ERIC Number: EJ1127596
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2015
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2159-0281
EISSN: N/A
From CATs to WILD HOGs: Elevating the Level of Discussion in the Online Classroom
DeCosta, Meredith; Bergquist, Emily; Holbeck, Rick
Journal of Instructional Research, v4 p76-82 2015
Online education is growing at a rapid pace. To meet the increasing demand for online education, many universities have designed courses to enable the instructor to be more of a facilitator than an active participant in the classroom space (Ragan, 2009). However, building an active, student-centered learning environment in online classrooms is needed to prevent instructors from becoming stagnant and to inspire them to take on a range of roles as the students' "guide, facilitator, and teacher" (Ragan, 2009, p. 6). One integral component of this process is to develop and test effective questioning skills and activities in the discussion forums like Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATs) (Angelo and Cross, 1993) and Written Intentionally for Learning Depth and Higher Order Genius questions (WILD HOGs) (Johnson, 2014). This article argues that in combination CATs and WILD HOGs help establish teacher presence, assess student learning, address areas of concern in the classroom, and, most compellingly, elevate students' understanding of challenging concepts.
Descriptors: Online Courses, Computer Mediated Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Group Discussion, Questioning Techniques, Classroom Techniques, Virtual Classrooms, Student Evaluation, Courseware, Teacher Participation, Facilitators (Individuals), Teacher Role, Educational Practices, Student Improvement, Technology Uses in Education, Usability
Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching at Grand Canyon University. 3300 West Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85017. Tel: 602-639-6729; e-mail: cirt@gcu.edu; Web site: http://www.instructionalresearch.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A