ݮƵFrom its debut in 2017, * has included an article on pedagogy in every issue. I enjoyed contributing an article on pedagogy for online classes in its February 2020 issue.
I recently needed to update an online course I have taught for years because it had been more than the recommended five years to re-film its teaching videos. Though the project came at a good time, the anticipation of the attention and energy required to update and review the structure and materials of the course did not make it anywhere on my “bucket list.”
With a filming date set, I eventually carved out time to reassess the course and surprisingly found it to be a very helpful exercise. The process gave me an opportunity to remove references to films phrases, or events that no longer resonated with my students. The refashioned course design elements more clearly reflect how my philosophy has developed regarding online education. Here are three key aspects of my matured thinking.
Referring to “students who take online courses” versus “online students”
The common reference to “online students” places an emphasis that weighs heavily on the asynchronous aspects of their learning; the person is associated with distance. Referring to “students who take courses online” helps to remove the truncated view of students as two-dimensional images that appear on a screen. This change reminds me they are, first and foremost, people—people who desire to engage in their learning and to grow from what is learned. These are people who have stories and want to be known and understood, who have been instilled with purpose and value, and who ultimately want to know they are uniquely made and loved. This view brings greater intentionality to the development of the learning community and the overall experience of the course.
Using “transformational online practices” versus “best practices”
“Best practices” will seem lacking if there is no inherent purpose for their use. The desire to draw students to truth and to foster changed lives stimulates course-learning activities and assignments. “Transformational online practices” purposefully guide students in their own thinking and behavior as individuals and in their communities. This approach necessarily impacts how threaded discussion prompts are framed and sequenced, how substantive assignment comments are communicated, and the frequency and approach to video conferences.