Learning Through Virtual Discussion
The Proven 8-Step Framework That Gets College Students Reading, Engaged, and Talking--Transforming Online Discussions into Dynamic, Insightful Learning Experiences
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Higher Educators Online,
- Are you tired of using weekly discussion board activities as your only way of tracking class participation and assessing learning?
- Do you desire an instructional strategy that keeps your online students highly engaged during the entire course?
- Have you been seeking an alternative method to lecturing live or on-demand?
- Would you appreciate a system that allows your students to take ownership of their learning?
- Are you in need of a method that gradually enhances students' critical thinking, communication, and collaborative skills?
If so, this step-by-step mini-course on the Learning Through Virtual Discussion cooperative learning strategy is for you.
In this mini-course, you will learn--
- What each of the 8 steps entails and how they enhance your students' higher-order thinking skills when implemented over time
- How this process creates a framework that allows you to facilitate (and not control) your student's learning
- How to prepare for the pitfalls of synchronous (live) discussions
- How to select content based on the student learning outcomes for your course
- Bonus: How to create thematic units using the student learning outcomes so that students master course content
- How to develop a strong educator presence online so that your students know that you are there to support them and facilitate their learning, wholeheartedly
This course began as a mini-course, but as I developed it, I decided to share more effective tips and strategies to ensure successful implementation. I also decided to supplement your learning with live sessions and a private group for asking and answering questions, sharing experiences, and developing camaraderie with others who are implementing this framework.
I am so excited about guiding you through this process because I know how impactful it will be for your students and for you.
Note: If you have creative control over the design of your course or you are able to meet with the instructional designers at your college or university to design the learning experience, this course is for you. This framework meets the criteria for high-quality instructional design according to research on active learning, deep-learning, cooperative learning, strong educator presence, student feedback, soft skills, and student satisfaction online. Students will have to meet LIVE for this framework to work.
Your Instructor
Hi, I'm Dr. Kellie P. Alston, an educator, trainer, author, and instructional designer who designed and taught online courses for a teacher education program from 2004 to 2023. My passion for teaching grew from making my cousins, friends, and stuffed animals play school to serving in the field of education as a preschool teacher, an elementary school teacher, a reading specialist, a curriculum facilitator, an adjunct instructor, a course developer, and a full-time distance education lecturer.
Since I can remember, my inquisitive mind has always compelled me to not take things at face value but to ask questions. Consequently, the question, "How do people learn?" has always fueled my love for teaching no matter the age of the learner. Somehow, I have always known that keeping this question at the forefront of my mind would make me a lifelong investigator and discourage stagnancy.
At a very young age, I recognized the joy I felt while teaching and the fulfillment that came from breaking a concept or skill down so that it was easy to understand. So, it made sense when the literature confirmed that one's teaching self-efficacy directly impacts the motivation and success of one's students. I know this finding to be true because it has played out in my career time and time again. As a result, I am on a mission to strengthen the teaching self-efficacy of higher educators through speaking, training, coaching, and consulting. My company, Virtualgogy LLC, was birthed out of this mission.
So, thank you for being here at my Virtualgogy School, for this bio is really more about you than about me. My podcast, YouTube channel, courses, products, and services have all been created to help you facilitate better, feel better, and increase student success. Serving you here? Let's just say that it aligns with my love language and is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.