Discussion boards in online courses are probably one of the most misunderstood and potential-filled tools that exist in the online world. This misunderstanding leads to a lack-luster and obligatory use, which nobody enjoys or finds value in. The potential of discussion boards, though, lie in recognizing what they’re for.
They aren’t meant to take the place of in-class, live discussion. Nothing can replace that. But they are meant to provide a space for student-student interaction, student-instructor interaction, and discovery by all involved.
Here’s an awesome (short) video with some tips, if you’re wanting to make your discussion boards more awesome and less painful.
AI and teaching with AI is certainly near the top of our brains these days.
OKLIS (Oklahoma Learning Innovations Summit) hosted a session on teaching with AI, and recorded it for us! Watch it below, or access it on YouTube here.
Teaching with AI is fun/hard/weird/unsettling/surprising/all of the above.
ChatGPT gets all the press (plus, saying “ChatGPT” sounds techy and cool), but did you know there are waaaaay more AI Tools out there? To do more things than just generate text?
Oklahoma’s own Dr. Buck Dodd has made an AI Toolkit available through his company ClearKinetic. Check it out below to explore more of what AI can do!
Leave a comment below if you’ve used some in the online or F2F (face-to-face for all you cool kids) classroom.
Slack is a community workspace website, desktop app and phone app where we can talk to each other, exchange ideas, work on projects, clarify dates, etc. instantly. Things can be shared in themed groups called channels, or in private messages between users (like a text), or to the group in general.
You know, like what people who actually like each other and work together do. 😉
As faculty members deeply committed to student success in online education, we are delving into a crucial topic today and exploring strategies to make interactions more meaningful. You can access the article here: Link to the article. Here are some highlights of strategies you can implement to ensure regular and substantive interaction without overwhelming yourself
Structured Discussion Boards: Creating structured discussion board activities with clear prompts and expectations can help maintain regular interaction without the need for constant monitoring. This structure encourages focused and substantive conversations.
Peer Interaction: Encouraging peer-to-peer interactions and group work can distribute the interaction load and foster substantive learning. When students engage with each other, they benefit from diverse perspectives and collaborative learning.
Scheduled Office Hours: Setting specific times for virtual office hours or Q&A sessions provides dedicated times for students to interact with you. This ensures regularity without being overwhelming and allows for more in-depth discussions.
Automation: Leveraging technology to automate routine tasks, such as scheduling the sending reminders or announcements, can help you stay engaged with students without the need for constant manual intervention. This way, you can focus on meaningful interactions.
Our collective goal is to enhance student success in online education. By implementing these strategies, we can keep creating engaging online learning environments that empower our students to thrive.
I encourage you to read the article! Together, we can strengthen the quality of online learning and set our students on a path to success.
Happy teaching, and here’s to fostering a more interactive and effective online education environment!
We are beginning the process of transitioning to Blackboard Ultra. You’ll find the workflow and aesthetic to be simpler and cleaner for both you and your students. Here’s our project timeline:
Spring 2024- Blackboard will be on campus to demo/ information session at in-service!
Summer 2024- Work to convert volunteer/ early adopting faculty’s courses to Ultra
Fall 2024- Launch first Ultra pilot live for early adopting faculty courses; work to convert more subject/ departments to ULTRA for Spring 2025
Spring 2025- Launch remaining pilot courses; convert the remainder of courses for use in Summer and Fall courses
We are SO THANKFUL for our early adopters, who will be recieving training and coaching starting in March:
Nursing (all NUR courses)
Allied Health (all AHS courses)
Child Development
Environmental Science Technology
Occupational Health and Safety
Instructors in these areas should now have access to their Fall 2024 shells WAY ahead of time, so that we can convert those to Ultra, train, explore and build. Training is coming in March 2024! Funds have been secured for live training from Blackboard Ultra experts, who will also help us convert our existing course content to the Ultra look and feel.
If you have any questions, or would like to get on the next early adopters list, email the Director of Online Learning (Sarah Brown) at [email protected]
