SLSS 101R Items of Note

 

SLSS 101R Items of Note

Items of Note

This course was developed with Instructional Designers, Julie Swindler and Kelli Freeman. These are a few items of note:

  • Social Presence: The Instructor Information page is written and organized in such a way that students immediately get a feel for the instructor's personality and teaching style. It includes video, pictures, and text. 

  • Community of Inquiry: Instead of the usual class introduction discussion, Marinda asks students to watch a video about flag design (emphasizing the design principles they will be studying in the class), create their own flag, and record themselves discussing their flag and what it represents. Students post their videos and respond to peer videos. To get them started, Marinda includes a video of herself and a flag she created. (See Module 2: Before Class Discuss | Introduce Yourself)

  • Practical Application: One activity and discussion in which the students participate involves applying some of the design thinking skills taught in class. Students review the reading, watch a video on bad design, and then observe the spaces around them, looking for and taking pictures of examples of poor design. This is a particularly engaging activity for students because they must apply the principles they are learning to identify bad design and explain why the design doesn't work from a design thinking perspective. (See Module 4: After Class Activity & Discussion | Norman Doors)

  • Engaging Interaction: Another tool used in the course is Perusall, a group annotation software. It invites students to engage with the text and with each other and the instructor. Marinda used this for several assignments, but you can see how it works in Module 4: Before Class Read & Annotate | The Psychology of Everyday Actions.

  • Alternative Assessment: As an alternative to a traditional quiz, Marinda used a TED Talk to create a video quiz. As a formative assessment, it helps students learn good listening skills. (See Module 5: Before Class Watch/Submit | 5 Ways to Listen Better)