Innovative Techniques and Emerging Issues Confronting

Classroom Teaching

R. Elaine Turner, PhDUniversity of Florida

Introduction

• My Background– Teach introductory and life cycle

nutrition• Large lecture, small honors, online

– Development of additional online courses• Graduate elective• Corporate training

– Undergraduate Coordinator– Extension Specialist

CSREES/SERD Funded Projects

• Three Themes– Infusion of technology– Hands-on; experiential learning– Collaborative; multi-disciplinary

learning

Technology in Teaching

• Have we reached a “tipping point” in online education?

• Suggestive Signals– Number and pattern of online

enrollments– Ratio of online:campus enrollments– Investment in infrastructure

Technology in Teaching: Sloan Consortium Survey

• Online Enrollments– 1.9 m. in Fall 2003– 2.6 m. in Fall 2004

• Perceived Student Satisfaction

Technology in Teaching: Sloan Consortium Survey

• Strategic Role of Online Learning• Perceived Quality of Online

Courses

Technology in Teaching

• Institutional Investment– Course Management Systems

Technology in Teaching

• Will online education become the dominant mode of learning?

Technology in Teaching

• High-Touch to Balance High-Tech

Technology in Teaching

• Enhancements for Teaching/Learning– Simulations, case studies– Access to remote labs, instruments,

experts– Tracking student work– Organizing and archiving portfolios– Sharing ideas and success stories

Experiential Learning

• Learn by Doing• Experiential Learning Models

Experiential Learning

• Development of Thinking Skills– Critical thinking – Creative thinking– Thinking like a professional

Experiential Learning

• Development of Thinking Skills– Modeling the process

Collaborative Learning

• Real-Life is a Collaboration• Information Overload

Collaborative Learning

• Assistance of Technology– Email– Online discussions– Chat rooms– Blogs

Collaborative Learning

• Model Collaboration• Facilitate the Process

Collaborative Learning

• Collaboration in Teaching– Content– Pedagogy– Technology

Challenges

• Culture of Autonomy and Individual Responsibility

Challenges

• Push for “Seamless” Education

Challenges

• Assessment of Learning Outcomes

Challenges

• Peer-Review of Online Courses

Challenges

• Support for Faculty

Challenges

• Scholarship of Teaching

Final Thoughts

• What do you see in the future?

Summary and Conclusions

Resources

• The Sloan Consortium: a consortium of institutions and organizations committed to quality online education http://www.sloan-c.org

• Knowledge Media Laboratory of The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/kml/