Cover	1
	Title Page	5
	Copyright	6
	Contents	9
	List of Tables, Figures, and Exhibits	17
	Foreword	19
	Preface	23
	Acknowledgments	24
	About the Authors	25
	Introduction	27
	Intended Audiences and Uses for This Book	28
	Book Overview	29
	How to Use This Guide	31
	Part One: Core Principles and Best Practices of Online Teaching and Learning	33
	Chapter 1: Teaching Online: The Big Picture	35
	Preparing to Teach in the Online and Blended Environments	36
	Uh?Oh. What Did I Say I Would Do?	36
	Is This You?	37
	The Definition of a Course	38
	How Do Online and Blended Courses Differ from Traditional Courses?	40
	Types of Online and Blended Courses	42
	The Four Stages of a Course	45
	Learning Theories and Theorists	45
	Lev Vygotsky (1896–1934): Theory of Social Development	46
	John Dewey (1859–1952): Experiential Learning	48
	Jean Piaget (1896–1980): Theory of Genetic Epistemology or Origins of Thinking	48
	Jerome Bruner (1915–): Constructivism	49
	John Seely Brown (1940–): Cognitive Apprenticeship	50
	Roger Schank (1946–): Schema Theory	51
	Albert Bandura (1925–): Social Learning Theory	51
	Jean Lave (1939–): Situated Learning Theory	51
	K. Anders Ericsson (1946–): Expert Performance Theory	52
	Ellen Langer (1947–): Theory of Mindful Learning	52
	Daniel Goleman (1947–): Theory of Emotional Intelligence	53
	Other Theorists and Influencers	53
	Summary—and What’s Next	54
	Self?Directed Exercise—Application	54
	Chapter 2: Pedagogical Principles for Effective Teaching and Learning: Ten Core Learning Principles	55
	Background of the Ten Core Learning Principles	57
	Ten Core Learning Principles	58
	Principle 1: Every Structured Learning Experience Has Four Elements, with the Learner at the Center	59
	Principle 2: Learners Bring Their Own Personalized and Customized Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes to the Learning Experience	62
	Principle 3: Faculty Mentors Are the Directors of the Learning Experience	64
	Principle 4: All Learners Do Not Need to Learn All Course Content	65
	Principle 5: Every Learning Experience Includes the Environment or Context in Which the Learner Interacts	67
	Principle 6: Every Learner Has a Zone of Proximal Development That Defines the Space That a Learner Is Ready to Develop into Useful Knowledge	68
	Principle 7: Concepts Are Not Words But Organized and Interconnected Knowledge Clusters	69
	Principle 8: Different Instruction Is Required for Different Learning Outcomes	70
	Principle 9: Everything Else Being Equal, More Time on Task Equals More Learning	71
	Principle 10: We Shape Our Tools, and Our Tools Shape Us	72
	Summary—and What’s Next?	73
	Exercise—Stop, Reflect, Integrate	74
	Chapter 3: Best Practices for Teaching Online: Ten Plus Four	75
	Best Practices for Online and Blended Teaching and Learning	76
	Best Practice 1: Be Present at Your Course	76
	Three Types of Presence	78
	Best Practice 2: Create a Supportive Online Course Community	79
	Best Practice 3: Develop a Set of Explicit Workload and Communication Expectations for Your Learners and for Yourself	80
	Best Practice 4: Use a Variety of Large Group, Small Group, and Individual Work Experiences	82
	Best Practice 5: Use Synchronous and Asynchronous Activities	83
	Best Practice 6: Ask for Informal Feedback Early in the Term	84
	Best Practice 7: Prepare Discussion Posts That Invite Responses, Questions, Discussions, and Reflections	85
	Best Practice 8: Think Digital for All Course Content	86
	Best Practice 9: Combine Core Concept Learning with Customized and Personalized Learning	87
	Best Practice 10: Plan a Good Closing and Wrap Activity for the Course	89
	Four More Best Practices for Online and Blended Teaching and Learning	89
	Best Practice 11: Assess as You Go by Gathering Evidences of Learning	90
	Best Practice 12: Rigorously Connect Content to Core Concepts and Learning Outcomes	90
	Best Practice 13: Develop and Use a Content Frame for the Course	91
	Best Practice 14: Design Experiences to Help Learners Make Progress on Their Novice?to?Expert Journey	92
	Conclusion	92
	Summary—and What’s Next	93
	Exercise and Reflection	93
	Chapter 4: Technology Tools to Support Teaching and Learning	94
	Guidelines for Choosing and Using Technology Tools	95
	Guideline 1: Pedagogy First, Technology Second	95
	Guideline 2: Keep It Simple	95
	Guideline 3: Involve Your Learners in Choices and Use of Digital Tools and Resources	95
	Guideline 4: Have Choices and Backups for When the Cloud Disappears	96
	Guideline 5: Review Your Technology Tool Set Every Two to Three Terms	96
	Basic Set of Technology Tools for Online and Blended Teaching and Learning	97
	Basic Set of Digital Technology Tools with Their General Teaching and Learning Purposes	97
	Basic Set of Digital Technology Tools: Their Teaching and Learning Purposes	98
	Communication Tools in the Learning Management System	98
	More Thoughts on the Basic Tools	102
	Tools for Practicing Contextual Knowledge and Exploring Possibilities	106
	Staying in Sync with Tools	109
	Self?Directed Exercise/Application	110
	Chapter 5: Four Phases of a Course: Themes and Happenings	111
	Phase 1 Course Beginnings: Starting Off on the Right Foot	111
	Course Beginnings: Themes	111
	What’s Happening in Course Beginnings	115
	Phase 2 Early Middle: Keeping the Ball Rolling	117
	Early Middle: Themes, Best Practices, and Principles	117
	What’s Happening in the Early Middle	121
	Phase 3 Late Middle: Letting Go of the Power	122
	Late Middle: Themes, Best Practices, and Principles	122
	Cognitive Presence	123
	What’s Happening in the Late Middle	127
	Phase 4 Closing Weeks: Pruning, Reflecting, and Wrapping Up	129
	Closing Weeks: Themes, Best Practices, and Principles	129
	What’s Happening in the Closing Weeks	133
	Summary—and What’s Next	135
	Exercise and Reflection	135
	Part Two: Simple, Practical, and Pedagogically Based Tips	137
	Chapter 6: Phase 1: Course Beginnings: Starting off on the Right Foot	139
	Tips for the Course Beginnings	139
	Course Beginnings Tips Overview	141
	Getting Started—Preparing Your Syllabus and Course Site	141
	Getting Started—Launching Your Course	142
	Creating and Managing Discussion Posts	142
	Getting Started—Preparing Your Syllabus and Course Site	142
	CB Tip 1: Essential Elements of an Online or Blended Course Syllabus and Course Site	142
	Essential Course Pieces	143
	Course Site	146
	Checklist for Preparing for an Online Course	147
	Aligning Outcomes, Experiences and Assessment	149
	Quality Matters Standards for an Online Course	149
	CB Tip 2: More on the Significant Elements of an Online or Blended Syllabus	150
	Syllabus Sections	151
	CB Tip 3: Creating a Syllabus That Jump?starts Learning	154
	Graphic Overview: Building a Framework and Setting Boundaries	155
	Choices for Graphical Overviews	156
	Conclusion	159
	CB Tip 4: Using “Bookending” to Add Structure and Meaning to Your Course	159
	Imagining Your Course	159
	What Is Bookending?	160
	Examples of Bookending Your Course	161
	Conclusion	162
	CB Tip 5: Generating Energy and Purpose with Specific Learning Goals	162
	Three Ways to Focus a Discussion Forum on Learning Goals	163
	The Power of Specificity: Why It Works!	164
	The Benefits of Specific Personal Goals	165
	Conclusion	165
	Getting Started—Launching Your Course	166
	CB Tip 6: Hitting the Ground Running: Maximizing the First Week	166
	CB Tip 7: Launching Your Social and Cognitive Presence	168
	Interaction and Presence as a Key Point of Satisfaction for Learners	168
	A Getting?Acquainted Social Post	168
	A Getting?Acquainted Cognitive Post	170
	The Announcements Tool and Just Being on the Course Site	170
	Presence on the Discussion Forum	171
	Live Synchronous Collaborative Gatherings	172
	Conclusion	172
	CB Tip 8: Getting to Know Students’ Minds: The Vygotsky Zone of Proximal Development	172
	Keeping the Students Straight in Your Mind	173
	Summary	174
	CB Tip 9: Getting into the Swing of a Course: Is There an Ideal Weekly Rhythm?	174
	Creating and Managing Discussion Posts	177
	CB Tip 10: The Why and How of Discussion Boards: Their Role in the Online Course	177
	Best Learning Goals for Discussion Boards	178
	The Number of Discussion Questions Each Week	179
	Requirements for Student Responses to Discussion Questions	179
	A Rule of Thumb for the Length of Discussions	180
	CB Tip 11: Characteristics of Good Discussion Questions	180
	Getting Started on Developing Great Questions	181
	Developing Questions Using Bloom’s Cognitive Taxonomy	182
	Discussion Questions on Core Concepts in a Course	184
	More Resources for Discussion Questions	185
	Core Assumption of Constructivism	185
	CB Tip 12: Power Questioning for Meaningful Discussions	186
	Power Questioning Strategies	186
	Facilitation Strategies for Expansive Discussion Forums	187
	Discussion Forum Research and Questions for Reflection	189
	Criteria for Rubrics	189
	CB Tip 13: Response Posts—A Three?Part Structure	190
	Discussion Boards Is Where Community Happens	190
	Shift from Turn?Taking to Reflective and Developed Conversation	191
	Three?Part Post—What, Why, and What I Wish I Knew	191
	CB Tip 14: Discussion Wraps: A Useful Cognitive Pattern or a Collection of Discrete Thoughts?	192
	Closing or Wrapping Up Discussions	192
	1. Summarize the Key Ideas from the Discussion Forum	192
	2. Involve the Students in Wrapping Up Discussions	194
	Wrap Up	194
	CB Tip 15: Using Discussion Forums to Gather Evidence of Learning	194
	Purpose of Discussion Postings	195
	Monitoring Discussion Boards	196
	How to Ensure Lively Participation	196
	Allocating Points and Using Rubrics for Evaluating Postings	196
	CB Tip 16: Feedback in Discussion Posts—How Soon, How Much, and Wrapping Up	198
	Most Pressing Questions About Feedback	198
	Summary: Three Purposes of Feedback	200
	CB Tip 17: The Faculty Role in Blended and Online Courses	200
	Guidelines	202
	Summary—and What’s Next	203
	Exercise and Reflection	203
	Chapter 7: Phase 2: Keeping the Ball Rolling in the Early Middle	204
	Tips for the Early Middle	204
	Managing Your Course	205
	Building Cognitive Presence	205
	Strategies and Tools for Building Community	205
	Managing Your Course	206
	EM Tip 1: Tools for Teaching Presence: E?mails, Announcements, and Discussion Forums	206
	E?mail, Announcements, and Discussion Forums	206
	Text Messaging, Tweeting, and Whatever Short Messaging System Is Next	208
	Making a Choice	209
	EM Tip 2: Monitoring Student Progress Using Learning Management Systems	209
	Monitoring Student Engagement and Progress	209
	EM Tip 3: Early Feedback Loop from Learners to You	210
	Using a Survey	211
	Can Students’ Responses Be Anonymous?	212
	EM Tip 4: Early Feedback Tools: Rubrics, Quizzes, and Peer Review	213
	Rubrics	213
	Quizzes	215
	Peer Review	215
	EM Tip 5: Steps in Memory?Making: What Teaching Behaviors Make a Difference	216
	Using a Memory Process Model to Increase Learning	216
	A Look at a Memory?Making Process Model	217
	Teaching Strategies with the Memory?Making Model	218
	Can Sleeping Help the Encoding of Memories?	219
	Summary	219
	EM Tip 6: Tips for Making Your Grading Time Efficient and Formative for Learners	220
	How to Make Grading Pleasant, Fast and Effective	220
	A Checklist for Students	222
	Conclusion	223
	EM Tip 7: Dealing with Difficult Students—What Do You Do?	223
	Types of Difficult Students	224
	Unique Challenges of Difficult Students	224
	Building the Cognitive Presence	227
	EM Tip 8: Building Cognitive Presence Using the Practical Inquiry Model	228
	Striving for Cognitive Presence	230
	EM Tip 9: Core Concepts of a Course—Do You Know Yours?	230
	A Concept Is . . .	231
	Conclusion	234
	EM Tip 10: Designing Assessment Plans for Online and Blended Courses	234
	Designing Assessment Plans	234
	The Assessment Plan	235
	A Three?Step Process for Developing Your Assessment Plan	235
	An Assessment Plan That Is Distributed and Continuous	236
	EM Tip 11: Three Best Assessment Practices	237
	Best Practice in Assessment 1: Assess Across the Six Levels of Cognitive Skills of Bloom’s Taxonomy	237
	Best Practice in Assessment 2: Assess the Core Concepts in Your Course	240
	Best Practice in Assessment 3: Help Students Succeed on Assessment Tasks	241
	Classic Resources on Assessment	241
	EM Tip 12: Assignments for the Evaluating and Creating Levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy	242
	Evaluating and Creating—Cognitive Processes	242
	What Does Evaluating Demand of Learners?	243
	Example of Evaluating Assignment in a Leadership Course	243
	What Does Creating Demand of Learners?	244
	Rubrics	245
	Strategies and Tools for Building Community	245
	EM Tip 13: Collaborating with Groups of Two or Three—Casual Grouping	246
	Get Started on Teaming with Dyads and Triads	246
	Start Casually!	246
	Three Casual Grouping Opportunities	247
	Ways of Pairing or Grouping Learners	248
	Learning Power of Groups	248
	EM Tip 14: Group Projects in Online Courses: Setting Up and Structuring Groups	248
	Setting Up Group Projects	249
	Additional Considerations for Setting Up Groups	250
	A Note about Post?Millennial Students	251
	EM Tip 15: Using Synchronous Collaboration Tools	252
	Web Conferencing Tools	252
	Mixing and Matching for Spontaneous and Customizable Instant Collaboration	254
	EM Tip 16: Using Audio and Video Resources to Create a More Engaging Course	254
	Strategies for Getting Started	255
	Summary—and What’s Next	257
	Self?Directed Exercise/Application	257
	Chapter 8: Phase 3: Letting Go of Power in the Late Middle	258
	Overview of Late Middle Tips	258
	Going Deeper: Leveraging the Power of Questions	259
	Feedback for Cognitive Growth	259
	Assessing Learning as You Go	260
	Community Empowerment and Social Networking	260
	Going Deeper: Leveraging the Power of Questions	260
	LM Tip 1: Questions and Answers: Upside Down and Inside Out	260
	Student Questioning: Inquiry as a Reflection of Knowledge	261
	Discussion Forums for Student Questioning	261
	LM Tip 2: Three Techniques for Making Your Students’ Knowledge Visible	262
	Technique 1: Interviewer?Expert Modeling	263
	Technique 2: Identifying Patterns, Relationships, and Linkages	263
	Technique 3: Identifying Insights	264
	LM Tip 3: Developing Rigor in Our Questioning: Eight Intellectual Standards	264
	Concepts as Knowledge Clusters	265
	Core Concept Examples	265
	Rigor in Questioning: Eight Intellectual Standards	265
	Background of the Set of Eight Intellectual Standards	267
	Using Intellectual Standards in Learning Activities	268
	LM Tip 4: Moving Beyond Knowledge Integration to Defining Problems and Finding Solutions	269
	Defining Problems and Deciding on Resolution Strategies	269
	Developing Problem Solvers and Critical Thinkers	270
	Feedback for Cognitive Growth	271
	LM Tip 5: “Are You Reading My Postings? Do You Know Who I Am?” Simple Rules for Feedback in Online Learning	271
	Provide Feedback Early and Often	272
	Provide Feedback on Assignments When Expected	274
	Provide Feedback That Is Personal and Formative for Learning	275
	LM Tip 6: Feedback on Assignments: Being Timely and Efficient	276
	Timely Feedback	276
	Feedback Using a Rubric	277
	Conceptual Feedback Reminders	277
	Examples of Rubrics	278
	LM TIP 7: Substantive Feedback: Doing It Wisely and Well	280
	What Is Substantive Feedback?	280
	Use of Self?Assessment and Peer Feedback Strategies and Tools	281
	Purposes and Types of Feedback and the Tools	284
	Deciding What to Do Next in Feedback Practices	284
	LM Tip 8: Rubrics for Analyzing Critical Thinking	284
	The VALUE Critical Thinking Rubric	285
	The Guide to Rating Critical and Integrative Thinking	285
	Example Statements of Three Levels of Thinking on Issues	286
	The Socratic Questioning Rubric	287
	Why Rubrics Are Catching On: Nine Advantages	287
	Assessing Learning as You Go with Projects	287
	LM Tip 9: Customizing and Personalizing Learning Projects	288
	Guidelines for Developing Project Requirements	288
	Describing the Course Project: The Task Model	289
	LM Tip 10: Managing and Facilitating Group Projects	291
	Monitoring and Guiding Group Projects	291
	Communication and Presentation Tools	292
	Managing Groups: Additional Thoughts	293
	LM Tip 11: Assessing Group Projects	293
	Techniques for Assessing Group Projects	294
	More About Peer Reviews by Students	294
	LM Tip 12: Four Effective Practices During Project Time	296
	1. Be Proactive and Help Learners Get Unstuck on Projects	297
	2. Coach Learners on Personalizing Their Projects	298
	3. Ask Learners to Post Progress Reports or Updates	299
	4. Communicate Your Availability and Schedule	299
	Community Empowerment and Social Networking	299
	LM Tip 13: Course Middles and Muddles: Souped?Up Conversations That Help Build Community	300
	Team Up for Course Discussions for a Week	300
	Plan for Time for Learners to Develop the Tough Questions	301
	LM Tip 14: Using Social Networking Techniques to Build a Learning Community	301
	Social Networking Strategy for Projects	302
	Characteristics of the Social Networking Tools	303
	Essential Features of Social Networking Tools: Interconnectivity and Interactivity	304
	LM Tip 15: Experts: A Touch of Spice	304
	Is There a Preferred Time in the Course to Have an Expert Event?	305
	How Do I Go About Finding an Expert?	305
	What Type of Content Is Good for an Expert?	306
	How Do I Set Up the Expert Event?	306
	Are There Other Resources on Using Experts in Online Courses?	307
	Summary—and What’s Next	307
	Self?Directed Exercise /Application	308
	Chapter 9: Phase 4: Pruning, Reflecting, and Wrapping Up	309
	Tips for the Closing Weeks	309
	Meaningful Projects and Presentations	310
	Preparing for the Course Wrap	310
	Meaningful Projects and Presentations	311
	CW Tip 1: Using What?If Scenarios: Flexing Our Minds with Possibilities	311
	What Are What?If Scenarios?	312
	Why Use What?If Scenarios?	312
	Getting Started with What?If Scenarios	313
	CW Tip 2: Stage 3 of a Learning Community: Stimulating and Comfortable Camaraderie	313
	Three Stages of Building Community	314
	Faculty Behaviors That Support Stage 3 Community?Building	314
	Conditions That Can Hinder Community Development	315
	CW Tip 3: Learners as Leaders	315
	Learners?as?Leaders Experiences: Orientation and Planning Time	316
	Individual versus Team?Led Activities	316
	Making Outcomes Explicit	317
	Choosing the Type of Activity	317
	CW Tip 4: Course Wrapping with Concept Mapping: Capturing Course Content Meaningfully	317
	Concept Mapping	318
	Core Concepts About Concept Mapping	319
	Integrating Concept Mapping into a Course	320
	Is There a Good Tool for Concept Mapping?	321
	CW Tip 5: Using Case Studies in Online Courses: Making Content Real	322
	Start with Stories	322
	What This Tip Does	323
	Definitions of Content Resources Containing Stories	323
	Mix Up Stories and Cases	324
	Conclusion	326
	Preparing for the Course Wrap	326
	CW Tip 6: Pausing, Reflecting, and Pruning Strategies	326
	CW Tip 7: Closing Experiences: Wrapping Up a Course with Style	328
	Prepare a List of What’s Next and When Assignments and Readings Are Due	329
	Plan a Celebration Session to End the Course	329
	Closing Thought	331
	CW Tip 8: Real?Time Closing Gatherings: Stories and Suggestions	331
	Using Synchronous Meeting Rooms	332
	Faculty Stories with Synchronous Meeting Rooms	332
	Using Live Classroom for a Course Closing Experience	333
	Likely Questions	333
	CW Tip 9: Debriefing Techniques: What One Change Would Students Recommend?	334
	Conclusion—and What’s Next	335
	Self?Directed Exercise /Application	336
	Chapter 10: Teaching Accelerated Intensive Courses	337
	Tips for Intensive Courses (IC)	337
	IC Tip 1: Designing for Intensive Courses Using Content Framing and Case Studies	338
	Design Strategy 1: Create a Visual Frame of the Core Concepts	338
	Design Strategy 2: Place Case Studies with Consequences at Course Center	339
	IC Tip 2: High?Impact Practices for Short Courses: Reflections, Patterns, and Relationships	340
	Reflection Practices	341
	What Places Are Good for Reflection?	343
	Pattern Practices	343
	IC Tip 3: Developing Expertise in Short Courses: Can It Be Done?	345
	How Expert Resources Can Provide Deliberate Practice	346
	What Does This Mean for My Course Assignments?	346
	TED Conferences and Discussions: Ideas Worth Spreading	346
	Background and Theory on Deliberate Practice	347
	Conclusion—and What’s Next	347
	Self?Directed Exercise/Application	348
	Part Three: Continuing Your Journey to Expertise	349
	Chapter 11: What’s Next: Reflecting and Looking Forward	351
	Reflecting and Looking Forward Using the Four Course Phases	351
	Design and Preparation Phase	352
	Reflecting on Phase One, Course Beginnings	353
	Reflecting on Phase Two, Early Middle	354
	Reflecting on Phase Three, Late Middle	355
	Reflecting on Phase Four, Closing Weeks	356
	Reflecting and Looking Forward with the Learning Experiences Framework	357
	Learner	357
	Faculty Mentor	358
	Content and Knowledge Resources and Goals	359
	Environment and Context	359
	Advice from Fellow Online Instructors	360
	Advice 1: Just Do Your Best	360
	Advice 2: It’s Kind of Fun to Do the Impossible!	360
	Advice 3: Begin with the End in Mind	361
	Advice 4: New to Online Teaching? Get to Know Your Students	362
	Conclusion: Innovation as a Three?Phase Process	362
	Appendix: Resources for Learning More about the Research and Theory of? Teaching Online	365
	Books	365
	Teaching and Learning Online	365
	Brain, Cognition, Learning, and Memory	367
	Journals	367
	Organizations, Conferences, and Certifications	368
	Communities and Listservs	368
	Other Teaching and Learning Resources	368
	Other Articles of Particular Interest	369
	References	371
	Index	391
	Subject Index	395
	EULA	408