Online Learning at CWU: Best Practices

Instructional technology experts know that online learning programs will be most successful when faculty are provided with adequate training and support. The idea to develop an online resources CD came about as a result of faculty requesting information regarding best practices for teaching and learning online.

As a result our staff decided to develop a tool that would provide pedagogical, logistical and curricular solutions for faculty choosing to teach online. In planning the content for the CD a consideration was made for the fact that our training staff is stretched to the limit in terms of accommodating the needs of an ever-increasing number of instructors, some of who are located in off-site facilities.

Research suggests that instructors respond well to learning from their peers. For this reason the CD was developed through leveraging the knowledge base of enthusiastic early adopters of online teaching. A panel of faculty was recruited with the purpose of videotaping their personal accounts of teaching online.

To provide a framework as a basis for discussion the topics were derived from an article called, "Seven Principles for Good Practices in Undergraduate Education". The "Seven Principles for Good Practices in Undergraduate Education", was originally published in the AAHE Bulletin. The authors, Arthur W. Chickering and Zelda F. Gamson provided a popular framework for evaluating teaching in traditional, face to face courses. These same principles have been adapted and used by many as a framework for designing effective instructional strategies for online learning.

Each member of the faculty panel chose 3 of the seven principles contained in the Chickering and Gamson article to relate their online teaching practices to. In addition to the video vignettes the CD contains helpful links to online resources, tutorials, and information about incentives and grants for teaching online.

For a copy of the CD please contact Jane Chinn, Learning Technologies Specialist by email: chinn@cwu.edu