Abstract:
Closed campuses, working remotely, and physical distancing have changed the way we work, teach, learn, shop, attend conferences, and interact with family and friends. But the Covid-19 pandemic has not changed what we know about creating high-end online education. Two decades of research has shown that online education often fails to fulfill its promise, and the emergency shift to remote instruction has, for many, justified their distrust and dislike of online learning. Low interactivity remains a widely recognized short-coming of current online offerings. Low interactivity results, in part, from many faculty not feeling comfortable being themselves online. The long-advocated for era of authentic assessments is needed now more than ever. Finally, greater support is needed for both underrepresented students and for faculty to move beyond basic online instruction to create a strong continuum of care between the teaching and learning environment and the student support infrastructure. For those who have been long-term champions of online education, it has never been more important to confront the three biggest challenges that continue to haunt online education – interactivity, authenticity, and support. Only by confronting these challenges squarely can instructors, educational developers, and their institutions take huge steps towards better online instruction in the midst of a pandemic and make widespread, high-quality online education permanently part of the “new normal.”
Also, Forbes magazine talked about the Khan Academy and the “flipped classroom” being one of the most important stories of 2012. Whether it was inspired by Salman Khan or by educators, it has certainly stirred a movement:
As I see how passionate educators are regarding this idea, I can definitely see why it has merit. I also believe that this is something for some of our students, not all. I think back to hearing about the importance of “hands on” activities for learning, yet I know many students where that is not the best way that they learn. Even the notion that all students have to have “collaborative” skills in our world, yet there are many careers now and in the future where someone can work outside of a “group” environment. There is some important in students being able to have choice. It seems that we are too often looking for a “standardardized” solution for a “personalized” problem. Students need to have options and choice.