This is one of several presentations given at the Web-based Information Science Education (WISE) Workshop during the ALISE Annual Conference (Jan. 21, 2014).
Workshop description: "As LIS programs become more entrepreneurial, reaching more diverse groups of learners, LIS educators are challenged to design their courses for diverse communities. There are many possible dimensions of diversity—different learner work contexts with different value structures (e.g., library vs. business), different cultural contexts when courses have a global reach, differences in learner demographics (age, gender, ethnicity), and differences in technology use outside of class, including social media. How does online course design take into account this diversity? This panel of experienced online educators will provide examples of how they have worked to address diverse communities of learners in their course designs and encourage interaction with members of the audience."
3. Are online students different?
• Possible generalities • Possible concerns
– Older
– Working full-time
– Have a family
– Self-starters
– Comfortable w/tech
– Tough setting aside time
– Dependent on fallible tech
– Lack of cultural clues
– Time zone differences
– Need to be present
4. Two Areas of Consideration
• Information in different
formats
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cobalt/2737296133/
• Regional / ethnic cultural
context
5. Regional / Ethnic Cultural
Context
• Easier for students to
attend distant program.
• Will not have the same
language skills or cultural
context.
• Need to teach to a global
– not local – audience.
6. Recommendations: Instruction
• Explain. Explain. Explain.
• Eliminate colloquial language, jargon & acronyms.
• With video and audio, be aware of your pace.
– Include text, so students can read and hear.
• Use non-”your region of the world” examples.
7. Recommendations:
Communication
• Ask students to introduce themselves.
–Model what you want them to do.
–Audio? Video? Photos?
• Create discussions where all can participate.
• Check-in with students using other
communication methods.
8. Information in Different Formats
•
•
•
•
•
Different learning styles
Hearing vs. seeing vs. doing
Use handouts
Allow your materials to be downloaded
Be more than a “talking head”
• Challenge yourself!
As LIS programs become more entrepreneurial, reaching more diverse groups of learners, LIS educators are challenged to design their courses for diverse communities. There are many possible dimensions of diversity—different learner work contexts with different value structures (e.g., library vs. business), different cultural contexts when courses have a global reach, differences in learner demographics (age, gender, ethnicity), and differences in technology use outside of class, including social media. How does online course design take into account this diversity? This panel of experienced online educators will provide examples of how they have worked to address diverse communities of learners in their course designs and encourage interaction with members of the audience. Moderator: Nicole Cooke, University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignPresenters: Lilia Pavlovsky, Rutgers University; Michael Stephens, San Jose State University; and Jill Hurst-Wahl, Syracuse University