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Student Voices Support Quality Standards in Online Education

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This post was written in collaboration with Mary Ellen Dello Stritto, Director of Ecampus Research Unit.

Quality Matters standards are supported by extensive research on effective learning. Oregon State University’s own Ecampus Essentials build upon these standards, incorporating OSU-specific quality criteria for ongoing course development. But what do students themselves think about the elements that constitute a well-designed online course?

The Study

The Ecampus Research Unit took part in a national research study with Penn State and Boise State universities that sought student insight into what elements of design and course management contribute to quality in an online course. Data was collected from 6 universities across the US including Oregon State in Fall of 2024. Students who chose to participate completed a 73-item online survey that asked about course design elements from the updated version of the Quality Matters Rubric. Students responded to each question with the following scale: 0=Not important, 1=Important, 2=Very Important, 3=Essential.  A total of 124 students completed survey, including 15 OSU Ecampus students. The findings reveal a remarkable alignment between research-based best practices and student preferences, validating the approach taken in OSU’s Ecampus Essentials.

See the findings in data visualization form below, followed by a detailed description.

Data visualization of the findings. See detailed description after the image.

What Students Consider Most Important

Students clearly value practical, research-backed features that make online courses easier to navigate, more accessible, and more supportive of learning. The following items received the most ratings of “Essential” + “Very Important”:

QM Standards and Study FindingsRelated Ecampus Essentials
Accessibility and Usability (QM Standards 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6): Every OSU student rated course readability and accessible text as “Very Important” or “Essential” (100%). Nationally, this was also a top priority (96% and 91%, respectively). Accessibility of multimedia—like captions and user-friendly video/audio—was also highly rated (100% OSU, 90% nationally).Text in the course site is accessible. Images in the course are accessible (e.g., alt text or long description for images). The course design facilitates readability. All video content is accurately captioned.
Clear Navigation and Getting Started (QM Standards 1.1, 8.1): 93% of OSU students and 94% of the national sample rated easy navigation highly, while 89% of OSU students and 96% nationally said clear instructions for how to get started and where to find things were essential.  Course is structured into intuitive sections (weeks, units, etc.) with all materials for each section housed within that section (e.g., one page with that week’s learning materials rather than a long list of files in the module). Course is organized with student-centered navigation, and it is clear to students how to get started in the course.
Meaningful Feedback and Instructor Presence (QM Standards 3.5, 5.3): Students placed high importance on receiving detailed feedback that connects directly to course content (100% OSU, 94% nationally). The ability to ask questions of instructors was also essential (100% OSU, 96% nationally).  Assessments are sequenced in a way to give students an opportunity to build knowledge and learn from instructor feedback. The instructor’s plan for regular interaction with students in substantive ways during the course is clearly articulated. Information about student support specific to the course (e.g., links to the Writing Center in a writing course, information about TA open office hours, etc.) is provided.  
Clear Grading Criteria (QM Standards 3.2, 3.3): 93% of OSU students and the full sample found clear, detailed grading rules to be essential.  Specific and descriptive grading information for each assessment is provided (e.g., detailed grading criteria and/or rubrics).
Instructional Materials (QM Standard 4.1): All OSU students and 92% nationally rated high-quality materials that support learning outcomes as very important or essential.Instructional materials align with the course and weekly outcomes. A variety of instructional materials are used to appeal to many learning preferences (readings, audio, visual, multimedia, etc.). When pre-recorded lectures are utilized, content is brief and integrated into course learning activities, such as with interactive components, discussion questions, or quiz questions. Longer lectures should be shortened to less than 20 min. chunks.

What Students Consider Less Important

The study also revealed areas where students expressed less enthusiasm:

Study FindingsRelated Ecampus Essentials
Self-Introductions (QM Standard 1.9): Over half of OSU students (56%) and a third nationally (33%) rated opportunities to introduce themselves as “Not Important”.No specific EE
Peer Interaction (QM Standard 5.2): Students were lukewarm about peer-to-peer learning activities. Nearly half said that working in small groups is not important (47% OSU, 46% nationally). About a quarter didn’t value sharing ideas in public forums (27% OSU, 24% nationally) or having learning activities that encourage them to interact with other students (27% OSU, 23% nationally).  Three forms of interaction are present, in some form, in the course (student/content, student/instructor, student/student).
Technology Variety and Data Privacy Info (QM Standards 6.3, 6.4): Some students questioned the value of using a variety of tech tools (20% OSU, 23% nationally rated this as “Not Important”) or being given info about protecting personal data (20% OSU, 22% nationally).  Privacy policies for any tools used outside of Canvas are provided.

Student Comments

Here are a few comments from Ecampus students that illustrate their opinions on what makes a quality course:

  • “Accessible instructional staff who will speak to students in synchronous environments. Staff who will guide students toward the answer rather than either treating it like cheating to ask for help at all or simply giving out the answer.”
  • “A lack of communication/response from teachers and no sense of community” – was seen as a barrier.
  • “Mild reliance on e-book/publisher content, out-weighed by individual faculty created content that matches student deliverables. In particular, short video content guiding through the material in short, digestible amounts (not more than 20 minutes at a go).”
  • “When there aren’t a variety of materials, it makes it hard to successfully understand the materials. For example, I prefer there to be lectures or videos associated with readings so that I understand the material to the professor’s standards. When I only have reading materials, I can sometimes misinterpret the information.”
  • “Knock it off with the discussion boards, and the ‘reply to 2 other posts’ business. This is not how effective discourse takes place, nor is it how collaborative learning/learning community is built.”

Conclusion and Recommendations

The takeaways? This research shows that students recognize and value the same quality elements emphasized in OSU’s Ecampus Essentials:

  1. Student preferences align with research-based standards – Students consistently value accessibility, clear structure, meaningful feedback, and purposeful content.
  2. Universal design benefits everyone – Students’ strong preference for accessible, well-designed courses supports the universal design principles embedded in the Ecampus Essentials.

However, there is always room for improvement, and these data provide some hints. Many students don’t immediately see value in peer interactions and collaborative activities, even though extensive educational research shows these are among the most effective learning strategies. Collaborative learning is recognized as a High Impact Practice that significantly improves student outcomes and critical thinking. This disconnect suggests we need to design these experiences more thoughtfully to help students recognize their benefits. Here are some suggestions:

  • Frame introductions purposefully: Instead of generic “tell us about yourself” posts, connect introductions to course content (“Introduce yourself and share an experience related to the topic of this course”).
  • Design meaningful group work: Create projects that genuinely require collaboration and produce something students couldn’t create alone.
  • Show the connection: Explicitly explain how peer interactions help students learn and retain information better, and the value of teamwork for their future jobs.
  • Start small: Begin with low-stakes peer activities before moving to more complex collaborations.

Meet Agentic AI: Implications for Academic and Learning Integrity

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Over the past few years, Higher Education (HE) has been called to action in response to the rise of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) tools. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes more autonomous and capable, proactive steps are needed to preserve academic and learning integrity. This article will explore tangible strategies educators can apply to their unique program and course contexts. Only slight adjustments may be necessary to support learning processes and capture evidence of learning, as changes will build upon the excellent work that is already occurring.

Initially, the focus in HE was on understanding the potential impact these tools would have on teaching and learning. Awareness of GenAI capabilities, limitations, and risks has been acknowledged with great care. Today, the tools are now being tested, and educators are envisioning how to use them for various purposes (e.g., productivity, creativity). Integration of these tools has begun with the aim of supplementing and enhancing human learning. As we move forward, concerns with regard to academic and learning integrity become increasingly prominent.

Meet Agentic AI

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend the Quality Matters Quality in Action conference, where I attended the session Ensuring Academic Integrity and Quality Course Design in the Age of AI. The presenter Robert Gibson, Director of Instructional Design at WSU Tech, shared about an Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovation now available to the public (and our students)….meet Agentic AI!

Your new Agentic AI assistant no longer requires you to be an expert prompt engineer. These tools are designed to achieve specific and clear goals with minimal human supervision or oversight. Engagement in complex reasoning, decision making, problem solving, learning from new information, and adapting to environments can occur autonomously (Gibson, 2025; Schroeder, 2025; Marr, 2025). These new Agentic AIs can even work together to form what is known as an Orchestrated AI. Think of this as an AI team working collaboratively to accomplish complex tasks. Agentic AI has already demonstrated the capability to create and complete online courses. What does this mean for Higher Education?

Now more than ever, we need to come together to collectively reinforce academic and learning integrity in online and hybrid courses. Preserving the quality of our institutional products and credentials is essential. Equally important are the students who will apply their OSU-acquired knowledge and skills in the real world. The time to be proactive is now.

Where and how should I start?

A good starting point is to evaluate assessments that AI can complete. Running an assignment through a GenAI tool to see if it can complete the task, with relative accuracy, can produce helpful insights. Next, consider modifications to pedagogical approaches and assessment methods. The goal is to design assessments to produce and capture evidence that learning is taking place. This could include assessments that are process-oriented, focus on skill mastery, are personalized, incorporate visual demonstrations (e.g., video), and/or integrate real-time engagement (Gibson, 2025).

What might a reimagined activity look like?

For example, let us say an instructor uses case-based learning in their course, and small groups discuss real-world scenarios on a discussion board. This activity could be reimagined by having students meet virtually and record their discussion. During their real-time interaction, they examine a real-world scenario, identify associated evidence, present examples, and share their lived experiences. This would be similar to how students conduct group presentations currently. This approach could be enhanced by shifting the focus to the learning process, such as arriving at ideas and cultivating perspectives (i.e., learning, growth, development). This would be in lieu of having students find a right or wrong answer (Gibson, 2025). This approach encourages students to engage substantively, co-construct knowledge, and work together to demonstrate learning. After participating in the activity, each student could create an individual video presentation to synthesize their learning. A synthesis video could include discussing their initial perspectives (Where did I start? – prior knowledge activation), how those initial perspectives evolved (What was my cognitive process? – metacognition), what new knowledge is needed (gap analysis), and how my perspectives and knowledge change (learning reflection). This method reinforces academic and learning integrity by validating that students are learning and achieving outcomes (Bertram-Gallant, 2017).

Reflect! Take a moment to reflect on how you know that students are learning in your course(s). What evidence do you have?

While the potential for academic dishonesty cannot be entirely controlled, there should not be an assumption that students will use these tools in their coursework just because they are available. Take a moment to examine the Ecampus Research Unit’s research, “Student Perceptions of Generative AI Tools in Online Courses.” This research study explores online students’ perceptions, understanding, and use of GenAI tools. The study found that most students had not been using GenAI tools in their courses, but rather, they were primarily using GenAI tools within professional contexts. Students noted that they understood that using AI in their careers would be necessary. However, strong concerns were articulated around inaccuracies, biases, lack of reliability, propagation of misinformation, and that the use of the tools is not in alignment with their personal values and ethics. (Dello Stritto, M, Underhill, G. and Aguiar, N., 2024). 

How can academic and learning integrity be reinforced?

Educators can foster academic integrity in a way that drives students’ internal motivation, self-determination, and desire to demonstrate their learning because they value the work they are doing. A multifaceted developmental approach that fosters a culture of academic integrity using various strategies in concert with one another is key (Bertram-Gallant, 2025), as no single approach can serve as a definitive solution.

  • Integrity teaching – Taking on the role of an active guide during course delivery and meeting students where they are developmentally is essential. This may include teaching students how to engage in critical thinking around the use of AI tools, connect the value of academic and learning integrity to their future profession, how to make well-informed decisions, and how to leverage metacognitive strategies when engaging with AI.
  • Integrity messaging – This approach is one that can be most effective if holistically integrated into a course. The content communicates that integrity, values, and ethics are normative within the course and will be held at the forefront of the learning community. Staged and timed messaging can be most helpful when targeted at different points in a course and as the complexity of academic work increases.
  • Transformative real time experiential learning – Transformative experiential learning involves designing opportunities that generate new ideas for action, which can be applied to other experiences. These activities may include, but are not limited to, service learning, internships, hands-on collaborative activities (e.g., role play, point-counterpoint discussions), and demonstrations. By focusing on real-time engagement, this approach demonstrates learning and thereby reinforces academic and learning integrity.
  • Deep learning –  Learning opportunities focused on skill mastery and demonstration through staged attempts. This approach may necessitate a pedagogical shift focusing on development and growth (Bertram-Gallant, 2025).

Agentic AI brings exciting opportunities for the world but tangible challenges for HE. By intentionally designing assessments that lead students to demonstrate evidence of their learning and using facilitation strategies that foster a culture of academic integrity, we can harness the potential of AI to supplement learning. What is the end goal? To ensure that educational opportunities are designed to preserve and enhance learners’ critical skills and knowledge needed to thrive in their professional pursuits. Will you accept this challenge?

Ecampus Artificial Intelligence Tools Resource Inventory

  • Trying to decide when and how to incorporate AI into your work? Take a look at the AI Decision Tree!
  • Need a few quick, practical strategies to get started? These recommendations aim to improve learning for both teachers and students.
  • Are you ready to evaluate and enhance the resiliency (i.e., flexibility, adaptability) of your course within the context of AI? Check out the new The Course AI Resilience Tracker [CART] interactive tool. This interactive tool can help you reflect on various course elements and will share personalized resources to help you get started.
  • Review Bloom’s Taxonomy Revisited to explore how to emphasize distinctive human skills and/or integrate AI tools to supplement the learning process.
  • Explore our AI Assessment Examples Library for assessment ideas designed to incorporate AI tools and strategies in your course and/or create more human-centric assessments.

Sources

About the Author

Connect with Ashlee! Email | Linkedin

Ashlee M. C. Foster, MSEd, is a seasoned Instructional Designer with the Oregon State University Ecampus Course Development and Training Team. With a profound commitment to supporting faculty and students in online teaching and learning, Ashlee’s mission is to design high-quality and innovative educational opportunities that foster transformational learning, development, and growth. Ashlee’s learning design approaches are grounded in research-based insights, foundational learning theories, and the thoughtful integration of industry-led practices. This ensures that each educational experience is not only effective but also engaging and relevant.

Liminal Space: Belonging and UDL 3.0

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This is a guest post by Winter 2025 Ecampus Instructional Design Intern Terrence Scott.

Creating Online Learning Spaces Where Adult Learners Belong

Today’s college students are increasingly adults returning to education to pursue career shifts, personal growth, or new credentials. Yet, this return often brings discomfort. Adult learners find themselves in a liminal space, caught between who they were and who they are becoming as students. This “in-between” state is a psychological and social threshold where identity and belonging are in flux (Maksimović, 2023; Turner, 1969).

Liminal space is defined as “characterized by the questioning and reexamination of one’s identity, often as a result of transitional moments in an individual’s life such as separation, loss, and conflicts” (Maksimović, 2023). Rather than a moment, adult learners experience the entire educational journey—from enrollment to graduation—as a liminal space. Supporting learners through this journey requires intentional course design that centers on inclusion and belonging.

Online Learning as a Threshold

As Johnson (2022) and Maksimović (2023) describe, adult learners often navigate identity shifts as they move from familiar roles in work or family life into the unfamiliar space of studenthood. For some, prior negative school experiences further intensify feelings of isolation during this transition.

Adult learners in liminal space often struggle with:

  • Imposter Syndrome: “Am I really capable of doing this?”
  • Identity Conflict: “Am I a student now, or still just a working professional?”
  • Social Isolation: “Do I belong here, or am I too different from my classmates?”
  • Fear of Failure: “What if I don’t succeed and let myself or my family down?”

Without a strong sense of belonging, these feelings can lead to disengagement or dropout. But when courses are designed to recognize this liminal space, learners are more likely to persist and thrive (Mezirow, 1991).

The Role of Belonging in Adult Learning

Belonging is a powerful driver of student success, especially for those from nontraditional backgrounds. It’s not just about showing up—it’s about feeling seen, respected, and included. When learners experience psychological safety and validation, motivation and commitment grow (Strayhorn, 2019).

How Does Belonging Develop?

  1. Representation: Course content should reflect diverse identities and lived experiences.
  2. Identity Validation: Recognize the knowledge adult learners bring with them.
  3. Connection: Encourage interaction through group work, discussion forums, or mentorship.
  4. Flexibility: Design with life responsibilities in mind—multiple paths to participation and success.

These elements help learners cross the threshold from “outsider” to “insider,” evolving from questioning their role in higher education to fully embracing it.

UDL 3.0: Designing for Inclusion and Belonging

Universal Design for Learning offers a framework for inclusive online course design. The latest iteration, UDL 3.0, centers identity, belonging, and engagement more explicitly than ever (CAST, 2024). It urges instructors to create spaces where students feel welcomed and recognized, not just accommodated.

How UDL Supports Adult Learners in Liminal Spaces

  • Engagement: Make content relevant with real-world examples, reflection exercises, and collaborative activities.
  • Representation: Use varied media—text, video, podcasts, interactive tools—and include voices that reflect learners’ identities.
  • Action & Expression: Offer multiple ways to demonstrate understanding with flexible formats, low-stakes practice, and accommodations for life’s demands.

When courses reflect these principles, adult learners gain the confidence to move through uncertainty and emerge with a stronger academic identity.

Conclusion

Liminal spaces—the uncertain, transitional moments in adult learning—can be both challenging and transformative. While some learners struggle with identity shifts, imposter syndrome, or social isolation, institutions that prioritize belonging and inclusive design can help them navigate these transitions successfully.

Higher education can foster a sense of belonging and empowerment for adult learners by integrating UDL 3.0 principles into course design and student support services. Welcoming students, valuing their diverse experiences, and establishing supportive learning environments are essential to addressing students’ unique needs and ensuring their success.

References

  • CAST (2024). UDL Guidelines 3.0: Universal Design for Learning.
  • De Abreu, K. (2023, August 7). Extreme coming of age rituals. ExplorersWeb. Link
  • Johnson, K. (2022). Beginning, Becoming and Belonging: Using Liminal Spaces to Explore How Part-Time Adult Learners Negotiate Emergent Identities. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 24(2).
  • Maksimović, M. (2023). Insights from Liminality: Navigating the Space of Transition and Learning. Sisyphus–Journal of Education, 11(1).
  • Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning. Jossey-Bass.
  • Turner, V. (1969). The ritual process: Structure and anti-structure. Cornell University Press.
  • Strayhorn, T. L. (2019). College Students’ Sense of Belonging: A Key to Educational Success for All Students (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Welcoming Online Students

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One of my favorite design strategies is to make a small adjustment that delivers a big impact. When it comes to creating a welcoming online course, certain small adjustments can do just that and go a long way in warming up the online classroom. But first, let us look at why online courses ought to be welcoming and then what it means to be welcoming in the online space.

Why Welcoming Students Is Important

First, why is it important to design a welcoming course? According to the OSU Ecampus Online Teaching Principles, which are supported by research and endorsed by Quality Matters, it is recommended to “[m]ake facilitation choices that support diverse students and make each student feel welcomed and valued.” Additionally, specific review standard 1.8 from the Quality Matters Higher Education Rubric, 7th Edition, states that “The self-introduction by the instructor is welcoming and is available in the course site.” Furthermore, UDL 3.0 Guidelines were updated recently and include “Design Options for Welcoming Interests & Identities.” While all of those are evidence-based recommendations, I think it is safe to say that many faculty also have plenty of anecdotal evidence for the benefits to students when feeling welcome in a course. If one has been working in the higher education context for several years, it is easy to forget that many students struggle to feel that they belong in this context. Warm communication and greetings is one way to begin connecting with students who are skeptical that their experience matters or that their presence is valued. 

What Does It Mean To Be Welcoming?

Next, let’s look at what it means to be welcoming in the online classroom. If we get down to basics and turn to a dictionary definition, we see that Merriam-Webster has defined welcoming as “to greet hospitably and with courtesy and cordiality; to accept with pleasure the occurrence or presence of.” For the online modality then, we can ask ourselves some questions: Where in the course can facilitators greet students? When students inquire about office hours or email with a question, can their presence be warmly accepted? Next let’s look at actions that faculty or other course facilitators, such as graduate teaching assistants, can take to be welcoming.

 Creating a Welcoming Online Classroom

The following tips are just a few of the actions that can be taken to create a welcoming online classroom:

  • Greet each student in the introduction discussion. Replying to each student is one of those actions that is small but has a big impact. 
  • Many online students are older than the traditional college age, so they often have extensive work experience and life experiences to draw upon. Acknowledging this life experience can go a long way in welcoming students. 
  • Rename office hours to something like Coffee Chat, Afternoon Tea, or Q&A Hour. Here is an example to consider: Which description of office hours sounds more welcoming, Example 1 or Example 2? Example 1: “Office Hours are held by appointment. Please email to make an appointment.” Let’s compare that to Example 2: “Please join me for a Coffee Chat this term! Coffee Chats are held three times per term, as an open Zoom room for our class. If you can’t attend any of the scheduled Coffee Chats, please email me and schedule a time to meet. I want to get to know each of you. Furthermore, when I get to know students, I am better positioned to serve as a reference for educational or professional opportunities that come up in our field. I look forward to meeting with you!”
  • Consider how students are described in the course site. Alternative descriptions besides “students” could be fellow scholars, colleagues, participants, etc.
    • Consider these two different introduction discussion prompt designs, 1 and 2:
      • Design 1: “Students: Post an introduction that includes the following: Your major and why you are taking this course. Reply to two other students.”
      • Design 2 (designed to be more welcoming): “Welcome, fellow engineering scholars! Please introduce yourselves so that we may all begin to get to know each other. In your post, include 1) an educational or professional goal that you have connected to this course, 2) a time management tip that you have found helpful that you are willing to share with others, and 3) a photo or fun fact about yourself. Replies to other participants are optional but encouraged.”
  • Ecampus Online Teaching Principles, endorsed by Quality Matters, recommend “referring to each student by name with their chosen pronouns.” Sometimes students who use a shortened nickname will say so in their introductory post, but it is also nice to include instructions for students on how to change their display name in the course site. That way, facilitators of the course, including graduate teaching assistants, if applicable, do not have to refer back to the introduction post to remember what students prefer to be called.

Takeaway

Adding a welcoming tone to a course does not mean that the whole course needs to be redesigned. A few small adjustments here and there can make a difference.

Recommended Readings for Further Interest

Belonging, Fun and Scaffolding in Introductory College Math Course

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animations for MTH 112Z

MTH 112Z at Oregon State University is designed to prepare students for calculus and related disciplines. This course explores trigonometric functions and their applications as well as the language and measurement of angles, triangles, circles, and vectors. These topics are explored symbolically, numerically, and graphically in real-life applications. MTH 112Z is designated as a Common Course Numbering (CCN) in the state of Oregon, ending with “Z” in the course number. When transferring to an Oregon public college or university, “CCN courses will be accepted as if they were taken at the institution students transfer to (that is, the receiving institution)” (State of Oregon, 2023).

An instructor from the math department and Tianhong Shi from Ecampus collaborated in designing a brand-new version of MTH 112 to meet the new Core Ed requirements for Oregon State University and Z course requirement for the state of Oregon. At the beginning of this project, the design team identified major challenges of this course as follows:
1. Content challenges
2. Low motivation for some students to continue studying math at this level after initial frustration in this course.
3. Low interest in participation in class discussions.

The instructor and Tianhong met regularly to discuss the challenges, brainstorm strategies for solutions, and delineate a plan to implement practical solutions for MTH 112Z. The solutions that were implemented in the course include:

1. Creating a safe and inclusive learning environment that students will feel they belong here.
2. Creating short animated stories of how math operates in people’s real life, each video is about or less than 30 seconds long. The purpose of these animations is to build a bridge between math learning and real life and to motivate students to learn the topics of each unit.
3. Helping students to identify the steps in solving a math problem to scaffold learning and build learning success step by step.
4. Creating “Make Learning Fun” discussion topics: Research (Purinton and Burke, 2019; Tews, et.al., 2014) tells us that when students feel emotionally relaxed and happy, learning is more effective. Therefore, one “Make Learning Fun” discussion forum is created for each unit.

Building an Inclusive and Trusting Learning Community where Students Belong
College belonging is defined as “students’ perceived social support on campus, a feeling or sensation of connectedness, the experience of mattering or feeling cared about, accepted, respected, valued by, and important to the group”, according to Strayhorn (2018, p.4). The strategies used to build an inclusive and trusting learning community in MTH 112Z included the following:
1. In Start Here Module, the instructor made a video covering Artificial Intelligence (AI), academic integrity, honesty, and diversity, to explicitly explain the expectations for this course regarding academic integrity and why it is so.
2. Also in Start Here Module, the instructor built a “Name Tents 112Z” discussion board for students to introduce themselves, setting an example by introducing the instructor himself first.
3. There is a Diversity Forum where students can post comments that they would want the instructor to know about themselves to make learning more inclusive.

Making Content Relevant
In addressing the challenging content, the instructor identified concepts that would be better explained through a set of short animated videos, recorded the audio narratives, and the media team helped creating the short animations. For example, at the beginning of unit 4 is an animation about finding the length of a tall tree on campus. And here is the transcript of the video: “The Trees on the O S U campus, are wonderful . how tall are the cedar trees by the memorial union? if you measure the angle from the ground to the top of the tree and know the distance you’re standing away from the tree, you can compute it. Make a triangle and set up an equation to get the height. Which function would you use?” And here is the transcript of unit 5 animation video: “You can get swept away in a river. Oregon has many great rivers for boating. When you were kayaking, you need to account for how much the current will push you off course, this can be done with vector. One vector represents the river’s flow with direction and strength, another vector is the direction which you kayak. The results of these two added together is the direction you end up going. If you want to reach a certain point on the other side, where should you aim?” We can see from these two examples that they are relevant to student lives (trees and kayaking) and relevant to the topics of the units. And these animations tell short stories, hoping to motivate students for learning.

Scaffolding Toward Learning Success
Scaffolded learning activities provide students a supportive learning environment (Dennen, 2004). In each unit’s content discussion forum and homework assignment, students explore problem solving step by step and discuss with each other to help them build confidence and fluency in problem solving. By such a design, the design team hoped students would get the support they needed and would be able to easily identify where they did wrong and how to improve or correct based on the feedback they receive from the online homework system and from the instructor and Teaching Assistants.

Making Learning Fun
Emotional health is important for students’ learning success. Research suggests there is a significant positive relation between fun delivery of content and the forms of engagement (Tews, et al., 2014). Schwartz et al. (2016) also recommend building fun elements in learning for effective teaching and learning. So the design team strived to build elements of fun into the course. The short animations are meant for fun. In addition, each unit has a “Just For Fun” discussion forum to bring students’ attention to learning and promote motivation. Below are examples of these discussions:

Unit 1 Just for Fun: Please read through this survey and describe how you would answer the questions. (The survey was about having students imagine themselves navigating through the forest on foot and trying to find their way to their cabin.)

Unit 2 Just for Fun: What do you think of the animation?

Unit 3: Just for Fun: Please take a picture of something you can model with a sine function as you have been studying in this module. It could be a windmill if you live near a windmill, or an ocean if you live near an ocean. Make sure it is a picture that you have taken and then explain briefly what it is and how you would model its movement.

Unit 4 Just for Fun: Describe a time when you could feel the effect of the wind or water current as you were moving. For example, winters in Oregon are blustery and you can get blown around when you are biking.
Or you can describe a way that you would use vectors in your own life.

Unit 5 Just for Fun: This is it! you’re almost done–
What was a topic in the course that was interesting to you? or what was a topic that didn’t seem to be useful?

That is what we did to make introductory college math fun, inclusive and learnable. If you have ideas for math or STEM course design, feel free to share with us (Tianhong.shi@oregonstate.edu). The more, the better!

References
Dennen, V. P. (2004). Cognitive apprenticeship in educational practice: Research on scaffolding, modeling, mentoring, and coaching as instructional strategies. In D. H. Jonassen (Ed.), Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology (2nd ed.), (p. 815). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Hogan, K., and Pressley, M. (1997). Scaffolding student learning: Instructional approaches and issues.Cambridge, MA: Brookline Books.

Huck, C and Zhang, J., Efects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on K-12 Education: A Systemic Literature Review. Educational Research and Development Journal. Summer 2021, Vol. 24.

State of Oregon. (2023). The Oregon Transfer Compass. Retrieved at https://www.oregon.gov/highered/about/transfer/pages/transfer-compass.aspx


Purinton, E. and Burke, M. (2019). Student Engagement and Fun: Evidence from the Field. Business Education Innovation Journal, Volume 11 Number 2, P133-P140.


Schwartz, D. L., Tsang, J. M., & Blair, K. P. (2016). The ABCs of how we learn : 26 scientifically proven approaches, how they work, and when to use them (First edition.). W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.

Strayhorn, T. L. (2018). College students’ sense of belonging. Routledge. https://doi-org.oregonstate.idm.oclc.org/10.4324/9781315297293

Tews, M. J., Jackson, K., Ramsay, C., & Michel, J. W. (2014). Fun in the college classroom: Examining its nature and relationship with student engagement. College Teaching, 63(1), 16-26.

Debunking Myths: Memory, Attention, and Technology in Education

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In our hyper-connected world, it’s tempting to think that technology like Google, Generative Artificial Intelligence, and our smartphones have rendered memory obsolete. But is that really true?

I recently participated in a book club offered by Oregon State University’s Center for Teaching and Learning. The book we read, Remembering and Forgetting in the Age of Technology: Teaching, Learning, and the Science of Memory in a Wired World by Michelle D. Miller, challenges misconceptions about how technology affects our memory and attention and offers valuable insights for educators. Let’s explore some key takeaways.

Memory Still Matters

There has been a growing backlash against memorization in education, with critics claiming it’s outdated and harmful to creativity and critical thinking. But here’s the kicker: memory actually supports robust, transferable thinking skills. Memory and thinking aren’t enemies – they’re complementary partners in learning.

Despite the “Google it” mentality, memory remains crucial. It’s not just about recalling facts; it’s about building a foundation for critical thinking and creativity. For one thing, it’s impossible in certain situations to stop and look things up (think emergency room doctors or lawyers during a trial). But more than that, our own memorized knowledge in a discipline allows us to consider context and practice skills fluently.

We’re all familiar with Bloom’s taxonomy and its bottom level: “Remembering”. Michelle Miller recommends that, instead of viewing memory as the “lowest” level of thinking, consider it the foundation. Higher-order thinking skills interact with and reinforce memory, creating a two-way street of learning.

The Power of Testing

Contrary to popular belief, quizzes and tests aren’t the enemy. Research shows that retrieval practice actually strengthens long-term retention, supports complex skills, and can even reduce test anxiety. It’s not about memorizing for the test; it’s about reinforcing learning.

In addition, “pre-quizzing” – that is, giving a quiz before introducing the material (ungraded or graded for participation only) – has been shown to help activate prior knowledge, integrate new information into existing schemas, and identify gaps or misconceptions that instructors can address.

Attention Spans: Not What You Think

The idea that “attention spans are shrinking” isn’t backed by solid science. In fact, in attention research there’s no such thing as “attention span”! And that “Students can only pay attention for 10 minutes at a time” idea? It’s based on outdated, poorly designed studies.

What about the idea that technology worsens our attention? There is no strong evidence that technology is affecting our ability to pay attention. While people often report this phenomenon (about themselves or others), a more likely explanation seems to be our decreased tolerance for boredom rather than our actual ability. However, smartphones can indeed be very distracting, and they can also affect memory negatively through the “I can Google it” effect – the expectation that information will be available online anytime can reduce our memory encoding.

Handwriting vs. Typing: It’s Complicated

The debate over handwritten versus typed notes isn’t as clear-cut as you might think. What matters most is your note-taking strategy. The best notes, regardless of medium, involve synthesizing ideas rather than transcribing verbatim.

Enhancing Memory in the Classroom

The good news is that there are many things an educator can do to help students remember essential content. Here are some strategies:

  1. Create meaning and structure: When we process information deeply and evaluate it for meaning we remember it better than when we perform shallow processing. Organizational schemes like narrative structures help information stick, and active learning techniques such as project-based learning ensure a deeper level of engagement with the content.
  2. Connect to prior knowledge: Ask questions to elicit information, draw explicit connections with previous material, and use pre-quizzing to help students see the gaps and stimulate curiosity.
  3. Embrace visualization: We’re visual creatures – use this to engage your audience. Create and ask students to create mind-maps, infographics, or other visual representations.
  4. Engage emotions: Both positive and negative emotions can enhance memory, but aim for a supportive atmosphere, which has been shown to improve learning outcomes. The emotion of surprise is a powerful memory enhancer.
  5. Connect to goals: Show how information is relevant to students’ immediate objectives.
  6. Use the self-reference effect: Relating information to oneself boosts memory. Ask students to bring their own experience or interests into the learning process through personalized assignments.
  7. Implement retrieval practice: Regular quizzing with immediate feedback can significantly boost retention.
  8. Space it out: Distribute practice over time instead of cramming.

Conclusion

In this age of information overload, understanding how memory works is more crucial than ever. By debunking myths and implementing evidence-based strategies, we can help students navigate the digital landscape while building strong, adaptable minds. I’ve only touched on a few points, but this book is chock-full of interesting information that’s useful not just for educators but for everyone!

What myths about memory and technology have you encountered in your teaching? How might you incorporate these insights into your classroom? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

References

Miller, M. D. (2022). Remembering and forgetting in the age of technology: teaching, learning, and the science of memory in a wired world (1st ed.). West Virginia University Press.

Enhancing Course Quality

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This layered paper art depicts the Heceta Head Lighthouse amid colorful hills, a flowing river, and tall green trees. Whimsical clouds and birds add depth, creating a vibrant and detailed handcrafted scene.

I’d like to share a recent experience highlighting the crucial role of collecting and using feedback to enhance our online course materials. As faculty course developers and instructional designers, we understand the importance of well-designed courses. However, even minor errors can diminish the quality of an otherwise outstanding online course.

This layered paper art depicts the Heceta Head Lighthouse amid colorful hills, a flowing river, and tall green trees. Whimsical clouds and birds add depth, creating a vibrant and detailed handcrafted scene.
A lighthouse on the Oregon coast, where student feedback and technological tools act as the guiding light. Image generated with Midjourney.

A Student’s Perspective

Recently, feedback was forwarded to me submitted by an online student enrolled in a course I had helped develop.

He praised the overall design of the courses and the instructors’ responsiveness, but he pointed out some typographic and grammatical errors that caused confusion. He mentioned issues like quiz answers not matching the questions and contradictory examples.

What stood out to me was his statement:

“These courses are well-designed and enjoyable. Their instructors are great. They deserve written material to match.”

Proactive Steps for Quality Improvement

This feedback got me thinking about how we can proactively address such concerns and ensure our course materials meet the high standards our students deserve. Here are a few ideas that might help:

Implement a Feedback Mechanism

Incentivize students to hunt for flaws. Reward sharp eyes for spotting typos and grammar slips. Bonus points could spark enthusiasm, turning proofreading into a game of linguistic detective work. For example:

  • Weekly Surveys: Add a question to the weekly surveys asking students to report any errors they encounter, specifying the location (e.g., page number, section, or assignment).
    • “Did you encounter any typographic or grammatical errors in the course materials this week? If so, please describe them here, including the specific location (e.g., page number, section, or assignment).”
  • Assignment Feedback: Include a text-field option for students to report errors alongside their file uploads in each assignment submission.

Utilize Technology Tools

Consider using technology tools to streamline the review process and help identify typographic, grammatical, or factual errors.

AI tools

The latest advanced AI tools can assist in identifying grammatical errors, suggesting more precise phrasing, and improving overall readability. They can also highlight potential inconsistencies or areas needing clarification, ensuring the materials are more accessible to students. They can also help format documents consistently, create summary points for complex topics, and even generate quiz questions based on the content.

(Oregon State University employees and currently enrolled students have access to the Data Protected version of Copilot. By logging in with their OSU credentials, users can use Copilot with commercial data protection, ensuring their conversations are secure and that Microsoft cannot access any customer data.)

Many powerful AI tools exist. But always verify their information for accuracy. Use them as a helper, not your only guide. AI tools complement human judgment but can’t replace it. Your oversight is essential. It ensures that AI-suggested changes align with the learning goals. It also preserves your voice and expertise.

Tools for content help

Some tools can be used to target different areas of content improvement:

  • Grammar and Style Checkers:
  • Fact-Checking Tools:
    • Google Scholar: This can be used to verify academic sources and find citations and references.
    • Snopes.com: Checks common misconceptions and urban legends
    • FactCheck.org: Verifies political claims and statements
  • Language Translation Tools:
    • Google Translate: Offers quick translations for various languages
    • DeepL: Provides accurate translations for multi-language content
  • Text-to-Speech and Proofreading:
  • Collaborative Editing Platforms:
    • Google Docs: Allows real-time collaboration and suggesting mode
    • Microsoft Word (with Track Changes): Enables collaborative editing

Request Targeted Assistance

If specific content requires a closer review, ask for help from other SMEs, your instructional designer, colleagues, or even students. Collaboration can provide fresh perspectives and help catch errors that might have been overlooked.

Encourage Open Communication

Foster an environment where students feel comfortable reporting errors and providing feedback. Make it clear that their input is valued and will be used to improve the course.

Embrace Constructive Criticism

It’s natural to feel defensive when receiving critical feedback (I always do!), but view it as an opportunity for potential improvement. By addressing these concerns, you can enhance the quality of your course materials and ultimately improve our students’ learning experience.

Reducing ‘Distancing’ in Distance Learning: Insights from Student Feedback in Online Education

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In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, online, distance learning has emerged as a dynamic and accessible platform for students worldwide. However, with this shift to asynchronous online classrooms we must prioritize inclusivity and engagement in our educational strategies. Recognizing this need, Ecampus embarked on a journey to understand inclusive course design and teaching practices through the eyes of the learners.

Survey Summary 

In 2021, Ecampus implemented an Inclusive Excellence Strategic Plan. One goal of this plan focused on enhancing inclusive teaching and learning in online courses. As part of this initiative, a pilot study was conducted during the academic year 2022-2023, to develop a mechanism for students to provide feedback on their learning experiences. The study employed a series of weekly surveys, designed to elicit responses regarding moments of engagement and distancing within online courses.

Administered across five Ecampus courses, the pilot study garnered responses from 163 enrolled students. The findings provide invaluable insights into the nuances of online learning design and offer actionable recommendations for educators seeking to cultivate inclusive excellence in their own asynchronous, online classrooms. The questions were as follows:

  1. At what moment (point) in class this week were you most engaged as a learner?
  2. At what moment (point) in class this week were you most distanced as a learner?
  3. What else about your experience as a learner this week would you like to share?

These questions were carefully crafted to elicit responses related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). By using the verbs “engaged” and “distanced,” students were prompted to reflect on moments of connection and disconnection within their learning environments. The open-ended nature of the questions allowed students to provide contextual feedback, offering valuable insights beyond the scope of predefined categories.

The results of the survey provide a multifaceted understanding of students’ experiences in online courses. Across all five courses, certain patterns emerged regarding elements that students found most engaging and most distancing. These insights served as a springboard for the development of actionable recommendations aimed at enhancing course design and fostering inclusive learning environments.

Alignment

One crucial area highlighted by the survey results was the importance of alignment. Students noticed when their courses had assessments that were aligned with course content, and they noticed when this alignment was missing. Ensuring that learning objectives are represented in instructional materials, practice activities, assessments, and evaluation criteria is key. For more on this, please see “Alignment” by Karen Watté from 2017.

Learning Materials

Another prominent theme in the survey responses was the overwhelming nature of long, uncurated lists of readings and learning materials, which tended to alienate learners. To address this, providing a reading guide or highlighting key points can alleviate feelings of overwhelm. Optimizing content presentation and learning activities emerged as a key factor in promoting engagement and inclusivity. 

Incorporating interactive elements such as knowledge checks and practice activities within or between short lectures keeps students actively engaged and reinforces learning objectives. By utilizing multiple modes of content delivery–videos, lectures, and readings–educators can cater to diverse learning styles and preferences. Providing study guides is also noted as an effective strategy for enhancing comprehension and engagement with learning materials. 

Community & Connection

Supporting student-to-student interaction is pivotal in fostering a sense of community and participation (Akyol & Garrison, 2008). Many learners noted that they enjoyed engaging in small group discussions, in fact 50% of students in one course noted that the week 1 introductory discussion was the point they felt most engaged. Additionally, students across the courses were excited to view and respond to the creative work of their peers. Community-building course elements like these foster a sense of community and collaboration within the virtual classroom. 

While some students had mixed feelings about peer review activities–voicing concerns about feeling unqualified to judge their peer’s work–distinct guidelines and rubrics can empower learners to develop critical thinking, increase ownership, and enhance their communication skills. Thus, thoughtfully crafted peer review processes can also help to enhance the educational experience.

Authentic Activities

Incorporating authentic or experiential learning activities was also highlighted in student responses as a means of connecting course content to real-world scenarios. By integrating professional case studies, practical exercises, real-world applications, and reflective activities, educators can deepen students’ understanding of course material. Survey respondents noted again, and again how they felt engaged when coursework was relevant and applicable outside the classroom. This type of authentic work in courses can also increase learner motivation. (Gulikers, Bastiaens, & Kirschner, 2004)

Timely Feedback & RSI

By offering timely feedback on student work, online educators demonstrate their active presence and assist students in understanding the critical aspects of assessments, ultimately enhancing their chances of success. One student is quoted as saying,

“I really appreciate the involvement of the instructor. In the past I’ve had Ecampus classes where the teacher was doing the bare minimum and didn’t grade things until the last minute so I wasn’t even sure how I was doing in the class until it was almost over. I appreciate the speed at which things have been graded and the feedback I’ve already received. I appreciate the care put into announcements too!”

Timely feedback and time-bound announcements are also notable ways to showcase Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI). Please also see “Regular & Substantive Interaction in Your Online Course” by Christine Scott.

Scaffolding

Another noteworthy recommendation from the survey findings was the importance of providing scaffolding and support throughout the course. Respondents expressed appreciation for feedback from peers and instructors to improve their writing. One student noted, “When I used my peer review feedback to improve my draft.” Offering additional resources and tutorials for unfamiliar or complex concepts ensures that all students have the support they need to succeed.Moreover, breaking down larger, high-stakes assignments into smaller, manageable tasks, can reduce feelings of overwhelm, provide a sense of accomplishment, increase early feedback and promote overall success. 

Autonomy

Furthermore, offering choice and flexibility in assignments and assessments empowers students to take ownership of their learning journey. Whether it’s offering choice in topics, deliverable types, or exercise formats, providing students with agency fosters a sense of autonomy and engagement. One respondent noted, “I think choosing a project topic was the most engaging part of this week, because allowing students to research things that they are interested [in,] within some constraints is a good way to get them engaged and interested in the topics.” 

Note on Survey Administration

One final take away from the study underscores the importance of thoughtful survey administration. While weekly surveys offer robust results, participating faculty indicated that surveying students every week was too frequent.   Instead, it’s recommended to conduct surveys between one to three times throughout the course, striking a balance between gathering insights and respecting students’ time. Additionally, transparent communication about the purpose and use of student feedback is essential for fostering trust and eliciting honest responses. Students should understand that their feedback is valued and how it will be utilized to improve their learning experience in both the current term and future iterations of the course.

Conclusion

Engagement and inclusion in online education is multifaceted and ongoing. By listening to student feedback, implementing actionable recommendations, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, educators can create transformative learning experiences that empower students to thrive in the digital age. Together, let us embark on this journey towards inclusive excellence, ensuring that every learner has the opportunity to succeed while feeling valued, supported, and empowered to reach their full potential.

References

Akyol, Z., & Garrison, D. R. (2008). The development of a community of inquiry over time in an online course: Understanding the progression and integration of social, cognitive and teaching presence. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 12(3-4), 3-22. 10.24059/olj.v12i3.72 

Gulikers, J.T.M., Bastiaens, T.J. & Kirschner, P.A. (2004). A five-dimensional framework for authentic assessment. ETR&D 52, 67–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02504676 

Scott, C. (2022, November 7). Regular & Substantive Interaction in Your Online Course. Ecampus Course Development & Training Blog.https://blogs.oregonstate.edu/inspire/2022/11/07/regular-substantive-interaction-in-your-online-course/ 

Watté, K. (2017, January 27). Alignment. Ecampus Course Development & Training Blog.   https://blogs.oregonstate.edu/inspire/2017/01/27/alignment/  


Augmenting Course Development with Generative AI: A Self-Assessment

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This post is adapted from a panel talk for AI Week, Empowering OSU: Stories of Harnessing Generative AI for Impact in Staff and Faculty Work

This past spring marked one year in my role as an instructional designer for Ecampus. Like many of our readers, I started conversing with AI in the early months of 2023, following OpenAI’s rollout of ChatGPT. Or as one colleague noted in recapping news of the past year, “generative AI happened.” Later, I wrote a couple of posts for this blog on AI and media literacy. A few things became clear from this work. Perhaps most significantly, in the words of research professor Ethan Mollick: “You will need to check it all.”

As the range of courses I support began to expand, so did my everyday use of LLM-powered tools. Here are some of my prompts to ChatGPT from last year, edited for clarity:

  • What is the total listening time of the Phish album Sigma Oasis?
    • Answer: 66 minutes and 57 seconds
  • How many lines are in the following list of special education acronyms (ranging from Section 504 – the Rehabilitation Act – to TBI – Traumatic Brain Injury)?
    • Answer: 27 lines
  • Where is the ancient city of Carthage today?
    • Answer: Today, Carthage is an archaeological site and historical attraction in the suburbs of the Tunisian capital, Tunis.
  • What is the name of the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Zeus?
    • Answer: Jupiter, king of the gods and the god of the sky and thunder
  • What’s the difference between colors D73F09 and DC4405?
    • Answer: In terms of appearance, … 09 will likely have a slightly darker, more orange-red hue compared to … 05, which might appear brighter. (Readers might also know these hues as variations on Beaver Orange.)

And almost every day:

  • Please create an (APA or MLA) citation of the following …

The answers were often on point but always in need of fact checking or another iteration of the prompt. Early LLMs were infamously prone to hallucinations. Factual errors and tendencies toward bias are still not uncommon.

As you can sense from my early prompts, I was mostly using AI as either a kind of smart calculator or an uber-encyclopedia. But in recent months, my colleagues and I here at Course Development and Training (CDT)—along with other units in the Division of Educational Ventures (DEV)—have been using AI in more creative and collaborative ways. And that’s where I want to focus this post.

The Partnership

First, some context for the work we do at DEV. Online course development is both a journey and a partnership between the instructor or faculty member and any number of support staff, from training to multimedia and beyond. Anchoring this partnership is the instructor’s working relationship with the instructional designer—an expert in online pedagogy and educational technology, but also a creative partner in developing the online or hybrid course.

Infographic showing the online course development process, from set up, to terms 1-2 in collaboration with the instructional designer, to launch and refresh.
Fig. 1. Collaboration anchors the story of online course development at OSU (credit: Ecampus).

Ecampus now offers more than 1,800 courses in more than 100 subjects. Every course results from a custom build that must maintain our strong reputation for quality (see fig. 1). This post is focused on that big circle in the middle—collaboration with the instructional designer. That’s where I see incredible potential for support or “augmentation” from generative AI tools.

As Yong Bakos, a senior instructor with the College of Engineering, recently reminded Faculty Forum, modern forms of this technology have been around since the 1940s, starting with the influence of programmable computers on World War II. But now, he added—in challenging faculty using AI to figure out rapid, personalized feedback for learners—”we speak the same language.”

Through continued partnership, how do we make such processes more nimble, more efficient? What does augmentation and collaboration look like when we add tools like Copilot or a custom GPT? Many instructional designers have been wrestling with these questions as of late.

“Human Guided, but AI Assisted”

Here are a few answers from educators Wesley Kinsey and Page Durham at Germanna Community College in Virginia (see fig. 2). Generative AI—also known as GAI—is a powerful tool, says Kinsey. “But the real magic happens when it is paired with a framework that ensures course quality.”

Slide on
Fig. 2. From a recent QM webinar on “unleashing” generative AI (CC BY-NC-ND).

Take this line of inquiry a little farther, and one starts to wonder: How might educators track or evaluate progress toward such use cases?

Funneling Toward Augmentation

As a thought experiment, I offer the following criteria and inventory—a kind of self-assessment of my own “human guided” journey through course development with generative AI (see fig. 3).

Criteria for Augmenting Development with Generative AI

ESTABLISHED – Regular, refined practice in course development
— EMERGING – Irregular and/or unrefined practice, could be improved
— ENVISION – Under consideration or imagined, not yet practiced

Faculty with experience teaching online may find my suggested criteria familiar; “established, emerging, envision” is adapted from an Ecampus checklist used in course redevelopment.

Funnel-shaped infographic with five augmentations: (1) From set up to intake; (2) Course content; (3) Suggested revisions; (4) Discussion, planning, and review; (5) Building and rebuilding
Fig. 3. Self-assessment of augmenting development with generative AI (CC BY-NC-SA).

Augmentation 1: From Set Up to Intake

Broadly speaking, I’m only starting to use chatbots in kicking off a course development—to capture a bulleted summary of an intake over Zoom, for example. Or with these kinds of level-setting prompts:

  • Remind me, what is linear regression analysis?
  • What fields are important to physical hydrology?
  • Explain to a college professor the migration of a social annotation learning tool from LTI 1.1 to 1.3.

Augmentation 2: Course Content

In my experience, instructors are only now beginning to envision how they might propose a course or develop its learning materials and activities with support from tools like Copilot—which is increasingly adept at helping us with this kind of iterative brainstorming work. The key here will be getting comfortable with practice, engaging in sustained conversations with defined parameters, often in scenarios that build on existing content. In recent practice with building assignments, I’m finding Claude 3 Sonnet helpful—more nuanced in its responses, and because you can upload brief documents at no cost and revisit previous chats.

Screenshot of conversation with Copilot, starting with a request to create an MLA citation of a lecture by Liam Callanan at the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference
Fig. 4. From a “more precise” conversation on citation generation. Can you spot Copilot’s errors in applying MLA style?

Augmentation 3: Suggested Revisions

Once course content begins rolling in, I apply more established practices for augmentation. For building citations of learning materials, I’m using Copilot’s “more precise” mode for its more robust abilities to read the open web and draw on various style guides (see fig. 4). With activities, often the germ of an idea for interaction needs enlargement—a statement of purpose or more detailed instructions. Here are a few more examples from working with the School of Psychological Science, with prompts edited for brevity:

  • What would be the purpose of practicing rebus puzzles in a lower division course on general psychology?
  • Please analyze the content of the following exam study guide, excerpted in HTML. Then, suggest a two-sentence statement of purpose that should replace the phrase lorem ipsum.
  • How should college students think about exploring Rorschach tests with inkblots? Please suggest two prompts for reflection (see fig. 5.)
Screenshot of Week 6 - Reflection Activity - Rorschach Inkblot Test, including a warning about the limitations of Rorschach tests and prompts for reflection
Fig. 5. From an augmented reflection activity in PSY 202H, General Psychology (credit: Juan Hu).

Augmentation 4: Discussion, Planning & Review

As with course planning, I’m not quite there yet with using generative AI to shape module templates and collect preferred settings for the building I do in Canvas. But by next year—armed perhaps with a desktop license for Copilot—I can imagine using AI to offer instructors custom templates or prompts to accelerate the design process. One more note on annotating augmentation—it’s incredibly important to let my faculty partners know—with consistent labeling—when I’m suggesting course content adapted from a conversation with AI. Most often, I’m not the subject matter expert—they are. That rule of thumb from Ethan Mollick still holds true: “You will need to check it all.”

Augmentation 5: Building & Rebuilding—More Efficiently

Finally, I look forward to exploring opportunities for more efficiently writing and revising the code behind everything we do with support from generative AI. Just imagine if the designer or instructor could ask a bot to suggest ways to strengthen module learning outcomes or update a task list, right there in Canvas.

Your Turn

With the above inventory in mind, let’s pause to reflect. To what extent are you comfortable using generative AI as a course developer? In what ways could this technology supplement new partnerships with instructional designers—or other colleagues involved in the discipline you teach? Together, how would you assess “augmentation” at each stage of the course development process?

Looking back on my own year of “human guidance with AI assistance,” I now turn more reflexively to AI for help with frontline design work—even as our team considers, for example, the ethical dimensions of asking chatbots to deliver custom graphics for illustrating weekly modules. In other stages, I’m still finding my footing in leveraging new tools, particularly during set up, refresh, and redesign. As we continue to partner with faculty, I remain open to navigating the evolving intersection of AI and course development.

(And now, for fun: Can you spot the augmentation? How much of that last sentence was crafted with support from a “creative” conversation with Copilot? Find the answer below.)

Resources, etc.

The following resources may be helpful in exploring generative AI tools, becoming more fluent with their applications, and considering their role in your teaching and learning practices.

Want to create a memorable experience for your students?

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I was recently reminded of a conference keynote that I attended a few years ago, and the beginning of an academic term seems like an appropriate time to revisit it on this blog.

In 2019, Dan Heath, a bestselling author and senior fellow at Duke University’s CASE Center, gave a presentation at InstructureCon, a conference for Canvas users, where he talked about how memories are formed. He explained that memories are composed of moments. Moments, according to Heath, are “mostly forgettable and occasionally remarkable.” To illustrate, most of what I’ve done today–dropping my kids off at spring break camp, replying to emails, going to a lunchtime yoga class, and writing this blog post–will largely be forgotten by next month. There is nothing remarkable about today. Unremarkable is often a desirable state because it means that an experience occurred without any hiccups or challenges.

Heath went on to describe what it is that makes great experiences memorable. His answer: Great experiences consist of “peaks,” and peaks consist of at least one of the following elements: elevation, insight, pride, or connection. He argued that we need to create more academic peaks in education. Creating peaks, he contends, will lead to more memorable learning experiences.

So, how do we create these peaks that will lead to memorable experiences? Let’s explore some ideas through the four approaches outlined by Heath.

Elevation. Elevation refers to moments that bring us joy and make us feel good. You might bring this element into your course by directly asking students to share what is bringing them joy, perhaps as an icebreaker. Sharing their experiences might also lead to connection, which is another way (see below) to create peaks that lead to memorable experiences. 

Insight. Insight occurs when new knowledge allows us to see something differently. Moments of insight are often sparked by reflection. You might consider making space for reflection in your courses. Creativity is another way to spark new insights. How might students engage with course concepts in new, creative ways? To list off a few ideas, perhaps students can create a meme, record a podcast, engage in a role play, or write a poem.

Pride. People often feel a sense of pride when their accomplishments are celebrated. To spark feelings of accomplishment in your students, I encourage you to go beyond offering positive feedback and consider sharing particularly strong examples of student work with the class (after getting permission–of course!) Showcasing the hard work of students can help students to feel proud of their efforts and may even lead to moments of joyful elevation.

Connection. Connection refers to our ties with other people. Experiencing connection with others can feel deeply rewarding. As I mentioned above, asking students to share their experiences with peers is one way to foster connection. In Ecampus courses, we aim to foster student-student and student-teacher connection, but I encourage you to explore other opportunities for students to make meaningful connections. Perhaps students can get involved with their communities or with colleagues, if they happen to have a job outside of classes. Students could connect with their academic advisors or the writing center to support their work in a course. There are many ways to foster connections that support students in their learning!

It’s easy to focus on delivering content, especially in online courses. This was one of Heath’s overarching points. The key, however, to creating memorable learning experiences is to take a student-centered approach to designing and facilitating your course. 

I invite you to start the term off by asking yourself: How can I create more moments of elevation, insight, pride, and connection for my students? It might be easier than you think.

References:

Heath, D. (2019, July 10). Keynote. InstructureCon. Long Beach, CA.