6 Core Competencies

to Enhance Digital
Teaching and Learning
 Dr Caroline Steel • Senior Strategic Consultant

Dr Caroline Steel, a Senior Strategic Consultant with Blackboard, has a strong reputation in the field of digital learning
and teaching. Before Blackboard, Caroline was President of ASCILITE (Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in
Tertiary Education), Director of Digital Learning at La Trobe University and an expert academic in digital learning at the
University of Queensland. She has published and spoken widely on the potential of digital and mobile learning. Caroline
holds a PhD on the interrelationship between teacher beliefs and their technology practices, as well as a Master’s degree
and a Graduate Diploma of Adult and Vocational Education.

DIGITAL TEACHING SCHOLARSHIP effective digital teacher? We were all students at some time before we
were teachers, so does that give us a scholarly foundation to inform
What is digital teaching our practices?

practice without theory? We all come to teaching with varying personal beliefs about how
learning occurs, how knowledge is acquired and what teaching means
Being a digital teacher means you will need to design, facilitate and
in our disciplines. Our belief systems, personal theories or conceptions
manage learning through a digital environment. This also means
of learning and teaching mediate the way we teach and how we
that your teaching will be more visible or transparent compared
interact with and respond to learners. However, our beliefs are often
to teaching behind doors in purely physical spaces. Therefore,
implicitly held, as we rarely have the opportunity to discuss them.
demonstrating teacher scholarship is integral to demonstrating
quality. This blog post is intended to get you thinking about First, let’s look at this model (Figure 1, adapted from Kember, 1997).
your teaching practices in terms of the beliefs you bring to your Kember’s model employs two broad higher-level orientations (teacher-
teaching and the role of theory in understanding what you believe
and why. Developing this kind of understanding can help you
imagine how your learning and teaching model can be enacted in
a technology environment. This includes being able to identify the
potential (affordances) of technology tools as you plan for learning
and teaching.

When you think of your preferred teaching practices, how much

do you draw on learning theories to guide the ways you design
and deliver your teaching and how much do you draw on your own
beliefs about learning and teaching? Is it necessary to understand
the fundamental theories of learning and teaching in order to be an
centred/content centred and student-centred/learning-orientated), learning and teaching in their context.
and five subordinate categories along a continuum, including
Take a look at the four options below. Each option includes a set
an intermediate transitionary one (student teacher interaction/
of learning and teaching principles that underpin one of the four
apprenticeship). Teachers who hold beliefs that are teacher-oriented
learning theories we unpack in the DTLS. Tick the principles that
and content-oriented tend to adopt teaching strategies that seek to
resonate most with you. Is there a dominant option for you or is it
impart information and transmit knowledge. Teachers who are more
more of a combination?
focused on how to facilitate understanding and augment conceptual
change tend to employ more student focused strategies.

Where would you place yourself on this continuum from teacher-

centered and content oriented to student centered and learning ‘Theory without practice is empty; practice
oriented? There is no correct answer –think about this in terms of
without theory is blind’ - Kant
what resonates most closely with you (in a general way).

Let’s drill down a little further into your beliefs. Think back to your
own experiences as a learner and something you felt you mastered
or learned well… Stop and think for a few minutes about the
following questions in relation to your beliefs and experiences (write
a few dot points if you can):

• How do you believe people learn? (or how did you learn well?)

• What role does memory play in learning? (or what role did
memory play in your learning?)

• How do you think knowledge is acquired to the extent it can be

applied to new contexts? (or how was this learning cemented
enough that you were able to apply it to new situations?)

In the DTLS program, we use these three questions to explore and

compare four fundamental learning theories. Developing some
knowledge of these theories is a good starting point for digital
teacher scholarship. Each theory is also underpinned by a set of
learning and teaching principles that can help the digital teacher in
determining the right approach and technologies to support their
Option 1 Option 3
Teachers (or technologies) direct the learning process while learners have Learners play an active role in constructing their knowledge
a passive role
Teacher’s role to design and facilitate opportunities for knowledge
Teaching is directly focused on the skills and knowledge to be taught, construction, critical thinking and reflection
and supplies the appropriate conditions for the achievement of learning
outcomes Learning outcomes are not uniform or predictable due to the individual
nature of learning
Pre-assessment of learner behaviours can be used to determine where
instruction should begin Prior knowledge provides a bridge to new learning through scaffolding
(Zone of Proximal Development- ZPD)
Learning outcomes are observable and measurable
Authentic learning material, tasks and challenges (e.g. real-world cases,
Activities provide opportunities for drills, repetitive practice and testing messy real-world problems) to ignite student curiosity and motivation to
learn
Skills and facts are broken down into small learning units
Materials and activities are designed to support (or scaffold) learning in
Instructional material is the stimulus for the response that it produces in a the authentic and relevant context
learner
Social interaction and collaboration with peers, communities, experts is
encouraged
Option 2
Learners play an active role in their learning process Option 4
Teacher-centred: Teachers organise and scaffold learning to facilitate Learning and knowledge rests in diversity of opinions.
students’ knowledge acquisition
Due to the diminishing currency of knowledge and expertise, the capacity
Learning is cumulative in nature and relational to prior knowledge to know/learn more is more critical than what is currently known
Learning outcomes are determined based on analysis of different levels of Opportunities for learning and to access knowledge are everywhere (they
information processing required (e.g., application, analysis, evaluation) reside in people and in technologies themselves)
Emphasis on metacognitive training (ability to plan, organise, self-manage Nurturing and maintaining connections via networks can facilitate
and self-monitor learning) continual learning.
Complex problems and tasks are broken down into parts Ability to see connections and patterns between fields, ideas, and
Information, materials and activities are structured, organised and concepts is a core skill.
sequenced to help learners make meaningful connections with previous Currency (accurate, up-to-date knowledge) is the intent of all learning
knowledge activities.

Decision-making is itself a learning process. Choosing what to learn

and the meaning of incoming information is seen through the lens of a
shifting reality.
It’s exciting to discover the theory behind one’s practices and to consider
what other theories have to offer and why. In terms of the options above, References and Further Reading
Option 1 represents Behaviourism, Option 2 is Cognitivism, Option 3 is
Constructivism and Option 4 is Connectivism. As the headliner quote in The references below offer some extended reading on the topics covered in this
this blog suggests ‘theory without practice is empty; practice without blog post.
theory is blind’. The DTLS offers an excellent opportunity to find out more
Bates, A.W. (2015) Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for designing teaching and
about learning theories to help you, as a teaching scholar, articulate, learning (eBook retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/teachinginadigitalage/).
shape and grow your vision for learning and teaching in a digital age.
Ertmer P.A, Newby T.J. (2013). Article update: Behaviourism, Cognitivism,
and Constructivism “yesterday’s” theories to today’s contexts. Performance
Improvement Quarterly 26(2) 65 –71.

Ertmer, P. (2005). Teacher pedagogical beliefs: The final frontier in our quest for
technology integration? Educational Technology Research and Development, 53(4),
25-39.

Ferguson, R., Coughlan, T., Egelandsdal, K., Gaved, M., Herodotou, C., Hillaire,
G., Jones, D., Jowers, I., Kukulska-Hulme, A., McAndrew, P., Misiejuk, K., Ness, I.
J., Rienties, B., Scanlon, E., Sharples, M., Wasson, B., Weller, M. and Whitelock, D.
(2019). Innovating Pedagogy 2019: Open University Innovation Report 7. Milton
Keynes: The Open University.

Gunn, C & Steel, C. H. (2012) Repositioning Theory in Learning Technology Research,

Research in Learning Technology 20(2).

Harasim, L. (2011). Learning Theory and Online Technologies, Routledge

Hattie, J. (2012). Visible Learning for Teachers: Maximizing Impact on Learning.

London: Routledge, 2012

Kane, R., Sandretto, S., & Heath, C. (2002a). Telling half the story: A critical review of
research on teaching beliefs and practices. Review of Educational Research, 72(2),
177-288.

Kember, D. (1997). A reconceptualisation of the research into university academics’

conceptions of teaching. Learning and Instruction, 7(3), 255-275.

Ramsden, P. (1992). Learning to teach in higher education. London: Routledge.

Schunk, D. H. (2015). Learning Theories: An educational perspective, Seventh

Edition Pearsons.

Siemens, G. (2013). Overview of Connectivism [video interview at the University of

the Sunshine Coast, Australia] https://youtu.be/yx5VHpaW8sQ.

Steel, C. H. (2009). Reconciling university teacher beliefs to create learning designs

for LMS environments. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 25(3), 399-
420.

Steel, C. H. (2010). Teaching online: Issues for on-campus and distance instruction.
In R. Cantwell & J. Scevak (Eds.), An Academic Life: A Handbook for New Academics:
ACER Press.
 Fausto Puppo • Senior Educational Consultant
Fausto Puppo is a Senior Educational Consultant based in LAC. He has over twenty years of experience in training and consulting,
specializing in teacher training; instructional design; program accreditation; and implementation of F2F, blended, and fully online teaching/
learning solutions.

Before working for Blackboard, Fausto worked as Master Trainer at Peace Corps Peru. He was also Director of Online Education and Director
of the English Language Program at Universidad Privada del Norte in Peru. He has also taught at a number of educational institutions and
conducted research in emotional design, user experience in online learning environments and students’ use of learning strategies. Fausto
has published articles and delivered workshops in several countries, including Peru, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

DIGITAL CAPABILITIES & MANAGEMENT more questions arise: Is the learner thoroughly familiar with the LMS

Support and Success of the and the tools that he/she will need to use throughout the course? Does
the learner know how to navigate the course and where to find the
Online Learner different resources that he/she will need? If the answer to either –or
both– of these questions is “No,” we will need to provide an orientation
Several questions come to mind when one is faced with the task of
module or some other means to make sure that learners are properly
assessing an online course. Is the content aligned with the learning
equipped to begin –and successfully complete– the course. This
objectives? Is it organized in such a way that it offers the learner a
orientation module ought to be the very first thing the learner sees and
logical path to follow? Is the look and feel attractive and compelling?
should allow him/her to practice using all the tools and resources in a
Even though the answer to all these questions needs to be “Yes”
safe environment before taking on the actual course content. This will
if we are to make sure that we are providing the learner with a
probably save time –and support tickets!
pedagogically sound learning experience, there are other aspects
that are also critical to student success, though they may sometimes
be overlooked: providing orientation, managing expectations, and
catering to students’ needs.

Providing orientation to the

Course and the LMS
We may feel tempted to start teaching our subject right away.
However, there may be other things that need to be taught before
the online learner is fully prepared to start the course. Thus, two
Managing Expectations and
Dealing with Questions
Another aspect that is critical to student success is managing
expectations in order to prevent –or at least, reduce– uncertainty
–and even anxiety. We need to make sure that the learner knows
what to expect from the course and the instructor as well as what
is expected of him/her as a student. In order to establish his/her
expectations, we should answer the following questions for the
learner before the course begins: What is the role of the instructor
within the course? How long will it take the teacher to provide
feedback on activities and forum posts or to answer questions? How
will my work be graded? Will I have a second attempt at exams? What
happens if I miss a deadline? Who should I contact if I have a problem
or a question? One practical way to deal with these and other
questions that learners may have is to provide a Q&A section that
they can check as needed. Also, if the course includes synchronous
sessions through videoconferencing, the instructor can spend a
few minutes going over students’ doubts. Additionally, it may be a
good idea to create a discussion forum in which students can ask
such questions.

Tailoring the Learning Experience

to the Student’s Needs
Part of the beauty of online education is that it allows us to
personalize learning in ways that would be simply impossible in a
face-to-face setting. Most classes are, to say the least, far from being
homogeneous groups. Different students are at different levels. Some
may lack some of the prerequisites for the course while others may
already know some –or most– of the course content. Online delivery
of a course through an LMS allows us to plan for conditional release
of content based on student performance. This makes it possible to
make specific materials and activities available to specific students
in order to cater to their needs.

For instance, Paul, a student in an online math course, is struggling

with the regular content of the course because he lacks some
of the math skills he should have developed in high school. He
can take a diagnostic test on the platform that will identify the
specific areas that he needs to work on in order to be on a par
with his classmates. He will then have to take –and pass– one or
more remedial modules covering those areas. A new test will serve
to verify that he now has all the prerequisites needed and can
therefore have access to the regular content of the course, which he
is now prepared for.

On the other hand, Betty, another student in the same online math
course, comes from a high school with a very strong math program.
She finds that the regular materials and activities in the course are
not challenging enough to her, which has a negative impact on her
level of motivation. The same diagnostic test can detect this and
automatically grant her access to additional, more demanding,
resources that she may find more engaging.

There is virtually no limit to how flexible an online course can

be. Indeed, personalization options go well beyond the cognitive
domain. We can address all sorts of accessibility issues and provide
materials and activities that appeal to different learning styles
and/or dominant intelligences. We need to remember, though,
that in order for students to benefit from this flexibility, they need
to be fully familiar with the course in terms of use of technology,
resources, roles, and procedures.
 Dr. Cynthia Crenshaw • Senior Educational Consultant

Dr. Cynthia Crenshaw joined the Blackboard team in 2009, bringing with her over 20 years of experience in K12- education,
higher education, curriculum design, corporate training, and strategic consulting. She completed her Ph.D. in Adult Education
and Online Learning from the University of Kansas, and has spent a significant amount of her career instructing education
professionals on how to become more effective course designers and instructors. Institutions where she has taught include
George Mason University, Colgate-Palmolive Global Leadership University, The Masie Center Global E-learning Consortium,
Walden Institute/Capella University, University of Kansas, and Blackboard, Inc.

DIGITAL LEARNER EXPERIENCE First, it was noted that facilitators must be responsible for instructing
Designing Online Group Activities learners on how to collaborate with peers online. “Provide students
with information and tips on how to interact with classmates, problem
As online educators, we know that keeping students engaged
solve, constructively criticize, divide and assume responsibilities,
and connected to each other in an asynchronous course can be
organize their work, manage their time, and provide an end product that
challenging. In fact, it is often cited as the primary reason students
is seamlessly representative of the collaborative efforts of the group”
drop out of a course, or even leave an institution. Student retention
(Roby, p. 23). Just as teachers need to gain experience instructing
is a common problem because students need to feel connected to
in an asynchronous environment, learners must be afforded the
each other, the instructor, and the content in the course. Instructors
same opportunity.
can combat the problem of student retention by ensuring they have
designed their asynchronous course with groups and collaboration. Another valuable method is to establish groups early in the course and
This article provides some research and recommendations on how to allow team members time to build relationships and determine their
design effective online group activities so that your students have a own norms and working processes. The research found it better to keep
positive, interactive, and connected learning experience. the same groupings throughout the course to maintain camaraderie
and cohesiveness. A group size of three to five members is optimal, as
Keys to Creating a Collaborative it avoids allowing one individual to control the group and thus prevent

Environment non-participating learners from benefiting from the team effort.

Instructors within the University System of Georgia conducted Finally, in order to maintain a collaborative effort effectively throughout
a study of best practice teaching techniques that enhanced the the course, teachers should base grading standards on peer interaction,
development of team-building and community in asynchronous and remind learners that part of their course grade will be based on
courses. Their research revealed several methods that are key to participation. This might include making substantive and engaging posts
creating a collaborative environment online (Roby, 2002, as cited in in the discussion forum, participating in a group project, or contributing
Student Collaboration in the Online Classroom, n.d.).
to a class blog or wiki.

You can use different strategies to create groups taking into account:

Group Type

According to Barkley et al. (2014), groups can be classified as informal,

Strategies for Creating Groups

formal, or base:

• Informal groups are formed quickly and randomly and are primarily
used in face-to-face classes as a breakout to a longer class activity.

• Formal learning groups are created to achieve a more complex goal.

In this case, it is usually better to be more thoughtful and intentional
regarding group membership. The purpose of formal groups is to
accomplish shared goals, and to take advantage of different talents
and knowledge of the members to enhance the learning of everyone
in the group.

• Base groups are long-term groups that work on a variety of tasks.

Their purpose is to offer members support and encouragement; they
stay together for the entire term or the academic year.

The type of group you choose to form therefore depends on the

purpose of the group, the type of assignment, and the time it will take to
complete the assignment.

Group Membership: Homogeneous versus Heterogeneous Groups

Broadly speaking, research supports heterogeneous grouping; however,

both kinds of grouping can present advantages and disadvantages. The
following table summarizes them.
 Selecting Group Members
Heterogeneous Groups Homogeneous Groups
Some strategies an eTeacher can use to create groups are:
Diversity exposes learners to different
ideas, backgrounds, and experiences. • Self-selection: While convenient for the eTeacher, this may cause
Evidence exists that they are more Better for some learning activities (e.g.,
productive and better suited for exploring highly sensitive or personal certain issues. For example, learners might choose only to work
Advantages
multidimensional tasks. Students issues, highly structured skill-building
with different achievement levels can tasks, language learning). with their friends or with learners they have met in other classes,
benefit from each other.
thus reducing the social interaction and diversity benefits of group
work. In addition, having to reach out to someone they do not
know may create some discomfort for shy learners.
Students can be uncomfortable with
diversity of opinion. Distributing Students don’t experience the rich • Random selection: This can be done using a factor such as
minority or female learners among interactions and exchange that can
groups can isolate them into the posi-
occur in heterogeneous groups.Grouped alphabetical order, birth month, student number, or any other
tion of being the only representative
Disadvantages by abilities, some learners can be
in the group. If academic achievement
stereotyped and not being encouraged chance-based criterion. The downside is that groups created
is used for grouping, low achievers
to move to other levels.
might not have the opportunity to in this way lack any structure in terms of abilities, background,
show leadership.
personality, etc. and tend to have a harder time establishing a
collaborative environment (Roberts & McInnerney, 2007).

• Teacher selection: Gives the eTeacher the opportunity to

Group Size develop groups based on age, gender, cultural background, work
While size may be dictated by any number of factors and preferences, experience, etc., thereby building diversity into the team. “This
Barkley et al. (2014) summarize research that indicates that five can improve a range of generic skills, including the ability to
members is the most effective group size. Groups of four tend to communicate effectively, to understand others’ points of view,
divide into pairs, and groups of three split into a pair and an outsider. and to be understanding of other cultures and backgrounds”
Groups of six work almost as well, but as groups get larger they dilute (Roberts & McInnerney, p. 260).
the experience and increase the logistical challenges. However,
setting a fixed number of members might feel too rigid; in general
terms, the experience suggests that the group should be small
enough so that learners can participate fully and build confidence
in one another, yet large enough to have sufficient diversity and
the necessary resources to accomplish the learning task. “Groups
of two may not fully allow the students [to] learn the skills of group
consensus gathering and problem solving” (Roby, p. 24).
Fostering Collaboration
Once the groups are established and the project is assigned for each team, the
teacher is not done, online learners will still need support and guidance from
the eTeacher, to help them form a bond and collaborative working relationship
with their team members.

Debbie Morrison (2014) suggests several techniques that can be implemented

to help groups succeed and to promote satisfaction among team members.

• Dialogue among learners is a fundamental component of the group

activity. Assignments should be designed to encourage discussion and
brainstorming (asynchronous and synchronous) rather than a division of
labor.

• Understanding of the purpose of the activity is achieved by communicating

to learners why group work is necessary, e.g., sharing how the project aligns
to the learning goals and how learners will benefit.

• Access to digital platform(s) and tools that support online collaboration for
discussion and product creation is essential.

• Support may be necessary for learners unfamiliar with collaboration

platform and tools.

• Guidelines should be provided which outline learner expectations,

netiquette, procedure to deal with absences, assessment methods,
examples of collaborative exchanges between learners, team roles, etc.

• Instructor and institution should contribute to development and support of

learner skill set for cooperation, collaboration and teamwork.

• Instructor involvement may be necessary to address non-contributing

group members, group challenges, etc.

• Assessment should occur at both group and individual levels.

Best Practices for Designing Groups
As you plan, design, and incorporate collaborative activities into your online classes,
keep in mind some of these best practices.

• Assign learners to groups rather than allowing them to self-select. A group needs to
work as a cohesive whole, creating their own culture independently from alliances
that its members may already have.

• Take the time to teach learners how to work in groups.

• Do not try to squeeze group work into a few weeks. Groups need time to develop. If
you do not have time in your course to support groups, then skip using them.

• Rather than allowing learners to privately criticize the group, encourage

collaboration by making feedback opportunities public within the group.

• Share the final products of the group work with the entire class and instruct
learners in how to provide meaningful critique. Production for consumption is a key
component of student-centered learning.

• Do not just grade the final product. Make effective group interaction and
cooperation a criterion in grading. Consider grading learners on their constructive
critiques of other groups’ presentations as well.

• Work with learners to create a meaningful group evaluation form, or adapt one that
you find online or in a group process textbook. Including them in the development
of the assessment increases buy-in and helps clarify expectations.

• Start with positive feedback. Learners may be hesitant to criticize one another, so
in the first round of feedback, ask them to tell each other (and you) at least one
positive contribution that each member has made to the group.

Deciding how to incorporate groups into your asynchronous course is based on your
professional judgement as an eTeacher; the most important thing is to keep in mind
that collaboration and social interaction are key elements to assisting your students
with learning and being successful. Student engagement is directly related to student
retention in your course and at your institution!
 Mike Highfield • Principal Educational Consultant

Mike specializes in course design with a background in designing MOOCs and has extensive experience of effective implementation of
the Blackboard portfolio. Mike delivers services across the RMEA region for institutions in higher, further, secondary and professional
education sectors. Before working for Blackboard, Mike has over 15 years of experience in online learning in UK High Schools and
Higher Education for the universities of Bath, Bristol and Exeter. Mike is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

DIGITAL DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT of Apps this largely depends on your platform for sharing content,

Designing For the Mobile Learner collaborating and communicating. These are native and specialist
applications that support IOS and Android platforms. For the majority
How many of your learners interact with the learning content that of learning professionals the Mobile First approach can best be served
you provide them with using a mobile device? 5%, 50%, 100%? The by understanding how your content behaves in mobile web browser
chances are you have hunch but not necessarily any authoritative before checking content views in an App. To check what happens on a
data. But, whatever your institutional affiliation and geography web browser on mobile try this….
you will probably concede that the number of learners interacting
with your content using a mobile device is likely to be, at least,
significant. In the UK, according to the 2018 study, Digital experience Top Tip!
insights survey 2018: findings from students in UK further and higher
education (JISC, 2018) 62% of Higher Education students regularly You will need Google Chrome as your web
access their Learning Management System using a mobile device.
browser. Go to the three little circles at the
Designing for mobile learners requires a “Mobile First” design top right of your browser screen. Select
perspective. Consider all your content and how that’s used on a
more tools and developer tools. Once here
mobile device. How you user interacts tends to depend on two things
– are they using Browser or App? you will be able to display your web page in
a variety of different devices ranging from
First, let’s consider designing for the mobile web browser. Put simply
you must adhere to the concept of Responsive Design. This means
an iPad Pro to older Samsung smartphones.
having browser based content that responds to the device of the
learner and presents the content so it can be accessed regardless
of the type of device (phone, tablet, desktop etc.). As for the use
Now that we know how the learner is going to interact we will explore a
number of content types and how they can be delivered for mobile:

• Files

• Video

• Interactive HTML5 content

• Web pages

• Images

For each there will be suggestions for good practices on how to design,
develop and deploy.

Files

Files can be shared for mobile consumption in a variety of ways, but the
most straightforward is from a content storage system or the Learning
Management System. Content storage systems have exploded on the
market in recent years. Many Higher Education institutions will possess
enterprise licenses (for example OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box).
Such systems allow for the quick, easy and efficient distribution of files to
learners. Once the decision has been made to upload a file, consider two
aspects of your file : it’s size and it’s type:

File Size

Content system integrations have made this less important but one thing is
true – the bigger the file the longer the download time. Longer download
times will frustrate learners at best. And, at worst, learners are prevented
from engaging in learning activities (for example in geographies that have
poor or erratic Internet connections). There is no strict guideline as to a
maximum size, but 30mb is a figure that many will recognise. This tends to
be the maximum email attachment size of most University and corporate
enterprise email systems. To reduce file sizes here are a few top tips:
• With PowerPoint presentations compress the image size. This is Verdict: Easy to achieve, offline capable, but the reliability and
an option in the file command menu in PowerPoint. efficiency of playback cannot be relied upon.

• With images, set to 160 pixels per inch (PPI). Video Solution 2: Streaming Services, YouTube, Vimeo and others

• With videos, produce HD 720 as a maximum and keep the video Hosting video on a streaming service will give mobile learners with
length to under 4 minutes. an Internet connection the best user experience. Because the video
doesn’t have to fully download before it can be played, even large (file
File Types
size) videos can be viewed within a few seconds. Streaming services
Content storage systems and LMSs will take any type of file (although can be costly so many educators use YouTube and Vimeo. These have
many institutions block .exe files). However, if we want learners to the advantage of being mobile compliant and free! The main issue
read file content then .pdf files are any easy choice. They will be counting against this option relates to the privacy of video content.
viewable in mobile web browsers and apps without the need for any
Verdict: YouTube and Vimeo are an obvious no cost solution for
application software. They often tend to be smaller in size than their
many, but not viable for sensitive content or content that requires
application software parents. Plus, there’s the added advantage
maintenance of the integrity of Intellectual Property. If this matters,
that they maintain a degree of intellectual property integrity as
consider a “private” streaming service.
can’t be easily edited. The simple golden rule? If they must read it,
PDF it! That said, the technology landscape is moving fast. In some
LMS mobile apps, Microsoft files will view in the LMS apps without a
“forced download” to the device.

Video

Treat videos like any other file. Consider type and size. There are a
bewildering array video of file types. For mobile learners, MP4 works
best. As for size, the smaller the better, especially if your students
need to download to a mobile device before they view it.

Video Solution 1: upload to an LMS or Content System

Most LMSs and content systems will have the ability to display and
play videos that are uploaded to them. However, certain web
browsers might have compatibility issues, especially if you don’t use
MP4. Also, any page displayed in a LMS containing a video must be
downloaded before the video can be played. Remember, a LMS or
content will not stream video.
 Interactive HTML 5 content

This is where more advanced and experienced practitioners struggle.

Being able to drag and drop, click on images to reveal other content
and text, mount videos onto diagrams… most LMSs don’t contain
these tools. Application Software such as Adobe Captivate or Articulate
Storyline are popular choices to create high quality interactive HTML5
content. These are then often mounted in LMS courses (often as SCORM
packages). Such software requires considerable investment in licence
costs (in the region of $1000 per year for a single licence) and also the
time required to develop the skills necessary to be able to publish
content. But there are some cheaper (free!) alternatives:

Xerte Toolkits

Xerte Online Toolkits offers a quick way for anyone with limited
technical skills to create engaging, accessible and media-rich resources.
With the new developments in Xerte Online Toolkits v 2.0 (released
April 2013) you can now create one set of content and instantly create
two versions - one in HTML5 which will run on a wide range of devices
(including mobile devices); and one in the traditional Flash format.

Hot Potatoes

The Hot Potatoes suite includes six applications, enabling you to

create interactive multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence,
crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises for the World Wide
Web. Hot Potatoes is freeware, and you may use it for any purpose or
project you like.

Web Pages

Creating web pages is easy. No coding is required. You can do this on

any platform from WordPress to Moodle, from Office 365 to Google
Drive and there is no need to go anywhere near any code. Also, you
will find that WYSIWYG1 editors are ubiquitous. The biggest issue to
bear in mind with regard to web pages is responsive design. A web
page may display perfectly on a 1920 x 1200 monitor, but how will
it render on a mobile phone at 420 x 540? One doesn’t need to be a
content developer to test such things. Before we look at how to test
your content for mobile compatibility the top three issues you will
experience are related to:

• Images

• Embedded videos

• Tables

First things first. Avoid, if at all possible, using tables. These can
cause problems displaying on mobile devices. However, keep in mind
tha images and embedded videos may be OK depending on the nature
of the WYSIWYG editor.

Images

Images are often incorporated into web pages and are a key
component of any learning experience. Images are files and should
be treated in the same way as all files in respect to file size. Images
need to be optimised for consumption. The smaller the better. A
great determinant of file size is PPI (pixels per inch). For mobile
consumption 150 PPI is a reasonable guideline. In respect to file
format, then .jpg, .png and .gif are the most acceptable formats. JPG
files are the best of the bunch in terms of the balance they provide
between image quality and file size.

Bibliography
JISC, 2018. Digital experience insights survey 2018: findings from students in UK
further and higher education, s.l.: JISC.
 Andy Ramsden • Strategic Educational Consultant
Andy has been working at Blackboard since 2014 as a Strategic Educational Consultant. Within this capacity, he has collaborated with
many institutions to design their Faculty Development Strategy & Operational Plans. At the heart of which is accredited courses for
faculty members. He was also part of the original team to design the themes and modules within the DTLS program.

Before joining Blackboard, he worked for over 16 years in UK Higher Education. His role included developing and delivering Post
Graduate training on mandatory courses for new academics on Educational Theory and Technology Enhanced Learning. A particular
focus on technology enhanced assessment and feedback. These modules aligned to the requirements of the UK›s Higher Education
Academy›s Professional Development Framework.

DIGITAL ASSESSMENT Before addressing these questions it is worth revisiting the broad

Principles of Effective assessment and feedback principles which we need to ensure are
embedded within our online and blended learning designs (see Table 1).
Assessment & Feedback in
Online Teaching
Assessment¹ Feedback²

Helps to clarify what good performance is

Valid
(goals, criteria, expected standards)
The starting point for this discussion is to note, nothing we do to, or
for our students is more important than our assessment of their work Reliable
Facilitates the development of self-assessment
(reflection) in learning
and the feedback we give them on it. The results of our assessment
influence students for the rest of their lives (Race, P. Brown, S. and Equitable
Delivers high-quality information to
students about their learning
Smith, B., 2005).
Encourages teacher and peer
This discussion aims to answer several questions which you’ll Explicit and transparent
dialogue around learning
hopefully consider when designing your assessment and feedback
Support the student Encourages teacher and peer
models. learning process dialogue around learning

• What challenges arise from delivering online? Efficient

Provides opportunities to close the gap
between current and desired performance
• What is the different terminology associated with assessment?
Monitored, and this
• What is the role of feedback? monitoring is used to support Provides information to teachers that can
the enhancement of assessment be used to help shape the teaching
policy and practice
• What should we consider when designing our feedback process?

• How might we improve the outcomes of our assessment and

feedback model?
What challenges arise
from delivering online?
There are some challenges to consider for developing inclusive
online modules. Within the context of this discussion these are;

1. Assessing online learners presents a particular challenge

to academic integrity. In that tests/quizzes/exams are often
conducted in less controlled environments than for face-to-face
courses. During online assessments, learners often have access
to their materials and wider student networks.

2. A regular concern from faculty members (academics) is the online

learner does not always engage with the feedback provided.

3. The online learner may feel isolated without the immediate

contact provided in face-to-face courses.

These concerns can be effectively addressed through good

assessment and feedback design. For instance, feedback, both
to and from learners, encourages engagement, promotes an
enhanced level of education, and provides opportunities for
course improvement.
What is the different Low-stake summative assessments refer to assignments that do
not heavily impact on students final grades or other educational

terminology associated outcomes, with feedback given to enable students to benefit from
multiple opportunities for improvement. The use of low stake
with assessment? assessment is associated with spreading out the assessment load
within a module and across the program. This will reduce student
Within this section, we’ll explore three key terms. anxiety as it reduces the importance of an individual assessment
within the final module grade. This is illustrated in Figure 1, where the
Formative assessments are designed to measure learner traditional assignment of a piece of coursework (2500 word essay)
performance while the actual learning experience is being and final examination (4 essays) has been redesigned as three pieces
conducted. An intention is to administer them early and often of coursework (3 quizzes, and 1 smaller essay) and a shorter final
throughout a course and use them to inform both the learner and examination (3 essays). Figure 1 also illustrates the aligned formative
teacher of immediate status. Although you need to ensure the assessment activities.
student is not being over-assessed and provide effective feedback to
encourage engagement. Formative assessment is not included with Figure 1: Redesigning the assessment model for “low stake”

the grade bearing assessment activities.

Part A: High stake assessment
Essay (2500 words) Unseen Exam (4 essays)
The tools associated with formative assessments include short
quizzes, often with the option to repeat as many times as needed to
ensure mastery. Question pools can be used to provide a different
set of questions each time the learner attempts a quiz. Often a
formative quiz would include written open-ended questions or Weeks in Semester
reflections. A flipped classroom is often associated with a formative
assessment model.

Summative (high-stakes) assessments are administered a limited Part B: Low stake assessment
number of times during the course and provide a more definitive Essay (1000 words) Unseen Exam 34 essays)

evaluation of student learning. These are called “high stakes” Test (Quiz) 1-5
questions plus 250
Test (Quiz) 2-5
questions plus 250
Test (Quiz) 3-5
questions plus 250
word open questions word open questions word open questions
because learner success in the course may be based on only a few of
these graded assignments.

Summative assessments may include periodic and/or final exams, Weeks in Semester

an individual or group presentation, a paper that requires significant

Diagnostic Quiz Flipped Classroom Study Skills Online Diagnostic Quiz with
effort, or the compilation of a portfolio of assignments. Course (how to
reference)
classroom voting
technology
What is the role of feedback? What should we consider
Feedback is usually provided in response to an assessment, within the Feedback Process?
feedback is data or comments addressing the difference between
the expected and actual level of performance in achieving an Before a teacher can provide effective feedback on either a
objective. Feedback is most meaningful when it is given as quickly formative or a summative assessment, he/she must ensure the
as possible after the activity, provides learners tangible information activities in their assessment align with the course objectives.
about this difference, and offers realistic strategies for achieving the After this connection is validated, the teacher should identify
goal. The feedback offered should result in an eager, engaged, and key opportunities in the course when feedback should be given
self-motivated learner, who wants to make every effort to better and received. This process is often associated with constructive
their performance. Effective feedback includes: alignment.

1. Provides the opportunity to improve performance. Constructive Alignment is a teaching principle that combines
constructivism, the idea that learners construct or create meaning
2. Reinforces the course goals and objectives.
out of learning activities and what they learn, and alignment, a
3. Fosters communication between the teacher and the learner.   curriculum design concept that emphasizes the principle used for
devising teaching and learning activities, and assessment tasks,
4. Encourages the use of self-assessment. that directly address the intended learning outcomes (ILOs) in a way
5. Supports positive self-esteem. not typically achieved in traditional lectures, tutorial classes and
examinations.

Another consideration is to ensure there is time within the

assessment process for the faculty members to provide effective
feedback (providing it promptly, in detail, responding to the
individuals performance and which is used to improve performance).

From an online course design perspective, the use of goals and

rubrics will help enable the delivery of effective feedback.

A frequent concern from teachers is that their learners do not pay

attention to the provided feedback. Therefore, a lot of time is used
to write specific feedback, however, the learner is interested only in
knowing the grade and don’t even read the feedback.
In this case, providing feedback is not a guarantee of an improvement in
performance. A more effective strategy is to include learners within the
assessment design as active constructors of feedback and engage them in a
conversation about their work. Nicol (2010) suggests some strategies to foster this
interaction by establishing a context for feedback dialogue and getting learners
involved.

Pre-submission

• Ask learners to discuss the task and rephrase it in their own words.

• Ask learners to identify assessment criteria by comparing good and bad

assignments .

• Ask learners to submit objective (multiple choice) questions of which you’ll use
a sample within the summative assessment.

As part of the submission

• When working on group tasks, ask learners to summarise their work and
submit them with the assignment.

• Ask learners to request topics they’d like feedback on by attaching questions

with their submission (for instance specifying areas in which they would like to
receive specific advice).

Alternative approaches

• Use peer-assessment methods within your assignment to increase the

opportunity for feedback dialogue.

Notes and references

1
The assessment principles are derived from the Teaching & Learning Handbook at Durham
University (https://www.dur.ac.uk/learningandteaching.handbook/6/principles/).
2
Nicol, D. & Macfarlane-Dick, D. (2004) «Rethinking Formative Assessment in HE: a theoretical
model and seven principles of good feedback practice»http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assessment/
ASS051D_SENLEF_model.doc

Race, P., Brown, S., & Smith, B. (500 .)2005 tips on assessment. London; New York:
RoutledgeFalmer.
 Fausto Puppo • Senior Educational Consultant
Fausto Puppo is a Senior Educational Consultant based in LAC. He has over twenty years of experience in training and consulting,
specializing in teacher training; instructional design; program accreditation; and implementation of F2F, blended, and fully online teaching/
learning solutions.

Before working for Blackboard, Fausto worked as Master Trainer at Peace Corps Peru. He was also Director of Online Education and Director
of the English Language Program at Universidad Privada del Norte in Peru. He has also taught at a number of educational institutions and
conducted research in emotional design, user experience in online learning environments and students’ use of learning strategies. Fausto
has published articles and delivered workshops in several countries, including Peru, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, the United States, and Canada.

DIGITAL TEACHING AND LEARNING QUALITY ASSURANCE In order to accomplish this, however, it is necessary to begin evaluating
our course from the beginning, long before it is an actual course, when
How to evaluate the effectivenes it is nothing but a mere outline. It is at this stage that a checklist with

of an eLearning course? our main criteria for considering and including content would come in
handy. It would also be a good idea to use some sort of chart or graphic
Evaluating the effectiveness on an eLearning course is no easy organizer to justify and articulate the topics and subtopics that will be
task. It is unavoidable, though, if we aim at providing a robust, high covered in our course. Some questions to ask at this stage are: “What is
quality online learning solution. In this article I will focus on three the connection between this element and the next? How does it align
key aspects to consider when evaluating an online course: design, with the expected learning outcomes?” This is a critical step, for it can
delivery and effectiveness. potentially save us the time and trouble of having to fix or even replace
parts of our course once it is finished.
Course Design (content, Once we have determined and validated the structure and contents of

organization, look and feel) our course, it is time to focus on the look and feel. Content is king, but
the way in which we present it may have a powerful impact on initial
learner engagement and later performance. Aspects to evaluate at this
In an ideal world, a subject-matter expert and an instructional
point include the use of institutional colors; consistency in the type of
designer would work in tandem to design a course, not just an online
graphics to be used (photographs, clipart); font type, size and color;
course, but any course. This, unfortunately, is not always the case,
compliance with accessibility standards, etc.
which often results in online courses that may look good and yet lack
coherence and cohesion. One thing we can do is to make sure that
our online course flows smoothly and follows a logical, consistent
progression, with one element seamlessly leading to the next, taking
the learner along a clearly defined learning path.
Delivery (learner and facilitator roles)
Will the course be blended or fully online? Will there be a facilitator,
or will it rely on independent study? If the latter is the case, will it be
self-paced?

Depending on how we answer the questions above, we may want

to predefine specific roles for the facilitator and the learners. These
roles should be specific enough to ensure that different learners
taking the same course facilitated by different teachers have a
similar experience and, more importantly, obtain similar results.
It may be necessary to design rubrics describing elements like
expected participation in discussion forums; quantity, frequency
and content of feedback; roles and tasks during cooperative learning
activities, etc.

Once we have determined the roles and designed the rubrics, we

need to make sure that what is written on paper actually takes
place in the real world. For this to happen, it is necessary to ensure
that all stakeholders are doing their part. Are students going over
the course content and doing the different tasks and activities
on time? Are teachers moderating debates, curating content,
grading work, providing timely feedback? Are supervisors checking
facilitator compliance?

Effectiveness (meeting expected

learning outcomes)
The proof of the pudding is in the eating! We may have carefully
designed, developed and delivered our eLearning course and done
everything in our power to try to make it as effective as possible, yet
the ultimate proof is whether the learners consistently achieved the
expected learning outcomes. One tool we can use for this purpose is
the framework created by Donald L. Kirkpatrick, who proposed four
levels of evaluation:

1. Reaction: This level is rather easy to measure as it focuses on

how the learner feels while taking the course. Most institutions
use surveys that include questions about different aspects of the
course like content, delivery, perceived relevance, etc. The data
obtained through these surveys can -and should- be used to make
adjustments to the course.

2. Learning: This type of evaluation seeks to determine whether the

learner has achieved the expected learning outcomes, though
in reality it often takes the form of summative assessments that
focus primarily on declarative knowledge.

3. Behavior: This level takes assessment beyond the realm of

declarative knowledge and includes elements like skills and
attitudes and whether the student is now able to transfer and
apply that knowledge as a result of having taken the course. Here
it becomes essential to gather evidence and build rubrics, which,
in turn, makes the evaluation process more complex.

4. Results: This level of evaluation is both the most useful and the
most complex as its scope spans beyond the academic program
and requires measuring real world performance, which for a
university may imply systematically visiting -and evaluating-
former students at the workplace.

As we have seen, many factors contribute to the effectiveness -or

ineffectiveness- of an eLearning course. Course evaluation should
begin early, at the designing stage, cover all aspects of the course,
and ideally go on after course delivery is over if we are to ensure that
we are giving our students the best possible service.
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