Abstract:
Closed campuses, working remotely, and physical distancing have changed the way we work, teach, learn, shop, attend conferences, and interact with family and friends. But the Covid-19 pandemic has not changed what we know about creating high-end online education. Two decades of research has shown that online education often fails to fulfill its promise, and the emergency shift to remote instruction has, for many, justified their distrust and dislike of online learning. Low interactivity remains a widely recognized short-coming of current online offerings. Low interactivity results, in part, from many faculty not feeling comfortable being themselves online. The long-advocated for era of authentic assessments is needed now more than ever. Finally, greater support is needed for both underrepresented students and for faculty to move beyond basic online instruction to create a strong continuum of care between the teaching and learning environment and the student support infrastructure. For those who have been long-term champions of online education, it has never been more important to confront the three biggest challenges that continue to haunt online education – interactivity, authenticity, and support. Only by confronting these challenges squarely can instructors, educational developers, and their institutions take huge steps towards better online instruction in the midst of a pandemic and make widespread, high-quality online education permanently part of the “new normal.”
Contents
About Learning by Doing
Preface to the online edition (2013)
Preface to the first edition (1998)
Foreword
Chapter 1: Introduction
Why use this guide?
How to use the guide
Is this guide enough?
Chapter 2: Experiential learning theory
Overview of experimental learning theory
Chapter 3: Learning styles
Chapter 4: Practical methods to implement the experiential
earning cycle
4.1 Planning for Experience
4.2 Increasing awareness of experience
4.3 Reviewing and reflecting upon experience
4.4 Providing substitute experiences
Chapter 5: Case studies of the application of experiential learning
methods
5.1 Self-assessment of welding skills
5.2 Self-directed learning in office practice
5.3 Computer-based simulations in biology
5.4 A training course for new lecturers in higher education
5.5 "Thirty Second Theatre"
5.6 Communication skills on a Basic Nursing course
5.7 Self-directed development for further education lecturers
5.8 The use of learning journals in engineering
5.9 Experience-led learning on the City and Guilds 730
Chapter 6: Learning to use experiential methods
6.1 Assumptions about using experiential learning