Simulated Based Learning

An "educational tool or device with which the learner physically interacts to mimic real life and practice interacting with authentic objects" is how Cook et al. (2013) describe simulation-based learning (p.876). Students are provided the opportunity to participate in learning experiences that mimic real-life processes but within a controlled setting. These environments allow learners to make mistakes without any detrimental consequences. It provides the space for students to experience authentic decision-making while developing communication, collaboration, and leadership skills. Simulations can be built for a number of disciplinary contexts and present learners with a risk-free environment to employ new knowledge and skills.

 

Pedagogy in Action: The SERC portal for educators supplies several simulation lessons instructors can consider modifying to fit their course activity designs. Here is an example taken from the Economics example of this website called Economics and the “Tragedy of the Commons.”

 

Economics and the Tragedy of the Commons: In both macroeconomics and microeconomics principles courses, economists teach the virtue of markets as an allocative mechanism. But markets sometimes fail. This example, implemented over the internet, allows students to simulate the market failure associated with a common property resource, a salmon fishery, and evaluate ways to control fishing. The simulation was developed by Paul Romer at Stanford University and is available on the Aplia website.

Decision-Making Activities

When designing activities that require critical decision-making, instructors ask students to respond to a prompt by constructing a performance that reveals their understanding of certain concepts and skills. They are asked to apply, analyze, synthesize, or evaluate the issue at hand and devise new knowledge with the information provided. Performances typically are substantial in depth and length and broadly conceived.

 

Students are given a portion of the semester between the presentation of the prompt and the student response. Jon Mueller provides a number of examples of group projects that exemplify this level of group decision-making activities. This Creative Group Presentation is centered around a Psychology Course which is focused on stress and coping.

 

This type of project could be modified for a group of students to work together in Canvas Group using collaborative documents, wikis, or a collaborative presentation tool like Canva.

Case-Based Learning

Much like decision-making activities, case-based learning presents students with situations from the larger world that require students to apply their knowledge to reach a conclusion about an open-ended situation. Students are provided with a case and are asked to decide what they know that is relevant to the case, what other information they may need, and what impact their decisions may have, considering the broader implications of their decisions.

 

Small groups can work together, apply course theory and find solutions together. Group presentations online can be created via, Studio or Canva, where each student reports their findings.

 

The National Science Teaching Association, created and curated by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science, on behalf of the University at Buffalo, provides numerous peer-reviewed case studies on various topics in all areas of science.

Collaborative Product

One of the core tenants of effective online instruction is collaboration. Guiding students to produce collaborative products gives instructors true insight into students' ability to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate key concepts and skills. Instructors can provide a series of prompts, and students then use the semester to construct an actual, tangible product. The product could be a film analysis, musical composition, newscast, or pamphlet about the course content. The purpose here is that students construct new knowledge and show their understanding via their products.

 

The  Eberly Center and Jon Mueller provide numerous examples of building collaborative products into several disciplines. In addition, the Eberly Center site also features several group project tools that help maintain the efficacy of student roles with such types of online group assignments.

 

The following is an example of a collaborative project with a product by Faculty Focus.

 

Group work: Games and more

 

Other ways to engage students in collaboration and group work is to include multiplayer games (these make great test reviews), which require the players to collaborate. For example, have students play charades or adapt commercial games such as Taboo (get teammates to guess a word without using four related taboo words) or Headbandz/Heads-Up! (a player holds up a card on their forehead for their teammates to see, and they give clues to guess the word) where players are part of a team. Other games that are typically based on individual performance (e.g., Jeopardy) can also be modified to be more collaborative by using groups instead of individuals for each of the players. Additionally, group testing, where two or more students work on the test together (sometimes individually first, then in pairs), has shown promising results (Gilley and Clarkston 2014).

Role-Play

This type of experiential learning involves the student taking on a specific role or character in a well-defined learning context. Unlike simulation games, role play places students in distinct roles. The students may be asked to imitate characters in unfamiliar contexts.

 

Dr. Tanya Ilieva writes a blog about this powerful authentic learning experience for the online classroom. She provides several examples, such as Who am I? where students write a speech, and peers must determine the "author" of the speech. She also lists the concept of a Socratic dialogue, again where learners take a position in a dialogue that represents a position on a moral, ethical, or social issue.

 

Learners must use critical thinking to display their knowledge of that position. Read more at Role-Playing In The Virtual Classroom.

Community Action Projects

In community action projects or service learning, students participate in authentic learning activities and meet course objectives while participating in practical learning experiences that benefit a societal need.

 

For example, students might write or assist with grant proposals for a non-profit organization. Students are charged to identify, analyze, and research an important issue or problem, create an informational piece, synthesize their learning, and develop a marketing plan and materials (brochure, flier, website, advertisement, newspaper advertisement). This type of authentic learning experience is broadly supported by a number of websites that provide numerous resources. Use the download page to connect with community action project resources.