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.”
Individual Articles:
Article 1Connectivism as a Digital Age Learning Theory
Betsy Duke, Ginger Harper, and Mark Johnston
Article 2Living Lab Activities as the Starting Point for Developing ICT Studies in Higher Education
Satu Luojus and Olli Vilkki
Article 3Creating a Blended Cooperative-Learning Classroom
Edward J. Baum
Article 4PK-12 Teacher Candidates’ Beliefs and Knowledge about English Learners
Cynthia J.Hutchinson, Carine Strebel, & Joyce W. Nutta
Article 5Bridging Gaps and Creating Spaces: Health Education in the New Millennium
Marie Thielke Huff and Laura Cruz
Article 6Inter-cultural Awareness and its Role in Enriching Students’ Communicative Competence
Alla Kourova and Doan Modianos
Article 7Appreciative Inquiry – A New Dimension in Problem-Based Learning
Gwilym Wyn Roberts