On Demand, Interactive Instruction: Modeling Best Practices in Online Instruction at City University
With a growing number of courses offered online there isconsiderable interest in distance education. As universities negotiate standards in online instruction we ask: How will effective communication, interaction, and motivation be established in the absence of face-to-face instruction? What will be the role for instructors in online education? How will students’ learning outcomes be assured and improved? To address these concerns, City University created a new set of standards for their online classes: the Exemplary Course Standards (ECS). But CityU was unsure how to start applying these. Our team modeled ways to use the ECS by redesigning a core course on critical thinking. We created an online experience that is interactive, uses story-structure, formative assessment, and caters to a variety of student types and needs. Education is an old art form but as the medium we teach through changes, we must adapt to harness the power of online instruction.
Albert Ybarra
MLIS
Ceradwen Bacon
MLIS