The purpose of this page is to provide inspiration on to how to organise online teaching activities, the aim being activating the students in relation to research-based teaching.

The description of the pedagogical scenarios is organised according to how research and teaching is connected: Research-led, Research-oriented, Research-supported or Research-based. (For elaboration see Dohn, N.B., Dolin, J. (2013). "Forskningsbaseret undervisning". In Rienecker, L., Jørgensen, P.S., Dolin, J., Ingerslev, G.H. (red), Universitetspædagogik, Samfundslitteratur: 43-64.)
You ay wish to contribute to the development of these descriptions of pedagogical scenarios.
Contact Academic IT at ait-info(at)ruc.dk   with your ideas and experiences.

Pedagogical  Scenarios

1. Research-led

For example: the teacher lectures about up-to-date content.

Online ahead of the lecture (attendance):
The teacher´s presentation is recorded on video. If possible, external resources are included (see for example YouTube Education or TED.com. Video is loaded into the Forum for discussion in Moodle (see user guide))
The students watch the presentation and the teacher asks them to write questions and comments in the online forum. Or the teacher ask questions in relation to the theme of the presentation. These are questions that the students need to answer before the lecture.

At the lecture (attendance)
The students' questions and comments are discussed and answered.
The students' answers to the teachers questions are discussed and elaborated on, based on the answers.

Some pedagogical comments:

• The above-mentioned scenario is often referred to as "flipped classroom"
• By asking questions to the students about the presentation before the lecture, it is possible for the teacher to identify what the students gained from the presentation, and to follow up at the lecture.
• Instead of students being passive throughout most of the lecture, the time can spent by both teacher and students discussing the presentation.
• Rather than a few students address the teacher at a break to ask questions, a greater number of students are able to ask questions about the presentation and everybody gets to 'hear' the answer.
• The students need to be notified that video presentations substitute the traditional lecture, so that they cannot expect that the teacherwill repeat the content at the lecture.
• There is a risk that some students might hold back, when their questions get 'public' in a forum.

 2. Research-oriented

...where focus is on development of the students' research and study competences by showing how to address an issue methodically, for example as an exercise.

Online ahead of the lecture (attendance):

• Instruction for e.g. lab exercise is recorded on video. The video is then available to the students in Moodle (see user guide).
• As part of the preparation for the lecture, the students watch how to conduct the exercise.

At the lecture (attendance)
The students carry out the exercise. Independent from the teacher´s presence, the students are able to watch the instruction again if needed.
 
Some pedagogical comments:

• Sometimes it can be difficult for students to see what is going on in exercise demon e.g. small details. By recording the demonstration on video and making it available online, everybody can see the demonstration from the same perspective as the instructor and see the details (close ups)
• At the lecture, focus can be on going through the practical exercise and if the students have any questions they can watch the video. In that way they avoid waiting for the instructor to assist them.
• Video can be used as a common reference, when the exercise is discussed at the lecture.

 3. Research-supported

For example where the students are involved in discussions of scholarly articles.

Online ahead of the lecture (attendance)
1. A group of students creates a questionnaire/quiz related to the text selected (by the teacher?). The other students answer the questions/quiz (see user guide / questionnaire)

2. Every student or a group of students has to find a scholarly text within the academic subject. The student has to argue for the relevance of the text. The texts are collected in an online article database (see user guide / questionnaire)

At the lecture (attendance)
1. Discussion of the relevance of the questions and the validity of answers in proportion to the text.
2. The student´s choice and arguments are brought forward and under the teacher's guidance choices and arguments are discussed.

Some pedagogical comments:

• To create a questionnaire requires that the text is read thoroughly. Partly, so that the students are able to ask relevant questions, partly so that the students are able to find correct as well asincorrect but plausible answers.
• The teacher identifies the students' understanding of the text and subsequently corrects or clarifies the "status" of the text in the complete curriculum.
• May students find this to be an engaging activity (claim based on statements from students who tried it).
• To find and argue for the choice of a specific text and its "value" increases the students' attention towards the demands that are made in relation to scientific/academic argumentation and reasoning (source criticism). Not all selected texts are equally valid.
• The students can use a matrix as their starting point in the assessment of the text created by either the teacher or developed by the teacher and the students.
• The activity can be developed in collaboration with the library, and different strategies for searching article databases can be introduced.
• In the preparation for the exam, the students have the opportunity to return to the article collection and read reviews.

4. Research-based

...where the students perform research related work, e.g. as in problem oriented project work or in coorporation with practicing researchers in the field.

Online ahead of the lecture (attendance)
1. The students write an essay and upload it to the online forum to be reviewed. Next, the teacher assigns articles for the students to review (see user guide / workshop).
2. The students collect empirical data (e.g. in relation to own life situation) and furthermore present, analyses and assess the empirical data (see user guide / Forum or Glossary). It can be empirical data based on interviews, observations (video) etc.

At the lecture (attendance)   
1. Together, the teacher and students are able to discuss and develop a review scheme.
2. A gradual transition between online activities and lecture activities will take place. Analyses and judgment can be discussed taking off from the work presented in the online forum.

Some pedagogical comments:

• The students are introduced to the classical scientific work process, where articles are being peer-reviewed before publication.
• When a text is assessed, the students can use the matrix/review scheme developed by the teacher, possibly together with the students.
• It is important that the students are informed about how to handle confidential information.
• Confidential information must not be shared in an online forum unless access is restricted, and the location of the server is known. Therefore, Google Docs, Facebook, Dropbox, and otherr cloud fora should not be used.
• Data can be presented and systematised in an online forum or database (in the learning platform) so that all students have easy access. Afterwards, data can be used by the teacher in his/her own research.

Finally

Note that other online resources are also available for use in teaching. Se: Tips and tricks about software.
Do you know of other online resources that you have used in your own teaching? - please share them with Academic IT, ait-info(at)ruc.dk. We would really like to hear about your experiences.