2.4 Planning Learning Activities: Types of Interaction

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So far in this module, in working through the backward design process, you've asked, "what do I want the students to learn?" and "how will I, and the students, know if they are learning?" In other words, you've focused on aligning the student learning outcomes with the assessments. Let's take a look now at the last phase of backward design, planning the learning activities, with an eye toward learning activities that allow for flexible student participation (whether your students are attending in the classroom, remotely, or some combination thereof).

Here are some of the keys to developing effective learning activities that we'll consider as you work through the remaining modules:

  • include opportunities for active learning
  • allow for different types of interaction
  • make activities sequential so each one builds on the preceding one
  • include useful feedback on the activities, and
  • include opportunities for students to think and reflect on what they are learning, how they are learning, and the significance of what they are learning.

Promote Active Engagement - Three Types of Interaction

Keeping students actively engaged with you, the content, and each other promotes student success. When students are observing, doing, communicating, and reflecting, they are actively working with concepts and people.  We describe these activities as interactions.  Interaction is at the center of the teaching and learning process.  Of course, when that process takes place using online tools or asynchronously, the way in which students and faculty interact changes. As we re-think how we approach interaction in remote or blended courses, there are three main types of interaction to consider. While learning activities will differ depending on the content, context, tools, and people involved, there are some strategies that can be incorporated in almost any course to foster interaction.  

Instructor-to-student interaction can include both formal direct instruction and more informal mentoring and support. Regular and substantive student-to-instructor interaction is required for courses to not be classified as "correspondence courses" by the US Department of Education Links to an external site. and the Higher Learning Commission Links to an external site..  During COVID-19, guidance from the Department of Education has again emphasized the importance of student-to-instructor interaction for all remote courses, and this interaction must be instructor-initiated.

For instructor-to-student interaction, options include:

  • offering synchronous class meetings via Zoom
  • providing help to individual students or groups during Zoom office hours or exam review sessions
  • providing feedback on assignments, learning journals, or other reflective activities
  • participating in Canvas Discussion forums or chats
  • sending frequent Canvas Announcements to summarize the previous week or describe the next week
  • mentoring individual learners
  • sending Canvas inbox messages to struggling students using the "Message students who..." feature
  • working with small groups of students assigned to help teach portions of the course (peer teaching)

See our guides on how to communicate with your students via Canvas and to set up virtual office hours using Zoom Links to an external site..


Synchronous and Asynchronous Options

Whether your course is remote, in-person, or blended you may provide opportunities for instructor-to-student, student-to-student, and student-to-content interaction through both synchronous and asynchronous activities. Use the guide below from OSU's Center for Teaching and Learning to clarify the difference between synchronous and asynchronous activities. This resource is designed to help you think about what mix of the two modes will help your students meet the course's learning objectives, and which will help you to teach most effectively.

Download Synchronous vs. Asynchronous: Defining, Describing, and Deciding

Synchronous instruction may feel most appealing because it most closely mimics teaching on-campus.  Remember, however, that adding asynchronous components to your course can help to support students who may not have strong internet bandwidth at home, who now live in a different time zone, and who might be experiencing other challenges that prevent them from live class meetings.  These students may benefit from synchronous sessions being recorded, from "flipped" lectures, and from interaction with their faculty and fellow students in Canvas discussion forums.


Additional Resources: Planning Learning Activities


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