The Center for Learning Innovation assists instructors as they design and optimize their courses for delivery in not only face-to-face situations, but also in online and hybrid environments. Online and hybrid instruction must be deliberately structured to accommodate students who may not be in the same space鈥攏or participate at the same time鈥攁s a traditional face-to-face course. The key is developing a student-centered and flexible approach so that students can engage with course content and achieve learning goals regardless of where, when, or how they may participate.
Best practices in online and hybrid teaching tend to fall into eight major areas:
- Blending onsite and online learning
- Writing effective learning outcomes
- Incorporating accessibility using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles
- Creating authentic assessments
- Designing learning activities
- Creating informative content
- Achieving student engagement and substantive interaction
- Using rubrics for grading
The center has launched a course for faculty鈥擟reating a HyFlex Course鈥攆ocusing on these areas. Learn more about it and other Center for Learning Innovation offerings on its calendar and Classes/Workshops pages.
Additional Online Teaching Tips and Best Practices
The internet has an overabundance of information on online teaching, especially in response to COVID-19. Some of the best practices and information to inspire faculty and help plan future courses can be found at:
- Resources for Educators and Administrators Moving Online is from the (OLC), of which Illinois Tech is an institutional member. Sign up to access for even more resources. OLC also publishes , a blog with a timely series, Online in a Hurry, and sponsors annual Effective Practice Awards based on its .
- from 鈥攁 nonprofit online learning quality assurance organization鈥攈as free resources that include creating a first impression with video introductions and using humor online to addressing accessibility