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Creating an Engaging Virtual Learning Environment
Enhancing Virtual Education: A Comprehensive Approach to Interactive Learning
In today's digital age, virtual education has progressed significantly beyond simple video lectures and static content delivery. The shift from traditional teaching methods to dynamic, collaborative environments is essential for effective online learning. This transformation is supported by a rich ecosystem of educational technology platforms and pedagogical strategies, which work together to create engaging learning experiences.
Educational technology has revolutionized our approach to teaching and learning, offering a variety of tools that cater to the diverse needs of modern pedagogy. These platforms enable educators to implement comprehensive continuous engagement and assessment strategies, combining real-time interaction with structured learning activities.
At the core of effective virtual teaching is a systematic approach to student engagement and assessment. Educators can employ continuous formative assessment through real-time polls and interactive quizzes, allowing them to gauge student understanding instantly and adjust their teaching accordingly. This immediate feedback loop fosters a more responsive and adaptive learning environment.
Participation and engagement are further enhanced through collaborative tools that transform traditional classroom dynamics. Word clouds provide visual representations of collective thinking, while live Q&A sessions create opportunities for meaningful dialogue and immediate clarification of doubts. These interactive elements help maintain student attention and create a more dynamic learning atmosphere.
The success of virtual education heavily relies on effective two-way communication. Educators can gather valuable feedback on teaching methodologies and course content through structured dialogue spaces and efficient consultation channels. This information is crucial for the continuous improvement of the learning experience.
To maximize the effectiveness of these approaches, educators can utilize various specialized platforms:
Interactive Platforms
By strategically implementing these interactive platforms, educators can significantly enhance student engagement, promote active learning, and create a more dynamic online learning environment. These tools not only facilitate real-time interaction but also provide valuable insights into student understanding and participation, allowing for more informed and adaptive teaching approaches.
Consider implementing a variety of vibrant platforms that transform traditional teaching methods into interactive adventures:
- Wooclap breathes life into presentations by enabling real-time feedback, allowing educators to gauge student understanding on the fly. As they present, students actively participate, shaping the discussion with their responses.
- Mentimeter adds excitement with live polls, quizzes, and word clouds. Students contribute their thoughts in real time, watching a dynamic word cloud form, visually representing the collective mindset of the group.
- Kahoot! turns learning into a game, where quizzes spark friendly competition and lively discussions. The classroom is enthusiastic as students race to answer questions, celebrating each victory together.
- Slido enhances meetings and events with seamless Q&A and polling features, ensuring every voice is heard. Students pose questions and share opinions effortlessly, enriching dialogue and deepening understanding.
- Poll Everywhere supports diverse question types, allowing for live result visualizations that keep everyone engaged. Students eagerly await results, curious about their peers' responses to thought-provoking questions.
- Socrative elevates formative assessment through engaging educational games and exercises, making learning feel like an exciting challenge rather than a chore.
- Nearpod combines multimedia presentations with collaborative activities, creating a rich tapestry of learning experiences. Students interact with the material in real-time, collaborating on projects that bridge theory and practice seamlessly.
- Pear Deck integrates with Google Slides, transforming ordinary presentations into interactive sessions where students actively participate. Each slide invites discussion, fostering a deeper connection with the content.
- Flipgrid facilitates video-based discussions and reflections, allowing students to express their thoughts creatively. This vibrant exchange of ideas builds a sense of community.
- Padlet creates collaborative boards for idea sharing and brainstorming, offering a digital canvas for creativity. A colorful board filled with diverse perspectives inspires collaboration and innovation.
By harnessing these interactive platforms, educators can create a dynamic, engaging, and responsive learning environment that captivates students and transforms the educational experience.
Summary of Tools
The following table presents a selection of the aforementioned educational tools, highlighting their names, key features, and applications. These solutions enhance classroom engagement and foster interactive learning experiences, demonstrating how technology can transform traditional teaching methods into dynamic and collaborative environments.
By implementing these tools and strategies systematically, educators can:
- Maintain consistently high levels of student engagement
- Personalize learning experiences to meet individual needs
- Monitor and analyze student progress effectively
- Create more inclusive and participatory learning environments
- Adapt content and methods based on real-time feedback
These platforms can be used for:
- Real-time polls to gauge understanding or opinions
- Interactive quizzes to reinforce learning and assess comprehension
- Instant feedback collection on course content or teaching methods
- Word clouds to visualize collective thoughts on a topic
- Live Q&A sessions to efficiently address student queries
The key to success in virtual education lies in the selection of tools and their strategic implementation aligned with clear pedagogical objectives. When properly integrated, these platforms and strategies transform online learning from a potentially passive experience into an active, engaging journey of discovery and knowledge construction.
Peer assessment as a pedagogical activity
Work in progress
Pending to link i any of the H1 storyline
SINCOE@ (innovation competence assessment tool) v1
What is the SINCOE@ Assessment Tool?
Innovative behaviour and generic innovation competences are shared aims for degree studies in all study fields in all European higher education institutions. However, narrower views have been put on how students are learning innovation competences in the digital environments. Additionally, empirically validated instruments to identify and assess learning of innovation competences in educational online contexts are missing.
The novel re-validated SINCOE@ Assessment Tool is created to help identifying, assessing and developing innovation competences in online learning situations. The assessment tool includes five dimensions with 33 items of innovation competences and one subdimension with four optional items with sustainable-development aspect as part of critical thinking dimension.
Following the definition of SINCOE@ Assessment Tool, innovation competence is the ability to create, introduce, adapt, and or apply a beneficial novelty in any part of an organization. That is to say, being able to introduce something new (an idea, a method or process to do something, or a device, or an invention) or the useful improvement of something that already exists and adds value to people or organizations and society or planet. In the search for adding value, the innovation process starts with the proposal and generation of new ideas and ends with using the results.
Why to use the SINCOE@ Assessment Tool?
The SINCOE@ Assessment Tool helps students identify their strengths and weaknesses in innovation competences. It encourages students to actively monitor and regulate their learning by reflecting on their achievements and demonstrating whether the requirements of courses have been fulfilled. Continuous self-monitoring helps them to identify learning opportunities. The process also expands their understanding of their professional identity. This kind of self-monitoring and reflection enhance also students’ metacognitive skills and prepare them better for adapting to new tasks, complex life and work-environments.
Additionally, with the help of innovation competence dimensions, students can describe their skills more concretely, such as their strengths in creative problem-solving or teamwork. The ability to describe about one's own competence in a variety of ways helps in job-seeking.
Moreover, the SINCOE@ Assessment Tool also raises awareness of innovative behaviors. According to Messmann and Mulder (2011), work contexts offer many opportunities for innovation, but individuals must recognize these to become active innovators. Thus, the SINCOE@ Assessment Tool help to understand the importance of applying innovation competences in both innovation processes and work practices.
How to use the SINCOE@ Assessment Tool?
The assessment tool can be applied in many ways.
Students
It can be used as a student assessment, for example as self- or peer assessment or group reflection of a student team. The tool can be contextualised to a single project, course or (online) learning environment, or it can be used to support the reflection of long-term competence, for example, throughout the degree.
Learn more about practical cases:
Teachers:
In teacher assessment, it can be used, for example, in teacher assessment assessing the teacher's or team of teachers' own innovation competencies in the implementation of pedagogical solutions. Additionally, the tool can also be used as a frame of reference in the planning of pedagogical script and teaching, to mirror whether pedagogical online solutions that enable the development of students' innovation competencies are realised in the plans. In this way, it helps identifying the special skills that are emerging during their pedagogical practices, and thus, support in evaluating the quality of their own course designs or implementations.
Learn more about practical cases:
External actors
In external assessment, the tool can be used, for example, in giving feedback for student teams when an external actor is unable to continuously monitor students' work and learning. The tool helps to articulate and concretise students' work and accomplishments. The external feedback supports the learning process and students’ motivation alongside course evaluations.
Learn more about practical cases:
Facilitating effective self-assessment with the SINCOE@ Assessment Tool
Successful, reliable and realistic assessments always require prior discussions with students and careful preparation, ensuring a common understanding, and motivating students to self-assess. Educators can help students develop the skills needs for effective and development-oriented self-assessment, leading to greater self-awareness and continuous improvement.
- Clear objectives: The assessment tool alone isn’t enough; joint discussions and clear introductions to the assessment goals, methods, and criteria are essential. Explain what is being assessed, and why.
- Provide Examples: Use practical examples to illustrate and contextualize what innovation competence means in practice. This helps students observe their own performance accurately.
- Encourage Reflection: Create opportunities for students to reflect on their learning experiences of innovation competence. This can be through discussions, or self-reflection exercises. Reflection not only deepen the learning but also helps students recognize their strengths and areas for improvement.
- Peer and Team Assessment: Utilize peer or team assessment-activities. This not only helps students learn to assess others but also provides additional perspectives on their own competence.
- Foster a Supportive Environment: Build an onsite or online classroom culture where self-assessment is seen as a positive and constructive process. Encourage honesty and openness.
- Feedback: Offer regular, constructive feedback to guide students in their self-assessment. Highlight both strengths and areas for improvement.
- Personal Goals: Encourage students to set personal learning goals, based on their self-assessments. For example, guide students to select relevant items of innovation competence list. This helps them take ownership of their learning journey and competence development.
How to access to Sincoe@
This route points to the latest version http://rogle-moodle.webs.upv.es/alias/sincoe@self.htm .
This self-assessment tool offers the option for a 360º degrees assessment with a simple and brief peer assessment (not intended for evaluation but for feedback from colleagues approached directly by participants)
Context definition tab
Please describe the environment where the learning experience takes place.
- Capstone Courses and Projects
- Collaborative Assignments and Projects
- Common Intellectual Experiences
- Diversity/Global Learning
- ePortfolios
- First-Year Seminars and Experiences
- Learning Communities
- Service Learning, Community-Based Learning
- Undergraduate Research
- Writing-Intensive Courses
Ice-breakers for on-line class
DRAFT Hacer una card con esto (pensar en el objetivo) Usar ice-breakers que obliguen a encencer o apagar la camara y que no pasa nada (apagan todos las camaras, icluso los del aula) y la encienden cuando cumplan algunas condiciones. Los qe ls gusta el futbol…los que han ido al cine la ultima semana, los que han vistto un episodio de serie esta semana, lo que solo han visto uno que la mantengan.
Case. UPV master degree
in construction
Para toda actividad en grupo en el aula
- Filtrar los comportamientos que puedo/quiero observar
- Apuntar la frecuencia/intensidad del comportamiento
Periódicamente poder recuperar "facil" anotaciones
- de cada estudiante
he diseñado un ahoja de calculculo para toma de datos para tener los datos "importados" directamente y no tener en papel digitalizado
- no me ha gustado el uso.. puedo hacer el punteado con una tableta y lapiz (y luego contar las marcas) pero no es comodo ni ágil, ni robusto y si hay que anotar comentarios no es util. y los filtros desde una tableta andorid con excel365 no funcionan bien (no visualiza comodo el detectar estudiante
- Igual con un portatil sería un pelin más comodo pero no lo suficientemente flexible
Al final he vuelto a anotaciones en tableta (mucho mejor que papel porque puedo hacer zoom y tener panel infinito y recolocar las cosas para tener espacio)
Los resultados los pico en calificaciones de poliformat para compartir con estudiantes y tenerlos calificados
References
Cheng, C. Y., & Chang, P. Y. (2012). Implementation of the Lean Six Sigma framework in non-profit organisations: A case study. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 23, 431-447.
Clune, S. J., & Lockrey, S. (2014). Developing environmental sustainability strategies, the Double Diamond method of LCA and design thinking: a case study from aged care. Journal of Cleaner Production, 85, 67-82.
Design Council. (2007). Eleven lessons. A study of the design process. British Design Council.
Marin-Garcia, J. A., Garcia-Sabater, J. J., Garcia-Sabater, J. P., & Maheut, J. (2020). Protocol: Triple Diamond method for problem solving and design thinking. Rubric validation. WPOM-Working Papers on Operations Management, 11(2), 49-68.
Scholtes, P. R., Joiner, B. L., & Streibel, B. J. (2003). The team handbook. Oriel.
Suarez-Barraza, M. F., & Rodriguez-Gonzalez, F. G. (2015). Bringing Kaizen to the classroom: lessons learned in an Operations Management course. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 26(9-10), 1002-1016.
Tapping, D. (2008). The Simply Lean Pocket Guide. Making Great Organizations Better Through PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT (PDCA) Kaizen Activities. MCS Media, Inc.
Tschimmel, K. (2012). Design Thinking as an effective Toolkit for Innovation. Proceedings of the XXIII ISPIM Conference: Action for Innovation: Innovating from Experience, Barcelona.
How learning analytics can be used in the different pilots
Learning analytics refers to the process of collecting, analyzing, and using data from various learning contexts to improve teaching and learning outcomes. When it comes to assessing or giving feedback to university students related to their innovation competence, learning analytics can be a powerful tool. By analyzing student performance data in innovation-related activities, such as design thinking exercises or innovation challenges, instructors can gain insight into how well students are developing their innovation skills.
For example, learning analytics can be used to track the progress of individual students over time, identifying areas where they may be struggling and where they may need additional support. This can be especially useful in identifying students who may be falling behind in their development of innovation skills, and targeting interventions to help them catch up. Additionally, learning analytics can be used to identify patterns of success among high-performing students, providing insights into what strategies and approaches are most effective for developing innovation competencies.
Feedback is another key component of learning analytics in assessing innovation competencies. Through the use of analytics tools, instructors can provide personalized feedback to students based on their individual performance, highlighting areas where they excel and areas where they can improve. This feedback can be delivered in real-time, providing students with timely guidance and support to help them develop their innovation competencies.
How to stimulate and maintain learner’s motivation to learn
Effective teaching is not only about transmiting information, but also about creating a learning environment that fosters active participation and student motivation. To achieve this, teachers can employ teaching practices that promote student engagement and self-regulation in their learning process.
Some of these practices include creating interactive and participatory activities in class, fostering collaboration among students, establishing clear goals and expectations, providing constant feedback, and teaching self-regulation skills such as time management and goal-setting. By utilizing these practices, teachers can create an environment where students feel motivated and responsible for their own learning, which can lead to better outcomes and greater satisfaction with the teaching-learning process.
***Still pending
What are High impact practices?
Why high impact practices improve student engagement/motivation?
Whych High impact practices can be used in pilots?
Seleccionar y hacer una ficha de las High impact practices seleccionadas. < https://www.aacu.org/trending-topics/high-impact >
- Capstone Courses and Projects
- Collaborative Assignments and Projects
- Common Intellectual Experiences
- Diversity/Global Learning
- ePortfolios
- First-Year Seminars and Experiences
- Learning Communities
- Service Learning, Community-Based Learning
- Undergraduate Research
- Writing-Intensive Courses
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