One of the most important elements of the online classroom is the ability to integrate technology successfully. While most online classes are develop and adjuncts teach from a basic course shell – meaning that assignments and other aspects of the class are already provided – it is up to each individual instructor to personalize their class and impart their own expertise within the classroom.
Enhancing the classroom is a vital aspect of increasing student engagement within the classroom. Online learning is not a great fit for all learners, but when the course is more engaging – incorporating more audio, video, visuals, and outside resources – more and more students can find success within the online environment.
- Voki – Vokis are interactive cartoons instructors can utilize to relay important messages to students. I created my avatar to look like me and use this tool for announcements and as part of my introduction. The downside is a Voki can only be a minute long – but this is a good amount of time to catch the student’s interest.
- PowToons – This engagement tool allows instructors to develop short videos to highlight ideas, concepts, or announcements. I have utilized PowToons within my weekly lectures, typically to add more depth and detail to a particularly tricky concept.
- YouTube – It’s easy to forget that YouTube contains a multitude of informative videos that can help add a different perspective within the online classroom. For example, when I discuss Federalism, there are several video clips I hyperlink to within my lecture to help students understand this concept in more detail. Students (especially those who struggle with the massive amounts of reading in many online classes) can learn a great deal from well-placed and knowledgeable video clips.
- Glogster – This tool allows instructors to arrange material in a new way. I use a Glog as part of my introduction with a list of the colleges I’ve attended, my degrees, and a photo of myself and my children, to help establish rapport. It can also be used to express a concept in a more visual manner – for example, the three branches of government. Sometimes, having students use this type of technology for an assignment can be very eye-opening.
- Jing – Utilizing Jing is another way for instructors to make short videos to add depth and knowledge in a different manner within the online classroom. A Jing would be ideal for walking students through a step-by-step concept like how to cite a source using APA formatting. As I am going through the process I can take screenshots and upload them into Jing and then add a voice-over to explain what I am doing as I show the steps. Jings can be saved and uploaded as a url.
It is important to mention, that when integrating technology into the online classroom is it important to embed videos whenever possible and hyperlink keywords instead of simply listing urls. This helps the flow of the material and has an overall positive impact on student engagement.
Do you know of any other technologies that could be integrated into an online classroom to help foster student engagement?
About the Author
Jamie Weitl is a WAHM teaching for several online universities and raising three precocious little ones. In her spare time she enjoys writing, baking, and running. For more info, see my Google Plus Profile.
