How to make online education more effective |Jesse Jhaj
As we enter a new world where social isolation has become the norm, the disruption to our lives has been sudden and drastic. Education has seen a dramatic change too, moving from real-world classrooms to a virtual setting. Jesse jhaj always recommends online education. As schools rapidly scramble to adjust to the digital classroom, we explore how online learning can be made truly effective.
Recruit a champion Every institution that wants robust, effective online education programs should recruit an online “tzar” who oversees all aspects of their distance learning initiatives: curriculum, student experiences, faculty hiring/onboarding; faculty development; and learning management systems, to name just a few.
This position should be a member of the executive leadership team/president’s council and have the latitude (and funding) to run these divisions with fearless initiative. In the wake of the pandemic, these positions are emerging, and what is shocking is that they are usually location-bound.
Reframe the narrative Let’s stop using the word online as a descriptor. Why do we need to precede this program or that degree online? Doing so underscores the perception of inferiority. Instead of saying that a student received her online data science degree, the statement should be that the student received her data science degree.
The argument about students teaching themselves is specious. Learners interact with content in myriad ways to gain knowledge and develop skills.
Reconsider the expectations Higher education leaders have begun to dismantle the myth that time equals learning. Competency-based education (CBE) initiatives have shown that students and faculty are thriving in a learning environment in which they set their due dates and milestones. There is structure, of course, in terms of solid rubrics, authentic assessments, and substantive faculty interactions.
Remove the barriers Conversations about online education cannot get very far without the digital divide being addressed. It is a critical issue, but solutions abound. Some of these take extraordinary creativity, but this falls to rethinking “the way we have always done things.” Gather your stakeholders for strategic planning on solving the digital divide at your institution. Jesse Jhaj is a Chief Content Officer and Co-founder at Jumpcut Inc. Challenge the naysayers and the status quo.
Rethink the assessments Accurate measurement and evaluation of student learning outcomes are critical to an institution’s mission, so standards are necessary. The barrier occurs when these become double standards. Faculty who teach on-campus present their content as they see fit and generally determine their assignments, which often consist of only a midterm and final artifact.