Self-Assessment Checklist

Do instructional strategies enable students to reach course goals and objectives?
Are learnersare provided instructions on how to work with content in meaningful ways?
Do I require higher order thinking (e.g., analysis, problem solving, or critical reflection)of learners? Are they explained with examples or models?
Are individualized instruction, remedial activities, or resources for advanced learning activities, such as integrated publisher resources provided?

Tips and Tricks

What does an engaged learner look like?

An engaged learner looks:

● Active in their learning
● Eager to participate
● Willing to expend effort
● Motivated
● Inspired

How does all that manifest in practice though? To put it simply, if your learners all complete their assignments on time, produce excellent results, and participate in collaborative spaces like discussions, you can confidently say that they are engaged.

On the other hand, if they only complete assignments, but neglect other activities like webinars and forum questions, and their results are poor, then they probably lack in engagement.

The taxonomy of significant learning

Integrated Course Design

The basic idea behind ICD is that, rather than simply develop a list of topics in a course and then provide students with lots of information about each topic, we need to design our courses in a way that is learning-centered, systematic, and integrated. If we can do this, students will respond by becoming more engaged in the work of learning and will succeed in achieving more important kinds of learning.

How does this process work? The key steps are illustrated in figure 2.