Student Engagement
Online learning is an effective way to ensure that students go on with learning away from the normal classroom setting. It also ensures that learners gain the most during the learning process due to well-established designs of the learning apps. The other important factor of students learning online is the ability to enhance their engagement not only with the learning materials but also with the other learners and instructors using the online platform. Thus, the role of this essay is to determine various methods that are likely to enhance online learning as well as promoting student engagement in the same area. They include factors such as accessibility to the online learning materials as well as the type of technology used by both the learner and the instructors during the learning process.
It is critical for all learners to have access to the content being taught by instructors online as a way to ensure that they benefit from the process. Thus, when an educator prioritizes accessibility of the course material, the students reap the full benefits of online learning. Technology should be modified in ways that would make it easy for learners to access the content posted by the instructors. There are cases where an educator shares important information regarding a certain course for learners to use (Northwestern University). However, due to poor designs of the learning platform, they miss out on the valuable material.
Therefore, an instructor can create thoughtful links that will enhance the accessibility to the content material. For instance, instead of giving a link such as “click here”, one can provide links that give specific details of the information available. Besides, providing captioning or transcripts for media helps learners with certain disabilities such as hearing impaired to get what is communicated in a video posted on the platform. Also, headers and lists make it easier for a learner to scan a text by navigating the relevant information only thus saving time and avoiding boredom in the process.
Technology is also essential in promoting students’ engagement in online learning. Educators and instructors tend to use technology in teaching and instruction by creating content that is interesting and relevant to learners. Students tend to be active and more engaged on topics of discussion on online platforms than in traditional class settings. Introverted learners find technology as a means for them to air out their views as the platform makes discussions less intimidating as it is the case with face to face talks (Wankel & Blessinger, 2012). Besides, it is possible for students to share dissenting views without the fear of victimization which further encourages engagement in the learning process.
Learners in this century are digitally oriented as opposed to those days. They spend most of their time online doing whatever pleases them. It is for this reason that technology can be used as a means to enhance engagement in online learning and teaching. An instructor has to make learning on these platforms interesting for the students to engage in them. For instance, they can be allowed to post assignments in form of podcasts. Such enables the learner to be innovative and look for ways to ensure that their assignment is the best.
A learning app such as Education Perfect is one example in which teachers tend to maximize the availability of technology to educate as opposed to distracting learners. The application has various forums that all enhance learning processes. Besides, the content on the app is learner-oriented and does not contain information that might be distracting to learners. Therefore, accessibility to learning materials and the type of technology used helps in promoting student engagement in online learning.
References
Northwestern University. (n.d.). 2.5 Accessibility & course content. Retrieved from https://canvas.northwestern.edu/courses/1580/pages/2-dot-5-accessibility-and-course-content.
Wankel, C., & Blessinger, P. (Eds.). (2012). Increasing student engagement and retention using online learning activities: Wikis, blogs and webquests. Emerald Group Publishing.