for physical scientists who focus on the molecular realm at the micro and nano scale every day, visualization platforms such as ChimeraX and Nanome support VR and AR as display options, allowing researchers to explore molecular structures together in collaborative virtual space.Footnote14 These tools are also being explored for their potential value in the curriculum, especially as digital learning tools to help novice students through the traditional challenges of learning the spatial representation of chemicals.Footnote1

EDUCAUSE XR (Extended Reality) Community Group provides an excellent for

Of course, the most important factor to consider is whether an AR or VR application is effective in achieving the desired learning outcomes.

For example, health science programs are beginning to explore AR and VR simulations to help students learn basic anatomy, kinesiology, and even bedside manner.

President should work with Congress to enact themost robust protections for the unborn that Congress will support while deployingexisting federal powers to protect innocent life and vigorously complying withstatutory bans on the federal funding of abortion. Conservatives should ardentlypursue these pro-life and pro-family policies while recognizing the many womenwho find themselves in immensely difficult and often tragic situations and the hero-ism of every choice to become a mother. Alternative options to abortion, especiallyadoption, should receive federal and state support

Federal policy cannot allow this industrial-scale childabuse to continue.

deleting the termssexual orientation and gender identity (“SOGI”), diversity, equity, an

who are being taught on the one hand to affirm that the color of theirskin fundamentally determines their identity and even their moral status whileon the other they are taught to deny the very creatureliness that inheres in beinghuman and consists in accepting the givenness of our nature as men or women

Pornography should be outlawed.

e eliminating marriage penaltiesin federal welfare programs and the tax code and installing work requirements forfood stamps.

Restore the family as the centerpiece of American life and protectour children.2. Dismantle the administrative state and return self-governance to theAmerican people.3. Defend our nation’s sovereignty, borders, and bounty against global threats.4. Secure our God-given individual rights to live freely—what our Constitutioncalls “the Blessings of Liberty.

Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., MD

A review from the mid-1990s pulled together the existing experiments on this issue and reported that, in 22 experiments using test questions that demanded students recall information (for instance, “What years in U.S. history are often called the Gilded Age?”), learning loss was about 28 percent. Retention was even better when questions required recognizing the correct answer, as on a multiple-choice test. For such tests, the average learning loss across 52 experiments was just 16 percent.

If a student either “never attended” or “stopped attending,” faculty should assign an “F” grade in Goldmine. For students that “stopped attending,” faculty should also provide the date of the last known active participation by the student in an instructional activity such as a response to discussion boards, study group, assignments, class lecture, lab, tests, etc. This does not include a student simply logging into the class as this is not considered “active participation.”

Faculty who suspect a student of plagiarism or some form of academic dishonesty must report the suspicion to the Dean of Students via The Office of Student Conduct and Conduct Resolution (OSCCR). OSCCR will investigate the allegation and determine the course of action. It is against Regents’ Rules and Regulations for faculty to make a determination independent of OSCCR. According to UTEP’s Handbook of Operating Procedures Section 4.14, “such action is a disciplinary penalty that violates the student’s right to due process and leaves the faculty member vulnerable to a student grievance petition, a civil lawsuit, and possible disciplinary action by the University.” More information is available in the HOOP.

Proper Citation

Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act. Signed into law by President Bush on November 2, the TEACH Act loosens the restraints created by the DMCA insofar as education is concerned

More importantly, the idea of Fair Use was effectively removed from Web-based education because of the DMCA

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) was passed in Oct. 1998 "to implement United States treaty obligations and to move the nation's copyright law into the digital age.

Resources for using sound recordings in online education

Resources for using video in online education

Place the video in the context of the course, explaining why it was chosen and what it was intended to illustrate. Recontextualize the video when appropriate through the addition of background readings, study questions, commentary, criticism, annotation, and student reactions.

Resources for using images in online education

If copying an image, use the lowest image resolution possible to achieve your purpose.

Note: Professor Meghani is making too much work for herself by scanning the text. Instead, she could direct her students to Project Gutenberg, which contains public domain titles available for download in multiple formats. In this case, the Marxists Internet Archive would also be a good sourc

It is not necessary to prevailon each of the four factors for asuccessful fair use claim.

Fair use is a flexible standard andall four statutory factors areconsidered together.

The US Constitution clearlystates that the purpose of theintellectual property system is to“promote the progress of science andthe useful arts

ir use is a right explicitly recognizedby the Copyright Act.1 The SupremeCourt has recognized this right as a“First Amendment safeguard” becausecopyright law might otherwiseconstrict freedom of speech

The Copyright Clearance Center can grant permission to digitize, display and transmit print works

Using the Four Factors

TEACH Act Checklist

The TEACH Act checklist, summarizes the 22 (!) prerequisites. Nevertheless, we may be optimistic that, together with fair use, this statute will achieve Congress' goal of facilitating online education.

are a small subset of the uses of online resources educators may wish to make. It only covers in class performances and displays, not, for example, supplemental online reading, viewing, or listening materials. For those activities, as well as many others, we'll need to continue to rely on fair use. Remember, however, when relying on fair use, the fair use test is sensitive to harm to markets. This means that in general, where there is an established market for permissions, there will often be a narrower scope for fair use, and our reliance on fair use should be limited.

The TEACH Act authorizes us to digitize works for use in online education, but only to the extent we are authorized to use those works in Section 110(2), and so long as they are not available digitally in a format free from technological protection.

The statute's complexity provides a new context within which to think about fair use: compared to the many conditions and limits contained in Section 110(2), the four factor fair use test seems simple and elegant.

The audiovisual works and dramatic musical works may only be shown as clips -- "reasonable and limited portions".

The TEACH Act of 2002, expanded the scope of online educators' rights to perform and display works and to make copies integral to such performances and displays, making the rights closer to those we have in face-to-face teaching. But there is still a considerable gap between what the statute authorizes for face-to-face teaching and for online education.

Copyright law provides educators with a separate set of rights in addition to fair use, to display (show) and perform (show or play) others' works in the classroom. These rights are in Section 110(1) of the Copyright Act and apply to any work, regardless of the medium.

Because your institution is likely to be liable, along with an accused individual, for the infringements of faculty, students and staff, most institutions advise such individuals not to use works for which required permission cannot be obtained.

There truly may be no one who cares about what you do with a particular work, but the bottom line is that no amount of unsuccessful effort eliminates liability for copyright infringement. Copyright protects materials whether the owner cares about protection or not.

If you are preparing a commercial product, you will need assurances of authority to grant permission because your publisher will expect those assurances from you.

question them about whether they retained copyright or whether they assigned it to their publisher.

If you know who the author and the publisher are, you can contact them directly. If you do not know who the publisher is, The Literary Marketplace (for books) or Ulrich's Web (for journals - requires login) may help you.  Once you know whom to ask, writing a letter, calling or emailing are all appropriate ways to initiate contact.

Where fair use may be questioned, implied rights may be broader, but an express right to use is best - it's clear and reassuring. It's possible today to search Creative Commons licensed works by license type, or limit your search to be sure that your results include only materials intended for use by educators and students.

You can easily give your works an express license by attaching a Creative Commons license to the materials you post online. It's easy and it sends the message that you want your materials to be part of the flow of creativity. No one creates in a vacuum. Just as you build on others' works, others will build on yours.

So, just by posting online, an author implies a limited license to use their work in this manner.

Simply putting the fingers to the save key creates a copyrighted work. Once expression is committed to a tangible medium, copyright protection is automatic. So, postings of all kinds are protected the same as published printed works.

o the creator or originator of that record in order to verify authenticity without the student’s permis

Example Scenarios

provide a letter of recommendation for a student that includes grades unless you have received written consent from the student to release this information for this explicit purpose.

provide anyone outside the college with lists of students enrolled in classes;

If you teach several sections of the same course but the students do not interact with each other in a physical classroom or online, the courses cannot be merged in Carmen.

The teacher who saw the incident in-person can speak about it because FERPA is not a confidentiality law. It only protects what’s in a student’s education record.

If a school denies access to student records to a parent of a student under the age of 18, that’s a FERPA violation

One is that, generally, higher education institutions can choose to release a students’ education records to both parents, provided that at least one parent claims the student as a dependent for tax purposes.

“It should be clear that [the data] belongs to the school, not to the vendor, and that the vendor’s responsibility is to process it for the benefit of the school and its students, and not for the vendor’s own benefit,” McDonald says.

Steps Toward Universal Design of Online Courses

“Law enforcement unit records” (i.e., records created by the law enforcement unit, created for a law enforcement purpose, and maintained by the law enforcement unit) are not “education records” subject to the privacy protections of FERPA. As such, the law enforcement unit may refuse to provide a parent or eligible student with an opportunity to inspect and review law enforcement unit records, and it may disclose law enforcement unit records to third parties without the parent or eligible student’s prior written consent

Schools may disclose, without consent, "directory" information such as a student's name, address, telephone number, date and place of birth, honors and awards, and dates of attendance. However, schools must tell parents and eligible students about directory information and allow parents and eligible students a reasonable amount of time to request that the school not disclose directory information about them.

schools must have written permission from the parent or eligible student in order to release any information from a student's education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those records, without consent, to the following parties or under the following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31): School officials with legitimate educational interest; Other schools to which a student is transferring; Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes; Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student; Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school; Accrediting organizations; To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena; Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level.

FIR emitting ceramics and fabrics Discs and garments manufactured of FIR emitting ceramic material have been applied to the human body (Figure 5). For instance, a blanket containing discs has been reported to improve quality of sleep [34] and single discs were applied to the breasts of women who encountered difficulty in producing sufficient breast milk during lactation [35]. Gloves have been made out of FIR emitting fabrics and there have been reports that these gloves can be used to treat arthritis of the hands and Raynaud’s syndrome [36].

For students and educators alike, it's important to think about academic integrity as a learned concept.

Whether in history, social studies, science, or literature, most East Asian students are discouraged from producing original work in an academic setting and instead advised to remember and repeat the ideas of the masters in those subject areas as a form of respect.

nursing students, for example, are focused on the concept of caring for others and illustrate collectivist culture, in both academic study and clinical practice. It is often natural for nursing students to project caring for patients to helping at-risk cohorts in the form of academic collusion.

Students that grow up with this perspective may not understand why citations at the end of a research paper are important; furthermore, citations might even make them feel uncomfortable, as they recognize individual authors above the community as a whole.

A collectivist culture is one that prioritizes the goals and desires of the whole over the needs of the individual. Often in East Asian countries like South Korea, Japan, and China, ideas that are beneficial to and shared by the community are not individually attributed, but rather recognized as universal knowledge.

But that practice fails to recognize that students are responsible for their own computer access and stable internet connection.  Although the District-sponsored Learning Manage System will, from time to time, have problems, students need to accept responsibility for their own actions, actions that might be conveniently blamed on an impersonal component of technology.

It is a violation of the academic honesty and intellectual integrity policies of SBVC to log in to someone else's account and pretend to be that person.

heating includes giving information, materials, or work to another person in or

it learned of the possibility that one student admitted to Georgetown may have engaged in inappropriate transfer of online credits.

State Issued Driver’s License, State Identification Card, Military Identification Card, Passport/Visa, Permanent Residence Card

Method: Instructors use check-ins and/or office hours to discuss content, previous assignments, and progress on existing assignments.   Process: Instructors ask for identification and/or confirm student identity via official UConn photo in StudentAdmin.

Instructors should check student identity by verifying IDs in a one-on-one online meeting prior to the presentation.

Federal Regulation §602.17: Application of Standards in Reaching Accreditation Decisions requires that all public universities have processes in place through which the institution establishes that a student who registers in any course offered via distance education or correspondence is the same student who academically engages in the course or program; and makes clear in writing that institutions must use processes that protect student privacy and notify students of any projected additional student charges associated with the verification of student identity at the time of registration or enrollment. Please see the Electronic Code Federal Regulations for more information.

The ethical standards outlined above apply throughout the academic community.  These guidelines apply to faculty and research assistants in their possible use of students’ and colleagues’ research and ideas, as well as to students’ use either of source materials and authorities or of other students’ ideas and work.

others result from sloppy scholarship or failure to follow proper format for crediting sources.  For example:

Plagiarism is taking credit for someone else’s ideas, work, or words.

All academic relationships ought to be governed by a sense of honor, fair play, trust, and a readiness to give appropriate credit to the intellectual endeavors of others where such credit is due. Since the academic community expects that the process of intellectual and creative endeavor is beneficial to a student, the student's original work, created in response to each assignment, is normally expected. The following rules and guidelines are intended not to replace an atmosphere of trust and cooperation in the pursuit of knowledge, but rather to assure due process and to provide guidelines for action in those instances where the proper relationships and attitudes have broken down.

If plagiarism is suspected, students might be asked to defend or verify their work as their own in one of the following ways: Present notes, drafts, or works cited Produce an on-demand work sample Present an oral defense of work in question

malpractice outlined by the IB Organization as behavior that results in, or may result in, the candidate or any other candidate gaining an unfair advantage in one or more assessment components. The following definitions are helpful in understanding our complete definition of malpractice: Plagiarism is taking credit for someone else’s words, work or ideas without giving them credit. Collusion is letting someone copy from you or letting someone turn in your work as theirs. Duplication of work is turning in the same assignment for two or more classes. Misconduct during an assessment is copying someone’s answers, letting someone copy your work, looking up answers, bringing answers into the test room, or using tools/material that the teacher has not approved. Confidentiality is not sharing assessment content, question, or answers with students who have not yet taken the assessment.

The author made an observation that it is possible to draw a link between plagiarism and the concept of "loyalty" (based on Sykes and Matza 1957) that can be exploited to explain students’ attitudes and improper academic practices. The author believes that the interviewed students commit plagiarism not because of their unethical or immoral intentions, but rather due to specific hierarchy of values that they follow.

t is the student’s responsibility to provide for supervision of his/her children while they are on campus for class, in a virtual class,

Disruptive behavior in the physical classroom or the virtual classroom is not permitted. Students will receive a warning and may be asked to leave the classroom if necessary.

Cheating, plagiarism Conduct that jeopardizes health and safety Tardiness Profanity Pornography Children or pets in class Private conversations or inappropriate displays of affection Uncooperativeness Continually leaving one’s seat Eating and drinking Reading unrelated materials Use of all unauthorized electronic devices, such as walkmans, phones, beepers, pagers, ipods, and music players. Soliciting of funds and/or signatures

Disruptive behavior includes behavior that interferes with the legitimate instructional, administrative, or service functions of the college.  However, should any behavior threaten the personal safety of any student, faculty member, staff, or administrator, or be displayed with such emotional intensity that it causes fear or concern in others, at that point such behavior is classified as a CRISIS and will necessitate a call to Campus Safety (925) 424-1699.

If online class, faculty can moderate and/or temporarily disable LMS functions to prevent the student from further activity until a resolution is determined.

Talking when the instructor or others are speaking

The following behaviours do not constitute bullying.(a) A single incident of unreasonable behaviour. However, single or one-offincidents of unreasonable conduct can also cause a risk to health and safetyand may breach other University policies and should not be ignored.(b) Reasonable management practices.(c) Low-level conflict as defined in subclause 8(3).(2) Reasonable management practices include (but are not limited to):(a) a direction to carry out reasonable duties and instructions;(b) a direction to comply with University rules, protocols, policies andprocedures;(c) setting reasonable goals, standards and deadlines;

The public’s attitudes diverge in similarways on some of the more severe behaviors in the scenario. Most prominently, 85% of Americansthink that Julie experiences online harassment when she begins to receive vulgar messages abouther looks and sexual behavior. But substantially fewer (although still a majority at 66%) think thatthe social media platform has an obligation to step in and address that behavior.

The public has a higher threshold for behaviors thatconstitute “online harassment” than for behaviors that necessitate a responsefrom social media platforms

Again,majorities agree that the platforms should step in to address behaviors such as threateningmessages.

ave found that online harassment is a common phenomenon in thedigital lives of many Americans, and that a majority of Americans feel harassment online is amajor problem.

Project Teams serve several purposes:

the program provides a combination of traditional instruction and the enhancement of nontraditional instruction and learning that takes place within a Project Team.

The classrooms, student center, and project team locations are places to learn, to socialize and to grow. Each person must be recognized to have certain rights which do not conflict with the Community Expectations nor infringe upon the rights of others in the spirit of the University motto “to served, and not be served.”  These rights include the following: The right to study without distraction. The right to personal privacy. The right to study in a clean environment. The right to be treated with respect and dignity. The right to hold different values. The right to redress grievances. The right to serve the community.

Academic Misconduct/Honor Code violations are related to a student’s class work, the appropriate response is vested in the professor.

All communication between students and other students, or between students and faculty, must be conducted in a manner that is respectful, using language that is professional.

Degrees of Disciplinary Sanctions:

The use of mobile devices (cellphones, beepers, tablets and other smart devices) in the classroom is determined by the faculty member’s mobile device use guidelines for that class. Adhere to the expectations communicated by the faculty member for that course.

. Computer and Network Abuse

any act that constitutes violent behavior and any other behavior that adversely affects the College or its educational programs or mission.  Attempts to commit acts prohibited by the Code may also be addressed through the conduct process. All members of the College community, students, faculty and staff, have the responsibility to report nonacademic misconduct.

If a disruptive student refuses to leave when told, the faculty member will contact SCF Public Safety to remove the student.

Permanent Removal of Disruptive Student

Violation of Student Code of Conduct ReportStudent's Name: _______________________________________________________________Student Identification Number: __________________________Instructor’s Name: ________________________________ Office Phone #: ________________Instructor’s E-mail Address: ______________________________________________________Course Title: _________________________________________________________________Course Number: _________________________ Section Number: ________Description of Incident (use additional pages if necessary)__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Describe the instructions that were given to the student:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Was the student asked to leave the class? Yes _____ No_____N/A_________Did the student leave voluntarily? Yes _____ No _____Were the police contacted? Yes ____ No ____If yes, officer’s name: _____________________ Officer’s Department: ____________________Action taken by Police (list report number and whether arrest occurred):______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Faculty Member’s Signature_____________________________________Date: ____________Submit copy of form electronically to: student, department chair, and to Student Judicial Programs (who will sharewith Student Development Office) at tp-sheridan@wiu.edu or via fax to 309-298-1203

Non-threatening Disruptive Students

Eighty-nine percent of BA students reported LMS use for "most" or "all" courses.

They constitute a digital learning architecture encompassing a confederation of learning applications, tools, and resources woven together by means of open standards that can be harnessed by higher education institutions for their own digital learning environment needs.8 NGDLEs include personalization; interoperability; collaboration; accessibility and universal design; and analytics, advising, and learning assessment. NGDLEs may or may not include an LMS as a component, and the LMS may be used solely as a supplement to these open-standard digital applications, tools, and resources

So students who prefer face-to-face (based on past experiences) may still find functional aspects of the LMS useful and important to their courses, and they may not identify some of the LMS's limitations in a primarily face-to-face learning environment. Even face-to-face courses still rely on the LMS for distributing resources or as a means for communication, and students may be quite satisfied with the conveniences offered by the LMS in a face-to-face course. For example, in 2017 a majority of students reported higher satisfaction levels with functional aspects of the LMS—such as submitting assignments, accessing course content, or checking on their progress—than with the tasks that require more engagement, such as discussion boards.

Sixty-nine percent of students who reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their institution's LMS also said they prefer completely or mostly face-to-face classes. This may reflect a desire for using the operational features of the LMS, along with a desire for in-class time with instructors, which students told us they wanted in their 2017 open-ended responses.

BA private students reported the highest use of the LMS across all institutions,

Three-quarters of all students reported being either satisfied or very satisfied with their institution's LMS, and more than three-quarters of students said their LMS was used for most or all of their courses (see figure 4).

the LMS is similar to basic utilities on higher education campuses, such as plumbing or electricity—functional, ubiquitous, with high levels of use and satisfaction for its most basic operations.

Link to academic resources, as appropriate (such as Office of Disability Services, Learnin

The content needs to be grounded instated course learning goals and be organized into content segments/modules.a. Structure the course to support the learning goals.b. Arrange the course content in a linear, logical structure, and organize the content intomanageable segments/modules.c. Use consistent organizational structure, color scheme, and textual components throughoutthe course to help students navigate the course.d. Provide course materials (graphics, media, documents, etc.) in accessible formats (ADACompliance for Online Course Design).

ate overall course learning goals clearly and measurably

You may be thinking that these suggestions seem like they are geared toward online or blended learning, but they are not (although it’s true that the strategies can cross modalities). Students are used to having access to information 24/7 and the lines between online, blended, and in-person learning are blurring a bit. Although you might not be delivering instruction online, students like to have online access to their course materials, assignments, grades, etc.

Offer peer review opportunities where faculty can share LMS courses with colleagues and receive valuable feedback.

Help faculty simplify course organization with customizable templates. We have a 16-week editable template that is available to our faculty, but we offer faculty and departments the opportunity to collaborate and develop templates tailored to their specific needs. Checklists for each recommendation ensure that the LMS course is user-friendly.

Sample course: Provide access to a sample course that faculty can review and adapt to their needs.

Clarity is key: Provide crystal-clear instructions for assignments and grading criteria. Avoid confusing instructions. For example, students expressed frustration with assignment details being posted in the LMS but professors requesting submissions via email. Stay in the loop: Communicate with students by offering due dates, announcements, and calendar reminders. Timely and clear feedback on grades on the LMS empower students to track their progress effectively.

Post everything: Make sure all relevant course materials, such as the syllabus, grading scales, study guides, lecture slides, assignment instructions, and rubrics, are readily available on the LMS.

Structuring course materials in a clear and consistent manner is paramount. Use folders and course menus to group related materials, ensuring that everything is easily accessible. For example, some of our instructors have folders for each week with readings and assignments, while others choose to organize by chapters or units.

For completing tasks such as reading instructions, submit-ting an assignment, and posting to the discussion board,a chronological layout was more efficient. Figures 7 and 8are an example of individual participant’s gaze plot for eachgroup while completing the second task of reading the assign-ment instructions. The visualizations show that when giventhe instruction to complete a task by week or module, thechronological layout was more compelling at guiding partici-pant’s visual attention to the weekly modules on the naviga-tion menu. Not to mention, those in the Chronological groupcommitted fewer mistakes than participants in the Functionalgroup for all instructional activities, with the exception oflocating grades.What was les

Functional group completed the prescribed tasks fasterthan the participants in the Chronological group. In particu-lar, the completion time was faster in the Functional group forstudents to locate the syllabus, look up their grades, and findthe help link. With the precise name of the link to the coursesyllabus directly at the top of the main navigation area, it wasextremely easy for participants to find correctly without delay.Similarly, looking up grades and finding the help link wasstraight-forward in the functional layout.

Some participants alsocommented on the lack of organization with the menu items orhaving extra menu items that were not used in the course, whichled to confusion.

One participant in particularsaid, “My favorite aspect of Blackboard is the accessibility of thegrades and find course documents–when professors followa standard layout.”

Chronological group (M= 4.51, SD = .43) reported a higherease of use overall than participants in the Functional group

shown in Table 5. Overall, participants in theChronological group were more successful at finding thelocation for completing the prescribed instructional activities,than those in the Functional grou

As shown in Figure 3, participants reportedthat submitting assignments and checking their grades werethe most common activities, followed by reviewing classannouncements and completing quizzes or tests

The overarching motivation behind this line of research isan interest in developing course sites that are potentially moreintuitive to navigate for students, which could potentiallyenhance student learning experiences through the reductionof extraneous cognitive load (Sweller, 2016).

usability looks at how easy the interface is to use andconsists of five quality components: learnability, efficiency, mem-orability, errors, and satisfaction

One area that is typically not discussed in faculty training ishow to design a course in the LMS. Without sufficient training,courses tend to suffer from a lack of attention to design (R.Oliver, 1999) and design plays a key role in how learnersinteract with the LMS

Colleges and universitiesCONTACT Quincy Conley quincyconley@gmail.com Organizational Performance & Workplace Learning, College of Engineering, Boise State University, 1910University Dr., Mail Stop: 2070, Boise, ID 85725, USA.Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/hihc.INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMAN–COMPUTER INTERACTIONhttps://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2019.1644841© 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC have predominantly implemented LMSs for delivery ofinstruction in their classes, whether the courses are face-to-face, at a distance or a combination of the two approaches.

such, it is reasonable to infer that if a student cannot interactwith the LMS or find the content required, then the student’ssatisfaction would decrease (Green, Inan, & Denton, 2012;Inversini, Botturi, & Triacca, 2006) or performance wouldbe hindered (Wang, 2010). Thus, faculty learning how todesign an intuitive user interface in an LMS is necessary inorder to ease the interaction between the learner and thecontent

A major implication of the lack of effective training is thatstudents are often left to struggle through disjointed, flawedlearning experiences while using LMSs during a class.

widely established in the literature that almost all highereducation institutions across the globe have moved to usinga Learning Management System (LMS) for facilitating courses

Students in the Functional group completed a set of typical instructional activities slightly faster overall than participants in the Chronological group. However, students in the Chronological group reported a higher ease of use and needed less help completing the activities.

The lines between the design of content and the design ofthe functionality in future learning systems is becomingmore blurred. With ambitions of providing adaptive andcustom-designed learning experiences, even in face-to-facesettings, more and more instructional activities are delivereddigitally. It seems timely for the fields of education and userexperience (UX) to be integrated for the benefit of studentsacross all levels in all disciplines.

the ideal course layout is a balance of both functional andchronological elements. The findings directly apply to instruc-tors at universities and colleges who teach using an LMS, byway of possibly helping instructors design their course sites inan informed, intuitive way for students.

Using a combination of small-group and whole-classdiscussion boards as work and reflection spaces is aneffective means of avoiding the ineffective line up andanswer model of asynchronous discussion and is an effectivemeans of employing active learning pedagogy

Using the discussion board as a gallery for meaningfulvisuals heightens the engagement of the space. Instead ofmoving between textual readings and textual commentaryon questions, students must engage with images and thinkmore creatively and authentically about the topics at hand

As in traditional classroom presentations, there can alsobe requirements for other students to view, respond, andask questions of the presenter. A typical setup mightinclude a requirement that the presenting student postthe presentation on the weekend, that the class view thepresentation during the first half of the week, and post acomment or question by Wednesday. The presenter studentwould then need to return later in the week to respond tocomments and questions.

This kind of post can also be usedfor students to introduce themselves to each other at thebeginning of the term. Having students review and analyzetheir own video recordings is an effective means of fosteringreflection.

as VoiceThread(https://voicethread.com/), FlipGrid (http://info.flipgrid.com/)and YouSeeU (http://www.youseeu.com/).

several examples of discussion board activitiesthat successfully adopt an active learning pedagogy.

The assessment should notbe based on the correctness of each response, but rather oneffort, engagement, and participation, which admittedly aremore difficult to assess. The value is the conversation as awhole, not the individual posts.

When designing a discussion board activity, it isimportant to remember that discussions are not exams andthe correctness of each person’s response is not the point.The point of discussion should be conversation, analysis,debate, illustration, application, synthesis, and reflection.

“line up and answer” model is an instructor-centered mode

At least partially at fault is ineffectivequestion design. One of the most common question formatsfor online asynchronous discussions is for instructors to posea question or brief list of questions, and then to ask studentsto first reply to the question(s) provided and then to returnlater to reply to the responses of two peers.

One of the most promising tools foractive learning in the asynchronous online course is thediscussion board. A well-designed and well-facilitateddiscussion board can be a rich space for active learning

Department of Education offers a detailed overviewof FERPA

A few cautionsinstructors would be wise to keep in mind

One engaging example is Fakebook(http://www.classtools.net/FB/home-page), an educationalslant on the popular social media platform Facebook. Forexample, in a course where students are studying varioustheories, students might be asked to create Fakebookpages for specific theorists. Students would meaningfullyinteract by constructing the social identity of the theorist,including a representative image

As with portfolios, brainstorming tools requirechoice and agency of students and are typically intrinsicallymotivating.

Portfolio assignments alsolend themselves well to what Grossman (2009) has coinedself-authorship or transformative reflection levels. Grossmandefines self-authorship as when reflection allows “innerstates [to] become observed objects rather than livedsubjects” (p. 19). With self-authorship, students gain enoughdistance from initial thoughts and feelings to understandhow thoughts and feelings can affect and change eachother. Grossman also describes a form of “transformative”reflection in which students experience a substantial shiftin their own assumptions, beliefs, and values.

By asking students to clearlypresent evidence and make inferences, reflection can be builtdirectly into portfolio-based assignments.

Portfolio assignments are excellent vehicles for activelearning. The ability to select and create content allows plentyof room for student agency and fosters intrinsic motivation.

In the absence of scheduled synchronousmeeting times when students know they can ask a questionand get an immediate answer, providing the instructor’s planfor engagement sets and manages student expectations

It should include severalbasic pieces of information:• A time frame for replies to email communicationsand questions posted on discussion forums, withencouragement to ask questions in advance ofassignment due dates• A time frame for providing feedback on assignments• Commentary on how the instructor plans to participatein online asynchronous discussions (e.g., I do readevery post, but will not reply to every post so as not todominate the conversation; I will post a summary ofdiscussion highlights at the conclusion of each unit.)• Commentary on other ways the instructor plans to remainactively involved throughout the course and how urgentor timely information will be communicated (e.g., viaannouncement or email)

Students need space and structure thatwill invite them to engage actively

hat an architecture of engagement has beenintentionally created for the course and that the use ofactive learning strategies is intended to assure a highquality, transformative educational experience equivalent orgreater to face-to-face learning experiences,

How often do students need to log in to participate?• How much time should they set aside weekly to spend oncoursework?• Is the course entirely asynchronous, or are theresynchronous activities? If there are synchronousactivities, are they optional or required?• Which tools in the learning management system (LMS)will be used?• Where should students look for updates and breakingnews about the course (e.g., announcements, emailmessages, discussion forums)?• How is the course structured (e.g., by week or module, byproject milestone)?• What does a typical week’s or unit’s work entail in thecourse?• Are any external tools or digital courseware required? Ifso, how should students register?• What are the major assessments in the course, andwhen during the semester do they take place? If thereare papers or long-term projects, what are the majormilestones?• Where can students find important due dates?• If there are exams, are there proctoring requirements?• Are there any unusual requirements that require advancecoordination or travel, such as group work, field trips,observations, or interviews

the rubric also requires that certifiedcourses include an introduction for learners that explainsthe purpose and structure of the course, including “how thelearning process is structured and carried out, includingcourse schedule, delivery modalities (online or blended),modes of communication, types of learning activities, andhow learning will be assessed” (p. 8).

To be successful in this class, youwill need to log in at least three times per week to accesscourse materials and to participate actively in the class.

sample syllabus communication and engagementpolicy for an asynchronous online course, whichcommunicates an expectation for participation and thefoundation of a course architecture for engagement

face-to-face course syllabus does, butit must also set communication policies and expectationsfor online engagement as well as a course schedule thatoutlines the frequent and meaningful engagement andreflection required for students.

online asynchronous class, the instructor must showstudents how to navigate, how to interact, and what isexpected.

engaging face-to-face class experience is composedof the classroom space, the scheduled meeting times, theproximity of students to the instructor and one another, andthe social norms that motivate students to participate.

In asynchronousenvironments, students can re-watch recorded lecturesas many times as they need to in order to understand thecontent and can make use of closed captions or transcriptsto improve comprehension

Collison, Elbaum, Haavind, and Tinker (2000) notethat discussion boards, in particular, can “extend reflectiontime” and offer the “opportunity to compose thoughtful,probing contributions” (p. 2)

What makes this simple strategyeffective is that students must do more than listen passivelyto the lecture. They must pay attention, comprehend theinformation being presented, and then take action withthat information – in this case, talk about a question with apartner. One study (Ruhl, Hughes & Schloss, 1987) showedthat using a series of think-pair-share activities approximatelyevery 15 minutes during a live on-campus lecture helped toimprove comprehension and retention of ne

we suggest that well-established fundamentalsof online course design and facilitation still need to reachand be accepted by a broader audience within highereducation, and that lingering perceptions about qualitydifferences between face-to-face and online educationsignify a professional development gap—one that can bebridged with training about active learning pedagogy andmodels for active learning in online asynchronous classes

Perceptions ofquality deficiencies in online classes are sometimes based inassumptions that instructors are better able to engage withstudents, and to encourage more active learning, in face-to-face environments

active learning experiences generally have two additionalcomponents: they require (1) meaningful action by thestudent on behalf of their learning and (2) that meaningfulaction be paired with reflection by the student regardingtheir learning experience. Prince

Whereas traditional lecture/exam pedagogiesare teacher-centered, with the instructor as the focal point,active learning places the student at the center of thelearning experience

This paper suggests a three-pronged approach for conceptualizing activelearning in the online asynchronous class: the creation of an architecture of engagement in theonline classroom, the use of web-based tools in addition to the learning management system, and are-imagining of discussion boards as interactive spaces.

“Today’s students are no longer the people our (U.S.) educational system was designed to teach” (Prensky, 2012, p. 68). Burkle and Cleveland-Innes (2013) agree that these students think and process material differently than any other generation. I believe it will be critical for higher education faculty to be trained in not only online teaching methods to promote presence, but also techniques to reach the increasingly tech-centric student population that is becoming the norm.

Instructor presence is required for social presence to occur, and social presence is necessary for cognitive presence (Akyol & Garrison, 2008; Garrison, et al., 2001; Shea & Bidjerano, 2009).  Furthermore, Shea & Bidjerano (2009) purport that “teaching presence predicts variance in cognitive presences directly” (p. 545). As an example, they found that when the instructor focused and participated in discussion, teaching presence correlated to higher cognitive presence.

The quadrants are cognitive presence indicators, illustrating the sequence of critical thinking: Triggering event – A question or problem; Exploration – The search for information to answer the question or solve the problem; Integration – Making sense of the knowledge found; and Resolution – Applying the idea for confirmation. Garrison et al. (2001) later refined the model and considered integration as a pivotal part of the inquiry process. They noted that it can be difficult to recognize, and must “be inferred from communication within the community of inquiry” (p. 10). In this phase, “teaching presence is essential in moving the process to more-advanced stages of critical thinking and cognitive development” (p. 10), because without it, students may remain comfortable in the exploration phase, and not move into integration or resolution.

Garrison et al. (2000) consider cognitive presence a “vital element in critical thinking a process and outcome that is frequently presented as the ostensible goal of all higher education”

One of the advantages for the instructor in an online environment is that there is a “concrete interactive trail” (Lamb & Callison, 2005, p. 30), leaving the instructor with a tool for analyzing the paths of cognitive presence throughout the course and among students. Several studies showed that students with high social presence also had increased perceptions of quality learning as well as satisfaction with their instructors

the extent to which cognitive presence is created and sustained in a community of inquiry is partly dependent on how communication is restricted or encouraged” (Garrison et al., 2000, p.93). Cognitive presence is also evident when students purposefully and collaboratively construct knowledge (Garrison, et al., 2001), resulting in deep meaning, retained knowledge, and critical thinking (Nagel & Kotzé, 2010).

Garrison et al. (2000) explain that cognitive presence “can best be understood in the context of a general model of critical thinking” (p. 98), and that “what to think…is domain-specific and context-dependent” (p.98).

Michael Graham Moore (1989), editor of the American Journal of Distance Education since 1987, identifies three distinct types of interaction: learner-to-content, learner-to-instructor, and learner-to-learner.  Learner-to-instructor interaction is described as encouraging interest and modeling, organizing information and assessing progress, maintaining individual contact with the learner, interacting frequently, and fostering the learner-to-learner interaction (Moore, 1989).  It is Moore’s (1989) contention that these connections are keys to effective distance learning.

The remaining five principles: using active learning techniques, giving prompt feedback, emphasizing time on task, communicating high expectations, and responding to diverse talents and ways of learning are consistent with the characteristics of the CoI presences.

second principle promotes peer collaboration to expand understanding

student-faculty contact in and out of classes is the most important factor in student motivation and involvement.  Faculty concern helps students get through rough times and keep on working.  Knowing a few faculty members well enhances students’ intellectual commitment and encourages them to think about their own values and future plans

Chickering and Gamson (1987) offered Seven Principles for Practice in Higher Education, which have come to be known as the dominant paradigm for developing standards of teaching and learning in higher education.

He believed their mission was to guide students to handle social influencers and to foster a continual construction of knowledge.

Despite frustration with the course I was taking for my academic program, I, and my fellow students, began to take charge and support one another as we approached the final weeks of the semester.  While some of us continued to flourish in this newfound community, others appeared lost.  The lack of feedback and direction from the instructor was frustrating with the final project deadline looming.

At its core, instructor presence means being there for your students.

If students know that the AI has some responsibility for determining their grades, that AI will have considerably more authority in the classroom or in any interactions with students.

Confront inappropriate language. If a student makes an inappropriate comment—racist, sexist, or otherwise offensive—letting it go without intervention can seem like a tacit endorsement of those views. And whether the slight is intentional or not, the impact is the same. Letting such comments pass unchallenged can seriously harm students' trust in you and their sense of belonging in the class and the university. Have some responses ready for how you are going to address such comments, including

If the conversation gets too heated or off-topic, you may want to reach some sort of closure to the immediate discussion and defer the conversation to another class period, for which everyone can prepare.

Avoid questions that seem like there is one right answer. In some cases, it works well to ask not for their own opinions, per se, but a sharing of what opinions they have heard about that topic; such an approach allows you to get the “lay of the land” without anyone feeling too exposed from the start.

Establish some discussion guidelines. Work with students to establish a set of guidelines for class discussion; their input is important here so the rules are part of the classroom community, not just rules you impose. Some possible guidelines include: Listen respectfully, without interruptingAllow everyone the opportunity to speakCriticize ideas, not individuals or groupsAvoid inflammatory language, including name-callingAsk questions when you don’t understand; don’t assume you know others’ thinking or motivationsConnect back to course concepts whenever possibleDon’t expect any individuals to speak on behalf of their gender, ethnic group, class, status, etc. (or the groups we perceive them to be a part of).

sk students to complete an assignment in advance that helps them understand and articulate their own views, as well as others they have heard. Such pre-discussion homework can help them reflect on those views, understand potential reasons behind them, and connect them to disciplinary content in the course. Such activities let them do some more logical thinking in advance, before any emotional barriers get thrown up during a heated discussion.