All posts by Nishika Gopathi and Kendra Self, PhD

Learning Strategies

Humanizing an Online Course Through Communication

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Whether a course is synchronous or asynchronous, students should feel that they are a part of it. They should also feel connected with others in the classroom. The feeling of “isolation and low self-esteem in students has been shown to result in low levels of engagement” (Li et al., 2022, p. 1). This can be attributed to the rapid growth of online learning and the transition from an in-person format to a virtual format. In addition to the transition is the ever-growing diverse student population.

One way colleges and universities can address this issue is by preparing faculty to design and facilitate inclusive online learning experiences that meet the requirements of all students more effectively. This may include offering a diverse range of teaching methods, more suited to a wider range of students.  Humanized online teaching can also help to address aspects of learning through instructor-student connections and community.

Two people communicating during a Zoom meeting.

The Humanizing Framework

Instructor-student communication matters tremendously in online learning. A major challenge that the instructors face in an online course, is how to make the learning experience humanized.  This includes treating students and their input as an integral element of the course. 

Multiple frameworks have incorporated the concept of humanizing an online course (Li et al., 2022). Frameworks such as the Community of Inquiry model, outline and explain three different presences: social, cognitive, and presence. Both social and cognitive presences are dependent on teaching presence (Garrison et al., 1999). Research has found that increased teaching presence, through interactions between the instructor and the student, corresponded with an increase in motivation and engagement, which could lead to higher grades (Li et al., 2022; Xu & Jaggers, 2014).  

Michelle Pacansky-Brock, developed the humanizing framework in 2016, by taking into consideration other frameworks and modeling them together. She discovered that these instructor-student relationships are extremely beneficial, particularly for students who are unsure of their academic ability (Bengfort, 2023). Three elements emerged as essential in making humanizing communication in a class. They were presence, empathy, and awareness. 

  • Presence: Instructors need to be present in an online class and they should be available to communicate with students at appropriate times in Zoom sessions. Instructors, for example, can create a lively welcome video and make their presence felt throughout the class. They could provide feedback in audio or video format. They could create a sense of community in the class, by greeting students with a video each week. Instructors can also offer synchronous meetings for students who need some guidance.
  • Empathy: Instructors should be approachable so that students won’t have any apprehensions in meeting them. They should be able to sense when students need some extra support and when to be lenient. Taking the time to explain difficult concepts during one-on-one sessions or even providing links to multimedia (videos, podcasts, etc.) are very supportive to students.
  • Awareness: Instructors should get to know their students. To do so, they could conduct a survey during the first week of class as a means of formative feedback. For example, ask students their preferred format of assignment submission, teaching method, and any other valuable insights that they would like to provide.  

Humanizing an online course through communication is critical for producing an effective and engaging learning experience. Students might feel more connected to the instructor and their peers by including various communication tools such as discussion boards, video conferencing, and personalized feedback. Additionally, emphasizing the importance of social interaction and community-building can foster a positive learning environment and increase student motivation and retention. Ultimately, by prioritizing communication and creating a sense of connection within an online course, instructors can humanize the learning experience and provide students with a more fulfilling and enriching educational experience. 

If you are interested in which humanization methods are right for your course, just let us know.  The SCSU Online and Distance Learning team can provide guidance and tools to get you on the right track. Reach out to us via email or through Bookings.

Additional Reading:

For more information about adding teacher presence to your course, check out this previous blog post.

References: 

Bengfort, J. (2023). Q&A: Michelle Pacansky-Brock humanizes asynchronous Learning. EdTech Focus on Higher Education. https://edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2023/05/qa-michelle-pacansky-brock-humanizes-asynchronous-learning

Garrison, D.R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (1999). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education 2(2–3). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1096-7516(00)00016-6  

Li, Q., Bañuelos, M., Liu, Y., & Xu, D. (2022). Online instruction for a humanized learning experience: Techniques used by college instructors. Computers & Education 189(104595), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2022.104595 

Piacquadio, A. (2022). Cheerful surprised woman sitting with laptop [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/cheerful-surprised-woman-sitting-with-laptop-3762940/ 

Shvets, A. (2020). People on a video call [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-on-a-video-call-4226261/

Xu, D. & Jaggars, S. (2014). Performance gaps between online and face-to-face courses: Differences across types of students and academic subject areas. The Journal of Higher Education, 85(5), 633–659. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43694576

 

Nishika Gopathi is a Graduate Assistant for Online and Distance Learning at St Cloud State University. She is a student of Information Assurance.  She likes to paint and travel in her free time.

DEI Learning

Adding Accessibility to Learning Materials

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Fair and equal access to education is a necessity for all students. This includes students with impairments who might encounter difficulties accessing conventional educational resources.  By making learning materials and activities more inclusive, a fair and equitable learning environment can be established for all students.  This can be established by making your educational resources accessible.

Accessibility in the Online Classroom

Accessibility in education is critical because it ensures that all students have equal access to educational resources and materials. Students with impairments, such as those who are visually or hearing impaired, may require modifications to use regular learning resources. Teachers can guarantee that all students have the chance to learn and achieve by offering resources that are accessible (Karger & Lazar, 2014).

Teachers can contribute to ensuring that all students have equitable access to all learning materials and activities by applying a variety of accessibility elements. There are several ways to apply accessibility, including:

Providing alternative text for images

This is a brief explanation of an image that enables readers with visual impairments to comprehend its content. It is known as alternative text, or “alt text.” Make sure to add alt text for all of the images when developing educational materials.

Alt text is a short explanation of a picture that helps students who are blind or visually impaired understand its content. When designing instructional resources, it is critical to provide alt text for all photos, except for images used as decorations, which should be labeled as such to avoid misunderstanding.

Using closed captioning for videos

Closed captioning displays the words of the audio in a video into text.   Doing so makes it easier for deaf students to comprehend what is being said. Closed captioning is easy to enable and should always be used when producing videos for educational purposes.

Using accessible document formats

Use formats that are user-friendly to all students when developing documents. Providing accessible formatted documents allows students who may use screen readers to properly identify and read aloud the presented information.  For instance, when using a PDF, provide things like headers, lists, titles, language, tags, and alternative texts to adequately ensure that all of the information can be conveyed to a student.  An easy way to remember these considerations is with the acronym SCULPT (Wilson, 2020, para. 3):

  • Structure documents with headings
  • Colors that have strong contrast
  • Use of alt text for non-decorative images
  • Links provided in descriptions
  • Plain, simple, and clear language
  • Table structures that are simple
Providing accessible online platforms

Make sure all students can access the learning materials and activities on the provided internet platforms. This involves making sure the platform is appropriate for assistive technology such as braille displays or screen readers.  Accessibility information can be found on any websites used outside of D2L.  The D2L Brightspace platform is accessible.  Teachers will have to make sure what is added into D2L is too.

Get Started with Accessibility

With a little time and effort, accessibility can be easily incorporated into any learning material.  When accessibility is kept in mind while searching for and developing materials for a course, it makes providing equity and inclusivity in the course easier. Following these steps will be a good start to becoming more knowledgeable and familiar with adding accessibility to a course.

  • Gain knowledge on accessibility best practices. To better meet different student needs and promote an inclusive learning environment, instructors will want to learn about accessibility best practices.  Best practices are a great starting point to build from and grow your knowledge.  These can be obtained through professional development and training sessions, seminars, and online resources.  The Student Accessibility Services (SAS) website is a great place to start a search. Their office provides faculty and students with the information they need for understanding and receiving accessibility services and materials.
  • Collaborate with students with disabilities. When it comes to accessing learning resources, teachers should collaborate with students who have disabilities to understand their requirements and preferences. Open lines of communication with these students could help them to feel more included in the course (Van Noy et al., 2015). This collaboration could also assist with improving knowledge and awareness through gained insight, provided by students who use the materials.
  • Share knowledge with colleagues. By sharing knowledge this may foster a more welcoming and fair learning environment for all students. Regularly collaborating with those colleagues who are knowledgeable about accessibility practices can help to increase awareness, understanding, and implementation (Van Noy et al., 2015). 

Although it can take a little additional work, making learning materials and activities accessible is a crucial step.   Making the classroom more inclusive and equitable for all students provides everyone a fair chance to learn.

Various Microsoft Office apps and Adobe Acrobat contain accessibility features and checkers already built in to help with incorporating accessibility into your learning materials. If you need any assistance with this, the SCSU Online and Distance Learning team can provide guidance and tools to get you on the right track. Reach out to us via email or through Bookings.

Additional Reading:

For more information about creating inclusivity within a course, check out this previous blog post.

For more information on equity through the use of technology, check out this previous post.

References:

Garcia, V. (2020). Photo Of Person Pointing On The Screen [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-person-pointing-on-the-screen-6326107/

Karger, J., & Lazar, J. (2014). Ensuring that students with text-related disabilities have access to digital learning materials: A policy discussion. Perspectives on Language and Literacy, 40(1), 33-38.

National Center on Deaf-Blindness. (n.d.). Why is accessibility important? Retrieved August 13, 2019, from https://www.nationaldb.org/for-state-deaf-blind-projects/accessibility-toolkit/why-accessibility-is-important/#:~:text=Accessibility%20means%20that%20all%20people,members%20of%20the%20digital%20world 

Seale, J., Draffan, E. A., & Wald, M. (2010). Digital agility and digital decision-making: Conceptualising digital inclusion in the 21st century. Studies in Higher Education, 35(4), 445–461. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070903131628

Van Noy, M., Heidkamp, M., & Kaltz, C. (2015). How are Community Colleges Serving the Needs of Older Students with Disabilities? NTAR Leadership Center. https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/odep/pdf/communitycollegesolderstudents.pdf

Wilson, H. (2020). SCULPT [Infographic]. AbilityNet. Retrieved on April 24, 2023 from https://abilitynet.org.uk/news-blogs/everyone-can-sculpt-accessibility 

 

Harihara Varma Aketi is a Graduate Assistant at the Online and Distance Learning department at Saint Cloud State University. He did his bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, and currently, he is pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science at Saint Cloud State University.

 

Learning Strategies

Engaging Learners in the eLearning Classroom

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Due in large part to the growth of online learning platforms and remote employment, eLearning has gained in popularity. eLearning has several advantages, but it can also pose challenges for students, such as the lack of face-to-face interaction and the potential for distractions. To ensure that all students have successful and pleasurable learning experiences considering the continuous rise of eLearning, it is crucial to put learner engagement first (Gao et al., 2013).

Strategies to Enhance Engagement in the eLearning Classroom
Create Interactive Content

Interactive material is one of the best strategies to keep students interested in the eLearning classroom. This can include video quizzes, games, simulations, and other learning activities. These activities can motivate students to take an active role in their education. Students are more likely to remain motivated and engaged throughout the learning process when given interactive content (Abykanova et al., 2016).

Provide Opportunities for Collaboration

Collaboration in a course is useful to promote the following purposes: “fostering community, sharing information and perspectives, and applying critical thinking and problem-solving skills” (Gao et al., 2013, p. 478). This can be accomplished in the online classroom through discussion boards, group projects, or virtual study groups. Students can interact with their classmates by exchanging ideas and getting feedback on their work.

Use Multimedia

Engaging students using multimedia in the eLearning classroom is another useful strategy. This can contain audio files, infographics, movies, and other visual aids that might improve students’ comprehension and memory of the learning material (Zhang et al., 2006). Multimedia could also be an assistive tool for students who may need another form of instruction or a visual application, that is separate from text.

Provide Personalized Feedback

Personalized feedback is an essential part of the learning process. Quizzes, tasks, and evaluations in the eLearning classroom provide students with the opportunity for tailored feedback. Students can get a chance to understand their strengths and weaknesses, pinpoint areas for progress, and feel more encouraged to continue their educational journey.

Foster a Sense of Community

Taking an online course can be particularly isolating.  This can be especially true for students taking an asynchronous online course. Fostering a sense of community, by increasing social presence, can boost students’ motivation and engagement (Wei et al., 20212).  This lends itself to increasing the likelihood of students feeling more linked to both their teacher and their peers (Wei et al., 20212). For the best learning outcomes in the eLearning classroom, student engagement is essential. Teachers can keep students motivated and involved throughout their learning process by developing interactive content, allowing chances for collaboration, utilizing multimedia, delivering individualized feedback, and building a feeling of community. Engagement in the online environment can be difficult, but not impossible.  If you would like to learn more about different techniques and activities that can be easily incorporated into your online course, please let us know.  The SCSU Online and Distance Learning team can provide guidance and tools to get you on the right track. Reach out to us via email or through Bookings.

Additional Reading:

For more information on engagement through the use of interactive applications, check out this previous blog post.

For more information on social presence and the other presences that make up the Community of Inquiry model, check out this previous blog post.

References:

Abykanova, B., Nugumanova, S., Yelezhanova, S., Kabylkhamit, Z., & Sabirova, Z. (2016). The use of interactive learning technology in institutions of higher learning. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 11(18), 12528-12539. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1124626.pdf     Gao, F., Zhang, T., & Franklin, T. (2013). Designing asynchronous online discussion environments: Recent progress and possible future directions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 44(3), 469–483.             https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01330.x    K, M. (2022). Woman engaging in her work duties [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-engaging-in-her-work-duties-12911794/ Rotar, O. (2022). Online student support: A framework for embedding support interventions into the online learning cycle. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 17(2).             https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-021-00178-4 Wei, C-W., Chen, N-S., & Kinshuk. (2012). A model for social presence in online classrooms. Education Technology Research and Development, 60(3), 529–545. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-012-9234-9 Zhang, D., Zhou, L., Briggs, R. O., & Nunamaker Jr, J. F. (2006). Instructional video in e-learning: Assessing the impact of interactive video on learning effectiveness. Information & Management, 43(1), 15-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2005.01.004   Harihara Varma Aketi is a Graduate Assistant at the Online and Distance Learning department at Saint Cloud State University. He did his bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, and currently, he is pursuing a Master’s in Computer Science at Saint Cloud State University.

Learning Design Basics

Designing S.M.A.R.T and Measurable Student Learning Outcomes

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When creating a plan or a project, it is important to have an outcome or goal by which to measure an accomplishment or an ending to work toward. In academia, there are program goals, course learning objectives, and student learning outcomes. While the terms goals, objectives, and outcomes can be misunderstood and have been interchangeable, they are different.  

Goals vs. Objectives vs. Outcomes 

There is a hierarchy to these terms, with goals at the top, objectives in the middle, and outcomes at the bottom. Goals are written to describe what the students can expect from the institution, the program, or the instructor; whereas outcomes describe what an instructor can expect from a student at the end of the identified learning prompt (Depaul University Center for Teaching and Learning, n.d., para. 4). Objectives fall in the middle and are what the instructor plans to implement to support learning. Goals are not measurable, objectives can be but do not have to be, and outcomes are (Depaul University Center for Teaching and Learning, n.d., para. 6). For the learning experience to be measurable, it lists an action that can be assessed, and it specifically describes what students are to accomplish.  Lastly, goals are broad, objectives are intermediate, and outcomes are narrow in the scope of learning.  

 
Learning
Specificity
Measurability
Expectations
Taxonomy
Example
GOALS – What students can expect from the provider of learning Broad Not Students of the provider of learning Bloom’s Taxonomy learning goals To introduce how to thoroughly research, plan, and write a business plan for a newly developed phone application
OBJECTIVES – What specifically do the instructors plan to implement to support learning Intermediate Maybe Instructors of students Bloom’s Taxonomy learning goals or associated action verbs Students will learn how to conduct a competitive analysis for their new phone application
OUTCOMES – What an instructor can expect from a student at the end of the identified learning prompt Narrow Yes Instructors of students Bloom’s Taxonomy associated action verbs Students will compare up to 4 competitors for their phone application

 

Any of these specific terms can fulfill several distinct aspects of a course:  

  • Performance indication: to assess if learning has occurred, through measurable actions. Particularly important for Quality Matters reviews and institutional accreditation. 
  • Course design: to guide the inclusion of integral pieces used in a course to best facilitate learning.  
  • “Establish pedagogical interchange”: so that both instructors and students know what to expect from the course (Armstrong, 2010, para. 14). 
  • Course Alignment: to establish guidelines to connect learning materials and activities back to.  
Objectives to Outcomes 

Learning Objectives are great starting points for a course, which can help to navigate the design and development of a course. They are a fundamental step in the process of mapping your course and writing your learning outcomes. When possible, faculty can first write measurable course learning objectives, then write student learning outcomes for the learning experiences (units, modules, weeks), activities (labs, projects, etc.), and materials (lectures, video presentations). 

Learning outcomes are great ways to steer the student learning experience. They are written with the specific action a student is to complete for a task. These action verbs can be used to describe the expectations for the accomplishment. These verbs are based on Bloom’s Taxonomy. 

Bloom’s Taxonomy  

Bloom’s Taxonomy is a series of learning goals organized into a pyramidal framework, where the lowest level is at the base and the highest level is at the tip. These goals are remembering (base), understanding, applying, evaluating, and creating (tip). The framework was originally proposed by several scholars in 1956 and has since been used as the standard in education for learning objective and outcome design ever since (Armstrong, 2010).  

With the change in the educational landscape to online learning, there is now a framework that caters to digital learning. While the learning goals have remained, the activities associated have been modified over the years to suit the ever-changing educational landscape. For instance, under the creating goal, an in-person course may have activities like building a structure and drawing an image, while the online course would have to start a blog and design an interactive game. SCSU has access to tools, programs, and apps that can be used for each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. They can be used to promote student engagement and interactivity with the learning material. Any of them could be accessed, developed, and easily integrated into D2L or the web browser.  

Image of a pyramid with Bloom's Taxonomy goals and digital multimedia that coincides with each.

      (Image adapted from Ray, 2021)

Tips for Designing Measurable Student Learning Outcomes 
  1. Consider how you can accurately measure the outcome. Will it be assessed by an assignment or assessment? Will one outcome be foundational to another one? This can help with guidance toward an appropriate action verb.  
  2. View Bloom’s Taxonomy goals as starting points, then pick an action verb associated with it to write the outcome. This allows you to steer away from unmeasurable or hard-to-measure verbs such as “learn,” “know,” “understand” or “explore.”   
  3. Use action verbs for all goal levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Try not to rely too much on the lowest level or the highest level. To make sure that the course has a balance of expectations for students to achieve.  
  4. Write outcomes that are specific and clear about what to expect from the students. Providing outcomes with easy-to-interpret language ensures that students are more capable of understanding them. 
  5. Write singular outcomes instead of split outcomes, which contain 2 or more verbs. This loads up the outcome and can make it more complex to understand. 

To help easily incorporate these tips and more, use the acronym S.M.A.R.T: 

  • Specific 
  • Measurable 
  • Achievable  
  • Relevant 
  • Time-bound 

Whether you are creating course objectives or student learning outcomes, the need to use Bloom’s Taxonomy and make them S.M.A.R.T. is pivotal to student learning. The SCSU Online and Distance Learning team can provide guidance and tools to get you on the right track. Reach out to us via email  or through Bookings .  

Additional Reading: 

For more information on adding interactive applications to a course, check out this previous blog post. 

For more information on course mapping, check out this previous blog post.  

 

References: 

Armstrong, P. (2010). Bloom’s taxonomy. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/   

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Practical use of program evaluation among sexually transmitted disease (STD) programs. https://www.cdc.gov/std/program/pupestd.htm   

Depaul University Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.) Course objectives & learning outcomes. Teaching Commons. https://resources.depaul.edu/teaching-commons/teaching-guides/course-design/Pages/course-objectives-learning-outcomes.aspx#:~:text=Learning%20goals%20and%20objectives%20generally,%2C%20project%2C%20or%20unit  

Great Schools Partnership. (2014, May 15). Learning objectives. The Glossary of Education Reform. https://www.edglossary.org/learning-objectives/   

Koppens, Y. (2018). Person holding silver retractable pen in white ruled book [Photograph]. Pexels.  https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-holding-silver-retractable-pen-in-white-ruled-book-796603/   

Ray, K. (2021, February 16). Updating Bloom’s Taxonomy for Digital Learning. Tech & Learning. https://www.techlearning.com/news/updating-blooms-taxonomy-for-digital-learning  

 

 

Learning Technology Integrations

Interactive Learning Applications in the Online Classroom

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Online interactive learning has become an integral part of academic life since the advent of the pandemic. The entire world was at a standstill, but the learning process had to continue. Certain programs, apps, and techniques were adopted and popularized during that time, which are relevant and adaptable in this online medium of teaching. These resources came to be known as interactive learning applications. Interactive learning applications are software programs designed to engage learners in active participation, feedback, and collaboration. These applications incorporate various multimedia elements, such as videos, animations, and virtual or augmented reality simulations, to enhance the learning experience.  

Students have become accustomed to this method as it is interesting, and innovative and engages them with the content present in the course. They can access it just with resources available to them during the online class, such as a handheld device and an internet connection. In an online learning environment, learning is both active and interactive, which can make the process interesting to students. The main goal of instructors during an online class is to keep students engaged and actively participating in the course. It can be overwhelming for instructors to create a wholesome learning experience and they might face hurdles that seem impossible for them to overcome. In such circumstances, there are tips that can be incorporated to make the learning process effective.  

Person looking at images on a tablet and touching the screen.

Tips for Creating Interactive Learning Experiences: 
Let Students Explore the Learning Material

Students exploring the course content is key to learner engagement (Pappas, 2021). Instructors can include links to other related material, which might provide the students with more context about the topic. The course can be made more exploratory and exciting by including facts in the form of bars and graphs or pictures, videos, and interactive visual aids. 

Incorporate Visuals into the Course 

The content in the courses can be overwhelming to the students at first sight. So, it is important for them to feel at ease, by providing a variety of visual aids like pictures, videos, and animations, as it enhances the learning process (Shabiralyani et al., 2015). Visual aids could help students memorize and recapitulate the main concepts in a chapter or lecture.  Visual aids can also be helpful to students facing learning barriers, where understanding is hindered by just reading text.      

Make Learning Activities Challenging 

Make the activities, assignments, and discussions in the course challenging but not impossible to complete. These activities should tap into the intellect of students and let them understand their potential, rather than adjusting to what is presented. In-depth content for the given topics can also be provided as links to other materials, along with links for materials that are easy to understand. Instructors should make use of diverse kinds of strategies to keep students engaged and increase the quality of learning.  

Make the Experience Personalized 

The learning experience can be tailored according to a learner’s specific needs or experiences. The student’s name can be included in an announcement, discussion, or in email communication. Also, setting up an online course in an asynchronous format allows students the freedom to work their way through the course. 

Set Your Learners on a Journey 

Storytelling or narration can be used to explain a concept to the learners using realistic scenarios and real-life examples relevant to the content. It enhances their critical thinking skills and allows them to think about what the consequences would have been if they were in that situation, and how they would have used their knowledge or skillset. 

Create a Collaborative Environment 

The learning environment needs to be enriching and engaging. Such an environment will help students boost their self-confidence, self-assurance, and increase their reliance. This can help learners to come out of their shells by building connections through talking to their peers and working on group activities or projects. Underperforming students may become motivated to participate and overcome their fear of socializing or language barriers. They can do so by communicating their thoughts, ideas, and experiences with their classmates. All these aspects could pave the way for personal and professional self- development in the future (Anderson, 2008). 

Provide Real-world Scenarios 

Providing real-world scenarios as examples in the content will help learners gain knowledge about the topic by connecting the information to something familiar to the student. Real-world scenarios will help learners to analyze challenging situations and act accordingly in their personal or professional lives in the future.   

Virtual or augmented reality simulations are technological environments created to mimic the real world for learning and studying purposes. Allowing students to test out different scenarios in a controlled environment could decrease the likelihood of mistakes made during real applications. Mostly in education, simulations are used in lab environments to test hypotheses so they can observe and experiment safely and efficiently (Adipat et al., 2021). 

Offer Gamification and Game-based Learning 

Gamification and game-based learning (GBL) are powerful tools that can be used to make learning more enjoyable. Gamification incorporates certain elements featured in games (points, scoreboards, and awards) into the learning content, while GBL facilitates learning using actual games (Kahoot and H5P) (Mospanyuk, n.d.; Radu, 2021). GBL is particularly effective for teaching new skills and concepts, by embracing digital or non-digital games. It is used to balance the theoretical content and learning, with the introduction of entertaining games. These educational games are structured in such a way that they obtain maximum user attention. 

Gamification elements could be added to spark a competitive spirit among students while going over learning materials. Students can gain awards for certain achievements within the course, or even earn points that could earn them a reward at the end of the course. 

A person sitting at a desk with a laptop positioned on the desk in front. There are 3 people on the screen conducting a meeting.

Interactive Learning Tools and Websites 

SCSU has access to various tools, programs, and applications that faculty can use to keep the students active and engaged in an online class. A few of them are: 

Kahoot 

This is a game-based learning (GBL) platform, which can be accessed through its website or app. On this platform, instructors can use predesigned games and quizzes for many subjects or design their own. As students go through the game or quiz, their points are displayed on a scoreboard. For use within a course, instructors will need to sign up for an account so that students would not have to.  

Microsoft Sway 

This application allows for learning material to be displayed in an interactive way. With the assistance of premade templates, activities, and multimedia can be added to content to make it more engaging. Students are free to listen to audio, watch video clips, compare and contrast images, and more. Once completed, each Sway can be added to a course via a link.  

Zoom polls and quizzes 

For synchronous online courses, Zoom has interactive polls and quizzes. Either of these interactive activities could be dropped in during a class meeting to prompt engagement, conversation, and learning. There are options to create simple polls, advanced polls, or quizzes. Question types available are single-choice, multiple-choice (multiple answers), matching, ranking, short-answer, and long-answer. Images can even be added to quiz questions. Once answers are submitted, line charts are displayed with answer choice values that can be discussed during class. 

Whiteboards (Zoom or Microsoft) 

These features enable the instructor to provide a medium for writing and drawing exercises or collaboration efforts between instructor-students or student-student. Both contain premade templates, either grouped by subject (Zoom) or concentration (Microsoft), with free handwriting as the default. Both also contain additional articles that can be added to the board, such as sticky notes, and shapes. Once completed, the whiteboard can be saved, downloaded, and shared with students. 

Mediaspace hotspots and quizzes 

These features allow students to interact with instructor-developed media. Within a video lecture or talk, instructors can design brief pop-up activities, in the form of quizzes, or information (hotspots). Quizzes can be placed within the media to check for understanding or as a reflective exercise, with scores provided at the end of each quiz. Hotspots can be added to a video for students to click on with links, images, articles, etc., which can add interest to the overall experience.  

H5P 

This software has a vast library of interactive content that can be developed and added to a course. Instructors can design anything from games, quizzes, written activities, study materials, and more. Interactive presentations and books can also be made with this software for further student engagement. H5P is an extensive tool that can be used to better immerse students within the content. If you are interested in H5P, make sure that you sign up with Scott Wojtanowski at ed-innovations@minnstate.edu and have it enabled for every course that it will be used in.  

Creating effective and engaging e-learning content requires careful planning and execution. By following these tips, you can create interactive learning experiences that will engross learners and help them to retain the information. A few things to keep in mind are to get to know your audience, use visuals, make it interactive, provide feedback, foster collaboration, and make it mobile-friendly. By doing so, you can create e-learning content that is both effective and engaging.  If you are interested in any of the above interactive tools and websites, please contact SCSU Online and Distance Learning team via email or through our Bookings site. 

References: 

Abykanova, B., Nugumanova, S., Yelezhanova, S., Kabylkhamit, Z., & Sabirova, Z. (2016). The use of interactive learning technology in institutions of higher learning. International Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 11(18), 12528-12539. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1124626.pdf    

Adipat, S., Laksana, K., Busayanon, K., Asawasowan, A., & Adipat, B. (2021). Engaging students in the learning process with game-based learning: The fundamental concepts. International Journal of Technology in Education (IJTE), 4(3), 542-552.  https://doi.org.10.46328.ijte.169  

Anderson, T. (Ed.) (2008). The theory and practice of online learning (2nd ed.). Athabasca University Press. https://www.aupress.ca/app/uploads/120146_99Z_Anderson_2008-Theory_and_Practice_of_Online_Learning.pdf 

Baig, M. A. (2011). A critical study of effectiveness of online learning on students’ achievement. Journal of Educational Technology, 7(4). 28-34. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1102153.pdf  

Cameron, J. (2020). Man in yellow crew neck t-shirt vsing VR headset
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Giorgdze, M. & Dgebuadze, M. (2017). Interactive teaching methods: Challenges and perspectives. IJAEDU- International E-Journal of Advances in Education, 3(9). 544-548. https://doi.org.10.18768/ijaedu.370419  

Khandve, P. (2016). Interactive teaching and learning activities. ISTE 45th annual national convention and international conference on challenges and opportunities in technical education in era of sustainable development. Indian Society for Technical Education. 104-110. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292695438_Interactive_Teaching_and_Learning_Activities 

Mospanyuk, A. (n.d.). Gamification vs game-based learning: what’s the difference? Gamify. https://www.gamify.com/gamification-blog/gamification-vs-game-based-learning-whats-the-difference#:~:text=Gamification%20is%20the%20application%20of,out%20of%20an%20entire%20process.  

Pappas, C. (2021, May 12). 7 Tips to develop a successful interactive eLearning strategy. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/7-tips-to-develop-successful-interactive-elearning-strategy 

Pixabay. (2016). Person Using iPad [Photograph]. Pexels. https://images.pexels.com/photos/35550/ipad-tablet-technology-touch.jpg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=1260&h=750&dpr=2 

Radu, A. (2021, November 16). Key differences between game-based learning and eLearning gamification. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/key-differences-between-game-based-learning-and-elearning-gamification  

Shabiralyani, G., Hasan, K. S., Hamad, N., & Iqbal, N. (2015). Impact of visual aids in enhancing the Learning Process Case Research: District Dera Ghazi Khan. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(19). 226-233. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1079541 

Shvets, A. (2020). People on a video call [Photograph]. Pexels.  https://images.pexels.com/photos/4226122/pexels-photo-4226122.jpeg?auto=compress&cs=tinysrgb&w=600 

 

Nishika Gopathi is a Graduate Assistant for Online and Distance Learning at St. Cloud State University. She is a student of Information Assurance.  She likes to paint and travel in her free time.