This term I am taking E-Learning Design for Diverse Learning (EDU624). So far, I have learned about E-Learning designs and practices, Absorb Activities, and Do Activities. For my course project, I am developing an online Art History II class that could be used at Post University. I was a part of designing Post’s original online Art History classes several years ago and I have found that they are now outdated. There are so many more online resources than there ever was seven years ago, and I am learning how to successfully create online classes using various processes.
For this project, I am designing this class in a process that concentrates on E-Learning and Activities, which is a different approach to my previous classes and projects. Specifically, many of my past projects used the ADDIE model. Here, I am diving straight into the content of the class itself, which is more in line with what a SME does when they work with an instructional designer to develop a class.
The type of e-Learning model for this project falls into the category of Social Learning. Learners will work with peers and an instructor using online resources, discussions boards, activities, and assignments. I will follow Post’s model design as an asynchronous learning environment.
Horton (2012) says that absorb activities “may sound passive, but they can be an active component of learning” (p. 67). Even though Absorb Activities can be dull, they are integral in the learning process. Online teachers have to be creative as they try to engage their students. The Absorb Activities suit motivated learners, which benefits online learning programs, as most online learners are intrinsically motivated (Nada Dabbagh, 2007). Here’s an example of an online Absorb Activity where an art historian explains and illustrates how the history of the Reformation influenced the art of its time:
Horton (2012) also says “if Absorb activities are the nouns, then Do activities are the verbs of learning” (p. 129). Practice activities can be guided-analysis activities in the form of discussion boards. Students benefit when they are given an opportunity to analyze art in their own words because they can find connections between the class content and their own experiences and knowledge. Discovery activities can be case studies where students can analyze course content further through reflection papers. The student can be asked to analyze the progression of art history across several Units so they can go beyond analyzing individual art pieces and time periods.
In the upcoming weeks, I will add Content Activities and further develop my project by finding connections, developing interactive media, contemplating mobile learning, and finalizing my online learning environment. I have to wonder, with the rapid changes in technology and online resources, how long would this class last before it too becomes outdated?
Dabbagh, N. (2007). The online learner: Characteristics and pedagogical implications. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 7(3), 217- 226.
CrashCourse. (2019, Apr 19). Florence and the renaissance: Crash course European history #2. [YouTube]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tecocKSclwc&vl=en
Horton, W.K. (2012). E-learning by design. 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer.
Tracy Collamore PLE Project 