Leveraging Technology and Pedagogy for Engaging Online Learning
As the educational landscape continues to evolve, the Center for the Advancement of College Teaching (ACERT) at Hunter College is committed to providing valuable resources and guidance to help educators like you design effective and engaging online courses. Whether you’re new to the world of virtual instruction or seeking to enhance your existing practices, this comprehensive article will explore a wealth of tools, strategies, and insights to support your course development efforts.
Navigating the Transition to Brightspace
One of the most significant changes on the horizon for the Stanley Park High School community is the upcoming transition from Blackboard to Brightspace, the new learning management system (LMS) adopted by the CUNY system. While this migration may seem daunting, ACERT is here to help you navigate this process with ease.
According to the information on the Hunter College website, CUNY is in the process of transitioning to Brightspace, with Hunter College set to launch the new LMS in January 2025. During this transition, all Blackboard courses from Winter/Spring 2021 through Fall 2024 will be migrated to Brightspace, ensuring a seamless continuation of your course materials.
To help you prepare for this change, ACERT encourages you to take advantage of the resources and support available. You can access practice Brightspace courses to experiment with the platform’s features and design tools, as well as attend CUNY-led workshops and view video recordings to familiarize yourself with the new system.
The Center for Online Learning at Hunter College also offers a series of three workshops specifically tailored to supplement the CUNY-led training. These workshops cover a wide range of topics, from navigating the Brightspace interface to designing engaging online content. Be sure to check the workshops page for registration details and upcoming session schedules.
Leveraging CUNY’s Educational Technology Tools
In addition to the transition to Brightspace, ACERT has identified a wealth of educational technology tools available to CUNY faculty that can enhance your online course design and delivery. Let’s explore some of the key tools and how you can leverage them:
Blackboard and Blackboard Collaborate
While Blackboard is being phased out in favor of Brightspace, it continues to be a valuable resource during the transition period. Blackboard’s learning management system allows you to structure your course content and communicate with students effectively. The Blackboard Collaborate feature, in particular, offers a synchronous video-conferencing tool with interactive capabilities, such as text chat, screen sharing, and breakout rooms.
To get started with Blackboard and Blackboard Collaborate, you can reach out to the Technology Resource Center at Hunter College for training and support. The college also provides helpful support documents and videos for both faculty and students.
Microsoft Office 365 for Education
The Microsoft Office 365 for Education suite provides a comprehensive set of tools that can enhance your online course design and delivery. This suite includes familiar applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as additional features like Forms (for surveys and quizzes), Sway (for web-based presentations), and Stream (for video sharing).
One particularly useful tool within the Office 365 suite is Flip, a video discussion platform that allows you to create asynchronous conversations around course content. Active faculty at CUNY can access the Office 365 suite by logging in with their @login.cuny.edu credentials. Be sure to review the Acceptable Use of Microsoft 365 for Education Policy before utilizing these tools.
Zoom
As a video-conferencing tool, Zoom has become an invaluable resource for synchronous online classes and office hours. Zoom offers a variety of interactive features, such as breakout rooms, screen sharing, polling, and whiteboards, as well as accessibility options like live transcripts and audio transcript editing.
CUNY faculty can access Zoom accounts by logging in through the CUNY Zoom portal using their @login.cuny.edu credentials. ACERT has also provided helpful Zoom resources and best practices to ensure you get the most out of this powerful tool.
Gradescope
Gradescope is an artificial-intelligence-assisted grading tool that can streamline your assessment processes for worksheets, quizzes, and computer code. This tool can save you time and effort while providing valuable feedback to your students.
To start using Gradescope, reach out to ACERT for resources and training. The ACERT blog post and lunchtime seminar recordings provide a wealth of information to get you started.
Hypothesis
Hypothesis is a social annotation tool that allows you to create asynchronous discussions and annotations around web pages and PDF documents. This interactive feature can foster deeper engagement with course materials and encourage collaborative learning.
ACERT has workshop resources and recordings available to help you integrate Hypothesis into your online courses effectively.
Padlet
Padlet is a versatile tool that enables you to create digital boards, or “walls,” where students can share text notes, images, websites, and videos. This collaborative platform can foster engaging discussions and encourage student participation.
If you’re interested in using Padlet in your courses, you can request a pro account by contacting the Hunter College helpdesk at [email protected] from your institutional email address.
Top Hat
Top Hat is a comprehensive courseware platform that offers a range of features, such as attendance tracking, interactive quizzes, and homework assignment collection. It also allows you to create custom course content or utilize pre-made materials from its extensive catalog.
As a Stanley Park High School educator, you can access Top Hat through the ACERT lunchtime seminar resources, where you’ll find information on how to set up your Educator account and take advantage of the tool’s capabilities.
Prioritizing Student Privacy and Accessibility
When designing your online courses, it’s essential to keep student privacy and accessibility at the forefront. ACERT emphasizes the importance of adhering to FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) regulations, particularly when handling personally identifiable information in the online environment.
The U.S. Department of Education’s guidance on student privacy in distance education provides valuable resources and best practices to ensure you’re protecting your students’ sensitive information. Additionally, you should carefully evaluate the privacy policies and data security measures of any educational technology services you plan to utilize.
In terms of accessibility, ACERT encourages you to consider the diverse needs of your students and implement inclusive design practices. This may include incorporating features like live transcripts, audio descriptions, and keyboard navigation to ensure your online content is accessible to all learners.
Fostering Student Engagement and Collaboration
One of the key challenges in the transition to online learning is maintaining student engagement and fostering a sense of community. ACERT recommends several strategies to address this:
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Consistent Communication: Establish clear and frequent communication channels with your students. This may include setting up a FAQ discussion board, scheduling regular live Q&A sessions, and providing updates on course expectations and support resources.
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Collaborative Activities: Utilize tools like Padlet, Hypothesis, and the collaboration features within Brightspace to encourage student-to-student and student-to-instructor interactions. Promote activities that enable your students to work together, share knowledge, and build connections.
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Skill-Building Support: Recognize that some of your students may not be as tech-savvy as others. Provide guidance and resources to help them develop the necessary skills for navigating the online learning environment, such as creating a student mentor program or sharing tutorials on using the various educational technology tools.
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Personalized Feedback: Make an effort to get to know your students as individuals and provide personalized feedback and support. This can help them feel seen, heard, and valued, which can significantly impact their engagement and success in the course.
By implementing these strategies, you can create a more engaging and collaborative online learning experience for your students, ultimately enhancing their overall educational journey.
Conclusion
As you embark on the journey of designing effective online courses, ACERT is here to support you every step of the way. By leveraging the resources, tools, and strategies outlined in this article, you can create engaging and accessible learning experiences that meet the needs of your students at Stanley Park High School.
Remember, the transition to online and blended learning is an ongoing process, and ACERT is committed to continually expanding its offerings to ensure you have the guidance and support you need. We encourage you to stay connected with our team, attend workshops, and explore the wealth of resources available to make your online course design a resounding success.
If you have any further questions or require additional assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the ACERT team at your earliest convenience. We’re here to help you navigate this exciting and ever-evolving landscape of online education.
