Creating an online learning environment should be a collaborative acquisition of knowledge in which engaged learners are active participants. Students should be self-directed. They should be allowed to give input. It is the instructor's responsibility to create this type of atmosphere.
Getting learners to engage online means establishing comfort with technology and interdependence. Students who take online classes have other responsibilities besides school. Many students may be new to the online environment. Instructors must incorporate activities that address various learning styles. They can start by having students introduce themselves and create student profiles.
Icebreaker activities open the lines of communication and set up the learning environment. Students need the activities to feel a social presence. Social introductions between online students are the instructor’s responsibility. Effective icebreakers allow students to express knowledge of themselves in regards to their personal lives. This social interaction humanizes the online learning experience and builds the trust that is needed for further social interaction. They also give students an opportunity to practice using technology. Instructors will want to draw on the experience that students have and let them choose topics. It is important to allow adequate time for activities. Online tools that help engage students include:
- Discussion forums
- brainstorming activities
- small group discussions
- Videos
- Websites
- Audio Files
- Test Files
- Surveys
Conrad and Donaldson identify Phases of Engagement that occur over a semester. During the first two weeks learners need interactive activities such as icebreakers and introductions that establish the expectation of engagement. Teachers should serve as negotiators and introduce learners to the accepted Netiquette for the course. The third and fourth weeks are a time for critical thinking, the sharing of ideas, and reflection. The teacher is an engineer who encourages students to review the work of their peers. Weeks five through seven can be spent with small group activities such as problem-solving, discussion, role-playing, and reflection. The final half of the semester should focus on learner-designed activities such as group projects.
Online classes require structure and clear expectations for students. At the beginning of the course the instructor must present a syllabus that establishes the requirements for students and the procedures to follow to engage in learning activities. Conrad and Donaldson recommend that instructors adapt classroom-based activities for online courses. They would address students’ needs in the same manner and by choosing the most effective tool for communication including videos, audio files, text files, or web pages. They must decide if students will be expected to participate in an asynchronous or synchronous manner. And finally they should prepare students for alternative methods when technology fails.
Conrad, Rita-Marie, &
Donaldson, J Anna. (2011) Engaging
the Online Learner: Activities and
Resources for Creative
Instruction.
