Online Pedagogy Links
(Update: Some of the following links are queued for editing. Your patience is appreciated while this page is under construction. In the meantime, you can find over 600 links related to online pedagogy here: http://delicious.com/annemck/bundle:OnlinePedagogy%2FeLearning)
This page contains links to articles, guides, software, tutorials, and other online resources available to online instructors. Please email amckinn@illinois.edu to report any broken links or recommendations for websites to add.
Articles in General Online Pedagogy
Designing the Course
Accessibility
Discussion Participation
Group Work
Peer Review/Editing
Synchronous Activities
Instructor as Course Manager
Assessment
Rubrics
Instructor Assistance
Adjunct Support
Technology Resources
Advice to Give Your Online Students
Articles in General Online Pedagogy
ADEC Guiding Principles for Distance Teaching and Learning
http://www.adec.edu/admin/papers/distance-teaching_principles.html
The content of the page itself is fairly succinct. The menu column contains links to the American Distance Education Consortium's many resources for online instructors.
Students' Perceptions of Distance Learning, Online Learning and the Traditional Classroom
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/omalley24.html
John O'Malley and Harrison McCraw analyze the shift from face-to-face classrooms to online courses and how students perceive them.
Supporting Different Learning Styles in an Online Learning Environment: Does it Really Matter in the Long Run?
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer82/terrell82.htm
This study by Stephen Terrell analyzes the connections between student learning styles and success in online programs.
ION: Instructional Strategies for Online Courses
http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/instructionalstrategies.asp
This article gives suggestions for strategies to target different types of learners as you develop your online course.
The Scholarship of Teaching: What's the Problem?
http://www.doiiit.gmu.edu/Archives/feb98/randybass.htm
In this article, Bass explores the scholarship of teaching, and how we can investigate, analyze, and communicate the complexities of teaching and learning.
Andragogy
http://tip.psychology.org/knowles.html
A very brief summary of Malcolm Knowles's philosophy on adult education. More information about his work can be found here: Informal Adult Education, Self-Direction, and Andragogy
http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-knowl.htm.
Lifelong Learning: A Dream by Malcolm Knowles
http://www.newhorizons.org/future/Creating_the_Future/crfut_knowles.html
Knowles's article on adult learning.
Multiple Intelligences and Distance Learning
http://eduscapes.com/distance/mi.htm
A short article that prompts questions about how to teach subject matter to suit the various intelligences.
Brain-Based Learning: Possible Implications for Online Instruction
http://itdl.org/Journal/Sep_05/article03.htm
Instructional design provides many techniques to assist learning. Brain-Based Learning looks at research on neural mechanisms that facilitate the learning process. as a way to optimize performance. Some approaches are already used under other names; others provide leverage to optimize learning.
Best Practices in Cyberspace: Motivating the Online Learner
http://168.144.129.112/Articles/Best Practices in Cyberspace.pdf
This is a longer article, but addresses major concerns for those new to online learning.
Six Ways to Discourage Learning
http://aas.org/education/Six_Ways_to_Discourage_Learning.php
While this article emphasizes face-to-face instruction, its illustration of how not to teach can be adapted to online learning.
The Role of the Online Instructor
http://www.emoderators.com/moderators/teach_online.html
Offers good suggestions for online teaching techniques
Managing Distance Learning: New challenges for faculty
http://www.groupjazz.com/pdf/dist-fac.pdf
Addresses the need for faculty to manage online courses differently than they would face-to-face instruction.
Learning in Virtual Teams: A summary of current literature
http://www.msu.edu/~smithre9/Project12.htm
Regina O. Smith summarizes conclusions in current literature regarding the major issues in learning teams, especially from a humanistic perspective.
Constructivism as a Paradigm for Teaching and Learning
http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/constructivism/index.html
A great introduction to the concept of constructivist learning.
Constructivism, Instructional Design, and Technology: Implications for Transforming Distance Learning
http://www.ifets.info/journals/3_2/tam.html
Constructing Knowledge in the Classroom
http://www.sedl.org/scimath/compass/v01n03/1.html
Brooks and Brooks describe a constructivist classroom.
A Constructivist Approach To Online Training For Online Teachers by Gold
http://www.aln.org/publications/jaln/v5n1/v5n1_gold.asp
The Many Forms of Constructivism
http://chemed.chem.purdue.edu/chemed/bodnergroup/pdf/51_Many Forms of Construc.pdf
Bloder, Klobochar, and Geelan compare and contrast constructivism with other traditional theories of knowledge.
Online Education Competencies (ION)
http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/institutes/fti/2006/Presentations/CompetencyFTI_files/frame.htm
An ION online PowerPoint presentation on online education.
Theories and Models of and for Online Learning
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue12_8/haythorn/
By Caroline Haythornthwaite, Bertram C. Bruce, Richard Andrews, Michelle M. Kazmer, Rae-Anne Montague, and Christina Preston. This paper presents six theoretical perspectives on learning in ICT contexts, and is an invitation to others to bring theoretical models to the fore to enhance our understanding of new learning contexts.
Building Success for E-Learners
http://webjunction.org/do/DisplayContent?id=13874
Article by Jennifer Hoffman on how trainers (i.e., instructors) can make the e-learning experience valuable for e-learners.
On Stupidity (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/2008/08/2008080101c.htm
An editorial by Thomas H. Benton on the differences in multiple intelligence theory across generations.
How Should a College Begin to Think About Going Global? (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
http://chronicle.com/weekly/v55/i04/04a03501.htm
This article asks questions to help a college program consider the feasibility of globalization.
Designing the Course
Learning from Reflections - Issues in Building Quality Online Courses
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall63/deubel63.htm
An article by Patricia Deubel, Ph.D.,Nova Southeastern University in the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, Volume VI, Number III, Fall 2003; State University of West Georgia, Distance Education Center. "Authorship, implementation, and consumer perspectives should be considered when judging the quality of an online course. Discussion is enhanced with references to literature on online learning, and should assist educators who wish to develop and teach quality online courses, or smaller modules within hybrid courses."
On Becoming a Website by Punya Mishra
http://www.firstmonday.org/issues/issue10_4/mishra/index.html
This essay, based on the author's personal experience in designing and teaching online, argues that the design of the course website needs to carefully reflect the passions and pedagogical philosophy that drives the instructor. It is also an argument against one-size-fits-all approaches to online course design as instantiated in most course management systems.
Course Planning and Design: University of Guelph
http://www.tss.uoguelph.ca/resources/idres/packagecpd.html
This website provides an easy-to-navigate collection of links to web pages that can help you design your online course and curriculum.
E-Learning 1.0: Themes add creative spark to online classes
http://www.learningcircuits.org/2002/sep2002/elearn.html
Some tips for creating original themes to make your online course more interesting.
Cornell Center for Teaching Excellence
http://www.cte.cornell.edu/campus/teach/faculty/TeachingMaterials.html
Cornell hosts a variety of teaching materials including a syllabus template and several assessment forms.
Helpful Resources for Writing Measurable Learning Outcomes (University of North Florida)
http://www.unf.edu/groups/unffa/OnlineForms/CurrentAPCforms/APC%202005%20Folder/Writing_Measureable_Learning_Objectives.html
This site, compiled by Dr. Kristine Webb, coaches the reader through preparing learning outcomes for courses or assignments.
Accessibility
Information Technology Accessibility in Higher Education: Research and Promising Practices
http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ERB0512.pdf
This article by Terry Thompson in pdf format examines the needs of students with disabilities and of institutions to accommodate them.
Facultyware: An Online Resource on Universal Design for Instruction
http://campustechnology.com/articles/38785/
An overview of the concept of Universal Design.
Universal Design for Online Learning
http://p-adl.ucf.edu/events/seminars/universal_design.html
A series of linked Word documents with instructions on making aspects of your course website accessible to students with disabilities.
Blackboard: Universal Design and Accessibility
http://blackboard.uoregon.edu/local/help/Quick Start Guides/Bb_Quick Start Guide_Universal_Design.pdf
The Quick-Start guide to making a course more accessible in Blackboard.
Discussion Participation
Pedagogical Roles and Implementation Guidelines for Online Communication Tools
http://www.aln.org/publications/magazine/v3n2/funaro.asp
Role-playing in groups: Curtis Bonk's list of suggested roles for students to post "in character" during discussion
http://www.indiana.edu/%7Ebobweb/Handout/28roles.html
What is an icebreaker?
http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/pointersclickers/2002_01/index.asp
Using Icebreakers to Promote Student-Teacher Interaction
http://www.southalabama.edu/oll/jobaidsfall03/Icebreakers Online/icebreakerjobaid.htm
Eight Ways to Get Students More Engaged in Online Conferences
http://www.cvm.tamu.edu/wklemm/Eight Ways/8waystoengage.htm
This article gives good advice for preventing students from "lurking" in online discussion.
Keys to Facilitating Successful Online Discussions, by Donna Raleigh
http://www.uwsa.edu/ttt/raleigh.htm
Saving Yourself from Drowning in Online Interaction
http://www.designingforlearning.info/services/writing/conrad.htm
The flip side of activities and interaction is that they can put an incredible burden on you, the instructor. This short, to-the-point article has three life-saving tips that make a whole lot of sense. Their implementation may save you a whole lot of time and frustration.
Successful Online Teaching Using An Asynchronous Learner Discussion Forum
http://www.aln.org/publications/jaln/v3n2/v3n2_rossman.asp
By Mark H. Rossman, Ed.D, Capella University
Keeping Online Asynchronous Discussions On Topic
http://www.aln.org/publications/jaln/v3n2/v3n2_beaudin.asp
A study addressing tactics online instructors use to manage online discussion.
The Art of Hosting Good Conversations Online
http://www.rheingold.com/texts/artonlinehost.html
Advice for generating effective online discussion
Electronic Communication Across the Curriculum: Benefits for Students and Teachers
http://www.wordsworth2.net/activelearning/ecacbenefits.htm
In case you need further reasons for conducting group discussion in your online course, plus tips.
Reinventing Class Discussion Online
http://www.apa.org/monitor/apr00/reinventing.html
Group Work
Making Small Groups Work (page 5 of pdf document)
http://www.wcer.wisc.edu/publications/highlights/v6n1.pdf
Group Work Assessment
http://www.siue.edu/~deder/assess/cats/grp13.html
Sample form used at SIU-E for students to assess their group work experience.
Peer Evaluation Form
http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~tbushman/classes/mktg860/860peereval.htm
Another sample form for students to evaluate group work participation.
Making Your Group a Success
http://trc.ucdavis.edu/trc/papers/vohs/sec04.html
A helpful tip sheet to help students understand what will be expected of them during a group project.
Bad Groups and Good Groups
http://trc.ucdavis.edu/trc/papers/vohs/sec04-1.html
Another helpful tip sheet for students: the "do"s and "don't"s of group work.
Facilitation (Face-to-Face and Online)
http://www.managementhelp.org/grp_skll/facltate/facltate.htm
Carter McNamara offers helpful guidance for facilitating group work online.
Peer Review/Editing
Designing Peer Feedback Opportunities into Online Learning Experiences (pdf)
http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/Resource_library/proceedings/03_02.pdf
Student peer assessment in tertiary education: Promise, perils and practice
http://lsn.curtin.edu.au/tlf/tlf1996/zariski.html
Student Peer Assessment
http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/aa/landt/lt/docs/bostock_peer_assessment.htm
Peer assessment, its benefits, and its need to be managed by the instructor.
Peer Assessment
http://oldlearn.lincoln.ac.nz/tls/groupwork/assessment/peer_assessment.htm
Its benefits, with links to helpful how-to guides.
Giving and Receiving Feedback
http://oldlearn.lincoln.ac.nz/tls//groupwork/assessment/feedback.htm
Guides to give your students for giving helpful peer feedback.
Synchronous Activities
Strategies for Effective Use of Chat: When, Why, and How to Make it Work
http://www.onlinelearning.net/InstructorCommunity/tips_sep2000.html?s=422.q040l4737.047z407z90
This article on OnlineLearning.net offers sample ideas for using chat sessions in the online classroom, especially ESL courses.
Online Chat Sessions! Chaos Or...
http://kolea.kcc.hawaii.edu/tcc/tcon99/papers/hillery.html
Author Peter Hillery gives the account of an experiment in organizing and implementing real-time chat sessions, and offers helpful suggestions for implementing future sessions based on his department's findings.
The Real-Time Online Tutor
http://www.fastrak-consulting.co.uk/tactix/Features/realtime/realtime.htm
In this article, Clive Shepherd offers advice for working synchronous sessions into an online course, and when to use asynchronous methods if synchronous sessions are impractical.
The Role of Synchronous Communication in Fully Distance Education
http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet17/motteram.html
This article by Gary Motteram distinguishes between the social aspects of synchronous activities and the more "academic" role of asynchronous activities.
Learning Times Network
http://www.learningtimes.net/
Online conferences and communities for synchronous learning.
Instructor as Course Manager
Building community in an online learning environment: communication, cooperation and collaboration
http://www.mtsu.edu/~itconf/proceed01/19.html
This paper presents strategies and rationales for implementing certain instructional techniques to move a class from cohort to community.
Building Blocks for Teams: If a team member is not doing his or her part
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/student/responsibility.html
A good resource to share with students who are working on group projects.
Building Blocks for Teams: Conflict Resolution Tips
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/teams/student/conflicts.html
Another page within the same site; this could be useful to share with students or as a reference for the instructor as team leader for the course.
Special Project Teams
http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/leadtem2.html
While not necessarily aimed at the classroom, this article by Bennis can be applied to the group dynamics of classroom management.
Assessment
Assessment Primer
http://www.flaguide.org/start/start.php
The Field-Tested Learner Assessment Guide (FLAG) offers a general primer that explains the concepts behind assessment. While this is not specific to online course assessment, it is a useful primer for those new to teaching who would like a bit more guidance in the theories and reasoning behind the tests and papers we assign.
Online Evaluation Resource Library (OERL)
http://oerl.sri.com/
OERL's resources include instruments, plans, and reports (the tabs across the top of this page) from evaluations that have proven to be sound and representative of current evaluation practices. These resources are organized into project categories, represented by the tabs at left. Also included are alignment tables that contain criteria and a glossary to help you develop your own plans, reports, and instruments.
Considerations for Developing Evaluations of Online Courses by Sue D. Achtemeier
http://sloan-c.org/publications/jaln/v7n1/pdf/v7n1_achtemeier.pdf
Exploration of how to assure effective teaching and learning online is extremely important and timely as
many institutions seek to maximize the educational benefits from this constantly developing technology.
This study categorizes principles gathered from an extensive review of the literature focusing on current
best practices for effective teaching and learning in online courses.
Minimal Marking: A Sane Method for Dealing with Errors
http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~syverson/olr/minmark.html
Grading papers can become a tedious process if a student's work contains a lot of sentence-level errors. This article hosted by The Learning Record offers a time-saving, sanity-saving, shorthand approach.
The National College Testing Association
http://www.ncta-testing.org/cctc/find.php
This resource is designed to help faculty find contact representatives at institutions throughout the U.S.
Classroom Gradebook
http://www.classroomgradebook.com/
Free grading aid software.
Gradeway
http://www.gradeway.com/gwts.aspx
Another free grading program.
West Virginia University; Asynchronous Audio Feedback to Enhance Teaching Presence and Students' Sense of Community
http://www.sloan-c-wiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=West_Virginia_University%3B_Asynchronous_Audio_Feedback_to_Enhance_Teaching_Presence_and_Students%E2%80%99_Sense_of_Community
This study examines the effectiveness of using audio feedback in place of written comments for students' work.
Rubrics
Special Topic / What's Wrong and What's Right with Rubrics
http://www.uctl.canterbury.ac.nz/files/staff/articles/rubrics/Popham_1997_Whats-Wrong_and-Whats-Right_With-Rubrics.pdf
Templates for creating your own rubrics
http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/38.html#rubrics
Rubistar: a free tool to guide you through creating and editing rubrics on their website
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php
Examples of rubrics
http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/rubrics.shtml
Rubrician: links to rubrics
http://www.rubrician.com/
Instructor Assistance
MERLOT
http://taste.merlot.org/index.html
An award-winning project that allows faculty to submit their online courses and materials for peer review.
Wisconsin Online Resource Center
http://www.wisc-online.com/
Advances in Pedagogy: Finding the Instructor in Post-Secondary Online Learning
http://www.indiana.edu/~bobweb/temp/online_ped.pdf
This article offers several ideas to make your online course more effective and engaging.
Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration
http://www.westga.edu/~distance/jmain11.html
LEEP Instructor Guide
http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/itd/instruct/instructor.html
Offers tutorials in Moodle, Confluence Wiki, and other applications used in the LEEP Program.
Online Instructor Handbook, University of Washington
http://www.outreach.washington.edu/teaching/online_handbook_files/home_page.html
A very well-organized database, searchable by subject index or FAQ: you may find it useful for its content, or as an example to create for your own school.
Distance Education at a Glance, University of Idaho
http://www.uidaho.edu/eo/distglan.html
This is an excellent website for faculty, administrators, facilitators, instructional designers, instructional developers, and students who need to understand distance education.
Adjunct Support
The Adjunct Life
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6449565.html
Author Stephanie Willen Brown writes about her experiences and observations as an adjunct library science instructor. This article might have more practical advice for those who are planning to teach part-time in addition to a full-time career in library science. A list-serv is mentioned at the end for LIS adjuncts.
Online Adjuncts Yahoogroup
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/onlineadjuncts/
A yahoogroup created for online adjunct instructors to share resources, best practices, etc.
Technology Resources
Using technology in teaching and learning: Resources to help you navigate a digital world
http://connect.educause.edu/Library/Abstract/Usingtechnologyinteaching/45083?time=1225404534
Also contains links to many useful online sources.
Online Teaching Glossary
http://members.shaw.ca/mdde615/glossary.htm
This glossary, while dated (2001), could be useful for those new to online technology, or for instructors to give to new online students as a reference.
Audacity
http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
A free audio recording tool you can use to create your own Podcasts or short audio tutorials.
Audacity Tutorial by Dan Eliot
http://www.lifelonglearner.us/other/audacity/
Transom Tools Audacity Tutorial
http://www.transom.org/tools/editing_mixing/200404.audacity.html
Consensus: Podcasting has no inherent value by Paul McCloskey
http://campustechnology.com/articles/49018/
A brief article on the role of podcasting in the online classroom.
Podcasting Tutorial by Feedforall
http://www.feedforall.com/podcasting-tutorial.htm
Creating Video Podcasts on Mac OS X
http://www.apple.com/quicktime/tutorials/videopodcasts.html
RSS Feeds Tutorial by SoftwareGarden
http://rss.softwaregarden.com/aboutrss.html
Camtasia by Techsmith
http://www.techsmith.com/
A popular software for screen capturing that's more user-friendly for novices.
Adobe Captivate
http://www.adobe.com/products/captivate/
A useful software for creating simulations, video demonstrations, and other fun stuff.
Impatica
http://www.impatica.com/
Similar to Captivate, it can be used to turn a narrated PowerPoint presentation into an animated file that takes up less space.
Screencast-o-matic
http://www.screencast-o-matic.com/
A relatively new, free screen capturing program.
JourneyEd.com
http://www.JourneyEd.com
If you're buying expensive software as an instructor, these folks might be able to give you a discount.
Lifehacker code: Texter
http://lifehacker.com/software/texter/lifehacker-code-texter-windows-238306.php
Free software that creates abbreviations for text that you use repeatedly, like email signatures, common messages to students, etc.
Del.icio.us
http://del.icio.us/
A social bookmarking website that allows you to share your bookmarked pages with others in your network. Click on the About tab at the very bottom of the page for more information.
PDF Xchange Viewer
http://www.docu-track.com/home/prod_user/pdfx_viewer/
Free software that allows you to make comments on a pdf file - a more universal way to comment on students' papers than Track Changes in Word
Second Life
http://www.secondlife.com/
Second Life is a 3-D digital world that is becoming increasingly popular in online teaching, in addition to its fame as a recreational site. Some of its benefits for online instruction are that faculty and students can interact virtually face-to-face, create visual exhibits and virtual libraries, accommodate many differently abled individuals, and bring the learning environment to a forum in which more and more students are already acquainted.
3-D Interactive Accounting Model
http://www.sloan-c-wiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=University_of_Central_Florida%3B3-D_Interactive_Accounting_Model
The University of Central Florida's approach to teaching Financial Accounting via Second Life, with a link to a video tour of the course in action on YouTube.
Tech Learning: Professors who Blog
http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604461
A brief, introductory article to the trend of faculty using blogs as a teaching tool.
Refining Paperless News
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55027-2004Mar13.html?referrer=email
The Washington Post's guide to RSS news feeds.
Multiverse
http://www.multiverse.net/
A virtual world platform similar to Second Life.
OpenSimulator
http://opensimulator.org/wiki/Main_Page
A 3D application server for creating virtual systems similar to Second Life.
MWSnap
http://www.mirekw.com/winfreeware/mwsnap.html
A free Windows program for capturing images from selected parts of the screen.
Advice to Give Your Online Students
What Makes a Successful Online Student
http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/StudentProfile.asp
Tips for Online Success
http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/tips.asp
Noodle Tools
http://www.noodletools.com/tools.html
A website that organizes notes during the research process and composes APA- and MLA-style bibliographies.
Son of Citation Machine
http://www.citationmachine.net/
Organizes citation information into APA or MLA.
Legal Use of Copyrighted Material: A Fair(y) Use Tale (NOT a Disney Movie)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bK8AZSYtPU
This short video explains the legalities of copyright use rather well, though it might be a challenge to follow the video's train of thought for some viewers. Like a ransom note that consists of words taped together from different sources, this video explains what can and cannot be borrowed from copyrighted material using seconds-long clips of words and phrases borrowed (legally, of course) from Disney movies. The effect is a bit jittery, but cleverly edited. The use of Disney material also points a finger at the Disney corporation's tendency to intimidate those who would borrow their ideas legally.
