A cohort from late September 2011 until the middle of May 2012.
Learning-by-doing is generally considered the most effective way to learn and students are motivated by solving real-world problems (Lombardi, 2007). However, for decades authentic learning has been difficult to implement. Now with the affordances and great potential of the Internet we are now able to create authentic tasks that improve learning outcomes.
Significantly, educational researchers are coming to the conclusion that “the value of authentic activity is not constrained to learning in real-life locations and practice, but that the benefits of authentic activity can be realized through careful design of Web-based learning environments,” (Herrington, Reeves, Oliver, and Woo, 2002). Today’s Web-based learning environments give students access to many of the same resources that professionals use in their research.
Our goal is to use recent research and theory, and 10 design elements, to create authentic online learning projects where the need for learner engagement is paramount to learning success.
Requirements
Each faculty member will be paid a $2000 stipend upon successful completion of their authentic online project, and be responsible for:
- Attending a 1-day intensive workshop at Leeward Community College, introducing authentic learning.
- Attending a 1 hour weekly “work” session in Blackboard Collaborate to develop and assess your authentic learning project, activities and assessments.
- Spend 30 minutes a week developing authentic activities assessments, and facilitator guide by working on an individual Authentic Online Learning Planning Worksheet.
- At the conclusion of each step in the design process, post a reflection that addresses what you did, why you did what you did, and what you would do differently in the future.
- Assessing the authentic online learning projects using the 10 design elements checklist.
- Attending a 1-day “showcase” day at Leeward Community College in May 2012 to present your authentic online learning project.
Authentic Learning Spaces
AOL Meeting Room
Resources
Authentic Online Learning
Prepare for AOL
Introduction Workshop
Design Elements Checklist
Overview of Authentic Learning
How Authentic Learning Is Transforming Higher Ed