Today, I’ll be discussing my plans for linking my new knowledge of learning theories with my online teaching.

First, some background. I’ve always viewed my introductory accounting classes from the constructivist perspective. I get some students coming in with work experience. I also get students with little/no background knowledge. My strategy is usually to get students working in groups, so that the experienced students can help their classmates create some “building blocks”.

When designing the online version of the introductory accounting class, we decided to scrap the final exam and replace it with group case studies. This enhances the social aspect of learning and also moves the class into a more humanist direction. Students don’t need to work on every single element on a comprehensive case study- they can decide what they want to focus on and work at a pace they feel comfortable with.

I have also used Kahoot! in past F2F classes. Students answer questions on the board using their phones. According to Tanya (2018), young learners do appreciate the use of technology and gaming in their learning experience. I will try to incorporate short, fun quizzes into my online classes. This enhances the behaviorist element in the learning experience, with rewards for correct responses. Note that there is already a long-term behaviorist element as students get a reward (final grade) from the course. However, more frequent gratification can be a good motivator.

One point which I really like from the textbook, The Online Teaching Survival Guide: Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips, by Judith V. Boettcher and Rita-Marie Conrad, is the importance of a great online learning environment. The instructor should make his presence felt and encourage learners to engage also. If I can accomplish this with lively discussion forums and interesting group work, my students will feel more engaged and benefit from the social learning element in the online course. Getting everyone interacting can be tougher in elearning compared to F2F courses, but I will try different things and repeat what works.

References

Boettcher, J. V. & Conrad, R. M. (2010). The online teaching survival guide:
Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Tanya. (2018). The ultimate list of millennial characteristics. Lucky Attitude.
Retrieved from: http://luckyattitude.co.uk/millennial-characteristics/