How [not] to Design an Online Course Moving a face-to-face credit course to an online environment is far more challenging than one might expect – as numerous experienced and esteemed professors have discovered. In this post learn vicariously through one professor’s experience of ‘what not to do’. I’d like to introduce you to Professor Harding a history professor who is transitioning his face-to-face undergraduate history course to a twelve-week, 3-credit online course. The purpose of this post is to highlight common errors that I’ve observed and experienced as an instructional designer when assisting professors with their course transition to the online format. [Please note that the recommendations should be considered a starting point for the transition process. What not to do: Use the same face-to-face course syllabus: Professor Harding has a detailed syllabus he has perfected over years of teaching his face-to-face class and with a few minor modifications, he plans to use this syllabus for the online course. 2. 3. 4. 5.
5 Tips for a Happy Life from Winnie the Pooh “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” “Well,” said Pooh, “what I like best — ” and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn’t know what it was called.” Winnie the Pooh is a kind bear. He cares greatly about his friends. And he has always seemed like a pretty happy bear to me. He’s also a favorite of mine so today I’d like to simply share 5 of my favorite happiness tips from that honey loving bear. 1. “You can’t help respecting anybody who can spell TUESDAY, even if he doesn’t spell it right; but spelling isn’t everything. Getting bogged down in details, focusing on the small problems can have advantages. Don’t make the classic mistakes of spending too much time nitpicking or making mountains out of molehills. Keep your attention on that. 2. “You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. 3. 4.
How To Make Students Better Online Researchers I recently came across an article in Wired Magazine called “ Why Kids Can’t Search “. I’m always interested in this particular topic, because it’s something I struggle with in my middle and high school classes constantly, and I know I’m not alone in my frustrations. Getting kids to really focus on what exactly they are searching for, and then be able to further distill idea into a few key specific search terms is a skill that we must teach students, and we have to do it over and over again. In the past, we spent a lot of time in schools teaching kids how to do library research, and how to use a variety reference materials like dictionaries, encyclopedias, microfiche, card catalogs, public records, anthologies, and other sources too numerous to recall. However, when we made this switch to internet-based resources, we somehow left a gap in education and made no real focus on teaching kids how to find valid, credible, useful resources online. The real answer? 1. 2. 3. 4.
The Engagement Effect: Human Performance Improvement What is Human Performance Improvement? The Human Performance Improvement process is very similar to Human Performance Technology. HPI provides you with a systematic process to follow on what can often be a not-so-systematic path. In addition to identifying human performance gaps and their possible solutions, this standardized approach offers the ability to measure the success of your efforts and eliminate the guesswork that follows when a performance gap must be evaluated. HPI is results-based and systematic. The Human Performance Improvement process is very similar to Human Performance Technology. Top HPI for Your Business The HPI process helps you to articulate your business goals, link these goals to human performance, diagnose the current state of performance in the organization, find the root causes for performance deficiencies, implement solutions, and evaluate the results of the interventions. HPI Begins With Your Goals Individual Performance and Business Goals Business Analysis
8 Commandments of Bite-Sized Learning According to a survey carried out by the Rapid Learning Institute, a whopping 94 percent of the Learning & Development professionals who took part in the study said that their learners preferred bite-sized learning modules to eLearning courses that run to 30 minutes and more. They have their reasons. But are you surprised by this piece of statistic? Millennial learners have only so much time to put across his views in 140 characters. You can’t stay away from microlearning if you want to remain relevant in the minds of your learners. “A bite-sized learning module is NOT just a short course.” The following are the principles of bite-sized learning: Don’t dump content on your learners. An eLearning course that runs for 30 minutes can fulfill multiple learning objectives. The objective of a bite-sized learning module is no different than a Google search because the learner approaches it with the same expectation: to find a solution to a single problem just when he needs it. Here are some tips:
Ten Takeaway Tips for Using Authentic Assessment in Your School The School of the Future's (SOF) mission is to empower each and every student. Teachers accomplish this not only by making their classroom content and instruction engaging but also by making their assessments authentic. Teachers ask SOF students to demonstrate their comprehension and mastery of the curriculum in ways that are meaningful to them. 1. Authentic assessment can seem overwhelming at first. 2. Authentic assessment can be deeply rewarding for everyone involved, but it does take time and effort and can be demanding on teachers. 3. SOF teachers design their concluding summative assessments first. 4. Authentic assessments engage students when they are fun and interesting, so try to think of entertaining ways to approach your content. 5. You can be creative with authentic assessments, but you still have to base your assessments on the standards you are teaching. 6. Simple index cards or Post-it notes are a great way to get a snapshot of where your students are in their learning.
The 10 Rules You Need to Communicate Effectively Frank Luntz has “engineered some of the most potent political and corporate campaigns of the last decade.” His wordsmithing helped Republican Rudy Giuliani get elected twice in New York — a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans 5-to-1. Luntz and his polling firm have learned a great deal about language by conducting nearly 1500 surveys and focus groups for a wide range of products and politicians. The key takeaway from his book is actually part of the title: It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear. In Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear Luntz breaks down the ten main lessons he’s learned from years of crafting political messages; lessons we can all learn from: 1) Simplicity: Use Small Words Via Words That Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear: “Avoid words that might force someone to reach for the dictionary… because most Americans won’t. 2) Brevity: Use Short Sentences 3) Credibility Is As Important As Philosophy 4) Consistency Matters Tags:
What is Content Curation? What is Content Curation? Content Curation is the act of discovering, gathering, and presenting digital content that surrounds specific subject matter. Though it is still considered a "buzz word" by many in the content world, content curation is now becoming a marketing staple for many companies with a successful online presence. Unlike content marketing, content curation does not include generating content, but instead, amassing content from a variety of sources, and delivering it in an organized fashion. Who Are the Content Curators? Content curation is all around us. Many of us have been participating in content curation for years without even knowing it. What are the Secrets of Successful Content Curation? It is no secret that there is a lot of information on the internet. For most companies, content curation is being used to drive Search Engine Optimization (SEO). What are Some Helpful Content Curation Tips?
11 Practical Ways To Stop Procrastination You have a deadline looming. However, instead of doing your work, you are fiddling with miscellaneous things like checking email, social media, watching videos, surfing blogs and forums. You know you should be working, but you just don’t feel like doing anything. We are all familiar with the procrastination phenomenon. Don’t let procrastination take over your life. Break your work into little steps. Which tips work best for you? Image Keys to Effective Group Incentive Programs Group incentive programs are award programs that deliver lump–sum cash payments, time–off awards, and/or informal recognition items to groups of employees who meet or exceed pre–established levels of organizational performance. Designing effective group incentive programs can be key to achieving organizational goals. Design Features Group incentive programs can cover groups of employees as large as an entire agency or as small as a work unit or team. Measurable Performance Group incentive programs require reliable, accepted measures of performance. Specified Performance Period Group incentive programs must select a time frame to measure the group's performance, for example, annually or quarterly. Threshold for Payments Organizations should grant group incentives based on the goals established at the beginning of the performance period. Payout Formulas. Programs should have clear, understandable payout formulas. Employee Participation. Agency Commitment. Gainsharing and Goalsharing
Tips for Giving Online Class Feedback and Construcive Criticism written by: Sylvia Cochran•edited by: Sarah Malburg•updated: 4/25/2013 Learning how to give online class feedback is more challenging than many a virtual education instructor imagines. Read on for five must-know tips on how to offer constructive feedback in any online university setting. The Importance of Feedback Feedback in online classes not only enhances the learning experience, but it actually makes learning possible in the first place.Students attending online universities do so from the privacy – and relative loneliness or isolation – of their homes.