Oregon State University Ecampus

Defines personalized, adaptive, individualized, differentiated and competency-based learning.

Harvard's online repository for active learning. Searchable by activity type (e.g., discussion, game, peer instruction, debate, presentation), subject area, timeline, learning goals, student scope (individual, pair, group, or whole-class), final product and assessment type. Site also summarizes research on active learning by activity type.

Report: Can we adequately answer questions about postsecondary outcomes and value? No. Data play a crucial role in improving college access, completion, and career readiness. Students need clear and timely information about how much college will cost, how long it will take to graduate, and how well a degree will prepare them for the job market and enable them to repay their loans.

Interesting article with real examples of project-based approaches to typical 'solve this' problems in a variety of disciplines.

wb: Thought this a very useful (+short!) discussion of the new learning that is emerging thanks to computers. Filled with tons of great links to online resources and teaching game examples I hadn't heard of before.

"As long as aviation pioneers tried to mimic birds, controlled, heavier-than-air human flight proved impossible. Along somewhat similar lines, it is only by breaking decisively from traditional face-to-face models that it will be truly possible to create the kinds of immersive, social experiences in online education that will truly engage students and promote high levels of attainment among broad profiles of students."

11 minute TED talk by the company making cool virtual labs in Unity. notes that students are bored by classic classroom teaching, and most of the current "innovations" in online teaching involve putting that same boring approach online. backs it up with some research. Points out that when you make an entertaining virtual lab with a story, students forget to check facebook for hours. Final takeaway is that the tech is here, and the next leap forward in education will come when teachers adopt it.

From OLC Tweet stream - interesting to see how this review process includes instructor online skills as well as 'pure' course design

Example of moving a Math course online and creating community by getting students to record themselves explaining solutions to problems

This post makes a strong case for the benefits of universal design and it also has a useful annotated resource list.

A survey of literature regarding Twitter use in the higher education classroom finds substantial support and good advice regarding its usefulness in pedagogy. Research found that Twitter aids students in building relationships, fosters students' connections with each other, and allows them to create meaning through sustained communication.

The "Application to All Courses" section and the "Example" section both note applications of Gagne's 9 Events that fit online and hybrid courses.

Research: When Instructure began analyzing the course designs for its higher ed customers, the LMS company discovered something about getting students to interact with the online elements of their courses.

"Results indicate students who enrolled in a redesigned online College Algebra course that strategically placed the instructor in the role of content provider performed significantly better. . . ."

A checklist for making distance learning programs welcoming and accessible to all students Represented by students in distance learning courses are a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds, ages, native languages, and learning styles. In addition, increasing numbers of students with disabilities participate in regular precollege and postsecondary courses.

"Based on their research, Velegol, Mahoney, and Zappe have the following suggestions for faculty interested in flipping: (1) Keep the video segments less than 10 minutes, (2) review the material in class for less than 20 minutes, (3) give students time in class to work on real-life and relevant problems or projects that are traditionally done at home, and (4) provide at least weekly assessments to keep the students on track."