Online Teaching at Its Best

Online Teaching at Its Best

by Linda B. Nilson, Ludwika A. Goodson
Released December 2017
Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 9781119242291

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Book description

Bring pedagogy and cognitive science to online learning environments

Online Teaching at Its Best: A Merger of Instructional Design with Teaching and Learning Research is the scholarly resource for online learning that faculty, instructional designers, and administrators have long been awaiting. Over 70 percent of degree-granting institutions offer online classes, and while technical resources abound, the courses often fall short of integrating the best practices in online pedagogy, even if they comply with online course design standards. Typically these standards omit the best practices in teaching and learning and the principles from cognitive science, leaving students struggling to keep the pace, understand the material, and fulfill their true potential as learners. This book fills the gap, providing evidence-based practices for online teaching, online course design, and online student motivation integrated with pedagogical and cognitive science to help you build the distance learning courses and programs your students deserve.

As more and more students opt for distance learning, it's up to designers and instructors to rethink traditional methods and learn to work more effectively within the online learning environment, and up to administrators to provide the needed leadership. Online Teaching at Its Best provides practical, real-world advice grounded in educational science to help online instructors, instructional designers, and administrators deliver an exceptional learning experience.

  • Adopt new pedagogical techniques designed specifically for online learning environments
  • Ensure strong course alignment and effective student learning for online classes
  • Increase student retention, build necessary support structures, and train faculty more effectively
  • Integrate research-based course design and cognitive psychology into graduate or undergraduate programs

Distance is no barrier to a great education; what do stand in the way are inadequate online course design and implementation and deficient faculty training and support—all of which administrators can mitigate. Online Teaching at Its Best will help you ensure that your online classes measure up to the rigor and quality of excellence in teaching and assessment, build in the personal touch for developing a learning community and equip your students to succeed in the next challenge. 

Table of contents

  1. The Authors
  2. Preface
    1. How This Book Is Organized
    2. The Audiences for This Book
    3. Acknowledgments
    4. References
  3. Chapter 1 Teaching at Its Best, No Matter What the Environment
    1. Teaching Quality as Key
    2. The Special Challenges of Online Learning
    3. The Special Challenges That Online Faculty Face
    4. Teaching and Learning Across Environments
    5. References
  4. Chapter 2 Setting Significant Outcomes
    1. The Need for Reflecting on What We Teach
    2. How Content Becomes the Wrong Driver
    3. A Meaningful Destination for the Learning Enterprise
    4. Examples of Significant Learning from Instructional Design
    5. Examples of Significant Learning from College Courses
    6. Examples of Significant Learning from Adaptive Learning
    7. The Process of Reflection
    8. References
  5. Chapter 3 Designing a Coherent Course
    1. Online Course Design Standards
    2. Phases of Course Design
    3. Structuring Your Course
    4. Course Templates and Maps: Aids to Course Design
    5. Writing and Sequencing Learning Outcomes
    6. Developing Valid Assessments
    7. Mapping Learning Activities to Outcomes
    8. Choosing Online Course Content
    9. Online Copyright Guidelines
    10. The Syllabus: What to Include
    11. Organizing Your Files for Yourself and Your Students
    12. References
  6. Chapter 4 Applying Cognitive Science to Online 
Teaching and Learning Strategies
    1. Twenty-Five Principles of Learning from Cognitive Science
    2. How These Principles Can Inform Online Course Design and Teaching
    3. References
  7. Chapter 5 Motivating Elements: Course Policies, Communications, Assessments, and More
    1. Motivation, Effort, and Achievement
    2. Too Much of a Good Thing?
    3. Categories of Motivators: Intrinsic and Extrinsic
    4. Reinforcing and Punishing
    5. Capturing Attention
    6. Ensuring Relevance
    7. Encouraging Goal Expectancy and Self-Efficacy
    8. Creating Satisfaction
    9. Fostering Social Belonging
    10. Motivating as Our Major Task
    11. References
  8. Chapter 6 Developing Interactivity, Social Connections, and Community
    1. The Effects of Interactions on Learning
    2. Student-Instructor Interaction
    3. Student-Content Interaction
    4. Student-Student Interaction
    5. Interactions with Technology
    6. References
  9. Chapter 7 Making Accessibility for Everyone Much Easier
    1. Why Use Student-Centered Design?
    2. Sources of Obstacles
    3. Overcoming Obstacles
    4. Guidelines and Standards for Designing Accessibility
    5. The Specific How-To’s of Ensuring Accessibility
    6. Additional Resources and Advice
    7. References
  10. Chapter 8 Creating a Supportive Culture for Online Teaching
    1. The Importance of Quality in Online Courses
    2. Faculty Challenges in Transitioning to Online Teaching
    3. Faculty Incentives and Support for Online Teaching
    4. Designing Effective Professional Development
    5. Models for a Professional Development Program
    6. Summary
    7. References
  11. Appendix A Online Course Development Checklist
    1. Course Beginnings
    2. Technology
    3. Assessments and Grading
    4. Course Materials
    5. Student Interactions with the Content, Instructor, and Peers
  12. Appendix B Accessibility Resources
    1. Strategies to Make Access to Course Materials Easy
    2. Ways to Make Accessible Document Files
    3. Ways to Design Accessible Powerpoint Presentations
    4. Captioning Resources
    5. Accessibility Checks
    6. Resources for Students
  13. Index
  14. EULA

Product information

  • Title: Online Teaching at Its Best
  • Author(s): Linda B. Nilson, Ludwika A. Goodson
  • Release date: December 2017
  • Publisher(s): Jossey-Bass
  • ISBN: 9781119242291