Using Alternative Instructional Equivalencies to Enhance Learner Engagement 2.0

Streamed Session

Brief Abstract

Enhancing learner engagement in an online course can be challenging but can be accomplished by utilizing some of the key components of alternative instructional equivalencies.  Furthermore, utilizing alternative instructional equivalencies to enhance online courses ensures a positive impact for both the learner and instructor through governing hours of classroom instruction.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Deborah Mixson-Brookshire, Kennesaw State University

Deborah Mixson-Brookshire has been a full-time faculty member at KSU for more than 18 years. During that time, she served KSU students and the campus community not only as a faculty member but also as an Assistant Dean and Director of Distance Learning in University College. Additionally, she has earned several certificates, including one in instructional design. To create an engaging classroom experience for her students, Deborah incorporates innovative experiential education tools, including distance learning, to ensure students achieve course outcomes. Her publications include myriad articles focused on her research interests: experiential learning, student success, and distance learning. Her national reputation has garnered her invitations to facilitate national and regional workshops at which she has shared her research and pedagogical methods in experiential and distance learning with colleagues throughout the country. Deborah is also a frequent presenter at international and national conferences, giving presentations that share her passion for teaching, student success, and distance learning.

Extended Abstract

Engaging learners in an online course is always a challenge and can become overwhelming for instructors.  Using alternative instructional equivalencies, an instructor can positively impact both the learner and them through governing hours of required instruction while actively engaging the learner.  As an instructor, one of your goals is to always engage the learner with the instructor, their peers, and course materials. Alternative instructional equivalencies are an opportunity to see ideas and instructional time equivalence to engage the learner.  With the ever-increasing online enrollment in our courses, we need to continue to ensure not only the quality of our online/blended courses, but the active engagement of the learners. Alternative instructional equivalencies afford us the opportunity to ensure we can meet the required state and federal instructional hours through a balance of interaction with the learners, their peers, and course materials.   

During this interactive presentation, I will share the following:

  1. Samples of alternative instructional equivalencies (AIE) and materials
  2. Strategies and ideas for instructor professional development
  3. How to calculate online or blended course materials using alternative instructional equivalencies
  4. Assessment and reporting AIE forms to utilize with instructors

Furthermore, I will engage with the participants through sharing ideas and approaches to increase faculty awareness about the importance of engaging learners while governing classroom instruction hours through alternative instructional equivalencies.  During the interactive participation within my presentation, I will highlight the concerns and issues faculty and administrators have encountered with AIEs, and some strategies to overcome these challenges.  Finally, I will describe the impact we have experienced within our online/blended course positively impacting the student and faculty.

The value of this shared professional development opportunity can be used to enhance learner engagement in blended and face-to-face courses.