Section outline

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    Welcome and Start Here

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    Online Teaching Institute 2025

    Whether you are designing new online course components or updating existing ones, the Online Teaching Institute provides an introduction to the pedagogy and practical aspects of designing and facilitating effective online learning experiences. 

    This iteration of the institute combines self-paced learning modules with scheduled webinars and synchronous and asynchronous discussion opportunities scheduled for the week of August 11. 

    Institute Learning Outcomes 

    By the end of this course, you will be able to:  

    • Build and support a community of inquiry in an online course
    • Articulate learner-centered outcomes and objectives for an online course
    • Design effective online assessments aligned with course objectives
    • Develop synchronous and asynchonous assignments that promote active online learning 
    • Plan, organize, and create at least one online lesson plan on Moodle
    • Announcements Forum

    • Accessing LinkedIn Learning videos. This course contains links to videos on LinkedIn Learning. All BMC students, faculty and staff have full access to LinkedIn Learning through the college's institutional license. If the links do not work for you, you may need to create your LinkedIn Learning account, see LinkedIn Learning: Overview for instructions.

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    Pre-Workshop: Create a Community of Inquiry

    The Community of Inquiry framework provides a context for the components of teaching and learning in an online environment. The watch, read, and explore parts of this module explain the characteristics of a community of inquiry, why it is important, and how to foster it. The try part invites you to plan how you will foster a community of inquiry in your online course.   

    You no doubt participate in online communities of inquiry or practice within your own academic discipline. We encourage you to look to these discipline-specific communities both as resources for learning about online teaching practices in your discipline and as potential models for how (and how not) to design and foster an online community of inquiry.

    Outcomes

    By the end of this module, you will be able to:

    • Explain what a community of inquiry is and how it impacts online learning
    • Generate at least 2-3 ideas for create teaching, cognitive and social presence in your course
    • Devise an initial plan for building a community of inquiry in your course.
    • WATCH: Community of Inquiry URL

      Source: YouTube
      (Watch time: 4 min, 19 sec)

      Description: Garrison, Anderson, and Archer proposed a model for Community of Inquiry in their 2000 paper Critical Inquiry in a text-based environment: computer conferencing in higher education. Here Owen Guthrie discusses a couple of important aspects of their model.

    • READ: "The Importance of Building a Community of Inquiry in Your Online Course" URL
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      A more recent exploration of how these concepts might be applied to online course design. 

      Source: Mia Lamm, Johns Hopkins University 
      (Estimated reading time: 5 min; 1000 words)

    • TRY: Plan your community of inquiry approach File

      Using the table in this worksheet, choose the ways in which you plan to create a community of inquiry in your class. Make sure to have at least one option for each type of presence (teaching, cognitive, social).  A list of possible activities for each presence is beneath the table, along with a diagram of the cognitive process and tables of categories and indicators for each presence.

    • TRY: Introduce yourself to students via a 1-minute video Page
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    Day 1: Create a Game Plan

    This module introduces the "backwards design" approach to course design, which takes your course learning outcomes as a starting point. Backwards design promotes student-centered learning by helping you communicate to students what they need to learn, design learning experiences focused on helping them learning these things, and ensuring your assessments of their work are aligned with those course objectives.

    Learning Outcomes

    By the end of this module, you will be able to develop a course framework that outlines your key learning objectives and how you will assess students mastery of them.

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    Day 2: Design the Learning Environment

    In today's world, a large part of human interaction takes place in "digital affinity spaces," or online spaces where people gather around a shared, strong interest or engagement in a common activity. Most of these digital environments were not developed explicitly for learning -- for example, news sites, social media, email, video streaming platforms, web-conferencing platforms, online games -- although they may be coopted for by teachers and learners.

    Learning management systems (LMS) like Moodle were developed as structured digital spaces for online learning. They create a "course page" or space where faculty can organize and share a wide variety of learning materials (files, video, podcasts, websites) and digital activities such as quizzes, assignments, polls or discussion forums that translate face-to-face teaching and learning practices into digital form. This module explores how to use your LMS to create a welcoming learning community and guide your students' learning.

    Learning Outcomes

    By the end of this module, you will be able to:

    • Create an online course prototype
    • Make informed decisions about which components will be synchronous and asynchronous
    • Make informed decisions about the learning technologies you plan to adopt.
    • Day 2 Webinar Slides File PPTX
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      This file contains links to related AskAthena help guides for the topics we covered. 

      37.0 MB · Uploaded 08/12/25, 11:15

    • Choose your modalities

    • WATCH: Synchronous and asynchronous learning URL

      (Watch time: 2 mins, 34 sec.)
      Source: Oliver Schinkten, Learning to Teach Online. LinkedIn Learning video course, released 2023. 

      A key component of online course design is deciding which activities (if any) should be "synchronous" and which (if any) should be "asynchronous." This short video explains the difference, gives examples, and suggests things to consider when choosing between them.  

    • READ: Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Classes: Which is Right for You? URL

      This article, written by the Johns Hopkins' Engineering for Professionals program for their master's students, suggests things graduate students should consider when weighing these two modalities.

    • Use technology ... mindfully

      What technologies will you use to create or deliver the asynchronous and synchronous components of your course? There are often many, many options -- these two articles will help you narrow them down successfully. 

    • READ: "Using media and technology tools" File
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      Source: Darby, F. & Lang, J.M. (2019). "Using media and technology tools." In Small teaching online: Applying learning science in online classes. Retrieved from Bryn Mawr College, Tripod on 05/07/2020

    • READ: "How to make smart choices about tech for your course" URL
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      Source: Miller, Michelle D. The Chronicle of Higher Education

    • Create a legible learning path

      Putting this all together successfully requires organizing your course components and "signposting" them in a way that is meaningful and visible to students. 

    • READ: Seven design ideas for helping students navigate Page
    • EXPLORE: Sample online course designs File
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      Annotated examples of three online course designs that include good organization, course navigation support, and accessibility features. 

    • WATCH: Universal design for learning and accessibility URL
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      (Watch time: 7 min 36 sec)

      Good online design techniques come from Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles for engaging and supporting diverse learners. Bryn Mawr College has adopted these principles as a guideline for all College learning experiences. 

      This video presentation provides a short overview of UDL and how it supports online course design. For more information and resources see Bryn Mawr's UDL Guidelines for Learning Experiences. 

    • TRY: Design Your Online Course - Worksheet 2 File DOCX
      25.6 KB · Uploaded 08/5/25, 15:28
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    Day 3: Design for Active Learning

    Online teaching challenges us to design for a learning context in which students may work intermittently or outside standard hours, at very different paces, and in settings less conducive to focused learning than the average classroom or library. Building in more formative assessment opportunities can be an effective way for students to actively engage with course materials (and each other if there is a group component) in this context, and timely feedback can help sustain student motivation and give you real-time data about effectiveness of your instructional strategies, so you can adjust if needed.

    Formative assessments are activities or assignments that prompt students to demonstrate their understanding and provide timely feedback in order to reinforce that understanding or correct misconceptions. Unlike with summative assessments, such as high-stakes final exams or papers, the primary goal of formative assessment is to improve learning, rather than documenting it for grading purposes.

    In this module, we will explore how to use online technology to assess and improve student progress towards course outcomes and promote active learning, culminating in a lesson plan for an online learning environment.

    Learning Outcomes

    By the end of this module, you will:

    • be ready to develop varied, effective formative assessments aligned with course outcomes.
    • understand the importance of feedback in active learning.

    • Develop formative assessments with ample feedback

    • WATCH: Active Learning Guide URL
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      (Watch time: 5 min, 47 sec)
      Source: Tophat, 2018 Active Learning: How professors should teach

      This video offers an introduction to active learning and outlines specific techniques ranging from quick-and-simple interventions to semester-long redesigns of course structure and delivery.

    • READ: "Online formative assessment in Higher Education" File
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      Source: Gikandi, J.W., Morrow, D., Davis, N.E. (2011) Online formative assessment in higher education: A review of the literature. In Computers & Education, 57, pp. 2333-2351.

      Abstract: This article provides a systematic qualitative review of the research literature on online formative assessment in higher education. Various techniques were identified for formative assessment by the individual, peers and the teacher, many of which were linked with online tools such as self-test quiz tools, discussion forums and e-portfolios. The benefits identified include improvement of learner engagement and centrality in the process as key actors, including the development of a learning community. The key findings are that effective online formative assessment can foster a learner and assessment centered focus through formative feedback and enhanced learner engagement with valuable learning experiences. Ongoing authentic assessment activities and interactive formative feedback were identified as important characteristics that can address threats to validity and reliability within the context of online formative assessment.

    • Vary active learning strategies

    • READ: Strategies to incorporate active learning into online teaching File
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      Source: Austin, D. Mescia, N. (2004) Strategies to incorporate active learning into online teaching. School of Library and Information Science, University of South Florida.

      Abstract: What is active learning? Bonwell and Eison describe active learning strategies as those that involve “students in doing things and (have the students) think about the things they are doing” (Bonwell and Eison, 1991, p. iii). Active learning is a key element in the learning process and most adult learning models view interaction (active learning) as a crucial component (Mantyla, 1999, p. 19). In an effective learning environment that incorporates active learning strategies, “greater emphasis is placed on students exploration of their own meaning, attitudes, and values” (Bonwell and Eison, 1992; Mantyla, 1999, p.19). However, a mistaken view many educators have is that learning is an active process and as such, all learning is active, even the most commonly used form of instruction, the passive lecture. In an active learning environment, “less emphasis is placed on transmitting information (teacher-centered) and more on developing students’ skills (student-centered)” (Bonwell and Eison, 1991, p.2).
    • READ: "Promoting formative assessment in online teaching and learning" File
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      Source: Vonderwell, S. K., Boboc, M. (2013) Promoting Formative Assessment in Online Teaching and Learning. In TechTrends, 57(4), pp. 22-27

      Abstract: Using effective assessment techniques can improve an instructor’s understanding of student needs and support learner-centered classrooms. Evaluating student learning takes on a new meaning in online classroom environment where students and instructors do not share physical proximity. According to Garrison (2011), the assessment strategies used to determine student learning send “a very strong signal as to what is important and how they should approach learning” (p. 14). This paper describes formative assessment techniques used by two instructors in their respective online courses at the graduate level. The authors give suggestions in designing assessment activities to improve online teaching and learning by making use of student learning data.

    • WATCH: Effective assessments in online courses URL
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      (Watch time: 8 min, 23 sec) Two professors discuss formative assessments used in their online courses that aim to measure higher order learning.

    • TRY: Design Your Online Course - Worksheet 3 File DOCX
      28.0 KB · Uploaded 08/5/25, 15:57
    • DISCUSS: Day 3 PowerPoint as seen in Zoom Session File PPTX
      6.3 MB · Uploaded 08/12/25, 09:17
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    Day 4: Create Moodle Activities and Resources

    Using your plans from the three course design worksheets, begin to assemble your Moodle course page.  

    • READ: Discussions in Online Courses: Best Practices and Expectations URL

      Discussion forums can be effective activities for fostering asynchronous discourse and interaction among course participants and supporting active, higher-order learning. However, they require careful scaffolding and facilitation in order to be successful -- without it, they tend to fall flat. This guide for instructors in John's Hopkins professional engineering program is one of the best we've seen for how to design and manage a successful online discussion forum.  See step-by-step instructions to set up a discussion board using Moodle Forum.

    • EXPLORE: Online Activities Page

      What do you want students to do? Select appropriate activities and resources and organize them into learning pathways.  

    • EXPLORE: Other resources for online teaching URL

      Bryn Mawr College provides many technology tools and platforms you can use to build an online or hybrid course. The Blended Learning section of the College website, linked here, has information and links to how-to guides and training resources. 

    • TRY: Build Your Moodle Course Page URL

      Apply your course design to your Moodle course page.  If you would prefer to experiment with an inactive course shell, please request a Moodle sandbox by contacting the Help Desk.

    • Q Quiz
    • h Quiz
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    Day 5: Putting it All Together

    Continue to develop your Moodle course page.  Consult with colleagues and other participants of the Online Teaching Institute for feedback.

    • ENGAGE: Preparing to Launch (Checklist) File
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      Use this checklist to evaluate what you've done so far and identify the remaining steps needed to begin teaching your course. We strongly recommend also having a colleague, a former student or TA, or one of our educational technology specialists take a look at your course to test activities and give you feedback. The goal isn't perfection: iterating a course with "real" students is the only way to truly test and get feedback on your design. However, as with a manuscript, it is always helpful and reassuring to have other eyes look over your first draft.

    • ENGAGE: Meet with an educational technologist URL

      Our educational technologists are happy to help with any aspect of online course development, including course design and organization, choosing the best technologies, digital assignment or assessment design, and learning or troubleshooting a particular tech tool.  Use the above link to schedule a 25-minute Zoom meeting with a member of the Educational and Scholarly Technology team. You'll automatically receive a calendar invite with a Zoom link for the appointment.

    • EXPLORE: Recording Your Grades Page

      Before attempting to set up your gradebook, complete your course design, including all formative and summative assessments and any policies that may affect students' final grades.

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    Post-Workshop: Trauma-informed Teaching in an Online Environment

    This module was designed to help instructors teaching during the pandemic, provide a trauma-sensitive environment for students living through that experience and connect them to appropriate resources at Bryn Mawr College. Although the pandemic has ended, the incidence of students struggling with current or past trauma remains high, and trauma-informed approaches remain relevant. 

    Outcomes

    By the end of this module, you will be able to:

    • Explain what trauma informed teaching/education practice is and how it relates to universal design and student-centered learning.
    • Articulate at least two ways to nurture a trauma-informed learning environment and students to appropriate resources  
    • Articulate strategies for your own self-care
    • WATCH: "Trauma-informed teaching and learning in times of crisis." URL
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      Source: Carello, J. (2020). Trauma-informed teaching and learning in times of crisis.
      (Watch time: 1 hr, 2 min, 53 sec)

      Abstract: This video provides a broad overview of what trauma is and statistics relating to trauma among students in the United States, followed by a discussion of implications for the classroom. Although not specific to online teaching, the topics presented are relevant to teaching and learning in-person and online. There are also suggestions related to self-care for you as the instructor.

    • READ: "Practicing what we teach: Trauma-Informed educational practice" File
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      Source: Carello, J. & Butler, L. (2015) Practicing What we teach: Trauma-informed educational practice. In Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 35(3), pp. 262-278.

      Abstract: This article presents the starting case for applying the elements of trauma-informed care (TIC) to education and outlines the authors’ initial efforts to develop guidelines for what they call trauma-informed educational practice. To this end, the article starts with a literature review related to the potential for vicarious traumatization and retraumatization among students in clinical training, followed by a discussion of the TIC framework and past efforts to be trauma sensitive in social work education. The authors then describe what drew them to this perspective and inspired them to apply it to educational practice. They then present guidelines for implementing the trauma-informed principle of safety in the classroom in several domains. 

    • READ: "Teaching Note—Trauma-informed teaching in social work education" File
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      Source: Sanders, J. E. (2019). Teaching Note—Trauma-informed teaching in social work education, Journal of Social Work Education.

      Abstract: The objective of this teaching note is to further discussion, application, and research on trauma-informed educational practices in social work. Trauma has a pervasive effect across social work service sectors. Both generalist and specialized education about trauma could reduce misinterpretation of coping strategies and retraumatization of vulnerable client groups. Educational practices should recognize the effect of trauma on social work students as well as clients to minimize the risk of vicarious trauma and retraumatization in education. This would foster learning for all students, including those from populations at increased risk for exposure to adversity. Further research is warranted to understand whether trauma-informed education can increase diversity in the profession and trauma knowledge in the field

    • EXPLORE: Additional Reading Page
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    Activities for Moodle Basics Demo

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    Week 16