process during
the team project. Be sure that all learners know how to access and use the virtual
team space to support the team’s work. Alternatives to the LMS include online
spaces where students can co-create content and share. Wakelet, Figure 5.1, is
one example and has the ability to leave messages, connect to social media, add
text, video, and images.
76 • Building Social Presence
Figure 5.1 A graphical representation of the features of a Wakelet
Source: Image from wakelet.com: Wakelet is a web-based platform and mobile app providing an easy and visual way for educators and learners to save, curate and collaborate
on digital content
Create Teams
Diverse teams, where each member has unique attributes, beliefs, and perspectives, will make for well-rounded team experiences. Teams should have a
combination of personality types and learning styles, while also having a few
commonalities. Get to know your online learners and their preferences before
creating teams. One way to ensure that learners are paired with peers who they
would work best with is to use preference inventories. For example, the MyersBriggs personality inventory can be used to determine which learners would be
more prone to lead the group versus those who may prefer to take a non-leading
role. An online instructor can also create their own preference inventories and
Building Social Presence • 77
give it to learners at the beginning of the course term. This would help online
instructors to get to know their learners from the start of the course. Some of
the questions on the preference inventory could be:
1. What city/country do you live in?
2. What time zone are you in?
3. Do you prefer to get class work completed in the mornings/evenings?
Weekends/weekdays?
4. What type of roles do you feel comfortable taking in team projects?
5. What type of device(s) do you use to access the online course?
Remember, you will not have the benefit of seeing students in person as you
would in a traditional course. You cannot see who students typically engage with
and other non-verbal cues. You can however pay attention to whether there are
certain people who always respond to each other’s discussion board postings.
Or if some of the students work in the same field, or even for the same organization. Try your best to get to know your online students and use that information
to create well rounded teams. If you prefer to have random teams, within most
LMSs, there is a feature to create random groups. If the LMS you are using does
not have this feature, a free random group selector such as RandomList can be
used to randomly create teams.
Set Transparent Expectations
Team members must be fully aware of what their individual contribution to
the team is, and how that will translate into their final grade. Depending on
the type of team project, instructors may want to provide an individual grade,
a team group, or both. You may want learners to be assessed on the individual contributions they made as well as how well they worked in concert with
their team. Assigning individual grades may increase each team members’ personal accountability and can make for a more positive collaborative experience
because everyone is involved in contributing to the assignment. Regardless of
what type of grade(s) will be assigned, include a full assignment description,
clearly list the deliverables, and provide a rubric so teams are aware of how they
will be graded.
Facilitate Team Dynamics
Instructors play an integral role in team projects. We need to anticipate that
teams may have challenges and be a consistent presence within the shared
online space. Instead of stepping in at the request of students, make students
aware that you will be present throughout the assignment as a support and
78 • Building Social Presence
resource. Note that it is important to be present, but not too intrusive. Your
role will serve as a guide for teams through the process as needed. Being transparent with your role will be helpful for teams who may need assistance with
navigating the team space and communicating with their team members. By
monitoring the online team space, you are also building instructor presence
within the online course and creating an additional opportunity to connect
with your students.
Develop Feedback System
While feedback can be uncomfortable to give and difficult to receive, it is
important for each team member to receive constructive feedback from their
fellow team members. Knowing that you will be evaluated by team members
can serve as motivation for students to do their best work. To assist students
with giving feedback and to ensure that the feedback is valuable, develop a
template that each team member can use to provide feedback. The template
will be specific to the team assignment, your course, and the attributes of
each team member’s contributions that you want focused on. Peer evaluations benefit learners who make contributions (Dingel & Wei, 2014) to the
team project, and for learners who did not make a full contribution, the peer
feedback may help them reflect on how they can improve for the next team
project.
Digital Tools for Collaboration
There are many tools that online instructors can encourage learners to leverage
during collaborative projects. Many of these tools can be used to communicate
with one another about the course projects, sharing and creating files and documents, and jointly present the final project online.
Communicating
Collaborative work with peers requires effective communication. There are
many ways to communicate with each other in an online course including text
and audio. Text communication in online courses typically occurs on a discussion board. If the LMS your school is using does not have a conferencing
tool for team projects, there are many options to use. In Chapter 2, several
conferencing tools were mentioned that can be used to communicate during
collaborative work. In Table 5.1, additional conferencing tools specific to team
projects are listed. Regardless of the option you choose, we recommend using a
conferencing tool that allows for team members to share their screens with each
other and use an interactive whiteboard. Some of the other features that may be
helpful include sending invitations to join the meeting, the ability to record the
session and having private discussions within the larger team.
Building Social Presence • 79
Here are some ways to encourage teams to use virtual conferencing tools for
collaboration:
• Require teams to have a planning meeting.
• Incorporate a team meeting in the grading process and have them
submit a recording of a session.
• Require teams to have a post-assignment meeting and acknowledge
what went well and areas of improvements.
• Meet the teams to discuss their progress on the assignment.
• Meet individual team members to give them a voice in the process.
• Have the team meet and use the screensharing features to show examples of other projects.
In addition to communicating during scheduled meetings, it is important to
provide each team with other suggestions for keeping the lines of communication open. Have learners determine which time zones everyone lives in, as well
as which times generally work for each person to have live discussions. Ask
learners to post some sort of schedule within the LMS and encourage them to
use email to send asynchronous messages that do not require the coordination
of schedules. Table 5.1 includes a list of conferencing tools and their unique
features that can be used for collaborating on team assignments.
Table 5.1 Conferencing tools for teamwork
Name
Unique Features for Collaboration
Bluejeans Meetings One-click breakout room feature to split teams into small
groups. Has a closed caption feature for teams for teams with
members who have diverse communication needs.
Google Meet
Free tool that works on any device and web browsers. Integrates
with Google’s speech recognition technology.
Join.Me
Teams can use a customized meeting link URL and one click
screen sharing tool.
Ring Central
Free tool which allows conferencing through messaging, video,
and phone. Allows for recording of meetings as well as starting
on one device and ending a meeting on another device.
Creating, Sharing, and Storing Materials
One of the most important aspects of truly working together on the same project is the ability to be able to share ideas and thoughts. We recommend that
learners use Google Docs or a similar tool, where one document can be viewed
and edited by multiple people at the same time. The documents created on
Google Docs can also be downloaded as PDFs and Microsoft Word documents,
80 • Building Social Presence
and shared with the instructor. To ensure that teams fully utilize collaborative
documents, online instructors should provide clear and direct instructions on
using the features of Google Docs. To share and store materials outside of the
Google Drive system, most LMSs such as Blackboard, have a file exchange feature. With the file exchange placed in a group space, teams will have easy access
to it, the assignment description and other related materials. Table 5.2 list a few
curation tools for teamwork.
Table 5.2 Curation Tools for Teamwork
Name
Unique Features for Collaboration
Dropbox
Paper
Provides a shared collaborative space where team members can create
checklists, due dates, agendas for all team members to edit in real
time. Can add shared documents, video, and images to shared space.
Google Drive Team members create, house, and edit a variety of media types
Suite
including documents, presentation, slides, surveys, and spreadsheets.
Milanote
Online canvas where teams can creatively curate audio, picture, and
text resources.
Padlet
Blank canvas that teams can use to store notes, images, video, and link
to documents and outside resources.
Wakelet
Can be used as a shared resource space using a link or QR code to
access collaborative files, images, and videos.
Presenting
Depending on the type of team project your online learners are actively engaged
with, there may be a requirement to record a shared presentation that can be
viewed by the other classmates and the instructor. There are many different
presentation tools available that have features that can support team projects.
Knovio has the ability to record one slide at a time, at different times. For example, perhaps two team members can only record in the morning and one can
record in the evening—Knovio allows for such a recording pattern. Knovio also
allows learners to create notes that they can read from, for the benefit of learners who are not as confident in their presentation and recording abilities. Slides
within Knovio can be deleted and recorded over until the team is satisfied. Once
completed, the presentation can be shared via a link that can be embedded
within the online course shell. With Prezi, team members can have access to
dynamic slides that they can edit and contribute to the content of each slide.
Microsoft Teams provides an option for live presentations. During the presentation, team members can send instant chat messages to one another as well as
upload files and share their screen.
VoiceThread is another option online learners can use to present materials
they have collaboratively worked on. Similarly to Knovio, teams will be able to
upload slides they have already created into VoiceThread. In addition to slides,
Building Social Presence • 81
Figure 5.2 A graphical representation of the features of a Milanote
Source: Image used with permission from Michael Tronouce
images and video can also be uploaded into VoiceThread. Once the presentation materials have been uploaded into VoiceThread, each team member can
record their voices on the different slides. Team members have the choice to
record their voice only using the audio record feature, their voice and face using
the video recorder feature, or just text by typing what they would like to say. In
addition to recording through a computer or tablet, team members can call in
using a telephone to record over the slides. While presenting, if team members
would like to highlight something, there is a doodling feature that allows them
to collaboratively work together. Table 5.3 summarizes the unique features of
the four presentation tools mentioned in this section.
Table 5.3 Presentation tools for teamwork
Name
Unique Features for Collaboration
Knovio
Team members can record over presentation slides at different times.
Prezi
Option to include all presentations in a group space with shareable
and editable templates.
Microsoft
Teams
Live presentations with peers with the ability to share files and chat
during the presentation.
VoiceThread
Presentation recordings can be done by different team members on
the same or different slides.
82 • Building Social Presence
Summary
As educators, we often hear about common misconceptions about the online
course experience regarding working on team projects and perceived lack of
social presence. However, online courses provide an ideal environment to collaborate on learning activities with peers which adds to social presence and
community. In order to create an effective collaborative and socially influenced
online learning environment, the instructor must intentionally design, develop,
and implement opportunities for peer and participatory learning in their online
courses. This ensures that learners are equipped with the tools needed to be
successful when participating in team-based tasks. It is also important that the
instructor is mindful in how to organize teams effectively and facilitate participatory and peer learning activities, we hope that the strategies provided in this
chapter are helpful in doing so. In the next chapter, we will highlight essential
techniques to assess active and experiential learning opportunities.
Chapter 5 Technology and Online Resources
The following list includes all of the technology and online resources with corresponding links mentioned throughout Chapter 5, in alphabetical order.
Name of Tool
URL
BlueJeans Meetings
www.bluejeans.com/
Canva
www.canva.com/
Dropbox Paper
www.dropbox.com/paper
Google Drive Suite
https://drive.google.com/
Google Forms
www.google.com/forms/about/
Google Meet
https://meet.google.com/
Google Slides
www.google.com/slides/about/
Join.Me
www.join.me/
Knovio
https://knovio.com/
Lino
https://en.linoit.com/
Microsoft Teams
www.microsoft.com/en-us/
microsoft-365/microsoft-teams
Milanote
https://milanote.com/
Notion
www.notion.so/
Padlet
https://padlet.com/
Prezi
https://prezi.com/
RandomList
www.randomlists.com
Ring Central
www.ringcentral.com/
(Continued)
Building Social Presence • 83
Name of Tool
URL
Trello
https://trello.com/en-US
VoiceThread
https://voicethread.com/
Wakelet
https://wakelet.com/
Discipline-Specific Examples
To better help you situate an idea from this chapter into your discipline, we
provide a wide range of discipline-specific examples in the following table that
you can easily reference.
Discipline
Description of what students will be required to do
Accounting
Accounting students can work in teams to prepare a mock tax return
using online software. Students will electronically send their sample tax
return to a peer by posting to a Lino, and the peer will provide feedback.
Education
Require students to work with their peers on designing a
collaborative lesson plan unit based on the teaching certifications
that students are in school for. The teams can use Dropbox Paper
to document their robust creative works.
Engineering
Students will be assigned to an accountability team by their
instructor. Each student will have to design a complex mechanical
structure or other related assignment. The accountability teams
will be required to meet virtually weekly to check in, share ideas,
and for general support. A team grade will not be assigned for
the finished individual projects, however, participation points for
contributing to the accountability team will be awarded.
Kinesiology
In Jigsaw teams, each student can contribute to a project on
identifying and illustrating parts of the body. A shared Canva
document can be used for Jigsaw team members to add to
their section of the body. The final product will be an online
infographic with hyperlinks to different resources.
Social Work
Case study teams can analyze a case on families and children who
are experiencing trauma in the home and determine collectively
how social services should get involved. Case study teams will use
a virtual conferencing tool to discuss the case and record their
responses to the questions posed.
Planning Template
For this chapter, we have developed a planning template that includes an
example of an English instructor using peer reviews for a writing assignment
in an online composition course. For instance, the instructor will pair students
84 • Building Social Presence
together to provide feedback (e.g. text, audio, or video) on how to improve
grammatical and structural errors in their peer’s paper. The first column in the
following table is filled out completely as a model for your course planning.
Chapter 5 Planning Template
Type of Active and Experiential
Learning Activity
Peer Reviews
Academic Discipline: English/Composition
Topic
(A few words description)
Revising and editing writing drafts.
Learning Objective(s)
(What learners should be
able to do/understand after
participating in the learning
activities?)
Students will be able to:
• Identify grammatical and structural errors in
writing.
• Review the writing of a peer.
• Provide feedback and suggestions for writing
improvement.
Description of Activity
(What learners will be “doing”)
Part 1: Working with a peer (or trio), each
student will review the Writing Assignment #1
of one of their peers, identify grammatical and
structural errors in writing, and provide feedback
and suggestions for writing improvement.
Using a Padlet, students will either upload
a Word document or a picture of the writing
assignment, copy and paste the content directly
into the Padlet, or post the link to the writing
assignment within Google Docs.
The peer reviewer (the other student), will
then provide feedback to their peer on any
grammar issues that they see or make suggestions
for structural changes. Feedback can be provided
in a variety of formats including text, audio, and
video.
Part 2: Have a different peer respond to more
targeted questions (from the professor) based on
one of their classmates’ writing assignments by
completing a Google Form.
Sample Questions:
1) What was the main idea of the essay?
2) How could the conclusion of the essay be
strengthened?
Deliverables
(What learners will “turn in” for
feedback and grading?)
1) A link to the Padlet with feedback
2) The completed Google Form
(Continued)
Building Social Presence • 85
Chapter 5 Planning Template
Type of Active and Experiential
Learning Activity
Peer Reviews
Academic Discipline: English/Composition
Assessment
(The grading criteria the
instructor will use. Add a link to
grading rubric where available)
1) Padlet review will be graded based on:
• Posting the writing assignment #1 to the
Padlet
• Providing peer with feedback on the Padlet
2) Google Forms:
• Responding to all of the questions on the
Google Doc
Completion Time
(Estimated amount of time the
activity will take to complete)
1–1.5 hours (but will vary depending on how
long the writing assignment is)
Required Tech Tools
(Technology tools required to
carry out and complete learning
activity)
Padlet
Google Forms
Now, take a moment to reflect on your course. We have provided a blank
planning template as an organizational tool as you start to plan how to include
participatory and peer-learning opportunities in your online courses. This
template is also available for download on the book’s resources webpage. We
encourage you to include some of the technology and online resources mentioned throughout this chapter, as well as the discipline-specific examples
mentioned earlier.
Chapter 5 Planning Template (Blank)
Type of Active and
Experiential Learning
Activity
Peer Reviews
Academic
Discipline:
Jigsaws
Academic
Discipline:
Case Study
Academic
Discipline:
Topic
(A few words
description)
Learning Objective(s)
(What learners
should be able to do/
understand after
participating in the
learning activities?)
(Continued)
86 • Building Social Presence
Chapter 5 Planning Template (Blank)
Type of Active and
Experiential Learning
Activity
Description of
Activity
(What learners will be
“doing”)
Deliverables
(What learners will
“turn in” for feedback
and grading?)
Assessment
(The grading criteria
the instructor will use.
Add link to grading
rubric)
Completion Time
(Estimated amount of
time the activity will
take to complete)
Required Tech Tools
(Technology tools
required to carry out
and complete learning
activity)
Peer Reviews
Academic
Discipline:
Jigsaws
Academic
Discipline:
Case Study
Academic
Discipline:
6
Assessment Practices
Evaluating Active and Experiential
Learning
KEY TERMS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Academic Integrity
Competency-Based Learning
Digital Citizenship
Feedback
Formative Assessment
Learning Outcomes
Micro-Credentialing
Plagiarism
Rubrics
Summative Assessment
Overview
As we enter the final chapter of the book, it is important to address how to evaluate active and experiential learning. Throughout the book, we shared a myriad
of ways that active and experiential learning strategies such as field-based and
clinical experiences, simulations, project-based learning, scenario-based learning, virtual field trips, and peer and participatory learning can be incorporated
into online courses to engage learners. As you think about which of those you
could potentially include in your online courses, also consider how you will
assess that students have met the learning objectives for the specific active and
experiential learning activities.
The teaching and learning experience can be especially affected by the use
of assessments in an online environment as it provides instructors with crucial
information on the impacts of the overall learning experience. Understanding
the role of assessments in active and experiential learning means knowing what
circumstances and elements can drive learning behavior and what affects learners’ learning experiences. Instructors can create active and experiential learning
strategies based on learner needs and interests, and use assessments to measure
their understanding of the material through online assessment tools. Activities
87
88 • Assessment Practices
such as diagnostic quizzes, discussions, or polls, when carefully designed and
focused on learning objectives, can allow instructors to reveal learners’ prior
knowledge and monitor comprehension while facilitating learning (Bloom,
Hastings, & Madaus, 1971). There are other types of assessments that can be
created specifically to evaluate experiential learning experiences such as digital
portfolios, infographics, concept mapping, video presentations, vlogs, competency-based learning, and micro-credentials.
Online learning provides learners with the opportunity to adapt their education to their lifestyle. Many educators believe that online learning through
active and experiential learning opportunities allows learners to collaborate
and reach a broader and larger audience. Greater diversity of online assessments will allow the online classroom to extend its reach globally as well as
into local communities. Learners from around the world can connect with one
another which enriches the learning experience by providing meaningful discussions and multiple perspectives on topics. Active and experiential learning
techniques have emerged as strategies for instructors to promote engagement
among multiple disciplines and cater to a variety of learning styles.
Formative and Summative Assessments
Once you have created engaging and authentic active and experiential learning
activities for your online learners, how do you know that they are learning? It
is important to have different types of formative and summative assessments
in any online course. Formative assessments are used during the course to
ensure that learners are meeting weekly learning objectives (Kulasegaram &
Rangachari, 2018). In a traditional course, instructors sometimes use informal
observation during class time to check that learners are following along or have
learners complete small learning activities in class. In an online class, learning
can be observed by responses on the discussion board, online journals, and
vlog posts. Also, smaller assignments and papers can be required throughout
the course which would give learners more opportunities to demonstrate where
they are in the learning process, providing instructors with formative assessment data.
Summative assessments are more formal and typically are given towards
the end of the course as a final assignment. In a traditional course, summative
assessments are the final projects, presentations, and portfolios. These are the
assignments that tell you if the learner has met the course or unit’s overarching
learning goals. In an online course, instructors can design summative assessments that align well with both the available learning technologies within the
LMS and outside technology tools. For example, using the portfolio feature
within an LMS, online learners can create a digital portfolio that documents
their learning throughout the course while highlighting various learning artifacts and key assignments. Another option outside of the LMS would be using
Assessment Practices • 89
a free website builder such as Google Sites to house a digital portfolio. The key
to creating summative assessments is that they are due at the end of a larger unit
or the course with the primary purpose of evaluating whether learners have met
the overall course learning outcomes.
It is important to have both formative and summative assignments in online
courses so that the instructor is aware of how their learners are managing and
receiving the course content, and how beneficial the experiential learning activities are. Formative assessments are also a practical way to receive immediate
feedback and make necessary changes prior to the end of the course. Since
formative assessments are administered throughout the course, it provides
instructors with opportunities to modify learning activities and provide additional support to learners who may require it. Summative assessment data can
be used by online instructors to determine if any content should be changed
during the next iteration of the course.
The Role of Assessments in Active Learning
Assessments play a major role in the active learning process. They provide a
basis for learners and instructors to reflect and convey that learning has taken
place and can immediately show areas of improvements. Aligning the assessment with active learning assignments allows for a “reflective process that
ensures continued growth long after specific learning opportunities have been
completed” (Bassett & Jackson, 1994, p. 73). For instance, Hu and Wolniak
(2010) used items measuring academic engagement that assessed working and
discussing with other learners, discussing work with instructors, and working
harder than expected to meet expectations. Social engagement was measured
by assessing learner involvement in extracurricular and enrichment activities
(Hu & Wolniak, 2010). The use of active learning techniques to assess learners
can be organized in the following ways for the online classroom:
Observations: A type of assessment based on a performance task that can
be observed by the instructor or as a peer review assignment. This type
of assessment tool informs the learner about their learning growth
and/or progression as well as easily identifies learning challenges.
Instructors can use a tool called Kaizena to embed voice, video, and
text-based feedback for students to learn how to improve and refine
their work.
Checklists or Self-assessments: A type of assessment that instructors
can use to allow learners to complete self-reflective assignments such
as essays, article reviews, blogs, and discussions. Requiring learners to
complete a checklist in the form of a questionnaire or providing them
the opportunity to reflect on course materials informs the teacher
about individual achievement and identifies learning gaps. Trello, is
90 • Assessment Practices
an interactive tool that can be a resource to students to create checklists, collaborate, and share their progress on assessment or assignment related tasks.
Sample work/digital portfolios: A type of assessment where learners
either compile a collection of their best work that reflects on course
understanding or acquired skills. Can also be used as a final evaluation of learners’ work for a particular program progression serving as a
capstone assessment. Students can use a tool like FolioSpaces to create
free digital portfolios to showcase and share their work.
Tests/Quizzes: A type of assessment that informs the instructor about
the effectiveness of their teaching strategies or how the course material
is structured. For example, in the online environment instructors can
create knowledge checks to assess learners at any point throughout the
course. Online tests and quizzes allow for immediate feedback from
the instructor by providing a quick snapshot of the learner’s comprehensive learning profile (e.g. abilities, needs, interests or preferences).
Online tools like Quizlet and EdPuzzle allow instructors to embed
assessments in their online classroom experiences that check students’
understanding and offer automatic feedback.
The Role of Assessments in Experiential Learning
While learner engagement has a well-established role in learning, comprehension, and academic performance (Kuh, 2008), experiential learning has also been
shown to be closely related to career or occupational outcomes. There are several
ways to assess experiential learning activities in the online classroom. Similar to
active learning, most of these assessment methods are based on individual and
group reflections as well as reflective writing assignments that allow learners to
focus their learning on particular events or scenarios while also presenting a final
deliverable at the end of the course. Oral presentations may prove to be a valuable assessment to inform instructors of the key learning points that were either
achieved or were a challenge among learners. Again, since learners are working
on various assignments at different times, the instructor cannot assume that every
learning experience will be valued in the same way. According to Wurdinger
(2005), with the “appropriate assessment tool, such as a self-assessment, the
educator might not ever realize that significant learning occurred. Therefore,
educators should search for assessment techniques that measure more than just
the ability to remember information” (p. 69). The use of experiential techniques
to assess learning can be organized in the following ways:
Oral presentation/oral exam: A type of assessment that informs the
instructor about the comprehensiveness of learning experiences. This
assessment tool is usually administered at the end of the course as a
Assessment Practices • 91
reflective presentation of the learning journey and assesses how learners were able to clearly articulate their learning. A tool such as Flipgrid can be used to present content and foster meaningful discussion
responses from the instructor and other classmates.
On-the job internship: A type of assessment that informs the instructor about the work-related environment and any skills acquired at the
internship. For example, learners can participate in on-the-job learning experience where they apply course content to their work environment. Learners may be asked to track and share their learning using an
online vlog tool and respond to content centered around specific questions outlined by the instructor. Using YouTube, students can create
a YouTube channel for the course and create weekly vlog entries that
correlate with the experiential learning experience they are involved
in. Instructors can provide prompts and assess learning by watching
the videos and evaluating students’ responses to the questions posed.
Role playing exercises: A type of assessment that allows the learner to
assume a role of another individual and provide a particular content
scenario, issue, or simulation. The instructor would be able to assess
the learner’s ability to transfer knowledge learned and ability to compile and synthesize a perspective based on the course content. Hosting
a live session in the online course using a feature within your institution’s LMS or a tool such as Skype Meet Now would be useful. Skype
Meet Now has the ability to blur backgrounds for increased privacy,
record the meeting for students who may not be able to attend live,
and add live subtitles.
Workplace recommendations for improvement: A type of assessment
that informs the instructor that the learner is able to identify and investigate a problem that the learner may be experiencing in their current
or future workplace. This assessment tool allows the learner to be able
to map out the process or steps to recommend areas of improvement.
In other words, the learners have to take on the perspective that they are
change agents who want to apply their expertise of the situation by connecting ideas and knowledge based on the course content that is being
presented. Using a collaborative tool such as MindMeister, learners can
work independently and with each other to plan out ideas, create mind
and concept maps, comment, add notes, links, and videos. The mind
and concept maps can also be turned into slides for presentations.
Implementing Competency-Based Learning Strategies
for Online Assessments
Competency-based learning is measured by demonstrating a competency or mastery of knowledge and skills required for meeting specific learning outcomes (Van
92 • Assessment Practices
Os, 2017). Competency-based education is becoming a common model for most
online classrooms by allowing students to prove mastery of skills or tasks while not
worrying about the set time prerequisites in traditional classrooms. Online competency-based assessments can empower instructors to identify and understand
learning gaps within the course topics. These assessments also allow instructors
to provide individualized feedback for their students based on skills achieved or
competencies mastered within a specified timeframe.
Given the unique and individualized nature of experiential learning activities, competency-based learning can allow online learners to demonstrate their
knowledge and move on to new material at their own pace. This level of flexibility in assessments will enable students to experience multiple learning pathways
to achieve greater efficiency towards the desired course results. Competencybased assessments tend to be authentic, hands-on, and engaging. Some types
of assessments would include but are not limited to creating a digital portfolio,
conducting an experiment, observation of a task/performance, building models,
programming (coding) activities, interactive quizzes, or obtaining digital badges.
Therefore, knowing that competency-based learning assessments provide students with immediate feedback, instructors can use this information to track skill
development and create personalized supplemental material as needed.
When thinking about online assessment techniques using competency-based
learning, it is helpful for instructors to know that there can be multiple assessments
designed to continuously check understanding, measure mastery, ensure knowledge retention, and predict preparedness for their learners (McLeod, 2017, p. 19).
Here are some ideas on aligning formative assessments with competency-based
learning activities mentioned by McLeod (2017):
• Mastery tests measure whether students have mastered lesson objectives and are prepared to move on to the next learning objective in the
instructional sequence.
• Module or unit pre-tests measure the learner’s knowledge of the learning objectives before beginning instruction and allow students to test
out of lessons by demonstrating mastery.
• Module or unit post-tests measure the learner’s understanding of both
the basic knowledge and the higher-level skills within each unit. They
help ensure that students are building and retaining knowledge from
topic to topic throughout the semester.
• End-of-semester exams measure all students’ mastery and retention of
the instruction in every module or unit covered in the course.
Micro-Credentials and Digital Badges
Micro-credentials are known as small, competency-based achievements that
allow students to demonstrate mastery in a particular area or through providing
Assessment Practices • 93
evidence created via classroom experience (National Education Association,
2021). All micro-credentials offer a specific learning pathway that enables students to improve, grow, and document their skills related to the goals of the
course and pedagogical outcomes. In addition, micro-credentials are known to
be an effective way to implement a competency-based learning model and can
add value to the active learning nature of online courses.
Instructors can have learners select micro-credentials to pursue as part of an
online course assignment to complete a personal leadership development plan
based on a focus area of their interests. Students must provide specific examples
of their experiences, knowledge, and skills to demonstrate mastery. Examples
of this evidence may include videos, job-related documentation, observation
reports, and certification for a training or workshop. The instructor would
review and weigh each piece of submitted evidence to determine if the student
has met the micro-credential successfully.
Digital badges are web-based micro-credentials containing stored information and used to recognize achievements on specific learning knowledge
and competencies. Keep in mind that micro-credentials provide educators
a way to categorize competencies that should be demonstrated by having
learners submit evidence-based course assessments. In contrast, digital
badges illustrate competencies that have been validated, indicating student
mastery. Instructors can use badges to incentivize and motivate online students to advance their learning with micro-credentials. One example of
digital badging is Open Badges, a platform that issues, collects, and displays badges. Open Badges can be integrated with most LMSs for online
course sites or used to showcase professional skills on social media sites
like LinkedIn and Twitter. Table 6.1 shows several examples of micro-credentialing and digital badging platforms that can be used to assess the
mastery of skills.
Table 6.1 Types of micro-credentialing platforms
Name
Overview of Platform
Acclaim
Digital credential platform that allows instructors to create, assign,
and track how learners use their badges they earn.
Bloomboard
This platform provides online learning experiences by offering
competencies that learners can earn certification through microcredentials in various disciplines.
Coursera
An accredited platform where learners can earn online credentials
and professional certificates from top universities and companies
in the world.
(Continued)
94 • Assessment Practices
Name
Overview of Platform
Digital Promise
A micro-credential ecosystem that gives learners the opportunity
to master their skills through the competency-based learning
framework.
edX
This platform offers a diverse portfolio of educational pathways
for learners to gain new skills and explore career specific
certificates.
Assessing the Discussion Board
The traditional discussion board is typically used in an online course to engage
online learners as well as to assess knowledge transfer of readings from instructor
to learner or learner-to-learner. Draper, Smith, Hall, and Siebert (2005) described
this relationship between content-area instruction and literacy instruction as a
“dualism”, and their contention was that teachers must teach learners about how
the texts in their disciplines are created and used. As we move towards providing
online learners more opportunities to experience active and experiential learning, the ways in which the discussion board is used must be changed too.
In the online setting, the discussion board is a unilateral teaching approach
where the instructor’s presence and role must stimulate learners to be engaged
in meaningful discourse. Most of the discussion questions should be framed in
a way that encourages an effective dialogue around the specific course content.
Making learner or instructor presence known in the discussion boards must be
structured in a way that learners are not only overwhelmed by the frequency of
the posting or lack of engagement from classmates, but also feel the presence
of the class community. Posting either too frequently or less frequently tends
to lead to shorter discussions or lack of instructor presence/disconnect to push
the conversation forward (Mazzolini & Maddison, 2003).
Since online discussion boards are traditionally text-based, they may lack
a sense of community and interaction because there is no facial expression or
body language to convey engagement with one another—only the content and
the perception of what a learner is willing to share. In Chapter 1 we shared several examples of making the discussion board more engaging for students, across
content areas, beyond a typed text response. To assess the interaction and knowledge transfer that goes on in the online discussions, utilizing a rubric would be
an effective tool. For example, the rubric tool allows the instructor to provide
specific guidelines and expectations regarding learners’ participation on the discussion board. Instructors need to identify which strategies do and do not have
merit and to develop their own knowledge of the roles discussion boards play in
the disciplinary subject areas in their online classrooms. Some basic techniques
on how online discussion boards are assessed are outlined in Table 6.2.
Assessment Practices • 95
Table 6.2 Techniques to assess online discussion boards
Assessment criteria
Brief description
Participation
Individual postings also known as the initial post should have
(Frequency of post clear and standard guidelines for the online discussion board.
and establishing the For example,
ground rules)
“Learners must post their initial post by Thursday night
by 11 p.m. ET and also post a follow-up as well as response
to at least two other classmate’s post by Sunday night by
11 p.m. ET”.
It would be also helpful for instructors to include
guidelines about format and length of a discussion board.
For example, this can be mentioned in a general sense in
the prompt as “your responses should be no more than two
paragraphs” or “3 minutes recording length” or as concise as
“your responses should be at least 250 words in length and in
narrative form”.
Note: Instructors should also be encouraged to create
group discussion boards to facilitate course discussions.
Group discussion contains a subset of learners to interact and
contribute their thoughts in a smaller cohort.
Point Allocation
(How much is
this assignment
worth?)
Instructors should provide very specific guidelines for
evaluating learners and associating a grade for discussion
contributions and participation. It would be helpful for the
instructor to provide information on the following:
• Points based on number of postings.
• Posts should be submitted in a timely fashion.
• Length of posts.
• Well informed response posts to other classmates (not just
the typical, “I agree”, “Nice post”).
Connection
Concepts
Instructors should create discussion questions that help
assess learners’ comprehension of the course topics. This
may require learners to include references or citations from
readings, lecture materials, or other external resources
that may have influenced their rationale or enriched their
application of real-world experience.
Stimulating or
Clarifying course
questions
Instructor presence and facilitation is very important in the
online discussion board. It is the instructor’s role to stimulate
the dialogue and keep learners engaged throughout the
duration or length of the discussion board.
For example, it would be helpful for instructors to:
• Create 2–3 guiding discussion questions to continue
discussions among learners.
• Provide learner feedback to ensure that their perspective of
learning is aligned with understanding the course content.
96 • Assessment Practices
In this book, we have recognized the role of the discussion board in online
courses, identified ways to maximize the discussion board to facilitate active
learning, and introduced how to go beyond the traditional discussion board by
including active and experiential learning strategies in online courses. We do
agree that the benefits of the discussion board allow learners to communicate
around processes, brainstorm, share ideas about the content, and even reflect
on their experiences. Deep knowledge of a discipline is best acquired by engaging in the things used by experts in that discipline (Shanahan & Shanahan,
2012). Through online assessment coupled with active learning opportunities,
learners deepen their knowledge and understanding of the topics within the
discipline that pertains to their online coursework.
Developing Learning Outcomes for Experiential Learning Activities
in Online Courses
Even though activities related to experiential and active learning are seen as
informal learning opportunities by some, the benefits of experiencing content
through active engagement is tremendous and requires the development of
specific learning objectives that align with course learning outcomes and that
connect to each experiential learning activity. Bloom’s (1956) taxonomy can be
used to develop learning objectives based on the level of mastery. As you can see
from Figure 6.1, Bloom’s Taxonomy was designed to move learners from basic
understanding to a high level of complexity where new knowledge is being
formulated and created by the learner.
Figure 6.1 Bloom’s taxonomy
Source: The graphic is released under a Creative Commons Attribution license through
the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching
Assessment Practices • 97
To ensure that there is an alignment between learning outcomes, course content and assessments, structured learning objectives must be created. Moreover,
by having assessments connected to overall learning outcomes, the purpose
of the assignment will make more sense to learners. This is particularly true
for learners in an online course when developing learning objectives based on
specific experiential and active learning activities. Some examples are included
in Table 6.3.
Table 6.3 Sample learning outcomes and assessments for experiential/active learning
Experiential
Learning Activity
Learning Outcome
Assessment
Clinical Experiences Learners will be able to
perform basic medical
tasks as related to their
academic discipline (i.e.
nursing, physical therapy,
and athletic training)
Students complete specific
online simulation scenarios to
demonstrate their knowledge
of related concepts. A host
of nursing and allied health
simulation scenarios are provided
online through the Kansas State
Board of Nursing.
Internship
Learners will be able
to interpret basic tax
documents
Case study analysis where
learners are given a tax situation
of a fictional person and must
interpret the tax document. The
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
has a website with a variety of tax
simulations that students can use.
Service-Learning
Learners will be able to
identify housing options
for low income families
A knowledge check where
learners must answer questions
correctly related to the affordable
housing programs they learned
about at their service site. A tool
such as Vevox can be used to poll,
survey, and engage students in a
Q&A session.
Student Teaching
Learners will be able to
design unit plans
Give learners a grade level and
subject-area and have them
create a unit plan within an LMS.
Virtual Field Trips
Learners will be able to
document a time period,
historical artifacts, or
ecological structures
Using a tool such as Diigo,
students can bookmark, tag,
highlight, create sticky notes,
and archive web pages during a
virtual tour.
98 • Assessment Practices
Aligning Intellectual Competencies With Online Assessments
According to Gardner (2011), intelligence can be measured based on the skills
that a person is able to use to gain new knowledge and solve problems. Gardner
believes that there are nine different types of intelligences also known as intellectual competencies as shown in Figure 6.2. A common misconception about
the theory of multiple intelligences is that it is synonymous with learning styles.
Gardner (2006) distinguishes between learning styles, which refer to the way
an individual is most comfortable approaching a range of tasks and materials,
and the theory of multiple intelligences, which states that everyone has all nine
intelligences at varying degrees of proficiency as outlined in Table 6.4 and an
individual’s learning style is unrelated to the areas in which they are the most
intelligent. Therefore, presenting a variety of activities and approaches to learning helps encourage students to be able to think about the subjects from various
perspectives, deepening their knowledge of that topic (Gardner, 2011).
Figure 6.2 Gardner’s types of multiple intelligence
Source: EDUBUK (Shivani Mehrotra)
Assessment Practices • 99
Table 6.4 Description of the nine intelligences developed by Gardner
Type of Intelligence Category
Description
Auditory-Musical
Music Smart Learners in this learning category tend to learn
best by incorporating audio aids, such as music
in the form of hearing or singing of the course
content.
Bodily-Kinesthetic
Body Smart
Learners in this learning category tend
to learn best through touch or by moving
around. Hands-on lab demonstrations,
gaming, or site visits allow these learners to
gather and process information of the course
content.
Existential
Wonder
Smart
Learners in this learning category tend to learn
best by asking meaningful questions about
human existence. Reflection experiences and
research-based assignments allow these learners
to view the big picture of how the world works
and seek answers to difficult questions on how
everything fits together.
Interpersonal
People Smart Learners in this learning category tend to learn
best from others by working in teams or groups
that allow them to collaborate, discuss, and
share knowledge that they learn.
Intrapersonal
Self Smart
Learners in this learning category tend to learn
best by having self-directed goals or activities
that allow them to organize and process their
knowledge internally.
LogicalMathematical
Logic Smart
Learners in this learning category tend to learn
best by engaging in activities that allow them
to connect relationships, identify patterns or
themes, etc.
Naturalistic
Nature
Smart
Learners in this learning category tend to learn
best by working in the external environment
(outside the classroom experiences). In some
online courses, instructors can encourage
learners to participate in city walks or field
experiences that get them “outside” and interact
with various artifacts or tools.
Verbal-Linguistic
Word Smart
Learners in this learning category tend to
grasp the content by engaging in readings,
discussions, written assignment, and oral/verbal
presentations.
Visual-Spatial
Picture
Smart
Learners in this learning category tend to learn
best through visual demonstrations as well as
from diagrams, images, and other visual aids.
100 • Assessment Practices
Instructors can use a variety of online active and experiential activities to
measure student learning and assess the multiple intelligences developed by
Gardner. Some common examples of learning assessments that align with
multiple intelligences include oral presentations, designing models, virtual
walking tours, recording a podcast, creating an infographic, conducting
interviews, and reflecting on experiences. Keep in mind that no matter which
type of assessment you decide to assign to students, it is crucial to provide
clear instructions and assignment descriptions. Also, consider using a grading rubric to help students understand expectations for achieving mastery of
the course outcomes.
Promoting Academic Integrity
There may be some concern about how independently, without the assistance
of resources and other people, online learners are completing course assignments. While completely eliminating cheating may be a monumental task,
instructors can reduce the likelihood of cheating by preparing students for
assessments, making sure that assessments are aligned with the active and
experiential learning activities that students are engaged in, and preparing students for success. When students understand expectations and feel prepared,
they will not need to compromise their academic integrity or submit someone
else’s work as their own.
Video Expectations of Assignments
Sometimes it is difficult for learners to understand what the instructor is
attempting to communicate through written text. In a traditional brick-andmortar class, learners are able to ask the instructor clarification questions
during live classes. In an online course, this cannot always be done in the same
way. However, through the use of video explanations of assignment guidelines,
instructors have the ability to thoroughly explain assignment guidelines with
audio, video, images, and text. Learners will also have the ability to watch and
listen to the recording multiple times, as they work on the assignment. We suggest recording assignment video explanations on a tool such as VoiceThread
so students can leave questions and comments directly on the video explanation. This would reduce the number of emails that an instructor receives asking
identical or similar questions. As an alternative to using VoiceThread, the video
assignment explanation can be posted to a general discussion board area within
the course LMS.
Assessment Practices • 101
The Power of Rubrics
Even though you have created a video recording explaining what the assignment entails, the use of a rubric is recommended. For students, having a rubric
can serve as a checking tool to ensure that they have included all of the required
elements of the assessment. This is particularly true in online courses where
students will not regularly see you in class to check in. As you have seen with the
provided examples throughout the book, active and experiential learning activities are dynamic with multiple parts. Having a rubric provides structure to the
assignment expectations and leaves little room for surprises. For instructors, the
rubric is critical when providing a grade for students’ work. Many of the different
active and experiential activities such as project-based learning, scenario-based
learning, simulations, field-based experiences, and team projects will not have
the ability to be graded by a computer. Rubrics may seem complicated to create,
but tools such as Rubric Maker makes the process seamless.
Utilizing Online Plagiarism Detection Tools
In online courses, special attention must be paid to ensuring that learners are
adhering to academic integrity standards within the course. It is very difficult
to monitor learners when completing summative and formative assessments.
There are some tools that can assist online instructors with protecting the fidelity of learner completion of assessments.
Grammarly: Using ProQuest databases that house over 16 billion web pages,
Grammarly is an online plagiarism checking tool that can detect if a student has included written content that is credited to another source. Content can either be copy and pasted into the Grammarly system or uploaded
as a file. Grammarly also has features to help students check writing issues
including punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary. Prior
to turning in a paper documenting their experiential learning experience,
instructors can have students check their work on the Grammarly website
or instructors can check after the assignment is turned in.
Plagiarism Checker X: Through robust online plagiarism detection software, Plagiarism Checker X offers a side-by-side comparison (see Figure 6.3) with highlighting to see the original and alternative content
that a student may be submitting. In addition to being able to check
papers, Plagiarism Checker X also scans blogs and web pages. Comprehensive reports are available which tease out the level of similarity
found. Plagiarism Checker X is available in several languages including English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, and Portuguese.
102 • Assessment Practices
Figure 6.3 An example of the Plagiarism Checker X showing a student’s paper to
see how similar it is to an already published paper
Source: Image used with permission of Plagiarism Checker X
Turnitin: is a very useful tool for online instructors who have learners
who complete written work. This can include formal papers related
to their experiential learning experiences, research papers created for
their project-based and scenario-based learning assignments, or team
papers. Turnitin can be embedded into many LMSs, and learners can
submit their papers directly into Turnitin. One of the most useful
features of engaging learners in the writing process is the comments
that can be left directly on the learner’s paper. Additionally, Turnitin
shows you how original the learner’s work is, and alerts the instructor
to where similar work has been published.
Summary
In this final chapter, we outlined assessment practices that can be used to monitor
and evaluate student performance that involve active and experiential learning
opportunities. These diverse assessment methods will continue to evolve over
time, especially in online learning environments where timely and constructive
feedback is key. Nevertheless, it is important for online instructors to be able
to align every assessment and assignment to the course learning outcomes and
provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned
Assessment Practices • 103
through active and experiential learning activities. As this book comes to a
conclusion, we hope that you have found a plethora of practical, valuable, and
useful ideas to include or expand active and experiential learning activities in
your online, hybrid, and blended courses. We are confident that through the use
of some or all of the strategies we explored in this book including field-based
experiences, simulations, project-based learning, scenario-based learning, augmented and virtual reality, service-learning, gaming, social media, peer and
participatory learning, and 21st century assessment practices, your learners will
be engaged, inspired, and comprehensively connected with the course content
that will drive overall student success and a create a meaningful and engaging
educational experience.
Chapter 6 Technology and Online Resources
The following list includes all of the technology and online resources with corresponding links mentioned throughout Chapter 6, in alphabetical order.
Name of Tool
URL
Acclaim
www.youracclaim.com/
Bloomboard
https://bloomboard.com/
Coursera
www.coursera.org/
Digital Promise
https://digitalpromise.org/
Diigo
www.diigo.com/
Easelly
www.easel.ly/
EdPuzzle
https://edpuzzle.com/
edX
www.edx.org/
Flipgrid
https://info.flipgrid.com/
FolioSpaces
www.foliospaces.org/
Google Sites
https://sites.google.com/
Grammarly
www.grammarly.com/
IRS Tax Simulations
https://apps.irs.gov/app/understandingTaxes/
student/simulations.jsp
Kaizena
www.kaizena.com/
MindMeister
www.mindmeister.com/
Nursing Simulation Scenarios
Library (through the Kansas State
Board of Nursing)
https://ksbn.kansas.gov/administratorresources/simulation-scenarios/
Open Badges
https://openbadges.org/
Pramp
www.pramp.com
(Continued)
104 • Assessment Practices
Name of Tool
URL
Piktochart
http://piktochart.com/
Plagiarism Checker X
https://plagiarismcheckerx.com/
Quizlet
https://quizlet.com/
Rubric Maker
https://rubric-maker.com/
Slack
https://slack.com/
Skype Meet Now
www.skype.com/en/free-conference-call/
Trello
https://trello.com/en-US
Turnitin
www.turnitin.com/
Vevox
www.vevox.com/
Visualize.me
http://vizualize.me/
VoiceThread
https://voicethread.com/
YouTube
www.youtube.com/
Zoom
https://zoom.us/
Discipline-Specific Examples
To better help you situate an idea from this chapter into your discipline, we
provide a wide range of discipline-specific examples in the following table that
you can easily reference. For this final chapter, the following assessment activities can be used across any discipline as a chance for students to demonstrate
what they know after participating in active and experiential learning activities.
As a reminder, active and experiential learning activities should align with the
course learning objectives for your students.
Discipline
Description of what students will be required to do
All Disciplines
Infographics: Infographics can help students retain course
topics and understand complex concepts. Have students create
an infographic as a final project deliverable to display their
product development and design features. Infographics can
help students deliver a compelling presentation using visuals
to summarize information and highlight important diagrams
and figures. Some digital tools that can be used online include
Easelly, Piktochart, and Visualize.me where learners can create
and share engaging infographics to show mastery or completion
of their assessments.
(Continued)
Assessment Practices • 105
Discipline
Description of what students will be required to do
All Disciplines
Mock Interviews: Interview skills are critical for student
success and can add value to experiential learning assessments,
especially in disciplines where demonstrating proficiency is an
integral course requirement. Mock interviews allow students
to identify their strengths and get immediate feedback on areas
of improvement in a low-stress environment. Assign students
to complete a brief mock interview (5 minutes) to explain their
individual experience and contributions to a career-related or job
opportunity (e.g., co-op, internship, work-study, etc.). Students can
share a video recording of their mock interview with their peers
for feedback. Students can also use the tool, Pramp to practice and
receive support from a mentor on their interview performance.
All Disciplines
Think-Pair-Share: Think-Pair-Share is an active learning strategy
that involves students working individually and collectively to
review information, discuss ideas, and present findings on a topic
or specific question. Pose a scenario or problem to students that
target key course concepts. Monitor student interactions as they
complete these steps:
• Think independently about the scenario or problem and list
three recommended solutions.
• Pair with a partner/work in small groups to consult and discuss
ideas. Use collaboration tools like Zoom’s breakout rooms or
Slack’s instant messaging feature to provide feedback and create
a new list, highlighting all the possible solutions for the scenario
or problem.
• Share the top two recommended solutions with the entire class.
References
Abedi, M., & Badragheh, A. (2011). Distance learning: Definitions and applications. Journal of
American Science, 7(4), 302–306.
Aebersold, M., & Tschannen, D. (2013). Simulation in nursing practice: The impact on patient care.
The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 18(2), manuscript 6. doi:10.3912/OJIN
Ahmed, M. E., & Hasegawa, S. (2014). An instructional design model and criteria for designing
and developing online virtual labs. International Journal of Digital Information and Wireless
Communications, 3, 89–105. Retrieved from https://link-gale-com.ezproxywit.flo.org/apps/
doc/A378103855/AONE?u=wit_main&si=AONE&xid=5710833e
Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2017). Digital learning compass: Distance education enrollment report
2017. Online Learning Survey. Retrieved from https://onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/
digtiallearningcompassenrollment2017.pdf
Appana, S. (2008). A review of benefits and limitations of online learning in the context of the
student, the instructor, and the tenured faculty. International JI on E-Learning, 7(1), 22.
Association of Experiential Education. (2015). What is experiential education? Retrieved from
www.aee.org/what-is-ee
Barron, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2008). Teaching for meaningful learning: A review of research
on inquiry-based and cooperative learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bartle, R. (2004). Designing virtual worlds. Boston: New Riders Publishing.
Bassett, D. S., & Jackson, L. (1994). Applying the model to a variety of adult learning situations. In
L. Jackson & R. S. Caffarella (Eds.), Experiential learning: A new approach (pp. 73–86). San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Bigatel, P., & Williams, V. (2015). Measuring student engagement in an online program. Online
Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 18(2).
Bloom, B. S. (Ed.). (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives, the classification of educational
goals—handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.
Bloom, B. S., Hastings, J. T., & Madaus, G. F. (1971). Handbook of formative and summative evaluation of student learning. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Bonwell, C. C., & Eison, J. A. (1991). Active learning: Creating excitement in the classroom. ASHEERIC Higher Education Report No. 1. Washington, DC: The George Washington University.
Brinthaupt, T. M., Fisher, L. S., Gardner, J. G., Raffo, D. M., & Woodard, J. B. (2011). What the best
online teachers should do. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 7, 515–524.
Buck Institute for Education (BIE). (2015). Why project based learning (PBL)? Retrieved from www.
bie.org/about/what_pbl
Buckingham, D. (Ed.). (2006). Youth identity and digital media. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Coleman, S. K., & Smith, C. L. (2019). Evaluating the benefits of virtual training for bioscience
students. Higher Education Pedagogies, 4(1), 287–299. doi:10.1080/23752696.2019.1599689
Cooperative Education and Internship Association. (2019). History of cooperative education and
internships. Retrieved March 21, 2021, from https://www.ceiainc.org/about/history/
Costa, J., Wehbe, R., Robb, J., & Nacke, L. (2013). Time’s up: Studying leaderboards for engaging punctual behaviour. In Gamification 2013: Proceedings of the first international
conference on gameful design, research, and applications. New York: ACM Press.
doi:10.1145/2583008.2583012
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation. Glossary. Retrieved August 18, 2020, from
www.ncate.org/glossary?letter=S
Czerkawski, B. (2014). Designing deeper learning experiences for online instruction. Journal of
Interactive Online Learning, 13(2), 29–40.
Dede, C. (2007, February). Transforming education for the 21st century: New pedagogies that help all
students attain sophisticated learning outcomes. Raleigh, NC: Commissioned by the NCSU
Friday Institute.
Dewey, J. (1915). The school and society. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
106
References • 107
Dewey, J. (1933). How we think. Boston, MA: Heath.
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Dingel, M., & Wei, W. (2014). Influences on peer evaluation in a group project: An exploration
of leadership, demographics and course performance. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher
Education, 39(6), 729–742.
Draper, R. J., Smith, L. K., Hall, K. M., & Siebert, D. (2005). What’s more important -literacy or
content? Confronting the literacy-content dualism. Action in Teacher Education, 27(2),
12–21.
Evans, D., & Taylor, J. (2005). The role of user scenarios as the central piece of the development
jigsaw puzzle. In J. Attewell & C. Savill-Smith (Eds.), Mobile learning anytime everywhere
(pp. 63–66). London: Learning and Skills Development Agency.
Figueira, A., & Leal, H. (2013). An online tool to manage and assess collaborative group work.
Proceedings of the International Conference on E-Learning, 112–120.
Foster, A., & Mishra, P. (2011). Games, claims, genres and learning. In Gaming and simulations:
Concepts, methodologies, tools, and application (Vol. 1, pp. 497–513). Hershey, PA: IGI
Global, Information Resources Management Association.
Gardner, H. (2006). Multiple intelligences: New horizons. New York: Basic Books.
Gardner, H. (2011). Frames of mind (3rd ed.). New York: Basic Books.
Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2001). Critical thinking, cognitive presence, and computer conferencing in distance education. American Journal of Distance Education, 15(1),
7–23.
Gros, B. (2007). Digital games in education: The design of games-based learning. Environments—
Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 40(1), 23–38.
Guthrie, K. L., & McCracken, H. (2010). Teaching and learning social justice through online service-learning courses. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning,
11(3), 78–94.
Hamari, J., & Koivisto, J. (2013). Social motivations to use gamification: An empirical study of gamifying exercise. ECIS 2013—Proceedings of the 21st European Conference on Information
Systems. Retrieved from http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.08492642851
2&partnerID=40&md5=9acc2c3e0955c162e001bc18a556444a
Heeter, C. (2009). Play styles and learning. In R. Ferdig (Ed.), Handbook of research on electronic
gaming in education (pp. 826–846). Hershey, PA: Information Science Reference.
Hernández-de-Menéndez, M., Vallejo Guevara, A., & Morales-Menendez, R. (2019). Virtual reality
laboratories: A review of experiences. International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM), 3, 947–966. doi:10.1007/s12008-019-00558-7
Hew, K., & Brush, T. (2007). Integrating technology into k-12 teaching and learning: Current
knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research. Education Technology Research
Development, 55, 223–252.
Hu, S., & Wolniak, G. C. (2010). Initial evidence on the influence of college student engagement on
early career earnings. Research in Higher Education, 51(8), 750–766.
Huang, T., & Plass, J. (2009). Microsoft research: History of play in education. New York: Games for
Learning Institute.
Jacobson, J., Oravecz, L., Falk, A., & Osteen, P. (2011). Proximate outcomes of service-learning
among family studies undergraduates. Family Science Review, 16(1), 22–33.
Jacoby, B. (1999). Partnerships for service learning. New Directions for Student Services, 87, 18–35.
Klopfer, E. (2008). Augmented learning: Research and design of mobile educational games. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development.
Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and
why they matter. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.
Kulasegaram, K., & Rangachari, P. K. (2018). Beyond “formative”: Assessments to enrich student
learning. Advances in Physiology Education, 42, 5–14.
Lateef, F. (2010). Simulation-based learning: Just like the real thing. Journal of Emergencies, Trauma,
and Shock, 3(4), 348–352. doi:10.4103/0974-2700.70743
Leblanc, G. (2004). Enhancing intrinsic motivation through the use of a token economy. Essays in
Education, 11(1), 1–20.
Marr, B. (2019). Artificial intelligence in practice: How 50 successful companies used ai and machine
learning to solve problems. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley.
108 • References
Martin, F., & Bolliger, D. U. (2018). Engagement matters: Student perceptions on the importance of
engagement strategies in the online learning environment. Online Learning, 22(1), 205–222.
Mazzolini, M., & Maddison, S. (2003). Sage, guide or ghost? The effect of instructor intervention
on student participation in online discussion forums. Computers & Education, 40, 237–253.
McLeod, J. (2017). Research Base and Instructional Design of Edmentum Digital Curriculum.
Edmentum, Inc. https://www.edmentum.com/sites/edmentum.com/files/resource/media/
Instructional%20Design%20White%20Paper%20FINAL_0.pdf
Nakamura, J., & Csikszentimihalyi, M. (2002). Concept of flow. In C. R. Snyder & S. Lopez (Eds.),
Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 89–105). New York: Oxford University Press.
National Association of Colleges and Employers. (2011). Position statement: US internships.
Retrieved September 10, 2016, from www.naceweb.org/advocacy/position-statements/unit
ed-states-internships.aspx
National Education Association (2021). Micro-Credentials. National Education Association.
https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/professional-learning/micro-credentials
Pacansky-Brock, M. (2017). Best practices for teaching with emerging technologies (Vol. 2). New
York: Routledge.
Potkonjak, V., Gardner, M., Callaghan, V., Mattila, P., Guetl, C., Petrović, V. M., & Jovanović, K.
(2016). Virtual laboratories for education in science, technology, and engineering: A review.
Computers & Education, 95, 309–327. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2016.02.002
Quaye, S., & Harper, S. (2015). Student engagement in higher education. New York: Routledge.
Rourke, L., Anderson, T., Garrison, D. R., & Archer, W. (2001). Assessing social presence in
asynchronous text-based computer conferencing. The Journal of Distance Education, 14,
50–71.
Rowe, R. J., Koban, L., Davidoff, A. J., & Thompson, K. H. (2018). Efficacy of online laboratory
science courses. Journal of Formative Design in Learning, 2(1), 56–67.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55, 68–78.
Sailer, M., Hense, J. U., Mayr, S. K., & Mandl, H. (2017). How gamification motivates: An experimental study of the effects of specific game design elements on psychological need satisfaction.
Computers in Human Behavior, 69(1), 371–380. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2016.12.033
Sand, J. N., Elison-Bowers, P., Wing, T. J., & Kendrick, L. (2014). Experiential learning and clinical
education. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 18(4), 43–48.
Sciforce (2018, March 15). A quick guide to e-learning tools: Virtual/Augmented reality. Medium.
https://medium.com/sciforce/a-quick-guide-to-e-learning-tools-virtual-augmentedreality-416cbee16d8d
Senthamarai, S. (2018). Interactive teaching strategies. Journal of Applied and Advanced Research,
3(S1), 36–38. doi:10.21839/jaar.2018.v3iS1.166
Shanahan, T., & Shanahan, C. (2012). What is disciplinary literacy and why does it matter? Topics
in Language Disorders, 32(1), 7–18.
Smith, G. G., Sorensen, C., Gump, A., Heindel, A. J., Caris, M., & Martinez, C. D. (2011). Overcoming student resistance to group work: Online versus face-to-face. Internet & Higher
Education, 14(2), 121–128.
Snow, B. (2016). The potential for game-based learning to improve outcomes for nontraditional students. Muzzy Lane Software Report, Funding from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Retrieved from https://www.muzzylane.com/wp-content/uploads/MuzzyLaneResearchRe
port-1.pdf
Sorin, R., Errington, E., Ireland, L., Nickson, A., & Caltabiano, M. (2012). Embedding graduate
attributes through scenario-based learning. Journal of the NUS Teaching Academy, 2(4),
192–205.
Squire, K. (2006). From content to context: Videogames as designed experience. Educational
Researcher, 35(8), 19–29.
Stahre Wastberg, B., Eriksson, T., Karlsson, G., Sunnerstam, M., Axelsson, M., & Billger, M. (2019).
Design considerations for virtual laboratories: A comparative study of two virtual laboratories for learning about gas solubility and colour appearance. Education and Information
Technologies, 3, 2059–2080. doi:10.1007/s10639-018-09857-0
TechNavio. (2018). Artificial intelligence market in the U.S. education sector 2018–2022. Retrieved
from www.technavio.com/report/artificial-intelligence-market-in-the-us-education-sectoranalysis-share-2018?utm_source=t9&utm_medium=bw_wk34&utm_campaign=business
wire&tnplus
References • 109
Van Os, J. A. (2017). Validating prior‐learning assessment utilizing a competency‐based model.
The Journal of Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, & Letters, 94, 195–216. Retrieved from www.
utahacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/JUASAL-full-text-2017-revised2.pdf
Vygotsky, L. S. (1979). Consciousness as a problem in the psychology of behavior. Soviet Psychology, 17, 3–35.
Wagner, J. (2020, November 30). A teach-in against surveillance. Inside Higher Education. Retrieved
from www.insidehighered.com/blogs/just-visiting/teach-against-surveillance
Wagner, T. (2012). Creating innovators: The making of young people who will change the world. New
York: Scribner.
Wages, M. 2021. Fair vs Equal: Facing the barriers to technology integration in our schools. Rowman
& Littlefield Publishers.
Waldner, L. S., Widener, M. C., & McGorry, S. Y. (2012). E-service-learning: The evolution of service-learning to engage a growing online student population. Journal of Higher Education
Outreach and Engagement, 16(2), 123–150.
Wenger, E. (2015). Communities of practice: A brief introduction. Retrieved from https://
wenger-trayner.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/07-Brief-introduction-to-communitiesof-practice.pdf
Wenger-Trayner, E., & Wenger-Trayner, B. (2015, April). Communities of practice: A brief
introduction. Communities of practice. Retrieved from https://wenger-trayner.com/introductionto-communities-of-practice/
Werbach, K., & Hunter, D. (2015). The gamification toolkit: Dynamics, mechanics, and components
for the win. Philadelphia, PA: Wharton School Press.
Woolf, B. P., Lane, H. C., Chaudhri, V. K., & Kolodner, J. L. (2013). AI grand challenges for education. AI Magazine, 34(4), 66–84. doi:10.1609/aimag.v34i4.2490
Wurdinger, S. D. (2005). Using experiential learning in the classroom. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Education.
Wurdinger, S. D., & Carlson, J. A. (2010). Teaching for experiential learning: Five approaches that
work. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Education.
Yee, N. (2004). Motivations of play in MMORPGs. In DiGRA ’05 – Proceedings of the 2005 DiGRA
international conference: Changing views: Worlds in play (Vol. 3, pp. 1–8). Retrieved from
http://www.digra.org/wp-content/uploads/digital-library/06276.26370.pdf
Zervas, P., Fiskilis, S., & Sampson, D. G. (2014). ASK4Labs: A web-based repository for supporting
learning design-driven remote and virtual labs recommendations. Porto: International Association for Development of the Information Society, 172–179. Retrieved from https://files.
eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED557311.pdf
Index
360 Cities 18, 27
abstract conceptualization 11 – 12
academic integrity 87, 100 – 101
Access Mars 47 – 48
Acclaim 93, 103
accountability teams 69, 72, 83
active citizenry 17
active learning 1, 4 – 5, 7 – 9, 12, 37, 62,
64, 66 – 68; definition 2 – 3; role of
assessments 89 – 90, 93 – 94, 96 – 97
adaptive learning 43, 46; computer 55;
principles 43
Adobe Aero 48, 49
Adobe Spark 39, 48
Allen, I.E. 6
American Association of Colleges of
Pharmacy 26, 28
American Bar Association 26, 28
American Health Information
Management Association 26, 28
American Museum of Natural History
18, 28
American Nurses Association 26, 28
Anderson, T. 70
Animoto 48, 49
apprenticeship 16, 36
Archer, W. 70
artificial intelligence 9, 10, 27, 51 – 52;
practical uses 45; role in learning 33,
44; student access and support 46
Articulate 360 38 – 39, 48
assessments 87 – 89, 90 – 92, 98, 100 – 104;
of discussion boards 94 – 95; formative
88 – 89; role in active learning 89, 90;
role in competency-based learning
91 – 92; role in experiential learning
90 – 91, 96 – 97; role in microcredentialing 93; summative 88 – 89
assignment guidelines, video explanation 100
Association for Experiential Education
26, 28
Association of International Education
Administrators 27 – 28
Association for Teacher Educators 27 – 28
asynchronous learning 1, 6 – 7
110
attrition 4
augmented reality (AR) 9, 33, 46–47, 49–52
avatars 71
badges 93
Barron, B. 35
BioDigital Human 47 – 48
bitmoji 71
Blackboard 80
blogs 21, 23, 27, 62, 89, 101; tools 23
Bloom, S. 96
Bloomboard 93, 103
Bloom’s taxonomy of higher order
thinking 5, 96
BlueJeans Meetings 79, 82
Buckingham, D. 36
Buck Institute for Education 34
Calendly 25, 28
Campus Compact 27 – 28
Canva 48, 50, 75, 80, 82 – 83
case studies 8, 69, 72 – 73
checklists 18, 80, 89, 90
civic 9, 11, 14, 17, 26, 30 – 31;
commitment 14; contribution 17;
engagement 9, 26, 30 – 32
clinical experiences 11, 13, 27, 87, 97
ClassVR 47 – 48
Cognitive Informatics Scenario-based
Simulations 39, 48
collaboration 1, 3, 6, 36, 61 – 62; digital
tools for 39, 78, 80; presentation
73 – 74, 79, 80 – 81
communication 33 – 34, 37, 58, 62 – 63;
skills 40, 61, 72; in team projects 78 – 79
communities of practice 7, 8, 16
community of inquiry framework 70
competency-based learning 10, 87 – 88,
91 – 93
concrete experience 3, 11
cooperative education (co-ops) 13, 16,
27, 32
Cooperative Education and Internship
Association 13, 27
cooperative learning 12, 69; see also team
projects
Index • 111
Council for the Accreditation of Educator
Preparation 15
Coursera 93, 103
critical thinking skills 4, 43, 58, 73
Csikszentimihalyi, M. 40
cultural technologies 36
curation of content 69; creating, sharing,
and storing materials 79
curriculum 35, 44 – 45, 57 – 58
Darling-Hammond, L. 35
decision-making skills 40, 54
Dewey, J. 3, 11
Dewey’s theory of experiential learning 5
digital games 2, 53, 57 – 58, 68
Digital Promise 94, 103
Diigo 97, 103
discipline-specific examples 8, 10, 30, 31,
49, 51, 65, 67, 83, 85, 104
Discovery Education 18, 28
discussion boards 1, 5, 6, 94 – 95
Doodle 25, 28
Draper, R.J. 94
Dropbox Paper 80, 82 – 83
Duolingo 28, 31
easel.ly 103 – 104
EdPuzzle 90, 103
EdWordle 15, 28
edX 94, 103
e-learning platforms 58
engagement 4, 5, 8, 9, 37, 40, 42, 56, 58,
62, 64, 69, 88, 94
Evans, D. 37
experiential learning 2 – 27; definition 2,
3; importance in online courses 4 – 6,
26; placements 26 – 27; reflection 21;
types 13 – 15
Facebook 36, 48
feedback 6, 20, 24, 49, 49, 60, 70, 78, 92,
102; motivation 40, 56; peer 72, 78;
on presentations 104 – 105; in projectbased learning 35; providing learners
with 24; in scenario-based learning 39;
on teaching 88 – 89, 90
field experiences 2, 99
file exchange 79
file sharing area 75
flexible learning environments 6
Flipgrid 48, 91, 103
Flowcode 47, 48
flow channel 40
flow theory 41
Foldit 2, 60, 65
FolioSpaces 90, 103
formative assessment 88 – 89, 101
Fuze 28
game-based learning 53 – 54, 58 – 59
game play 54 – 56; role in motivation 56;
styles 56
games 37, 53 – 59; definition 53; design
57; elements 58 – 59, 64; implementing
in online learning environment 58
gamification 2, 9, 48, 53, 59, 64, 67
Gardner, H. 98
Garrison, D.R. 70
Genially 65 – 66
Georgia Aquarium 18, 28
Google Docs 36, 48, 79 – 80, 84
Google Drive Suite 80, 82
Google Earth 47 – 48
Google Forms 26, 28, 74, 82, 84, 85
Google Meet 79, 82
Google Sites 89, 103
Google Slides 74, 82
Google Translator 46, 48
Grammarly 46, 49, 101, 103
Grist 28, 30
Guthrie, K.L. 17
hands-on experience 4, 16
Harper, S. 2
Heeter, C. 57
higher order thinking 5
History Simulations 20, 28
Hu, S. 89
identities 33, 59
IEEE: Try Engineering 60, 65
Innov8 60, 65
inquiry-based learning 2
InShot 23, 28
Instagram 36, 49, 61, 63 – 64, 65, 67
Institute of International Education
27 – 28
instructional design 4, 57
intellectual competencies 98 – 99; role in
assessment 98; types 99
International Association for Research
on Service-Learning and Community
Engagement 27 – 28
internships 2, 13 – 14, 16 – 17, 21 – 22, 24,
27, 30, 91, 97
interviews 104, 105
112 • Index
interpersonal communication 33, 72
IRS Tax Simulations 97, 103
Jacoby, B. 14
jigsaw projects 72 – 75, 83
Join Me 79, 82
Journalate 23, 28
Journal of Visualized Experiments
(JoVE) 44, 49
Kaizena 89, 103
Klopfer, E. 53
Knovio 80 – 82
knowledge checks 6, 90, 97
Kolb, D. 3, 11
Kolb Experiential Learning Model 12
Labster 44, 49
LabXchange 20, 28
leaderboards 58 – 59
LettuceMeet 25, 28
learning management systems (LMS) 5
learning objectives 18, 87–88, 92, 96–97, 104
learning outcomes 4, 7, 19, 37 – 38, 43,
57 – 59, 62, 89, 91, 96 – 97, 102; for
experiential learning activities 97; for
virtual labs 43
learning styles 46, 57, 75, 88, 92, 98
Leblanc, G. 59
Lino 82, 83
LinkedIn 62
McCracken, H. 17
Milanote 75, 80, 82
Merlot Materials 20, 29
Merlot Project Labs and Resources 44, 49
Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met)
18, 29
micro-credentialing 10, 93
Microsoft Teams 29, 73, 80 – 82
Minecraft 60, 65
Mindmoto 30, 49
MindMeister 91, 103
motivation 4, 34, 38 – 39, 40 – 41, 43,
56 – 59, 78; extrinsic 40 – 41; intrinsic
40; role in game play 56 – 59; role in
project-based and scenario-based
learning 34, 38 – 39; in virtual labs 43
multiple intelligence 98, 100
Myers-Briggs personality inventory 76
Nakamura, J. 40
National Association of Colleges and
Employers 14, 27, 29
National Association of International
Educators 27, 29
National Business Education Association
27, 29
Nature Conservancy Virtual Field Trips
18, 29
National Education Association 27, 29,
92 – 93
National Society for Experiential
Education 27, 29
National Stock Market Stimulation 20, 29
networking 59, 62
Nursing Simulation Scenarios Library 103
notion 73, 82
observations 3, 11 – 12, 49, 88 – 89
online journals 21, 88; tools 90
online learners 3 – 4, 8 – 9, 10, 16 – 17, 21,
23, 44, 53 – 54, 59, 69, 72 – 74, 76, 79, 80,
88, 92, 94, 100; rationale for engaging 3
Open Badges 93, 103
Pacansky-Brock, M. 4
Padlet 80, 82, 84, 85
participation 7, 36, 83, 94; active 5, 39,
40, 57
participatory culture 54 – 55, 60
passive learning 4, 9
peer and cooperative learning 69
peer learning 9, 57, 65, 70, 72, 74, 82, 85
peer reviews 72, 74, 83
Penzu 23, 29
PhET 44, 49
Piazza 63, 65
Piktochart 104
Pinterest 63, 65 – 66
placements 22, 26; resources for learners
26 – 27
plagiarism 101
Plagiarism Checker X 101, 102, 104
planning templates 9, 10, 30 – 32, 50 – 52,
66 – 68, 83 – 86
Plato 54
player types 56–57; achievers 56; careless 56;
explorers 56; lost 56; self-validators 56
podcasts 100
polls 25, 58 – 59, 62
portfolios 88 – 89, 90, 93; digital 88 – 89, 90
Pramp 103, 105
Presentation Translator 46, 49
practicums 2, 9, 14, 16, 21 – 22, 24, 27, 30
PraxiLabs 20, 29
preference inventories 77
Prezi 80 – 82
Index • 113
privacy 62, 63, 91
progress indicators 9, 58
problem-based learning 2
problem-solving skills 37 – 38, 40, 58
project-based learning (PBL) 2, 9,
27, 34 – 36, 40, 47, 51, 87, 101,
103; definition 34; examples 49;
participation 33 – 34, 39, 40
Quaye, S. 2
Quizlet 90, 104
quizzes 3, 41, 62, 63, 88, 90
RandomList 77, 82
real-world connections making 16
Ring Central 79, 82
robust creative works 72, 75, 83
role play 3, 8, 36
Rourke, L. 70
rubrics 101
Rubric Maker 101, 104
Ryan, R.M. 39, 40
scenario-based learning (SBL) 9, 27, 33,
37 – 39, 40, 47 – 48, 51, 101; definition
37; types 37
Seaman, J. 6
Self Determination Theory (SDT) 39
self-assessments 89
service-learning 14, 17, 21, 23 – 24, 27,
30, 97, 103; reflecting on service
experience 21
Simplenote 29, 30
simulations 2 – 3, 9 – 10, 19 – 20, 28, 30 – 31,
39, 41, 44, 50, 87, 97, 101, 103
site supervisors, meeting 24
Skype Meet Now 91, 104
Slack 29, 104, 105
Slido 59, 65
Smithsonian Learning Lab 20, 29
Smithsonian National Museum of
Natural History 18, 29
Snapchat 63, 65 – 66
social media 9, 36, 48, 53, 60 – 64, 66 – 67,
75, 103
social presence 9, 16, 65, 71, 82
social technologies 36, 62
Sorin, R. 37
student teaching 9, 15, 27, 97
study abroad 2, 15 – 16, 22 – 24, 27
summative assessments 88 – 89
SurveyMonkey 26, 29
synchronous learning 6, 7
Synth 49
Taylor, J. 37
team dynamics, facilitating 77 – 78
team projects 69, 72 – 73, 75, 77 – 79,
80 – 81, 101; conferencing 78 – 79;
creating teams 76 – 77; expectations 77;
online instructor’s role in designing 75;
presentations 73, 80, 81
teamwork 70, 75, 78 – 79, 80 – 81;
conferencing tools 78; curation tools
80; presentation tools 81
theory of experiential learning 5
transformative play 55
Trello 75, 83, 89, 104
trouble-shooting skills 54, 58
Turnitin 44, 102, 104
Twitter 36, 49, 61, 63, 65 – 67
Vevox 97, 104
video conferencing 23 – 24, 27; scheduling
in asynchronous online courses 24
virtual blogs 21, 27
virtual field trips 9 – 10, 17 – 18, 29, 31,
87, 97
virtual labs 3, 9 – 10, 27, 33, 41 – 44, 48,
50 – 51
virtual reality (VR) 10, 27, 46 – 47, 48,
103; examples 46
virtual scheduling 25, 45
virtual team space 75, 77
virtual worlds 55
Visualize.me 104
Vlogs 21 – 23, 27, 88, 91; tools 23, 91
VoiceThread 21 – 23, 29, 74, 80 – 83,
100, 104
Vygotsky, L. 33 – 34, 36, 55
WACE (Cooperative and WorkIntegrated Education) 27, 29
Wakelet 19, 29, 75, 80, 83
Wolniak, G.C. 89
WordPress 23, 39
workplace recommendations 91
Wurdinger, S.D. 90
Yee, N. 56
YouTube 36, 49, 65, 91
zone of proximal development 55
Zoom 29, 64, 104, 105