Best Practices in Engaging Online Learners Through Active and Experiential Learning Strategies

Best Practices in Engaging Online Learners Through Active and Experiential Learning Strategies, Second Edition, is a practical guide for all instructors, instructional designers, and online learning administrators designing, developing, teaching, and leading online, hybrid and blended learning courses and programs, who seek to provide supportive, engaging, and interactive learner experiences. This book explores the integration of active and experiential learning approaches and activities including simulations, gamification, social media integration, project-based learning, scenario-based learning, virtual tours, and online micro-credentialing as they relate to the development of authentic skill-building, communication, problem-solving, and critical-thinking in learners. New and emerging learning technologies of virtual and augmented reality along with artificial intelligence are included in this updated edition with examples of how instructors can actively use them in online courses to engage learners in experiential experiences. Readers will find guidelines for the development of participatory and peer-learning, competency-based learning, field-based experiences, clinical experiences, and service-learning opportunities in the online classroom. In addition, the authors provide effective learning strategies, discipline-specific examples, templates, and additional resources that align learner engagement with assessment practices and course outcomes.

Stephanie Smith Budhai is Associate Clinical Professor in the School of Education, in the Department of Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum, at Drexel University, USA, and has spent over a decade designing, developing, teaching, and assessing undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral online courses and programs. Stephanie holds a Ph.D. in Learning Technologies and is a previous International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) Awardee for Excellence in Teacher Education. In addition to being certified in Instructional Technology, Information Technology, and Technology Education, she is a Quality Matters Certified Online Course Reviewer, a VoiceThread Certified Educator, and a Google Certified Educator Level 1. She is on the southeast regional board of the Pennsylvania Association for Educational Communications and Technology and her Twitter handle is @DrBudhai. Ke'Anna Brown Skipwith is the Assistant Provost for Advances in Learning at Wentworth Institute of Technology, USA. She partners with academic departments and organizational divisions to enhance the curricula and integrate innovative pedagogical approaches. Ke'Anna has over a decade of experience developing and designing online and hybrid programs. She has been instrumental in implementing institutional learning practices and academic strategies to elevate the student learning experience. Ke'Anna has been an adjunct professor, committee co-chair, curriculum planning team member for various professional development programs and workshops, student organization advisor, and a host of an online teaching and learning podcast.

1. Online Learner Engagement: Beyond the Traditional Discussion Board 2. Real-World Connections: Field-based Experiences, Civic Engagement Opportunities, and Simulations 3. Project-Based and Scenario-Based Learning: Virtual Labs, Artificial Intelligence, and Virtual and Augmented Reality 4. Staying Connected: Gamification and Social Media 5. Building Social Presence: Participatory and Peer-Learning Opportunities 6. Assessment Practices: Evaluating Active and Experiential Learning