EdTech Seminar Series – Dr Dara Cassidy

On-campus teaching is often divided into well-understood and distinct teaching and learning activity “types”. Module and programme descriptors in turn typically encompass things like lectures, tutorials and practical sessions, each of which becomes associated with a particular time and place and a well-rehearsed set of more granular activities. In the online environment, however, our students are not always clear on what to do and, unless intentionally planned for, many of the invisible supports they consciously and unconsciously rely on in the on-campus environment may no longer be readily available to them. For teaching staff too there may be uncertainty around how to perform their role and support different teaching and learning activities online. In this talk Dr Cassidy looks more closely on these kinds of issues and, based on research into issues and concepts of online presence and online community, suggests ways we can better plan for effective online course design and delivery.