Utilize a systematic and effective way to plan and design your course to ensure learning objectives, instructional strategies, and assessments are aligned. “To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you’re going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction."  - Stephen R. Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People What is the first thing you consider when designing a course? Most instructors start with designing course content and learning activities, then assessments, and then develop the learning objectives around the course content and assessments. This is called the “forward design” approach. In contrast, in Backward Design, we start with developing learning objectives so we are able to focus on student learning and understanding. The idea of Backward Design comes from Wiggins & McTighe.      For an overview of Backward Design, please view a brief video from the University of Central Florida. The Benefits of Using Backward Design  Focuses on student learning and understanding   Provides effective guidance for instruction and designing courses  Ensures the student learning experience and course content align with learning objectives   The Three Stages of Backward Design                                                               Figure: Backward Design Stage One: Identify Desired Results  The first step in the process is to define your course goal. What do you want your students to be able to do by the end of this course? What knowledge and skills should students attain?  Stage Two: Determine Acceptable Evidence   In the second stage, consider the assessments your students will complete in order to demonstrate evidence of learning. It is important to consider a wide range of assessment methods in order to ensure that students are being assessed on the goals that you want your students to attain.   Stage Three: Plan Learning Experiences and Instruction  In the third stage, it is the time to consider what instructional strategies and learning activities you will use in order to help students complete the learning objectives. You should develop learning experiences and activities aligned with the defined learning outcomes and assessment methods.   Download the Backward Design Template from Vanderbilt University.   References  Bowen, R.S. (2017). Understanding by Design. Vanderbilt University. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/understanding-by-design/  Kurt, S. (2016). Backward Design. Educational Technology. https://educationaltechnology.net/backward-design-understanding-by-design/  Wiggins, G, & McTighe, J. (1998). Understanding by Design. ASCD  Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design (2nd ed.). ASC Experiencing an issue or need additional support? Contact our OneIT Team by      Opening a support ticket or    Calling us at 201-380-6599   

Use Bloom’s Taxonomy framework for developing clear and measurable learning objectives.   Three Components of a Learning Objective What goals do you have for your students? What do you want them to be able to do by the time they’ve finished your class? Learning objectives describe what we expect students to know and be able to do (Dick & Carey, 1978). According to Mager (1997), a well-written learning objective includes three major components:   Figure: Performance, Conditions, Criterion The  Performance  component is a description of the behavior that learners are expected to perform.  It should be measurable and observable.   The  Conditions  component of an objective is a description of the circumstances under which the performance will be carried out.  The  Criterion  is a way to measure an acceptable or adequate performance.   Example:   Given a list of values of a company’s assets and liabilities, students should be able to create a balance sheet within 80% of the correct asset values.   In this example:  Condition: Given a list of values of a company’s assets and liabilities  Performance: students should be able to create a balance sheet   Criterion: within 80% of the correct asset values Using Bloom’s Taxonomy as a Framework for Writing Learning Objectives   The most important and challenging part of writing good learning objectives is defining observable behaviors that can be measured. For example, good learning objectives should not include the verb “understand,” as understanding is not observable and measurable. Bloom’s Taxonomy is a helpful framework that can help you choose observable and measurable verbs to create learning objectives in your course.  Bloom’s Taxonomy is a framework that defines six cognitive levels from lower- to higher-order thinking. The original levels published by Bloom et al. (1956) were ordered as follows:  Knowledge, Comprehension, Application, Analysis, Synthesis, and Evaluation.     Figure: Original Version of Bloom’s Taxonomy Anderson and Krathwohl (2001) published a revised version of Bloom’s Taxonomy which uses verbs for each level and focuses on active performance of the types of learning involved in each level of the hierarchy.   Figure: Anderson and Krathwol's (2001) revision to Bloom's Taxonomy The following is a list of measurable action verbs based on Bloom’s Taxonomy that can be used when you are developing learning objectives for your course.   Figure: Measurable Action Verbs Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy      Supplemental Resources Check out a list of Bloom’s Taxonomy action verbs to assist you in creating learning objectives.   The Learning Outcomes Generator designed by the University of Nevada, Reno walks you through the process of developing measurable learning outcome statements. References  Anderson, L. W., Krathwohl, D. R., Airasian, P. W., Mayer, R. W., Pintrich, P. R., Raths, J., & Wittrock, M. C. (2001). A taxonomy for learning teaching and assessing. (Complete ed.). New York: Longman.  Armstrong, P. (n.d.). Bloom’s Taxonomy. Vanderbilt University.  https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/blooms-taxonomy/  Bloom, B. S.; Engelhart, M. D.; Furst, E. J.; Hill, W. H.; & Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company.   Bloom’s Taxonomy. (2018, July 4). Centre for Teaching Excellence. https://uwaterloo.ca/centre-for-teaching-excellence/teaching-resources/teaching-tips/planning-courses-and-assignments/course-design/blooms-taxonomy Experiencing an issue or need additional support? Contact our OneIT Team by    Opening a support ticket or Calling us at 201-380-6599

Access resources and guidance to apply the Stevens syllabus template in your course. Business photo created by katemangostar - www.freepik.com The following information was adapted from Syllabus Design Guide Your syllabus is so much more than a course contract. It serves many functions in a class. In The Course Syllabus: A Learning Centered Approach (2008, 2nd Ed.), Judith Grunert O’Brien, Barbara J. Millis, and Margaret W. Cohen indicate that a well-designed syllabus can:    serve as a learning contract  set the tone for the course   communicate your expectations to your students  outline all of the topics you plan to teach in your course  guide students through their learning   inform students of the logistics of the course   tell students how to succeed in your course  include supplemental resources   provide available student support resources Stevens Syllabus Template   The Stevens syllabus template can help you to create a course syllabus that serves all the purposes above. The Stevens syllabus template is based on best practices in higher education and was developed with input from faculty, students, academic administrators, and instructional designers from within and outside Stevens. The template includes all of relevant institutional policies, procedures, and resources that faculty are required to include in their syllabi.   University policy requires that all instructors provide students with a syllabus that conforms to the Steven syllabus template and make that syllabus available to students through Canvas no later than the first day of classes. You can access the Stevens syllabus template directly through Canvas. Check out this step-by-step video tutorial on how to upload and publish your syllabus in Canvas.    Supplemental Resources  Bart, M. (2017, June 24). A Learner-Centered Syllabus Helps Set the Tone for Learning. Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-classroom-management/a-learner-centered-syllabus-helps-set-the-tone-for-learning/  Weimer, M. (2011). What Does Your Syllabus Say About You and Your Course? Faculty Focus. http://info.magnapubs.com/blog/articles/teaching-professor-blog/what-does-your-syllabus-say-about-you-and-your-course/ References  Doolittle., P., & Danielle L. (2007). The effects of institutional classification and gender on faculty inclusion of syllabus components. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 7, 62-78.  Riviere, J., Picard, D. R., & Coble, R. (2016) Syllabus design guide. Vanderbilt University. http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/syllabus-design/  Wasley, P. (2008). The syllabus becomes a repository of legalese. The Chronicle of Higher Education. 54(27), A1. Experiencing an issue or need additional support, contact our OneIT Team by Opening a support ticket or Calling us at 201-380-6599

Learn about the fundamentals of online teaching. Teaching online is much more than just taking your face-to-face class materials and putting them online. You should reconsider how you design and deliver your course to achieve course objectives. Online teaching is a shift away from teacher-centered instruction to more interactive, student-centered instruction. The instructor’s role also changes from the “sage on the stage” to the “guide on the side”. Synchronous Online vs. Asynchronous Online vs. StevensFlex (Hybrid)  With different delivery modes, online learning can be designed, developed, and delivered in various ways. Each delivery mode has its pros and cons for both faculty and students. Please note that each Stevens school or college has its own policy regarding offering asynchronous classes; please consult your school or college for information. Synchronous Online   Synchronous online classes are those that require students and instructors to be online at the same time. All students must be online at a specific hour in order to participate. One example of synchronous online delivery is teaching via Zoom.   Asynchronous Online   Asynchronous classes do not require students and instructors to be present at a specific time. Instructors provide students with materials and lectures that can be accessed at any time, as long as they are completed by the designated deadline. Examples of instructional materials frequently used in asynchronous instruction include pre-recorded video lectures and discussion forums.         Figure: Comparison of Synchronous Online and Asynchronous Online  StevensFlex (Hybrid)  StevensFlex classes meet in a physical location on campus at a scheduled time, with some students attending class in-person while others join virtually via Zoom from a remote location.  What Online Students Expect  One of the first things to understand is what online students expect. In this Magna Publications 20-Minute Mentor video (Length: 20:52), Jill Scheifelbein leads us through the six key themes that  Figure: Six Key Themes that Faculty Should Pay Attention to When Designing and Delivering Their Online Courses  How to Be a Better Online Teacher Popular author of “Small Teachings Online” (a follow-up to the extremely popular "Small Teachings" by James Lang) Flower Darby brings us a robust Advice Guide on how to be a better online teacher, published in The Chronicle of Higher Education. 10 Essential Principles and Practices  Be present and interact with your students regularly. A few things you can do include posting a weekly announcement, holding online office hours, and responding to student posts on discussion boards in Canvas.  Humanize your teaching. Your students want to know you as a person. They want to know your personality, teaching style, and interests.   Envision how your students are experiencing the online class. Online students are physically separated from you and other students. Consider their challenging circumstances and isolation in your course design.   Make your course content accessible and easy to navigate. Students will be confused and frustrated if it is hard to access course materials.    Add visual appeal such as images and graphics to enhance course appearance, which affects student engagement.  Note: All visuals should be accessible to all students.  Clearly explain expectations to your students so that students don't have to guess what you want them to do.  Scaffold learning activities to help student successfully complete their activities and assignments.   Teach with examples. Examples are effective and powerful ways to help students better understand and deepen student learning.      Create an inviting online learning environment where students feel welcome. Research shows that the learning environment has a direct impact on learning outcomes. Always reflect what worked well and what didn’t in your course and commit to continuous improvement. Even small efforts can have a big impact.  All these points and more are explained in this article.      Supplemental Resources   Ten Promising Practices for Effective Online Teaching. Standford University  Effective Teaching Online. Inside Higher Ed. References Darby, Flower. (2019). How to be a better online teacher. The Chronicle of Higher Education.  Scheifelbein, Jill. (2017). What online students expect. Magna Publications   Content created by  Valerie Dumova and Wei Li, Office of Learning Technology  Jeniffer Obando, WebCampus Experiencing an issue or need additional support? Contact our OneIT Team by Opening a support ticket or Calling us at 201-380-6599

Explore tips and strategies to facilitate learner-content interaction, learner-learner interaction, learner-instructor interaction, and learner-technology interaction.   As one of the most critical elements in learning, interaction has been identified as a function for increasing learner motivation, satisfaction, participation, communication, and achievement. It is important to dedicate sufficient time to designing opportunities for students to reflect, share, and demonstrate their learning.   Types of Interaction  Moore (1989) identified three types of interactions that are important for learning: learner-content interaction, learner-learner interaction, and learner-instructor interaction.   Learner-Content Interaction Ask yourself: How will my students interact with the course content? Beyond reading, listening to/viewing lectures, what will students actually DO with the course content?  Below are some strategies to increase learner-content interaction: Use a range of media to enhance learning (text, images, videos, advanced organizers, etc.)  Offer various activities for students to engage with course content.   Employ strategies to gauge students’ prior knowledge. All students enter your class with personal experience, beliefs, and opinions. This is known as “prior knowledge”.   Use supplemental resources to encourage students’ engagement. Supplemental resources refer to any non-required instructional materials which can be a powerful tool in your course. Supplemental resources aren’t only limited to encouraging exploratory or additional learning. You can also include supplemental resources in your course to help students who might struggle or need additional support.   Ensure accessibility of course content and materials.  Learner-Learner Interaction Increased learner-learner interaction helps decrease the psychological distance and thus increase social presence of distance students.   Ask yourself: How will my students interact with other students? How can I foster a sense of community in my course? How can I provide the opportunity for my students to collaborate and think critically? Below are some strategies to increase learner-learner interaction:  Include activities that help establish supportive and caring social connections. For example, you can create an icebreaker activity for a class and then encourage students to participate for social interaction.   Create shared space to encourage sharing. For example, create discussions in Canvas to extend and supplement interaction in the class.   Include student-student interaction-based activities. Depending on the size of your class, you can encourage student-student interaction class-wide or in smaller groups or pairs. Examples include: peer review assignments, role playing, collaborative brainstorming, etc. Need more ideas about online student-student interaction-based activities?   Refer to strategies on our Active Learning page.   Check out the University of Illinois-Springfield’s Online Instructional Activities Index page.  Learner-Instructor Interaction   Learner-instructor interaction includes both formal direct instruction and more informal mentoring and support. The purpose is to motivate, stimulate, and facilitate activities and strategies.   Ask yourself: How will my students be able to interact with me? How will I motivate my students? How will I facilitate effective and meaningful discussions? How will I guide my student learning and accommodate different student learning styles? Below are some strategies to increase learner-instructor interaction.   Record introduction videos, which can serve as a welcome message for online students.   Provide students with timely, informative and frequent feedback on assignments and assessments that encourages student reflection.   Present opportunities for student questions, comments, or ideas.   Post announcements in the Canvas course.  Respond to student posts on discussion boards in Canvas.  Provide in-person or online office hours. Office hours give students the opportunity to ask in-depth questions and to explore points of confusion or interest that cannot be fully addressed in class.   Why should we encourage our students take advantage of office hours? Please check this article: Office Hours: Why Students Need to Show Up.  Ask students for feedback, e.g., “What has been most useful to you in this course so far?” or “What were some concepts that you didn’t feel you fully understood?” Learner-Technology Interaction  Recently, some researchers suggested that emerging technologies in online learning necessitate a fourth type of interaction: learner-technology interaction. Technologies differ greatly in their potential to foster interaction in terms of level and functions. We need to use the right tool for the job.   Ask yourself: How will my students interact with the technology? Do they have the access and skills to use the technology? Does the technology serve my course goal?  In the article “How to Determine the Best Technology for Your Students, Your Course and You” from Faculty Focus, Mary Bart offers some insights on what to consider when making technology decisions. According to Tony Bates, an elearning and distance education planning and management consultant, “The key is, … think about the technology choice before designing the course. […] Too often instructors get halfway through the course and then start making decisions about the technology when that should have been thought about at the beginning so that it can be properly integrated.”  Don’t get overwhelmed by technology. You can provide effective interaction with basic tools as long as they are well structured and support student towards learning outcomes. For example:   Tools built into Canvas, such as Discussions, Peer Review assignments, and Groups   Breakout Rooms, Polls, Chat, Annotations features in Zoom  Poll Everywhere, an online polling platform that allows students to vote on custom polls in real time    Engaging Students in Large Enrollment Courses    While engaging students can be challenging in any class, it can be especially difficult for large classes. In the following videos, senior instructional designers Dr. Wei Li from the Office of Learning Technology and Jeniffer Obando from WebCampus explore how we can combat some obstacles to student participation in large enrollment courses. Leaning on Dr. Maryellen Weimer's synthesis (pp. 12-13), which analyzes a recent study that tests common hypotheses about the nature of student participation, Wei and Jeniffer discuss different instructional strategies and technologies that can help increase student engagement.  Part 1: Why Students Are Reluctant to Participate (Length: 06:27)   Part 2: Teaching Large Classes (Length: 12:33)  Want to know more? Check out our recent workshop, Promoting Students Engagement in Large Enrollment Courses (Length: 45:42).   Supplemental Resources   Why Adding Supplemental Resources to Online Courses is a Great Idea. Online Learning Consortium  Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (Mayer)   4 Reasons Why Visual Communication has a Big Impact  Engaging Activities. Stanford University   Engaging Students Online. Iowa State University  Synchronous Online Classes: 10 Tips for Engaging Students. Faculty Focus  Student Engagement and Interaction. EDUCAUSE  References Anderson, T. (2003b). Modes of interaction in distance education: Recent developments and research questions. In M. G. Moore & B. G. Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of distance education (pp. 129-144). London, UK: Lawrence Erlbaum.  Maryellen, W. (2013). Tips for encouraging student participation in classroom discussions. Faculty Focus. https://www.facultyfocus.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/TipsClassParticipation-TP.pdf  Mcdaniel, R. (2020, February 22). Teaching Large Classes. Vanderbilt University. https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/guides-sub-pages/teaching-large-classes/  Moore, M. G. (1989). Editorial: Three types of interaction. American Journal of Distance Education, 3(2), 1-6.  Online Learning Consortium. (2015). Ten Ways to Overcome Barriers to Student Engagement Online. OLC. https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/news_item/ten-ways-overcome-barriers-student-engagement-online/  Shaw, A. (2020, January 31). Using Supplemental Resources in the Online Classroom. Center for Teaching and Learning | Wiley Education Services. https://ctl.wiley.com/using-supplemental-resources-online-classroom/  Student-Centered Remote Teaching: Lessons Learned from Online Education. (2020). EDUCAUSE. https://er.educause.edu/blogs/2020/4/student-centered-remote-teaching-lessons-learned-from-online-education  Shaw, A. (2020, January 31). Using Supplemental Resources in the Online Classroom. Center for Teaching and Learning | Wiley Education Services. https://ctl.wiley.com/using-supplemental-resources-online-classroom/  Types of Interaction: IU - Teaching Online. (n.d.). Indiana University. https://canvas.ucdavis.edu/courses/34528/pages/types-of-interaction?module_item_id=4974 Experiencing an issue or need additional support? Contact our OneIT Team by  Opening a support ticket or Calling us at 201-380-6599

Learn how to incorporate a broad range of instructional activities that engage your students in the learning process, as opposed to passively absorbing the information. What It Is Two definitions to start us off: “Instructional activities involving students in doing things and thinking about what they are doing.” Bonwell and Eison, 1991. “Active learning implies that students are engaged in their own learning. Active teaching strategies have students do something other than taking notes or following directions…they participate in activities…[to] construct new knowledge and build new scientific skills.” Handelsman et al., 2007 Why You Should Do It Incorporating active learning strategies, allows your students to take ownership over their own learning. During active learning activities, students are engaged in the learning, rather than being passive listeners. As we think about what our students’ typical week might look like, it is possible for our students to spend most of their time every day “sitting in” Zoom sessions. By incorporating active learning strategies into your live class session, not only are you breaking up the monotony, but you are also empowering your students to be in the driver’s seat of their own learning journey. Active learning also increases inclusivity since it invites all students to participate in the activity; helping avoid having the same students answer questions over and over again and allowing for those who may be hesitant to speak up in front of the professor to get clarification from their peers. Faculty Focus Prof. Mishah U. Salman SES faculty member Prof. Mishah U. Salman presented a session titled "Promoting Teamwork and Student Interactions Online" as part of an SES webinar series. In it he talks about Active Learning and presents some of the techniques that he uses to engage students. Watch Prof. Salman's video (Duration = 1:02:01) on Promoting Teamwork and Student Interactions Online: Prof. Jan Cannizzo In his video, Dr. Jan Cannizzo shows us a new technique he learned during the Spring pivot to emergency remote teaching. He loved the technique so much that he is presenting it as a basis for larger adaptation because the method is flexible enough to be applied to subjects other than mathematics, which is what he teaches. Watch Dr. Cannizzo's video on A Very Simple, Concrete, and Effective Method for Teaching Courses Online (or on Campus). Link to the random name picker Dr. Cannizzo mentions in his video. Link to the Pengelly paper Dr. Cannizzo describes in his video. Sample Techniques The idea behind active learning is to move away from the traditional lecture where students are passive listeners. Therefore, if you look at your live session structure, it might look quite different when you incorporate active learning techniques.   Before Active Learning After Active Learning   Research shows that students have an attention span of around 15-20 minutes. In other words, students cannot focus on a lecture for more than 15-20 minutes. How can you re-energize your students and refocus the class? You can:   limit the amount of time spent in straight lecture  chunk your lecture content into smaller digestible pieces  integrate active learning activities after every 15-20 minutes of a lecture   Brief Supplemental Activities During Lecture   The Pause Procedure The traditional Pause Procedure involves pausing every 15-20 minutes in your lecture for 2 minutes. Explain to your students that you are giving them this time to help mentally digest what was just said or to give them a mental break (also called a bio break). You could also design an activity for them to do during these pauses.   As an example, during the pause you can encourage students to discuss and compare/update notes in pairs by having them collaborate on a shared file in the G-Suite of tools. This approach encourages students to consider their understanding of the lecture material, including its organization. It also provides an opportunity for questioning and clarification and has been shown to significantly increase learning when compared to lectures without the pauses (Bonwell and Eison, 1991; Rowe, 1980; 1986; Ruhl, Hughes, & Schloss, 1980).   You may consider creating a buddy system in your course, assigning the same pairs to work together, or creating new pairs a few times in the semester. These pairs can work together to take and compare notes collaboratively in a medium of their choosing. Retrieval Practice When people begin using a footpath through a grassy area, the path becomes more and more prominent, becoming increasingly marked the more often it is used. The same can be said for neural pathways that are used over and over. The more you force the brain to retrieve something from memory, the stronger that neural pathway becomes, which in effect leads to long-term learning.   Retrieval is a learning event that is simple and effective to enhance long-term learning (Karpicke, 2016). We want to help our students practice retrieval in our classroom as well as after the live session is over. How To In the classroom: Every 15 minutes during your live session, pause for two or three minutes. Ask your students to write down everything they can remember from the previous segment and also encourage students to ask questions. This form of retrieval practice is useful because students can identify fairly quickly whether they were able to grasp a concept while also having you there to ask questions in case they find a gap in their knowledge.   After the live session: Create weekly or end-of-module quizzes in Canvas. These quizzes should be low- to no-stakes and can be cumulative in nature as the semester progresses. The objective is for students to have a place to challenge themselves to recall information from different periods of the semester as a self-check exercise. You could also include their participation in these quizzes as part of their participation grade or use it as formative assessment.   Think-Pair-Share At some point during your live session, ask students a question that involves higher order thinking skills (Bloom’s Taxonomy: application, analysis, evaluation). Ask them to think and write down their answer for one minute. Then they should work with a peer to discuss their answers for two minutes. You could use the buddy system mentioned above or you can create several breakout rooms in Zoom with only 2 people assigned. If you have a large class, you could create larger groups, but not too large. You want to ensure that everyone is heard in the group in the allotted time. You can then ask some or all groups to share their answers with you and you can follow up with an explanation of any misconceptions or clarifications. By asking students to explain their rationale for their answer and also to critique a peer helps students articulate newly formed mental connections.   Think-Pair-Share Another Way If you are using a classroom response system such as Zoom polling or PollEverywhere, you can ask a conceptual, multiple-choice question to the group (display on a PowerPoint slide for example). Ask students to vote on an answer and then work with a peer to discuss. You can encourage students to change their answers after discussing with their peer, if appropriate. You can then reveal the graph of student responses and use it to create a class discussion.   Minute Papers This strategy can be used at the beginning or end of your live session. Ask students a question that requires them to reflect on their own learning or to use critical thinking skills. Variations include Muddiest Point/Clearest Point, where students write about a point they don’t yet comprehend or understand very well. Have them write for one minute, later inviting them to share their responses to initiate a class discussion or you can collect all responses as an informal survey to inform future sessions.   Jigsaw Method This strategy takes a little more planning than the previous ones. An assignment/activity is divided into parts and the class is divided into the same number of teams. Each team is given one part to learn/digest. Then teams are shuffled so that students have to teach other teams their part.   This activity is best explained with visuals. Jennifer Gonzalez’s YouTube video from the Cult of Pedagogy offers a wonderful, visual explanation of this strategy.   Activities to Replace Some Lecture   Strip Sequence Small bits of information are separated into "strips" so that students can sort the strips into various categories or organize them into a sequence depending on the topic. This strategy encourages discussion of competing ideas, organizations, or order in which a process would take place. In this case, it is often the discussion and sharing of ideas that is the most important outcome of the activity.   In an online course, you can display the bits of randomized information on a slide or create a Google Doc. Students can then work in small groups or pairs to sequence or categorize them.   Concept Map Concept maps are a visual representation of how certain concepts are related. To use this activity in your live session, identify the key concepts that they need to determine a relationship for. This can also be conducted via a Google Doc. After the activity, ask groups/pairs to share their concept map with the class and create a discussion from the examples shared. The exercise of building an external representation of their mental model helps students examine and strengthen the organization within the model and it can emphasize the possibility of other “correct” answers (Brame, 2016).   Categorizing Grids Similar to concept maps, this technique has students classify terms, images, questions, equations, etc. into categories that the instructor sets forth. You ask students to quickly categorize the items. Then you can ask for volunteers to share their answers and clarify questions that arise.   How to Get Started with Active Learning Start off small. Identify one or two active learning strategies that you think would work well with your subject matter. Then begin creating the materials you may need to successfully conduct the activity (group/pair lists, Google docs, etc.).   Create clear, explicit (but brief) instructions to guide your students through the activity. For some activities like the Pause Procedure, not much setup or instruction is needed; but, for others such as Jigsaw, everyone will benefit from having instructions clearly and concisely laid out on a slide and document that they can refer back to.   It is very important to prime your students for active learning. Oftentimes, students will push back when active learning is introduced because it is different than what they are used to and because it requires a higher investment of their focus and energy. When starting a session where you will use active learning, explain to your student what you will be doing and, more importantly, why you have chosen this particular activity.   Please view the videos (Total Duration = 9:06) available in the Incorporating Active Learning Techniques to Engage Students playlist for additional information on active learning.  Supplemental Resources Active Learning. Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning. Yale University. Getting Started with Active Learning. Cambridge Assessment International Education. Cambridge University. What is Active Learning? Center for Research on Learning and Teaching. University of Michigan.   References Berkeley Center for Teaching & Learning. (2020). Active Learning Strategies. Retrieved June 1, 2020 from https://teaching.berkeley.edu/active-learning-strategies Bonwell, C. C., and Eison, J.A. (1991). Active learning: creating excitement in the classroom. ASH#-ERIC Higher Education Report No. 1, Washington, D.C.: The George Washington University, School of Education and Human Development. Brame, C., (2016). Active learning. Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching. Retrieved June 1, 2020 from https://cft.vanderbilt.edu/active-learning/ Brown, P. C., Roediger, H. L., & McDaniel, M. A. (2014). Make it stick. Harvard University Press. Handelsman, J., Miller, S., and Pfund, C. (2007). Scientific teaching. New York: W.H. Freeman. Karpicke, J. D. (2016). A powerful way to improve learning and memory: Practicing retrieval enhances long-term, meaningful. Psychological Science Agenda. Miller, M. (2014). Minds online: Teaching effectively with technology. Harvard University Press.   Content created by   Valerie Dumova and Wei Li, Office of Learning Technology  Jeniffer Obando, WebCampus  Experiencing an issue or need additional support? Contact our OneIT Team by  Opening a support ticket or  Calling us at 201-380-6599   

Providing frequent and immediate feedback is highly correlated with students' satisfaction, engagement and success.   With feedback, students are able to know how well they are learning and track their learning progress. Feedback should be given in a timely manner. Don’t wait until the end of the semester to provide feedback. Establish a time period within which all assignments will be graded. A best practice is to provide feedback within one week of the assignment submission.  Feedback should be given frequently.  Feedback should be specific. Don't give feedback like "Good job" which doesn't tell your students much information. Instead, you should provide specific feedback on what they did well and what may still need improvement. Feedback can be given in various formats such as audio feedback, video feedback, peer feedback, etc.   All these points and more are explained in this EDUCAUSE article: Leveraging Feedback Experiences in Online Learning. Canvas Tools for Feedback Below you will find a brief overview of pedagogical strategies and technical tips on how to use Canvas to provide feedback to your students. Video: Generating Rich Feedback in Canvas (Duration = 10:54).    Supplemental Resources   Knowledge Base Video on SpeedGrader Rottmann, A., & Rabidoux, S. (2017, September 6). How to Provide Meaningful Feedback Online. Inside Higher Ed. Kelly, R. (2014, February 27). Feedback Strategies for Online Courses. Faculty Focus. How to Give Your Students Better Feedback with Technology     References   Kelly, R. (2014, February 27). Feedback Strategies for Online Courses. Faculty Focus | Higher Ed Teaching & Learning. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/online-education/feedback-strategies-online-courses/  Leveraging Feedback Experiences in Online Learning. (2020, June). EDUCAUSE. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/6/leveraging-feedback-experiences-in-online-learning   Content created by   Valerie Dumova and Wei Li, Office of Learning Technology  Jeniffer Obando, WebCampus  Experiencing an issue or need additional support? Contact our OneIT Team by  Opening a support ticket or  Calling us at 201-380-6599 

Learn how to utilize a variety of formative and summative assessment strategies to evaluate student achievement. Summative and Formative Assessment Assessment doesn't just happen after a course, module or unit. It can (and should) happen before learning, during learning, and after learning. There are two types of assessment often used: formative and summative.  Summative assessments tend to be graded and administered after instruction to evaluate student learning. Examples include midterm exams and final exams. Formative assessments, on the other hand, are delivered during the process of instruction. They are often not graded and are designed to give the instructor and students feedback on how well students have acquired specific knowledge or skills. Examples include in-class discussions, homework assignments, weekly quizzes. Canvas Quizzes Quizzes is a tool used to deliver graded quizzes, practice quizzes, or surveys on course material. Multiple choice and short answer tests are useful for assessing students’ abilities to recognize and recall content.  Video: Canvas Quiz Options to Curb Academic Impropriety (Duration =  7:03) Securing Your Canvas Quizzes Do not allow students to see their quiz responses at all, until you release them at a later date and time. This is more secure than the other option that Canvas allows, which is to "see their quiz responses only once after each attempt". Please let your students know that they will be able to see their answers at a later time to avoid confusion. Specify a time limit. Keep in mind students who need accommodations due to an identified disability. Shuffle answers on the exam. When used in conjunction with question groups, every student in the course will not only receive a unique set of questions, but their answers will also be in a different order (for multiple choice and multiple answer questions). Use Question Groups (question banks). Creating question groups by unit, chapter, or question type (multiple choice, short answer, essay, etc.) allows for an increased randomization for questions on the exam. Other Assessment Options There are other ways to assess a student's learning than two high-stakes assessments per semester (typically a midterm and a final): Video: Alternative Assessments (Duration =  11:23) Authentic Assessment The following information was adapted from Authentic Assessment by Indiana University Bloomington.  "An authentic assessment evaluates if the student can successfully transfer the knowledge and skills gained in the classroom to various contexts, scenarios, and situations beyond the classroom". With authentic assessment we are no longer talking about snapshots of student learning but rather, we’re talking about the application of knowledge, which is difficult to cheat on. In addition, if the authentic tasks are personally relevant to the student, it will be more motivating for them to complete the tasks. Examples of authentic assessments include portfolios, lab reports, case study analysis, research proposals, etc. Traditional Exams vs. Authentic Tasks The table below, drawn from Wiggins, illustrates the differences between typical tests and authentic assessments.  Traditional Exams Authentic Tasks  Require correct responses Correctness is not the only criterion and students are required to perform tasks  Are not tied to real-world contexts and constraints  Apply knowledge in real-world situations  Isolate skills and specific knowledge  Use multiple skills in tasks Are graded easily Are not graded easily. May not have correct answer and involve complex tasks.  Assess low level thinking levels: recall information Assess high level thinking skills: apply, analyze, evaluate  Provide indirect evidence of learning Provide direct evidence of learning  Provide a snapshot of student learning Provide a more comprehensive insight to what the students know and how they can apply what they know  Frequent, Low-Stakes Assessments Exams are snapshots of student learning journey, whereas frequent low-stakes assessments are more reflective of a student’s entire learning journey and skill mastery. The difference between low-stakes and high-stakes assessment is not the format in which each administered, but rather how the results are used. Low-stakes assessments are generally used to provide feedback on how well the student has learned the material, and have little or no impact on the student’s grade, while high-stakes assessments are a very important part of the student’s grade. One way we can help our students move towards having intrinsic motivation is by moving away from assessment that comprises more than 50% of the grade in “one shot” and instead moving toward frequent, low-stakes assessments. By changing the grade distribution, we can begin eliminating some of the reasons to cheat. But we can also take it further by changing how we assess students by moving towards more authentic assessment which is more personalized and personally relevant to the student, thereby increasing intrinsic motivation. Low-stakes vs. High-stakes Assessment Low-stakes High-stakes Provide feedback on how well the student has learned the material   Little or no impact on the student's grade Very important part of the student's grade Entire learning journey Snapshot Open-book, Open-source Assessment Resources Unlike traditional closed exams, an open book assessment allows students to refer to class notes, textbooks, or other materials while taking the exam. Open book exams require students to apply or analyze information rather than just memorizing information.  Tips for open-book exams: Draw specifically on course content/lectures  Set time limits  Make the question tough Communicate expectations  Secure your Canvas quizzes  All these points and more are explained in this article.  Supplemental Resources Authentic Assessments Authentic Assessment. NJIT's site houses information on what Authentic Assessment is, why you should consider using it, as well as some benefits and challenges that come along with using it. Authentic Assessment Toolbox. Jon Mueller's Authentic Assessment Toolbar is widely cited in the literature. If you're looking to take a deep-dive into authentic assessment, then this is the site for you. Authentic Assessment in the Online Classroom. Wiley Education Services Frequent, Low-Stakes Assessments Take-Home Exams in Higher Education: A Systematic Review. Bengstonn, L. (2019). Educ. Sci. 2019, 9(4), 267; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci9040267 Why Open-book Tests Deserve a Place in Your Courses. Faculty Focus References  Authentic Assessment. (n.d.). Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. https://citl.indiana.edu/teaching-resources/assessing-student-learning/authentic-assessment/index.html  Concrete Strategies for Frequent, Low-Stakes Assessments/Practice. (n.d.). Carnegie Mellon University. https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/online/designteach/strategies/lowstakespractice.html  Teaching resources. (n.d.). The University of Newcastle, Australia. https://www.newcastle.edu.au/current-staff/teaching-and-research/teaching-resources/centre-for-teaching-and-learning/ctl-resources  Wiggins, G. (1998). Ensuring authentic performance. Chapter 2 in Educative Assessment: Designing Assessments to Inform and Improve Student Performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, pp. 21 – 42.    Content created by   Valerie Dumova and Wei Li, Office of Learning Technology  Jeniffer Obando, WebCampus Experiencing an issue or need additional support? Contact our OneIT Team by  Opening a support ticket or Calling us at 201-380-6599

Instructors who are planning on developing a fully online course should begin the process early. Ideally, a course should be fully developed prior to releasing it to students. Avoid being in a situation where you are building a course while teaching it at the same time. Attempting to stay “a module ahead” of your students will most likely lead to a very frustrating and stressful experience, particularly when developing and teaching your online course. Successful development of an online course requires a significant amount of planning, organization, and time. It is highly recommended that instructors begin the development of a new online course at least 4 months before the course runs. Below is a timeline designed based on a four-month preparation, planning, and development schedule and assumes that the resulting course is a fully online, full-semester course. Phase 1: Course Analysis Timeframe Primary Goals Resources Involved At least 4 months before course start date Director of program / Department Chair meets with the instructor(s) and instructional designer(s) to Establish a set of expectations   Discuss process workflow and develop a project timeline  Identify instructional challenges and problems   Identify the course goal  Identify the learning environment  Program Director(s) Instructor(s) Instructional Designer(s)   Phase 2: Course Design Timeframe Primary Goals Resources Involved At least 4 months before course start date Instructional designer(s) collaborate with instructor(s) on developing or refining learning outcomes, activities, and assessments. Instructional designer(s) also recommend technologies or opportunities for interaction as appropriate. Create the course learning objectives   Create the course schedule  Create the course syllabus   Create the interaction/communication protocols  Create the instructional strategy plan  Create the assessment plan which defines the means through which students will demonstrate proficiency in learning   Select appropriate technology  Instructor(s) Instructional Designer(s) Phase 3: Course Development  Timeframe Primary Goals Resources Involved At least 3 months before course start date Instructional designer(s) collaborate with instructor(s) on developing course content:  Collaborate with instructor(s) to develop a prototype module before starting development of the entire course Instructional designer(s) conduct prototype module review  Collaborate with instructor(s) to create and develop the course materials that are identified in the course design phase Instructor(s) build the entire course in Canvas   Instructional designer(s) train instructor(s) and TA(s) on Canvas and any additional technology to be used during the course  Instructor(s) Instructional Designer(s) TA(s)   Phase 4: Course Launch and Delivery Timeframe Primary Goals Resources Involved At least 1 month before course start date Instructional designer(s) collaborate with instructor(s) on course launch and delivery:   Collaborate with instructor(s) to finalize edits. During the pre-launch review, any remaining Canvas course edits will be finalized  Instructional designer(s) review and test course. Course content will undergo a review and testing process before being made available to students Instructional designer(s) support the delivery of instruction: instructional designers are available throughout the course to address any concerns or issues that arise  User Support Services provides technical support Instructor(s) Instructional Designer(s) User Support Services   Phase 5: Course Evaluation and Revisions Timeframe Primary Goals Resources Involved Beginning with course design and delivery, and continuing 1 month after course has ended As the course is delivered and after the course concludes, instructional designer(s) help instructors evaluate its success based on student evaluations and instructors’ experience. At the end of the semester, instructional designers meet with instructor(s) to discuss feedback, and identify and resolve (or plan to resolve) any issues noted during the course. Instructional designers also provide guidance and assistance with revising the course before its next iteration as appropriate. Conduct summative evaluation throughout course delivery Conduct formative evaluation: review all student feedback received Analyze students’ performance   Create a change list: a prioritized “punch list” of course changes based upon feedback from students, colleagues, and instructor observations  Make changes as appropriate Program Directors / Department Chairs Instructor(s) Instructional Designer(s)   Experiencing an issue or need additional support? Contact our OneIT Team by Opening a support ticket or Calling us at 201-380-6599

Quality Matters (QM) is a faculty-centered peer review process that is designed to certify the quality of online courses. QM is a leader in quality assurance for online education and has received national recognition for its peer-based approach and continuous improvement in online education and student learning. QM does not evaluate online teaching, nor is it an evaluation of the online instructor; it is focused primarily on course design.  The QM Rubric is at the core of Quality Matters. The Rubric, developed from reviews of research literature and best practices in course design, is supported by detailed annotations that explain the application of the Standards and the relationship among them. The eight general QM standards are:   Course Overview and Introduction  Learning Objectives (Competencies)  Assessment and Measurement  Instructional Materials  Learning Activities and Learner Interaction  Course Technology  Learner Support  Accessibility and Usability  The QM Rubric is built to apply broadly across online and hybrid courses in all disciplines and levels. More than 1,000 institutions subscribe to QM. A complete list of subscribers in higher education can be found on the QM resources website.  View the Quality Matters Overview Video (Length = 9:17)  Why Use QM? Research has shown a positive impact on student satisfaction, engagement, and retention in courses designed to meet QM standards. With the implementation of QM, we will be able to ensure adherence to research-based best practices, which increases learner engagement, retention, and satisfaction, and, ultimately, learner achievement.   Getting Started   Schedule a consultation with the Learning Technology team by emailing support@stevens.edu. Our instructional designers can work with you on implementing QM best practices, including:  Applying the QM Rubric  Conducting QM course reviews   Developing new online/hybrid courses   Improving current online/hybrid courses   Experiencing an issue or need additional support? Contact our OneIT Team by  Opening a support ticket or  Calling us at 201-380-6599