Category Archives: Learning Strategies

Highlighting information related to activities, practices, and research that can be applied within an online course. This can include models, theories, strategies, etc.

Learning Strategies

Exploring the Latest Innovations in Online Teaching Methods and Learning Approaches

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In recent years, the field of education has witnessed a profound transformation with the advent of online teaching methods and learning approaches. These innovations have revolutionized the way knowledge is imparted and acquired, bridging geographical barriers and offering unprecedented flexibility to learners of all ages and backgrounds.  

As technology continues to evolve, educators and institutions are constantly exploring new strategies and tools to enhance the online learning experience, making it more interactive, engaging, and effective. This exploration of the latest innovations in online teaching methods and learning approaches is essential for staying at the forefront of educational excellence in the digital age. 

An Exploration into Teaching and Learning Online

Exploring innovations in online teaching and learning can determine what kind of course, in terms of the mix of face-to-face and online, is the natural next step after considering how educators want to teach a course (Bates 2022).  This exploration typically involves developments, and advancements in online teaching and learning, such as new technologies, pedagogical approaches, and research findings. Educators delve into various aspects to enhance the digital learning experience. Now, however, with the development of online and digital learning, there is a wide variety of ways in which learning can be accomplished. Indeed, there is a continuum of technology-based learning.  These are just a few of them that could be applied (Bates 2022):  

  • Experimenting with New Methods: Trying out innovative teaching methods, instructional design techniques, assessment strategies, and interactive learning tools to enhance engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes for students. 
  • Integrating Technology: Exploring the integration of technology tools and digital resources into the online learning environment, including virtual reality, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, gamification, multimedia elements, and interactive platforms. 
  • Collaborating and Networking: Engaging with experts, educators, researchers, and industry professionals on collaborative projects, partnerships, and communities of practice to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and co-create innovative solutions for online education challenges. 
  • Adapting to Changing Needs: Adapting teaching practices and curriculum design to meet the evolving needs, preferences, and expectations of learners in digital environments, including addressing issues related to accessibility, inclusivity, and diversity. 
  • MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses): Analyzing course design approaches, behavioral patterns, completion rates, and instructional quality in MOOCs for professional learning. As stated in the book, “MOOCs are forcing every higher education institution to think carefully both about its strategy for online teaching and its approach to open education” (p. 296). 
  • Community of Inquiry Framework: Understanding and applying the Community of Inquiry framework to online teaching and learning, directly focusing on social presence, teaching presence, and cognitive presence. 
  • Embodiment in Online Teaching: Investigating how embodiment plays a role in online teaching, including the experiences of educators and learners in virtual environments, perception, emotion, language, movement, and interactions with digital tools. 
  • Learning Analytics: Utilizing data analytics and metrics to analyze user behavior, interaction sequences, and learning outcomes in online courses, including predictive analytics for student success and engagement. 
  • Research and Best Practices: Keeping abreast of current research, trends, and best practices in online teaching and learning, attending webinars, conferences, and workshops, and collaborating with experts and practitioners in the field. 

 A Female Teacher Tutoring Her Male Student

New Teaching Methods and Learning Approaches Exploration Within the Online Classroom

A study was conducted to understand how instructors rate the helpfulness of inclusive and equitable teaching strategies in online courses (Bates, 2022; Salmon, 2004). It also sought and identify differences in instructors to recognize, understand, and apply semantics, value systems, and organizational features (Bates, 2022). The results revealed several key insights into the perceived effectiveness of various teaching strategies, enabling students to recognize naturally occurring phenomena or classifications received notably high ratings from educators (Bates, 2022). These results further emphasized the value of personalized and student-centered pedagogical practices. 

Studies like this can reveal that using technology and learning approaches that are student-centered can improve student outcomes within a course.  Searching, researching, and choosing the right technology to yield the desire outcome is pivotal when adding it to a course.  Students want to know that the technology they are  interacting with is pertinent to their learning, and not just an impressive addition to the course.  Merlot is a repository of Open Educational Resources that might be of use for searching new technology.  Also, contacting the SCSU Online and Distance Learning team for a list of acceptable technology/software is also an option.

Staying abreast of current and up-and-coming learning approaches, could help keep educators ahead of the curve.  Publications like The Chronicle of Higher Education, websites like the Online Learning Consortium, and the courses offered through our Network of Educational Development (NED) can be helpful with this endeavor.  Once again, contacting the SCSU Online and Distance Learning team to learn about this information would be beneficial.

There will be a continual need to develop and implement innovative approaches that promote equity, accessibility, and engagement in digital learning environments. These digital learning environments will be ever-changing to meet the needs of the student population and to improve learning outcomes.  This will be crucial and needs to be facilitated by an ongoing collaboration among educators, researchers, and policymakers.   

If you are interested in learning more about which of the aforementioned efforts is right for your course, reach out to us via email or through Bookings. We can educate you about any of them and show you where to find them, how to create them or how to best use them.

Additional Reading:

For more information on any of the following topics, please check out our previous blog articles.

References: 

Anderson, T., & Dron, J. (2011). Three generations of distance education pedagogy. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 12(3), 80-97. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v12i3.890 

Bates, A. W. (2022). Teaching in a digital age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning (3rd ed.). Tony Bates Associates Ltd. https://inee.org/sites/default/files/resources/Teaching-in-a-Digital-Age-Third-Edition-General-1669733778.pdf  

Brown, J. S., Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of learning. Educational Researcher,18(1),32-4. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.3102/0013189X018001032 

Garrison, D. R., & Vaughan, N. D. (2007). Blended learning in higher education: Framework, principles, and guidelines. John Wiley & Sons. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Blended+Learning+in+Higher+Education%3A+Framework%2C+Principles%2C+and+Guidelines-p-9781118269558  

Koehler, M. J., Mishra, P., & Yahya, K. (2007). Tracing the development of teacher knowledge in a design seminar: Integrating content, pedagogy and technology. Computers & Education, 49(3), 740-762. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131505001752 

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017-1054. http://punya.educ.msu.edu/publications/journal_articles/mishra-koehler-tcr2006.pdf 

Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2013). Lessons from the virtual classroom: The realities of online teaching. John Wiley & Sons. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281801191_Palloff_R_M_Pratt_K_Lessons_From_the_Virtual_Classroom_The_Realities_of_Online_Teaching 

Salmon, G. (2004). E-moderating: The key to online teaching and learning (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=eVVRrpcXvGkC&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&ots=8dDNuElsFh&sig=NtQFPXxI1IWigfLooH5E2u5Sls0#v=onepage&q&f=false   

Siemens, G. (2005). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning, 2(1), 3-10. http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm 

Swan, K., & Ice, P. (2010). The community of inquiry framework ten years later: Introduction to the special issue. The Internet and Higher Education, 13(1-2), 1-4. https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=d618281bdb82eee9ef32e2cb0d682d549e1cb835 

Thirdman.(2020a). A female teacher tutoring her male student [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-female-teacher-tutoring-her-male-student-6502731/ 

Thirdman.(2020b). Person interacting with fellow student [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/search/online%20teaching%20and%20learning/ 

Monisha Mohannaidu, currently serving as a Graduate Assistant at SCSU, brings three years of valuable experience from her work with advertising agencies around the world.  Apart from her professional background, she is an enthusiastic individual who has actively participated in several art workshops and has a proficiency in graphic design.   

Learning Strategies, Learning Technology Integrations

Digital Storytelling: A New Way to Engage

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Within a school setting, students are considered the learners, and instructors are the teachers, but that dynamic can limit the potential for students to take on a teaching role and for instructors to take on a learning role. Of course, the student may not be able to teach the foundational knowledge of the course to the instructor, but they can provide a unique perspective on it by applying it to their personal experience. This is the basis for Digital Storytelling, a concept that utilizes modern technology to tell stories, and it can be a significant aid in engaging students in course content.

What is Digital Storytelling?

Using multimedia tools, students can tell a story related to the topic given by the instructor. Students can use a subject they are experts on – themselves – to explore new topics outside of a purely lecture- or text-based perspective. It encourages multiple areas of learning by having students self-reflect and apply foundational knowledge while simultaneously refining media-making skills through the creation of videos, audios, animation, and graphics that tell their story.

Why Should Digital Storytelling be Used in the Classroom?

Not only does Digital Storytelling teach information and digital literacy, but it also teaches media-making skills like succinct scriptwriting and professional development (Smeda et al., 2014). It is also an inclusive, multimodal, non-text-based structure that works for online, hybrid, and hyflex courses (Chaidez & Carmona, 2023). Students experience an overwhelming amount of lecture-driven content with the expectation of reciting the information back through homework or quizzes. Digital storytelling allows them to have a hands-on experience that does not require sitting quietly in a classroom for an hour. Rather, that time can be spent sharing their perspective and engaging with other students’ work, which can be far more memorable.  In this way, it ties into Universal Design for Learning by engaging students to become self-motivated and self-reflective, represent themselves through their unique symbols and language, and express themselves with a mix of media tools.

Some examples of assignments that make use of Digital Storytelling include video essays, “pocket documentaries” with the audio/video recorded on a cell phone, podcasts, video resumes, StoryMaps (stories/videos that begin with an individual and moves to include a broader region), and PhotoVoice (participants take a picture of their community and then have a conversation with the class about it) (Chaidez & Carmona, 2023).  Students can also be tasked to create instructional material to demonstrate their understanding of the foundational content as well as their ability to organize and deliver that knowledge to an audience.

Tools at SCSU That Can Help with Digital Storytelling
Microsoft 365 & Sway

Students should be aware that their student email is a Microsoft Outlook account, but what they may not realize is that Microsoft 365 offers a suite of applications that they can utilize to tell their story. They may be familiar with Word and PowerPoint and their capabilities, but an application they may not have heard of is Sway. Sway is an application that is perfect for most story-telling needs. It provides a handful of templates ranging from blogs, photo collages, portfolios, resumes, and reports, but students can build a project from scratch that caters to their unique vision. Students can combine text, visuals (photos, videos, or graphics), audio, and their presentation skills in one place.  Projects are able to be shared out to classmates, and the instructor for easy access. As a bonus, expertise with Microsoft 365 products can be put on a student’s resume.

Adobe Creative Cloud

Once students have created their raw video or audio, they may want to edit their material. Perhaps they want to create illustrations or graphics to express their perspective instead. Maybe their creative vision requires more in-depth work that free software cannot handle. Adobe Creative Cloud is an all-in-one platform that students can utilize.  SCSU has the software available for students to use on campus lab computers. Students have access to the following Adobe applications: Express, Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, and over twenty others.  The full list of available applications can be found on the official Adobe website. Much like Microsoft 365, expertise with Adobe products is a helpful resume-builder, so encouraging students to utilize this resource while they have free access may also help them once they begin looking into jobs in their career field.

D2L Media Library Tool and Kaltura MediaSpace

As of 2023, a new tool called Media Library was made available in D2L, which allows for short-form media (less than 30 minutes) to easily be created within the platform.  Instructors and students can use this tool to create and store videos and audio for various learning activities and materials.  For assignments that only require the student to briefly record themselves speaking, instructors can direct students to either use the ‘Record Video’ or ‘Record Audio’ buttons.  Instructors can also encourage students to upload any of the videos (SWF, MPG, MPEG, RM, MP3, MP4, M4V, M4A, AVI, WAV, RAM, ASF, MOV, RA formats only) they create to the Media Library. This will allow students to keep an archive of their work, they can go back once the assignment closes and the semester ends.

For long-form media (over 30 minutes) and screen recording, students can use their Kaltura MediaSpace account.  There are two types of recording options that students can choose from for recordings, based on their needs.  Students can either use Express Capture for facial or voice-only recordings, or they can use Kaltura Capture to record their screen.  These videos are saved and stored on MediaSpace, so that students can edit, and  caption, then embed them in D2L.

Equipment Checkout at the Miller Learning Resource Center

If students are required to use a video camera to record, or to take photographs, they can directed to the campus library to check out such equipment. View the list of what they have available. This way, students are allowed to experience new technology, without the commitment of buying their own for a possible one time usage.

Implementing digital storytelling exercises within a course is a rewarding experience. By giving students the opportunity to tell their story, not only will instructors give them a chance to explore their unique perspectives of the same topic, but it gives instructors the opportunity to learn from their students’ experiences. These opportunities are all too rare in a college setting where instructors rely on lectures and text-based lessons that are often quickly forgotten after the semester ends. Stories are not only memorable, but they demonstrate how applicable the lessons learned in the classroom can be in a real-world scenario. Students will look back on those lessons long after they have finished the course, not because they were lectured to about it or had to read a chapter in a textbook, but because they had a chance to apply it to their lived experience.

If you are interested in learning more about helping students tell their stories through multimedia or if you want to know more about the digital tools available at SCSU, please let us know.   The SCSU Online and Distance Learning team is available via email or through the Bookings.   We can demo any of the tools and provide further uses in the course.

Additional Reading:

For more information on any of the following topics, please check out our previous blog articles.

References:

Chaidez, S. & Carmona, S. (2023, August 24). Tell me your story: Building engagement and inclusion in online and hybrid courses with digital storytelling methods. Online Learning Consortium. https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/webinar/tell-me-your-story-building-engagement-and-inclusion-in-online-and-hybrid-courses-with-digital-storytelling-methods/

Robin, B. R. (2016). The power of digital storytelling to support teaching and learning. Digital Education Review, 30, 17-29. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1125504

Smeda, N., Dakich, E., & Sharda, N. (2014, December 3). The effectiveness of digital storytelling in the classrooms: A comprehensive study – smart learning environments. SpringerOpen. https://slejournal.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40561-014-0006-3

Souza, R. (2019). Photo of a man sitting in front of a camera [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-a-man-sitting-in-front-of-a-camera-2531552/  

 

 

CJ Laudenbach is a student of the Mass Communication – Strategic Media Communications program at SCSU. She has past experience as a writer and editor for the University Chronicle.

Learning Strategies

Gamifying Your Asynchronous Course

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With online learning becoming the new norm in the world of education, we see many learners of different age groups learning through this method. An asynchronous course is one modality of online learning that allows learners to interact with class materials at their discretion, with the addition of guided pre-recorded videos and notes. There are no scheduled lectures to attend, but learning activities and assessments may have completion deadlines.  While convenience is a major advantage of asynchronous courses, they have their disadvantages as well. In an article about asynchronous learning, Pappas (2015) talks about the lack of motivation as there are no interactions with peers and the learning material itself, which demotivates and disengages learners who require stimulation.  One way to change this is through course gamification.

In another article regarding the perspectives of learners in a gamified course, Pandey (2015) noted that “80% of learners claimed learning would be more productive if it were more game-oriented; 67% of learners reported that a gamified course was more motivating than a traditional course” (para. 6). 

What is Gamification? 

“Gamification is the application of game-design elements and game principles in non-game contexts” (Fitz-Walter, n.d., para.1).  Course gamification differs from just adding games together with class material. A gamified course would have the class syllabus and material made with gaming elements.  Each part of the lesson should be used to teach something new, combined with the repetition of previous lessons to promote information retention, and constant engagement to use the information learned.

A well-known example would be Duolingo. Duolingo presents itself as a language learning platform but utilizes gaming elements such as levels, bonus points, and achievement badges to make learning fun. While Duolingo is not approved for use at the university, faculty do have access to various software applications and tools that can be incorporated into gamifying their course.  This includes H5P, MediaSpace hotspots, and Microsoft Sway for interactive content.  There are also Kahoot and MediaSpace quizzes for engaging assessments.  Lastly, there are badges and certificates which can be awarded for student achievement.  Discussion boards could be used for peer-to-peer learning, a repository for materials, and information exchange related to the learners’ progress.  

Ways to Gamify a Course 

Gamification of a course is no easy feat, but the results it yields are worth it.  This process would benefit from the proper planning and course mapping of the course before development begins.  A course can undergo gamification through these steps: 

  1. Designing a Quest with One Goal: Just as a game has one end goal for the player to achieve, so should your course.  Use course mapping to lay out the learning components of your course.  Your one goal should be the overarching “big idea” of your course.  What is it you would like your students to take with them once they have completed your course?  Use your course learning outcomes and module learning objectives to guide the development of smaller goals you would like to have your students achieve.
  2. Scaffolding the Learning Content: Have lessons with assignments that fall into increasing goal levels (micro-, sub-, end).  Assignments that are micro-goals, allow students to identify the problem first.  Once these assignments have been completed, students are encouraged to use the newly acquired knowledge to move on to the more challenging assignments associated with sub-goals.  These sub-goals will lead to students solving the problem, which is the end goal.
  3. Set Expectations for Achievement: Set expectations through learning objectives and let learners know them from the start. Each goal level should have expectations that students need to work toward to progress on to accomplish the end goal.  By exposing students to these expectations throughout the course, it can allow them to better apply what they have learned as they move forward.
  4. Grades and Scores as Achievements: High scores on individual assignments or the completion of a goal level, can be rewarded with the use of a badge or certificate.   These awards could be used to signify student success in understanding the coursework.  For added incentives, use a culmination of these awards to introduce bonus points, passes for special circumstances, or even skips in levels.

Though a gamified course is an effective way to engage and motivate learners, it all depends on the course, the teacher, the selection of the proper gamification tool, and how well the learners engage. There is not a ‘one size fits all’ format for a gamified course and will require the teacher to find the right fit for the teaching style. Course gamification requires trial and error, but once the teacher understands how to utilize it to its full potential, only then will a masterfully designed gamified course be effective.  

If you are interested in learning how to gamify your asynchronous or synchronous online course, please let us know.  The SCSU Online and Distance Learning team can walk you through course mapping, and how to set up the SCSU-branded Kahoot, MediaSpace, and other tools. Reach out to us via email or through Bookings.

Additional Reading:

For more information on any of the following topics, please check out our previous blog articles.

References: 

Fitz-Walter, Z. (n.d.). What is gamification? Gamify.  https://www.gamify.com/what-is-gamification  

Morrow, G. (2017). Photo of a controller on the desk, with other appliances around it [Photograph]. Pexel.  https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-game-console-on-wooden-surface-682933/ 

Oprean, D., Seo, G., Lundolos, P. & Mitchell, B. (2023, February 1). Level up: Gamifying an asynchronous course on designing games for learning through modeling, authenticity, and learner autonomy [Video]. Online Learning Consortium. https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/webinar/level-up-gamifying-an-asynchronous-course-on-designing-games-for-learning-through-modeling-authenticity-and-learner-autonomy/

Pandey, A. (2015). 6 killer examples of gamification in eLearning. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/6-killer-examples-gamification-in-elearning   

Pappas, C. (2015). Asynchronous learning advantages and disadvantages in corporate training. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/asynchronous-learning-advantages-and-disadvantages-in-corporatetraining#:~:text=Asynchronous%20learning%20doesn’t%20offer,being%20isolated%20and%20%E2%80%9Cdisconnected%E2%80%9D     

Cavan Cheong is an Instructional Designer Graduate Assistant with the Online and Distance Learning Department at St. Cloud State University. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and experience in the hospitality industry. Currently, he is pursuing his master’s in business administration at St. Cloud State University. 

Learning Strategies

How to Use Digital Badging for Micro-Credentialing to Make Online Courses Engaging

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Micro-credentialing and digital badging are becoming popular methods to quickly acquire new skills and education, and then display that mastery across multiple platforms.  Micro-credentialing is a workshop, short class, or program offered to acquire new hard or soft skills related to a position, field, or class (University of Denver, n.d.).  Digital badges, at first look, may seem like ordinary images or symbols but are used to visually represent the micro-credential received.  Behind them, they contain the type of certification, and the knowledge and skills required to receive the badge (Digital Promise, 2023).

Before implementing micro-credentialing into a course, the instructor or the organization must decide on the most feasible and economical approach to incorporating a badging system into their curriculum.  While micro-credentialing may not be as desirable within a course setting, providing digital badges is a good way to promote motivation and reward students as they progress through the semester.  Digital badges are also a good way to display a list of hard and soft skills achieved through the coursework.  

Using Digital Badges in a Course 

There are several strategies that instructors can enact within a course for using digital badges.

  1. Badges as Awards: Depending on the course subject, instructors can think of their courses as a game, with the badges as awards. What would the badge reward the learner for accomplishing? What achievement does it symbolize? Will this badge be appealing enough to motivate learners to work toward one?  By providing these badges during intermittent times throughout the semester, students may feel more encouraged, and motivated, and have a desire to want to succeed in their courses.
  2. Badges for Coursework Completion: Badges can be given to learners for completion of a set amount of coursework, or if they have participated in specific learning activities.  These badges can be designed with the skills identified in the learning objectives for either the module or the activity.
  3. Badges as Passes: These badges could be utilized as virtual passes to be used at the instructor’s discretion.  For example, if there are supplementary quizzes given, learners who have obtained a mastery badge of the same content could use the pass to skip such quizzes.

Once the purpose is decided, and the strategies planned, the instructor can use the integrated awards system in D2L to create and award digital badges. Printable certificates are also offered within this tool.  All the necessary functions to issue digital badges can be accessed through the Award tab in the Navigation bar. Instructors can award badges at the end of each module or after the completion of a set of specified conditions. Depending on the instructor, a notification within D2L, or an email notification can be created for any achievement earned by the learners. In addition to acquiring the badges (and certificates), learners can also share them on their ePortfolios, and even their LinkedIn accounts.  

Using Digital Badges for Future Employment 

Many organizations are starting to adopt the digital badging trend, a blog by David Leaser stated that his company succeeded in implementing a badging program (Pakstis, 2019). He stated that 87% of his employees gave feedback saying they were more engaged due to the badges, while another 72% said they felt their achievements were recognized thanks to the badges (Pakstis, 2019).

The supporting research shows the effectiveness of digital badging from micro-credentialing. It motivates learners and employees to strive further and excel, which benefits them too, as companies globally are gradually accepting digital badges on resumes. In an SNHU article, the author stated: “When you’re searching for a job, these emblems allow potential employers to know that you have demonstrated proficiency in a certain area. While some applicants may simply list their skills, you can set yourself apart by offering real proof of what you can do” (Girolimon, 2023, para. 16)  

Digital badges obtained through micro-credentialing are the future, not only in education but in the employment world too. When designed with the hard and soft skills that learners and future employers find of interest, these small symbols can be shining examples of accomplishments. These badges are virtual, portable, and convenient to display. They can also be easily implemented into a course.  

If you need assistance with finding ways to incorporate badging and certificates in your course or how to set them up in D2L, please let us know.  The SCSU Online and Distance Learning team can provide you with instructions, and suggestions, and walk you through the updated process.  Reach out to us via email or through Bookings.

Additional Reading:

For more information on any of the following topics, please check out our previous blog articles.

References: 

Avcı, B. (2023). What is digital badging and how it Is used?. Sertifier Blog. https://sertifier.com/blog/what-is-digital-badging-and-how-it-is-used/  

Galindo, M. (2023, April 13). The relationship between digital badges and micro-credentials. Digital Promise. https://digitalpromise.org/2023/04/13/the-relationship-between-digital-badges-and-micro-credentials/#:~:text=Digital%20badges%20are%20electronic%20representations,sharing%20and%20verification%20of%20skills

Girolimon, M. (2023). What is a digital badge? Southern New Hampshire University. https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/career/what-is-a-digital-badge  

Kazal, A. (2022). Photo of a backpack with badge [Photograph]. Pexel.  https://www.pexels.com/photo/souvenirs-on-gray-backpack-10771786/ 

Pakstis, S. (2019). For organizations and learners, the benefits of badging are clear. Harvard Business Publishing.  https://www.harvardbusiness.org/for-organizations-and-learners-the-benefits-of-badging-are-clear/#:~:text=Badging%3A,with%20the%20skills%20they%20need  

University of Denver. (n.d.). Micro-credentials and Badges. Office of the Registrar. Retrieved December 8, 2023 from https://www.du.edu/registrar/academic-programs/micro-credentials-badges#:~:text=A%20micro%2Dcredential%20is%20a,to%20showcase%20the%20earner’s%20achievement 

 

 

Cavan Cheong is an Instructional Designer Graduate Assistant with the Online and Distance Learning Department at St. Cloud State University. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and experience in the hospitality industry. Currently, he is pursuing his master’s in business administration at St. Cloud State University. 

Learning Strategies

Honing Students’ Soft Skills for Future Career Aspirations

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In courses that make up a student’s major, it is understood that the curriculum was developed with their potential career path in mind.  This may not be as true for the general education courses, but their curriculum is still of importance.  While major courses work on honing hard skills in preparation for the job market, general education courses can work on honing the soft skills.

Hard skills are the “technical skills and experiences that are used for a job or career”(Birt, 2023, para. 4), while soft skills are the habits, traits, and mannerisms that influence how a person works.  Examples of soft skills include interpersonal communication, delegation, initiative, critical thinking, reasoning, and adaptability, amongst other things.  By providing learning activities throughout the coursework, that practice these soft skills, students can become better prepared as they move toward their intended career.

While faculty are responsible for providing the opportunity to practice these skills, it is up to the students to take ownership of their learning by continue to build upon those skills.  Preparing students for their future careers in just as much the responsibility of the student as it is the college or university they attend.

Ways Faculty and Students Can Hone Soft Skills  

Below are some ways to help to move students toward their career goals.

  • Aligning Coursework: Thinking of the overall course in “big picture” terms, consider how it can align with students’ long-term career goals. Is what is to be gained from this course relevant to a student’s desired profession or field? Mapping your coursework to highlight the skills, knowledge, and experiences that can be transferable to future students’ career goals associated can ensures that students are investing their time and effort wisely.
  • Mapping Career Goals: Once learning objectives have been identified, encourage students to create a roadmap for the coursework to help develop an unobstructed vision toward their goals. Have them align the course objectives to the skills and experiences they will need to be successful in their future careers.  This will allow the learning process to become more personalized and help students to track their progress.

Flat lay photography of gold Iphone on opened notebook beside pen   

  • Learning Through Real-World Applications: Learning is not about the theory; it is also about application. Throughout the course, offer opportunities for students to learning through real-world scenarios. This could involve working on practical projects, completing internships, or discussing case studies. These practical applications could enhance various and desirable skills relevant of their career.
  • Learning Activities Using Soft Skills: The skills that any course can help students hone for a future career are soft skills.  In a report published by World Economics Forum “eight of the top 10 employable skills of 2023 are soft skills” (Busson, 2023, para. 2). These types of skills can be added to any learning activity, through discussion boards (communication and critical thinking), group work (collaboration and leadership), and project-based (problem solving and initiative) (Busson, 2023).
  • Displaying Student Work: Consider creating an ePortfolio in D2L for students to display the skills and knowledge that they have gained through their coursework. This will be an asset once they enter the job market, as it demonstrates their preparedness and relevance to potential employers. 
  • Evaluating Progress Toward Goals: Remind students to regularly assess their progress against their roadmap and the learning objectives. Is what they are learning contributing to their identified goals, as they initially planned? Encourage students to be open to adjusting their plan if they find that certain skills and experiences are not contributing as expected to their goals.

When faculty offer opportunities for growth toward an intended career, they can make the most of their students’ education. This means that careful attention is paid to what is taught and how it will help students towards their future in the workplace. This means designing learning activities that hone the soft skills that are desirable for future employers.  It is like having a smart strategy to make sure that the learning journey leads to success in a dream career.

If you want to explore how to align objectives and activities to support soft skills and workplace experiences, please contact the SCSU Online and Distance Learning team.  We can be reached via email or through Bookings.

Additional Reading:

For more information on course mapping, please check out our previous blog article.

References: 

Academic Partnerships. (n.d.). Begin with the end in mind: Map first! Faculty Commons. https://facultyecommons.com/webinars/begin-with-the-end-in-mind-map-first/

Birt, J. (2023, September 7).  Hard skills vs. soft skills: What’s the difference? Indeed. Retrieved December 7, 2023 from https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/hard-skills-vs-soft-skills

Busson, S. (2023, November 16). Align your teaching with the career needs of tomorrow. Harvard Business Publishing. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/align-your-teaching-with-the-career-needs-of-tomorrow/?icid=top_nav 

C. R. (2021, October 7). A guide on how to begin with the end in mind. Basics by Becca. https://basicsbybecca.com/blog/begin-with-the-end-in-mind

Gallagher, S. (2021, June 28). Begin with the end in mind. Proctor Gallagher. https://www.proctorgallagherinstitute.com/47606/begin-with-the-end-in-mind 

Jopwell. (2019). Group of people sitting inside room
 [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/group-of-people-sitting-inside-room-2422294/

Lewis, J. (2017). Flat lay photography of gold iPhone on opened notebook beside pen [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/flat-lay-photography-of-gold-iphone-on-opened-notebook-beside-pen-583847/ 

McCabe Union Elementary School District. (n.d.). Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind. https://www.muesd.net/Resources/The-Leader-In-Me/Habit-2-Begin-with-the-End-in-Mind/index.html  

McNamara, C. (2023, September 19). How to start strategic planning: Plan for a plan. (J. Talaguit, Ed.). Management Library. https://management.org/blogs/strategic-planning/2010/04/04/how-to-start-strategic-planning-the-plan-for-a-plan-part-1-of-3/

 

 

Monisha Mohannaidu, currently serving as a Graduate Assistant at SCSU, brings three years of valuable experience from her work with advertising agencies around the world. Apart from her professional background, she is an enthusiastic individual who has actively participated in several art workshops and has proficiency in graphic design.