#IOLchat Archive

#IOLchat meets Wednesdays at 12PM ET to discuss trends and issues in online education.

Wednesday May 25, 2016
12:00 PM EDT

CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:02 PM EDT

Welcome to this week's #IOLchat :) Who's joining in today? https://t.co/kGGSeMZ5AD
sarahklein_edx May 25 @ 12:05 PM EDT

10 elements of a good online course. Do you have any to add? #iolchat https://t.co/dM6bcafSE5
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:06 PM EDT

Starting now! #IOLchat with the Inside Online Learning - https://t.co/kGGSeMZ5AD
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:09 PM EDT

Q1) What is "student engagement" in an online environment? How would you describe it? #iolchat
Melissa_Venable - Moderator May 25 @ 12:10 PM EDT

RT @CenterOnlineEd: Q1) What is "student engagement" in an online environment? How would you describe it? #iolchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:12 PM EDT

Where Ss are actively making real world decisions #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:14 PM EDT

@Moia30hands Hello Moia! I like this description a lot. Real-word scenarios, experiential learning, case studies can spark interest #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:16 PM EDT

@Moia30hands Do you have any favorite strategies for implementing real-world decisions w/online Ss? #iolchat
jshamsy May 25 @ 12:16 PM EDT

Greetings from the big 🍎 ... Will be in and out today. Jennifer - adjunct #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:17 PM EDT

@jshamsy Hi Jennifer! Traveling? Hopefully for fun. #iolchat
ceasom May 25 @ 12:17 PM EDT

Hello from Colin Easom with Pima Medical Institute! I'll be in and out today too :) #iolchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:17 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Yes! where Ss have to make decisions and deal with consequences. Case studies are v engaging! #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:18 PM EDT

@ceasom Hello Colin! In and out is the order of the day. ;) Summer chaos is upon us. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:19 PM EDT

@Moia30hands Excellent! It's consequences piece that is so powerful. Do you teach or study a specific topic where this is helpful? #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:19 PM EDT

@jshamsy @ceasom We're discussing possible definitions/descriptions of "engagement." ..... Q2 coming up ... :) #iolchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:19 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Also in content videos, avoiding reams of txt is important! Images and narration alone can avoid cognitive load #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:20 PM EDT

RT @Moia30hands Also in content videos, avoiding reams of txt is important! Images and narration alone can avoid cognitive load #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:22 PM EDT

@Moia30hands Agreed-have a positive impact on student engagement by varying how they interact w/content. Video gaining popularity! #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:23 PM EDT

Q2) How can we assess/measure levels of student engagement on online ed? #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:25 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Late to the chat but hello all. On a micro level I like to look at # of DB posts esp. beyond the min. required. #iolchat
ceasom May 25 @ 12:25 PM EDT

A2) Tough to measure engagement quantitatively; grades can be an indicator. We have rubric definitions of engagement in discussions #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:25 PM EDT

@karenraycosta Hello and welcome back, Karen! #iolchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:25 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Q2) By having them create something themselves from the content they have taken? #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:26 PM EDT

Is engagement just a fancy word for learning? #iolchat
teacherchalky1 May 25 @ 12:26 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Either use a site that tracks student activity or set low stakes tests to check if they have accessed the content #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:26 PM EDT

@ceasom Agreed - one of our big challenges I think. We know it's necessary, but not necessarily easy to define in a "countable" way #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:27 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd @Moia30hands Tools like @zaption allow us to create interactive videos and measure amount of interaction. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:27 PM EDT

:) RT @karenraycosta Is engagement just a fancy word for learning? #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:27 PM EDT

@teacherchalky1 Hi David! Welcome to the chat. :) #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:28 PM EDT

I've pretty much retired the word engagement. I noticed it as used constantly and felt like it had lost meaning. #iolchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:28 PM EDT

@karenraycosta Thanks for the tip! #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:28 PM EDT

But I'm glad we are talking about it and teasing out these definitions. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:29 PM EDT

@karenraycosta I think it largely has become a buzzword, but ... worthy of continued discussion, debate, investigation #iolchat
teacherchalky1 May 25 @ 12:29 PM EDT

@karenraycosta @CenterOnlineEd @Moia30hands @zaption How easy is that to do? #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:30 PM EDT

An interesting resource describing different types of engagement: https://t.co/mP3jGuGOmB #iolchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:31 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd I agree,as its v easy to get lost in creating content where Ss r passive/disinterested. Engagement=learning&doing! #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:33 PM EDT

Q3) What are the implications of having low or no "student engagement?" Can learning still happen? #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:34 PM EDT

For ex. a student crams for a test, aces it, and then forgets all that he learned. Is that engagement? No. Is it learning? No. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:34 PM EDT

@teacherchalky1 @karenraycosta @Moia30hands @zaption I haven't tried this tool, but it looks interesting! #iolchat
jshamsy May 25 @ 12:34 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd @karenraycosta agreed -- the fact that we can't define it is problematic #IOLchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:34 PM EDT

So I think what we mean by engagement is deep learning. I'd rather call it that. #iolchat
teacherchalky1 May 25 @ 12:34 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Learning can still happen but it's not effective in terms of the time you put in #iolchat
ceasom May 25 @ 12:35 PM EDT

A3) Learning can happen without engagement with other people in class, but personal engagement with course material is necessary #iolchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:35 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd W/ low engagement, v little learning happens. Also if Ss are disengaged,they think the topic is boring! #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:36 PM EDT

@ceasom That is a helpful line to draw I think. Personal engagement helps to narrow the focus of the topic, too. #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:36 PM EDT

I look at the work of @SirKenRobinson as a great guide to deep learning and true engagement. #iolchat #synonyms
jshamsy May 25 @ 12:37 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd or can but I don't think it is as meaningful #IOLchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:37 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Not based on my definition of learning. What's happening is likely memorization or mimicry. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:37 PM EDT

@karenraycosta Helpful! Defining "deep learning" may come into play, but we are getting closer to an understanding #iolchat
teacherchalky1 May 25 @ 12:38 PM EDT

@Moia30hands @CenterOnlineEd if you have low engagement it may be worth changing your aproach #iolchat
ceasom May 25 @ 12:38 PM EDT

@jshamsy @CenterOnlineEd That's a great point! Learning can happen but is it "meaningful"? And what does meaningful mean? #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:39 PM EDT

True learning (a.k.a. engagement) has an element of both heart and head. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:39 PM EDT

@jshamsy 'Meaningful' another great word to add to convo! Meaning could be contextual, different for learners, but implies value. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:40 PM EDT

Q4) How is engagement related to motivation and other aspects of online learning? #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:41 PM EDT

We can also dive into the brain here. Perhaps engagement/learning makes use of both left and right brain gifts and energies. #iolchat
ceasom May 25 @ 12:43 PM EDT

A4) The motivated learner is more likely to engage. Relevancy of learning is key, especially to adult learners #iolchat
teacherchalky1 May 25 @ 12:43 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd The more motivated students are the more they will engage, so the trick is to get them motivated #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:43 PM EDT

@karenraycosta You are our neuroscience guru! :) #IOLchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:43 PM EDT

Q4) If u feel emotionally&cognitively engaged,u feel motivated2go on.Staring at a screen w/boring content makes u want2stop #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:44 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd For more on this read @JillBolteTaylor's My Stroke of Insight. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:45 PM EDT

@karenraycosta @JillBolteTaylor Thanks for the recommendation! #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:45 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Ah! Great questions. I'm reading Drive by @DanielPink right now. Game changer. #iolchat #motivation
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:46 PM EDT

We have to be really mindful, according to @danielpink, about dangerous assumptions about motivation. #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:47 PM EDT

For adult students (many of our online students), relevance is critical to motivation. #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:47 PM EDT

For me, the key is great curriculum and a great teacher. Inspiration=motivation. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:47 PM EDT

Motivation seems to be such a personal/individual thing. Should we try to tap into what's driving each student to move forward? #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:48 PM EDT

@karenraycosta Sounds like the perfect combination we all strive for! Nice point about assumptions, too. #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:49 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd yes building posiitve relationships with my students has always been one of my not very magical magic tricks. #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:50 PM EDT

Time for our last Q .... coming up ... #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:51 PM EDT

Q5) Whose responsibility is it to create/maintain student engagement? #iolchat
ceasom May 25 @ 12:51 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Yes! Our students write about what motivates them in orientation; we frequently refer back to that piece with them #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:52 PM EDT

@ceasom That's a fantastic idea! Document it all as they get started and the goals are "fresh" then revisit - change? progress? #iolchat
ceasom May 25 @ 12:52 PM EDT

A5) Both student & instructors have motivational responsibility. Even most motivated student can struggle in a dry and boring class #iolchat
karenraycosta May 25 @ 12:53 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Campus-wide inc. fac, admin, students. But can also help to have point person leading the charge. #iolchat
jshamsy May 25 @ 12:53 PM EDT

A5(m) student first and instructor second #iolchat
ceasom May 25 @ 12:53 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Exactly! We review that motivation wit them time to time, esp when they're struggling. It really helps! #iolchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:54 PM EDT

@CenterOnlineEd Q)5 Ts play important role BUT Ss themselves must remember that they have to push themselves to focus too #iolchat
jshamsy May 25 @ 12:54 PM EDT

@karenraycosta @CenterOnlineEd great point.. It starts long before the student gets to class #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:54 PM EDT

@Moia30hands Absolutely! It's a team effort. :) But students are certainly the focus. #iolchat
ceasom May 25 @ 12:55 PM EDT

Gotta run to another meeting... sorry to bail a little early. Great chat as always!!! #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:55 PM EDT

@ceasom So good to see you, Colin! Have a great week. :) #iolchat
Moia30hands May 25 @ 12:56 PM EDT

I gotta head out too! Thanks so much for the chat! #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:56 PM EDT

@Moia30hands Great to meet you Moia! Hope to see you again soon. :) #iolchat
CenterOnlineEd - Moderator May 25 @ 12:58 PM EDT

We’re at the end of the hour...Many thanks to @Moia30hands @ceasom @jshamsy @karenraycosta @teacherchalky1 for making it happen! #iolchat
jshamsy May 25 @ 12:59 PM EDT

@karenraycosta @CenterOnlineEd so agree with this! Institutions need to take note of this #IOLchat