Product Description

Engaging the Online Learners includes an innovative framework—the Phases of Engagement—that helps instructors become more involved as knowledge generators and cofacilitators of a course. The book also provides specific ideas for tested activities (collected from experienced online instructors across the nation) that can go a long way to improving online learning. Engaging the Online Learner offers the tools and information needed to:

• Convert classroom activities to an online environment and use online activities in a classroom-based course

• Assess the learning that occurs as a result of collaborative activities

• Phase-in activities that promote engagement among online learners

• Help online learners use online tools

• Build peer interaction through peer partnerships and team activities

• Create authentic activities

• Implement games and simulations

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #103377 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-07
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Review
"Conrad and Donaldson have definitely written a book that an inspire teachers to be creative and resourceful!"  (Authors Journal Compilation, Winter 2007)

From the Back Cover
Engaging the Online Learner includes an innovative framework–the Phases of Engagement–that helps learners become more involved as knowledge generators and cofacilitators of a course. The book also provides specific ideas for tested activities (collected from experienced online instructors across the nation) that can go a long way to improving online learning. Engaging the Online Learner offers the tools and information needed to:

• Convert classroom activities to an online environment
• Assess the learning that occurs as a result of collaborative activities
• Phase-in activities that promote engagement among online learners
• Build peer interaction through peer partnerships and team activities
• Create authentic activities and implement games and simulations

Engaging the Online Learner is the first title in the Jossey-Bass Guides to Online Teaching and Learning. This series helps higher education professionals improve the practice of online teaching and learning by providing concise, practical resources focused on particular areas or issues they might confront in this new learning environment.

"The Phases of Engagement framework provides a road map for creating community at each phase of an online course. This book is an invaluable guide to innovative practices for online learning."
–Judith V. BOETTCHER, instructional futurist, Designing for Learning

"Engagement is the heart of online learning. The authors have developed an encyclopedia of tried-and-true learner engagement activities that are authentic and ready to use."
–Donald P. ELY, professor emeritus, Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation, Syracuse University

About the Author
Rita-Marie Conrad has been teaching, designing, and consulting about online courses for the past decade. She has taught online courses for Florida State University, Capella University, and Nova Southeastern University as well as an online course on designing online instruction for the Learning Resources Network (LERN).

J. Ana Donaldson is assistant professor of Educational Technology at the University of Northern Iowa. Donaldson is a published author, keynote speaker, international presenter, and for many years has conducted workshops on integrating technology into engaged learning environments.

Customer Reviews

Helpful but Somewhat Repetative
The first part of the book kept repeating itself with regards to what "should be the main goals of online learning"...it felt very repetitive without really offering any useful information. I discovered the source of every lame group project (or group building experiments) my husband has had to do since he began taking online classes at Keller. There were some interesting "get to know you" activities, but a lot of what I read smacked of those very tired and very lame role-playing business seminars I had to put up with when I worked in hotels, which I despised...but this did drive home the importance of creating a community feel among the students, of getting them working together and feeling part of a group. I would recommend it, but with the warning that the book is somewhat repetitive in the first few chapters. I am glad to have it as a reference, but it's certainly not a one stop resource...it should definately be part of a larger body of works to draw from on the subject.

Engaging Online Teachers as Well
As an online learner and instructor, I found this book informative, and, yes, ENGAGING. I am planning on using the insights and examples in a new project I've been given-- securing the services of teachers that have experience with strictly the conventional classroom models to instruct online. I'm hopeful that resources like this can de-mystify the distance learning models, and eventually help disseminate knowledge widely throughout my mostly-rural state.

Good But Not Great
I found the book to be very easy and fast to read with lots of concrete examples of activities for the online learner. Though I understand the importance of engaging the online learner, as an instructor in the allied health field I don't feel I have the time or interest in developing games and the types of alternative learning activities suggested in the book. In allied health/science courses we need to cover an extensive amount of material, perhaps if I were teaching a course in another discipline I would feel differently.

I feel that another book "Discussion Based Online Teaching To Enhance Student Learning" by Tisha Bender is a much better book for my situation and offered more helpful ideas (but less examples) to improve my online course.