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[ 2025 ] 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001
2025
Massive open online courses (MOOCs) represent a transformative shift in education, democratizing access to learning worldwide. This article introduces a comprehensive examination of MOOCs, highlighting their potential to significantly reshape educational access and quality. It explores the demographics of MOOC participants, revealing a diverse and global audience with varying educational backgrounds, professional statuses, and motivations for enrollment. Additionally, the article delves into the instructional strategies and challenges inherent in delivering MOOCs, including engagement, assessment, and accessibility issues. It outlines the evolution of MOOC platforms, such as Coursera, edX, Udacity, and FutureLearn, each contributing uniquely to the expansion of online learning. By analyzing current trends and future directions, the article projects the potential of MOOCs to further enhance personalized, interactive, and inclusive learning experiences.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: HIGHER EDUCATION
Interactive learning is often dismissed as mere engagement without instructional depth, but Interactive Techniques for Learning (BookBaby, 2024) by Thiagarajan, Richter, and Richter challenges this notion by grounding interactive strategies in cognitive science. The book explores the principles behind effective interactive learning, debunking myths such as learning styles and emphasizing research-backed techniques for retention and comprehension. It provides actionable strategies for structuring activities, managing cognitive load, and conducting meaningful debriefs to ensure learning extends beyond momentary engagement. The highlight of the book is a collection of 89 practical, adaptable activities designed for various educational settings.
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REVIEW: LITERATURE,
TYPE: DESIGN FOR LEARNING
The teaching presence of faculty in an online, asynchronous, higher education classroom is valuable for building community and improving learning outcomes. Showing faculty presence within an online classroom assists in creating a sense of community and encourages learners to engage in discussion and ask questions. The presence of faculty assists in the social and cognitive engagement of learners, which in succession can support student learning and academic success in the online classroom.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: HIGHER EDUCATION
As generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools become increasingly accessible, higher education institutions must address the challenge of maintaining academic integrity while preparing students for an AI-integrated future. Institutions that rely solely on AI-detection software risk fostering adversarial learning environments due to false positives and a punitive culture. Instead, a comprehensive approach that integrates AI literacy with institutional policy can foster ethical engagement with AI. Drawing on recent literature and best practices, this article examines the limitations of detection tools.
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TYPE: OPINION, EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, HIGHER EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Online learning can pose challenges to instructors in building relationships with remote students. Subsequently, the student learning experience can be negatively impacted when intimacy and connection are lacking in the online classroom. How can higher education instructors overcome this dilemma? The good news is that an array of technology tools exists to help instructors increase immediacy, decreasing the physical and psychological distance between people in the online classroom and beyond. This article discusses specific tech tools and methods that can be used to build teacher-student relationships with remote students.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: HIGHER EDUCATION
As demand for online courses continues to rise in higher education, many institutions struggle to develop, promote, and sustain high-quality online programs, in part due to limited capacity. In response, Online Program Managers (OPMs), private companies that collaborate with colleges and universities to create and provide online offerings, have become increasingly prominent over the past 15 years. These partnerships allow institutions to scale online courses and programs without having to contribute significant upfront investments. However, there remains a general lack of awareness about what OPMs are, the scope of their services, and the trade-offs involved. This article aims to shed light on the advantages and potential drawbacks of OPM partnerships.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: OPINION
Between designing courses, answering mundane questions, providing individualized feedback, and grading lengthy papers, a college instructor has little available time to focus on academic pursuits, scholarly research, and service opportunities. Through research and experience, see how one online professor was able to stop wasting time and focus on quality interactions with students and other professional responsibilities.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: HIGHER EDUCATION
The objective of this article is to examine the potential benefits and challenges of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in e-learning in the Middle East region. Literature review was conducted and revealed several benefits of GenAI, including but not limited to: enhanced teaching practices, understanding, enhanced engagement, personalized learning promotion, flexibility, and enhanced academic performance. Some challenges are ethical and cultural considerations, data privacy, the digital divide, lower accuracy, and misleading information.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES, INTERNATIONAL ONLINE EDUCATION
Providing feedback to learners is a key responsibility of educators and is critical in the learning process. Effective feedback helps learners fill the gaps in their knowledge and thinking processes and highlights areas in which the learner excels. Effective feedback is important regardless of the learning environment, but depending on the environment, the methods and processes instructors use to provide feedback to learners may change. This article discusses best practices for giving effective feedback to online learners.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: HIGHER EDUCATION
Just-in-time teaching (JiTT) is an effective educational strategy that enhances student engagement and personalizes learning by integrating active learning with instructional technology. This approach uses pre-class assignments to assess students' understanding, allowing instructors to tailor lessons accordingly. The JiTT method consists of designing targeted assignments, analyzing submissions to identify misconceptions, adjusting classroom activities, engaging students interactively, and gathering feedback to refine teaching strategies. While JiTT improves engagement and learning outcomes, it requires careful time management and adequate technology access for students. These challenges can be managed by gradually implementing JiTT and ensuring technological support for all students.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: HIGHER EDUCATION
This article explores the application of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in learning and development (L&D) processes, specifically for enterprise training. The author discusses how L&D practitioners can use GenAI tools to drive a complete instructional design process, including training content development and the creation of typical L&D deliverables such as training documentation development, training need analysis, course outline, and lesson plan generation as well as training material development such as presentation slides, case scenarios, assessments, and self-learning content. The article also details how to leverage the power of GenAI tools as a trainer, assessor, and expert mentor. The author also shares a nine-step approach for L&D practitioners to achieve potential time-saving benefits using GenAI to create diverse training content.
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TYPE: CORPORATE LEARNING, EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
Discussion forums have become a standard element of online courses for a variety of reasons. They provide a way for students and faculty to interact with each other and to discuss course topics effectively and efficiently. Discussions can be separated by thread, meaning multiple discussions can occur at the same time. The asynchronous nature of discussion forums allows students and faculty to review posts and contribute to discussions at any time they are able to do so. They can also meet student needs for socialization and interaction, providing them with a sense of belonging that may be otherwise difficult to achieve in an online course.
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TYPE: HIGHER EDUCATION
In this interview with eLearn Magazine, Immersive Learning Research Network?s Jonathan Richter, Ed.D, discusses his work in immersive technologies and ponders what the future holds for e-Learning and beyond.
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TYPE: INTERVIEW
A mastery learning model can be implemented in any level or content area using educational technology and the Modern Classrooms model to create a systematic and sustainable framework for teachers and students.
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TYPE: K-12 BLENDED AND ONLINE LEARNING
This article introduces a comprehensive open-access online toolkit as a resource for online educators, seeking to engage in continuous improvement of their inclusive teaching practices. The toolkit was created as an output following participation in a three-semester Faculty Institute for Inclusive Excellence. Two of the developers who focus on inclusivity, equity, and culturally responsive teaching acted as mentors, contributing to the creation of the toolkit and ultimately the professional development of the primary creators. All authors have extensive experience teaching online with a minimum of 10 years facilitating online learning in adult and higher education.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: DESIGN FOR LEARNING, HIGHER EDUCATION
Motivated by the likely scenario that AI tutors will soon become indistinguishable from human educators, this article discusses some of the challenges and opportunities that will arise from this shift and calls for reflection on how the role of human educators could evolve in light of emerging technologies.
» [Full Article]
TYPE: OPINION
