DEVELOPING INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES

Jennifer Freeman and Patricia McGee

Overview

Issues, Challenges, Benefits Student-Content Student-Instructor Student-Student Student-Resources Keeping interaction going from the

learner perspective Keeping interaction going from the

instructor’s perspective

Why is Interactivity Important?

Research shows that students learn best through DOING. 

Interactivity decreases students' sense of isolation while participating in a course at a distance.

Interactivity motivates and engages

Which supports your module?

1. Interaction to enhance elaboration and retention.2. Interaction to support learner control/self regulation.3. Interaction to increase motivation.4. Interaction for negotiation of understanding.5. Interaction for team building.6. Interaction for discovery.7. Interaction for exploration.8. Interaction for clarification of understanding.9. Interaction for closure.10. Interaction to increase participation.11. Interaction to develop communication.12. Interaction to receive feedback.

Wagner, E. D. (1997). Interactivity: From agents to outcomes. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 91, 19-26.

Student-Content Interaction

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Our Case

Analyze fair use for a select piece of course materials

Structured Practice

Case Analysis

Online, interactive analysis tool

Objective

Learning Events

Activity

Tool

ACTIVITY: SCAVENGER HUNT

1. Explore sites listed

2. Find a learning object appropriate to your topic

3. Share with your table, share with other tables

Note: It’s not enough to find cool stuff on the web…part 2 of this activity is to compose instructions and context to introduce students to the learning object that you found.• http://www.merlot.org• http://www.wisc-online.com/ • http://mcli.maricopa.edu/re

sources• http://archive.nmc.org/proje

cts/lo/repositories.shtml

• http://www.learning-objects.net/

more URLs - Developing Content handout, pages 22-23

Learner-Instructor Interaction

Learner-instructor involves feedback and guidance to the learner from the instructor (Moore, 1993).

Typ

es

Consider Social Presence

From http://www.thethinkingstick.com/?p=604

From http://www.french-in-aude.com/pages/skype.htm

Student-Student Interaction

Learner-learner interaction involves processes that result in clarifications and knowledge construction (Moore, 1993).

Student-Student Interaction

Interaction Framework

(Harasim, 1989)

Collaboration vs. Cooperation

ACTIVITY

1. Using index cards2. Write down 3 different

interaction challenges in an online course on separate cards

3. Exchange with other table4. Write a solution5. Return

Student-Resources Interaction

publisher extras online

FAQ lists

technology tutorials

webquests

URL exchange

guest lectures

virtual field trips

ACTIVITY

Teams.. Review module design What kinds of interactions can

you add? Change? Be prepared to share.

Keeping Interaction Going…Learners’ Perspectives

Why do some students “lurk”?

Keeping Interaction Going…Learners’ Perspectives

• Tools difficult to use and/or internet issues

• New to online communication

• Don’t feel welcome• Time constraints• Pace of

conversation• Information

overload

Provide detailed instructions; provide technical support

Provide social areas; encourage the newly de-lurked; provide “greeters”, mentoring and prompt feedback

At least one easy, non-threatening topic to get started; provide surveys or rating activities; periodically create low-stress opportunities for posting

Management of threads; disable all but the current topic of conversation

Be sure that everyone adheres to basic netiquette; quickly censure aggressive or inappropriate posts

Keeping Interaction Going…Instructor’s Perspective

Make it meaningful Limit scope and time Set expectations and provide examples Give responsibility to others Personalize Mix it up

Take-aways

Keep it somewhat flexible Consider access and scheduling Provide choices