Meaningful communication and active learning in online courses

Abstract

Many educators in higher education today are moving from an in-person, face to face setting towards an online learning environment because of benefits and advantages that online instruction provides, for example, saving time and money on traveling to campus and allowing students to learn at their convenience and pace. In order to help students to be successful, instructors must be willing to allocate the time needed for the creation and facilitation of a Web-Based Learning Community. One major component of the Web-Based Learning Community is Computer Mediated Communication that traditionally takes place through a text-based discussion board. Modern technology like real time videoconferencing enhances communication by adding social cues transmitted via video and audio. Through a variety of media, students are expected to interact with the content, their peers, and their instructor. Such interaction and communication facilitate the students' understanding and learning. In this paper, the authors first present literature relevant to online communication and learning communities. Then the authors share instructional strategies employed in their online courses. Instructional strategies include, but are not limited to, ice-breaking, moderating strategies, peer critique, peer review, peer evaluation, and the use of the video conferencing system Zoom.