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Episode 3: Blended Learning: Finding the Sweet Spot Between Faculty Preferences and Institutional Goals

About Episode 3: Blended learning can outperform online and face-to-face courses but is sometimes overlooked as an institutional strategy. Join hosts Kelvin Thompson and Thomas Cavanagh as they consider both the pedagogical and institutional benefits of blended learning. Episode 3 Show Notes: Please find various show notes and resources below. Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete …

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Episode 2: Research on Online Learning: Interpreting the Findings

About Episode 2: Online teaching and learning research has evolved over the past couple of decades. Join Tom and Kelvin for this episode’s discussion of the findings emerging from the on-going inquiry into online teaching and learning practice. Episode 2 Show Notes: Please find various show notes and resources below. Episode Synopsis via Twitter View complete …

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2015 Dziuban Award – Beatriz Reyes-Foster, Ph.D.

Beatriz Reyes-Foster, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, College of Sciences, was awarded the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching by the Center for Distributed Learning (CDL). The award presentation occurred during the Showcase event that concluded the spring section of CDL’s faculty development program for online and blended teaching, IDL6543. Dr. Reyes-Foster received …

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Episode 1: What Is Online Learning? Definitions, Boundary Objects, and Baggage

About Episode 1: In this episode, join hosts Tom Cavanagh and Kelvin Thompson as they explore the deceptively simple question: “what is online learning?” With an eye toward clearer communication and institutional effectiveness, Tom and Kelvin unbundle a number of concepts and labels associated with online learning. Episode 1 Show Notes: Please find various show notes …

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Strategies to Encourage Academic Integrity in Online Exams

Online exams are popular in college courses, offering a time-efficient and flexible way of assessing student learning. Students often prefer them because of the convenience factor, while instructors like that they do not expend valuable face-to-face class time. However, the concern about students cheating on online exams is pervasive throughout higher education. Instructors often worry that it is difficult for students to remain academically honest under such conditions. In this session, resources and strategies to encourage academic honesty in the online exam environment such as considerations for test construction and exam settings will be shared. Specifically, we will showcase an instructor’s use of ProctorHub, UCF’s newest online proctoring tool, which is designed to mitigate these concerns.

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Using Social Media to Enhance Community in Your Classes

Today’s college students are using social media more than ever in their personal lives, and emerging research suggests that social media can have a powerful influence on the learning experience. Many instructors have an interest in harnessing the pedagogical potential of social media, but are unsure how to effectively integrate them in their curricula. In this session, we will describe how social media can foster a sense of community within and beyond the classroom setting. Specifically, we will showcase strategies designed to create and sustain community using the social media tool Twitter, addressing commonly identified issues such as student privacy and communication.

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2014 Dziuban Award – Stephanie Vie, Ph.D.

Stephanie Vie, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Writing and Rhetoric, College of Arts and Humanities, was awarded the Chuck D. Dziuban Award for Excellence in Online Teaching by the Center for Distributed Learning (CDL). The award presentation occurred during the Showcase event that concluded the spring section of CDL’s faculty development program for online and blended teaching, …

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Collaboration Strategies in Online Course Environments

The task of online collaboration is daunting, but not impossible. Advancements in communication technologies along with sound pedagogical techniques and clear student expectations can lower the barrier to effective group work online. This session will present strategies, resources, and services designed to assist faculty in implementing collaborative projects online. Ideas and concerns of on-site and remote participants will be solicited. The goal of this interactive session is to create a constructive and practical dialogue with colleagues.

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Online Engagement Strategies For Large Classes

At the Center for Distributed Learning we often hear from faculty, “that’s a great idea, but it’ll never work for me because I teach such large classes.” Student engagement can be a challenge in any size class, but it can be overwhelming trying to reach hundreds of students individually when there’s only one of you. In this brief seminar, we will share a set of strategies that can be used to make the most effective use of your time to provide a personal touch to all of your students. We will provide specific examples using existing tools in Webcourses@UCF and share anecdotal experiences using these strategies with classes of over 1400 students. The strategies presented in this session were developed with large classes in mind, but they can be used successfully in any size class.

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Enriching Your Online Course Content: Selecting or Designing Media Elements

It is easier than ever before to include existing media and to create your own media for online course content. Photos, infographics, charts, illustrations, icons! Demos, screencasts, events, interviews! Webcams, smartphones, YouTube, and Flickr! Possibilities abound for enriching online course content with media that contribute to understanding, captivate attention, or increase retention. In this session rich with examples, presenters will share principles for making wise choices about how to best include media for the greatest benefit and the least amount of hassle.

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