Promoting Effective Teaching and Learning Ecosystems through Research and Proven Practice

Course Overview

While technology is enhancing our teaching and learning ecosystems to increase access and success for students, in particular through blended and online courses and program, institutions need to identify instructional and institutional practices that are driven by evidence to ensure quality and effectiveness. Individuals within institutions encounter unique challenges when launching initiatives to gather this evidence through rigorous research methods ensuring reliability and validity in the practices identified. Furthermore, the diffusion of these practices across the institution require strategic mechanisms for engaging campus academic and student services leaders, supporting and motivating faculty and instructors, and managing student expectations.

Learning Objectives

During this ELI course, participants will:

  • Discover ways to gather evidence, including different research designs (experimental and survey with data mining) for studying teaching and learning innovations
  • Develop a research plan for your program or institution that will assist in identifying effective instructional and institutional practices in blended and online learning
  • Identify potential methods of effectively engaging stakeholders in teaching and researching innovations in student learning
  • Enable quality teaching and learning through evidence-based faculty development to diffuse proven instructional interventions and practices
  • Enable participants to network with peers interested in promoting effective teaching and learning through research on blended and online programming at universities.

NOTE: Participants will be asked to complete assignments in between the course segments that support the learning objectives stated above and will receive feedback and constructive critique from course instructors on how to improve and shape their work.

Course Instructor

Tanya Joosten

Tanya Joosten, Director, Digital Learning R&D, DETA Research Center

Tanya Joosten is the Director of Digital Learning Research and Development and co-Director of the National Research Center of Distance Education and Technological Advancements (DETA) at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she leads a team of researchers, research fellows, and institutional research partners to advance the field of digital learning.


Resources