Sometimes it seems like the higher education landscape has gone from evolution at a manageable pace to revolution at warp speed overnight. For instance, say you’ve been adapting your course regularly to accommodate learner needs, new technologies, and current trends in your field, when, suddenly, you find yourself facing a complete, top-to-bottom curricular redesign initiative, in partnership with fellow faculty and vested stakeholders--in record time. Presented with such an undertaking, how you structure that limited time, build and maintain relationships, and leverage your resources (including instructional designers!) will make all the difference between “big problem” and “no big deal.” Faculty as Project Manager As noted in a previous post on faculty as writers (and instructional designers as editors), singular job titles comprise a composite of identities; no one is just one thing. How you self-identify will have a direct effect on how you see yourself and how others see you. And...

Within the last 10 years, learning analytics has become an important field with stakeholders beginning to look at how data can be used to assist education. Instructors may not be used to thinking about data that comes from student learning, so here are some basics to get started.  Learning analytics is referred to as the collection and analysis of student data to provide insight into courses and student education. It is often used with the goal of better optimizing learning. This process is not new as you may have already been doing a similar process in the form of observations. Through relying on visual data such as the number of students paying attention, you can determine how well students are learning and make necessary changes to the course. Learning analytics is similar as it gathers data through online resources. It allows for a deeper insight by collecting data that is often not visual. However, due to the recent development of the field, instructors are not as familiar w...

Technology can extend access to content and enrich an educational experience, no doubt. But the flipside is that it can also, unwittingly, create barriers. All learners’ abilities and disabilities affect how they consume information, apply concepts, and achieve mastery. This, in turn, requires everyone involved in course design, development, and delivery to consider and evolve instructional practices. That said, trying to account for all the elements of accessible course design can be dizzying, leaving you with more questions than answers. It can make you wonder how you’ll be able to identify every element, how you’ll ever manage to learn all the skills necessary, and whether you’re getting it “right” when you finally do. (For the record, there are certainly best practices , but the only wrong thing to do is nothing!) In any given situation, having too many priorities often translates into having zero priorities. To avoid this pitfall and begin formulating a plan, simply ask yourself, ...

Feedback is one of the most valuable tools available to instructors, designers, and students. When students invest their time and creativity in an assignment, instructor feedback provides them an opportunity to know what they excelled in, as well as what still needs improvement. Authentic feedback between an instructor and student creates a conversation that is conducive to learning and growing. Similarly, after countless hours are spent designing a curriculum and developing a course--whether online, on-site, or a hybrid of the two--feedback provides instructors a path to continue improving the course for an impactful student experience. When we bring students into the conversation by requesting their feedback on specific elements of a course, we have the opportunity to showcase more diverse backgrounds and voices, employ current applications and content, and establish an environment that makes students feel valued and heard. This article explores how to create space for feedback, what...

Singular job titles comprise a composite of identities; no one is just one “thing.” How people self-identify not only has a direct effect on how they see themselves and how others see them, but it also drives the various ways they engage with colleagues and stakeholders to achieve common goals. To wit, to help faculty members and instructional designers productively exchange opinions and ideas during course design and development, it can be particularly useful if they consider themselves writers and editors, respectively. This article, " Who ARE You? Faculty as Writer, Instructional Designer (ID) as Editor, " from  ASU’s Teach Online , operationally defines “writer” and “editor” for higher ed, and clearly demonstrates how the reciprocity between these two identities, when assumed by faculty and IDs, can benefit everyone involved, especially learners. Check out the full article here:  Who ARE You? Faculty as Writer, Instructional Designer (ID) as Editor Post-Author: Jill Rote...

Why are some courses a dynamic, meaningful, and lasting experience, while others inspire lukewarm engagement and results despite the instructor’s best efforts? In his excellent new book, Super Courses: The Future of Teaching and Learning , higher-education and pedagogy expert, Ken Bain, goes beyond typical course checklists and explores how teachers foster a natural critical learning environment, where activities and collaborations are designed around questions and challenges that students are intrinsically curious about and find deep and emotional value in solving. The book is filled with stories and syllabi of real-life examples of these super courses and begins with a concise analysis of 18 characteristics that were consistently observed in Bain’s research. Here are the 18 characteristics, paraphrased for brevity, and supplemented with examples that could be used in face-to-face, hybrid, or fully online courses: Core course design and policy: The course is centered around big, inte...

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” The quote above sounds a lot like something you’d read on an Arizona State University website, #1 in innovation and consistently striving to propel ASU education into the realms of the future as the New American University, but it’s a quote from director and storyteller, Walt Disney . Most people have heard of the American theme park creator who continues to inspire children and adults around the world nearly 100 years later. This far-reaching effect flourishes as technology evolves, perpetuating Walt’s innovative mindset to “keep moving forward” into new and thrilling park experiences. Propelling the beloved franchise into technological achievements are Disney Imagineers, the creative and technical minds behind the success of Disney’s theme parks and legacy. Like the heartbeat of the Disney franchise, a spirit of innovation and imagination encompass...

It’s no secret that enrollment numbers are increasing, whether due to a global pandemic or more run-of-the-mill economic changes, workforce needs and demands, or personal and professional enrichment goals. Scaling increases access to high-quality education for a wide swath of learners who may never have even considered it an option, regardless of their socioeconomic status (a hallmark of ASU’s charter). Designing, developing, and delivering courses at scale often necessitates reimagining teaching and learning of a particular topic. This series of articles from  ASU’s Teach Online introduces various aspects of scalable design by focusing on reducing/eliminating costs; accessibility and inclusivity; how learners achieve and demonstrate subject-matter mastery; and a team-oriented approach to see things through from conception to completion. The links below will help you get started: What Does it Mean to Design for Scale? A “No-cost Course” Means New Solutions for Accessible, High-qual...