Reading Time: 2 minutesA learning objective is “a statement that tells what learners should be able to do when they have completed a segment of instruction” (Smith & Ragan, 2005, p. 96). A precise, concrete, and specific learning objective is valuable to the course designer, instructor, learners, and reviewers. In this post, we will focus on module-level or lesson-level learning objectives that are subordinate to the course level objectives. We will use the learning objectives generator to assist in the objective writing process, using the who+verb+goal+condition pattern. Who: Describe the Learner When you are working on module-level or lesson-level learning objectives, the target learner must be identified for the course.…
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Calibrate: Interview with Lauren Eissler about Confab
Reading Time: 4 minutesSo, Lauren, you went to a conference a couple months ago. Can you tell me what conference it was and a little bit about it? I attended Confab, a content strategy conference. This conference is hosted by Brain Traffic, a content strategy consultancy, and it’s really Kristina Halvorson’s brainchild. She co-wrote the book on content strategy, by the way (Content Strategy for the Web). It’s fabulous, and I highly recommend it. But you might be wondering, “What exactly is content strategy” and that’s an excellent question. Content strategy covers a wide variety of roles and tasks including the design, creation, management, and governance of content across any…
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Calibrate: Interview with Jared Pyles about UBTech Conference
Reading Time: 2 minutesSo, Jared, you just got back from a conference recently. Can you tell me what conference it was and a little bit about it? It was called UBTech, put on by the LRP media group which has their hand in a bunch of different professions, including education and educational technology. This conference had several tracks, including Audio/Visual integration and Instructional Technology all tailored toward Higher Education. How did you initially find this conference? What drew you toward it? Google, of course! I was drawn initially to UBTech because it was a higher ed conference for audio/visual professionals. Since I was new to the audio/visual higher ed game,…
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Calibrate: UBTech Conference Initial Takeaways
Reading Time: 2 minutesWelcome to FOCUS’ new “Calibrate” series. As you calibrate a lens to fine-tune its focus, this series will highlight how Cedarville’s faculty and CTL staff are fine-tuning their skills, and they’ll share what they’re learning along the way. In the first installment of the series, CTL’s New Media Developer, Jared Pyles is on location at the UBTech Conference and sent back this reflection on what he’s learned from the conference thus far. What are the characteristics that define the current generation of learners? How are higher education campuses effectively meeting the needs of those students? How can we best utilize existing space to include all learners? These…
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Dos and Don’ts of Quiz Creation
Reading Time: 3 minutesAs educators, we can agree that assessments are essential to the learning process. Quizzes are a popular method for assessing learners’ understanding of material and mastery of knowledge. The real question is – are we quizzing effectively? In this post, we explore some best practices for quiz creation to ensure effective assessment of student mastery in course learning objectives. We will review some Dos and Don’ts for quiz creation. Do Don’t What now? If you have questions about anything you read or suggestions for topics to be covered, leave a comment below. If you need help using these dos and don’ts in your course, contact the CTL…
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Welcome!
Reading Time: 2 minutesWelcome to FOCUS: the hub of teaching and learning at Cedarville University, brought to you by the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL). This blog is designed to be a resource, your go-to place for teaching and learning strategies, learning management system (LMS) best practices, as well as tips and tricks from the CTL and your fellow faculty members. This blog will foster community and provide a central location to find resources. What can you expect? Here, you’ll find teaching best practices backed by research, tips and tricks for using our learning management system, CTL project features, and much more. You’ll see posts authored by CTL staff,…