Ten strategies for a successful transition to remote learning: Lessons learned with a flipped course

Abstract Transitioning from in‐person to remote learning can present challenges for both the instructional team and the students. Here, we use our course “Biodiversity in the Age of Humans” to describe how we adapted tools and strategies designed for a flipped classroom to a remote learning format....

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Main Authors: Ana E. Garcia‐Vedrenne, Chloé Orland, Kimberly M. Ballare, Beth Shapiro, Robert K. Wayne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2020-11-01
Series:Ecology and Evolution
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6760
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author Ana E. Garcia‐Vedrenne
Chloé Orland
Kimberly M. Ballare
Beth Shapiro
Robert K. Wayne
author_facet Ana E. Garcia‐Vedrenne
Chloé Orland
Kimberly M. Ballare
Beth Shapiro
Robert K. Wayne
author_sort Ana E. Garcia‐Vedrenne
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Transitioning from in‐person to remote learning can present challenges for both the instructional team and the students. Here, we use our course “Biodiversity in the Age of Humans” to describe how we adapted tools and strategies designed for a flipped classroom to a remote learning format. Using anonymous survey data collected from students who attended the course either in‐person (2019) or remotely (2020), we quantify student expectations and experiences and compare these between years. We summarize our experience and provide ten “tips” or recommendations for a transition to remote learning, which we divide into three categories: (a) precourse instructor preparation; (b) outside of class use of online materials; and (c) during class student engagement. The survey results indicated no negative impact on student learning during the remote course compared to in‐person instruction. We found that communicating with students and assessing specific needs, such as access to technology, and being flexible with the structure of the course, simplified the transition to remote instruction. We also found that short, pre‐recorded videos that introduce subject materials were among the most valuable elements for student learning. We hope that instructors of undergraduate ecology and evolution courses can use these recommendations to help establish inclusive online learning communities that empower students to acquire conceptual knowledge and develop scientific inquiry and literacy skills.
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spelling doaj.art-cdbe3e1141794a0a8e2914f9080eef2b2022-12-21T22:53:09ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582020-11-011022126201263410.1002/ece3.6760Ten strategies for a successful transition to remote learning: Lessons learned with a flipped courseAna E. Garcia‐Vedrenne0Chloé Orland1Kimberly M. Ballare2Beth Shapiro3Robert K. Wayne4Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles CA USADepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USADepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USADepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USADepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles CA USAAbstract Transitioning from in‐person to remote learning can present challenges for both the instructional team and the students. Here, we use our course “Biodiversity in the Age of Humans” to describe how we adapted tools and strategies designed for a flipped classroom to a remote learning format. Using anonymous survey data collected from students who attended the course either in‐person (2019) or remotely (2020), we quantify student expectations and experiences and compare these between years. We summarize our experience and provide ten “tips” or recommendations for a transition to remote learning, which we divide into three categories: (a) precourse instructor preparation; (b) outside of class use of online materials; and (c) during class student engagement. The survey results indicated no negative impact on student learning during the remote course compared to in‐person instruction. We found that communicating with students and assessing specific needs, such as access to technology, and being flexible with the structure of the course, simplified the transition to remote instruction. We also found that short, pre‐recorded videos that introduce subject materials were among the most valuable elements for student learning. We hope that instructors of undergraduate ecology and evolution courses can use these recommendations to help establish inclusive online learning communities that empower students to acquire conceptual knowledge and develop scientific inquiry and literacy skills.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6760active learningflipped classroominclusivityremote instruction
spellingShingle Ana E. Garcia‐Vedrenne
Chloé Orland
Kimberly M. Ballare
Beth Shapiro
Robert K. Wayne
Ten strategies for a successful transition to remote learning: Lessons learned with a flipped course
Ecology and Evolution
active learning
flipped classroom
inclusivity
remote instruction
title Ten strategies for a successful transition to remote learning: Lessons learned with a flipped course
title_full Ten strategies for a successful transition to remote learning: Lessons learned with a flipped course
title_fullStr Ten strategies for a successful transition to remote learning: Lessons learned with a flipped course
title_full_unstemmed Ten strategies for a successful transition to remote learning: Lessons learned with a flipped course
title_short Ten strategies for a successful transition to remote learning: Lessons learned with a flipped course
title_sort ten strategies for a successful transition to remote learning lessons learned with a flipped course
topic active learning
flipped classroom
inclusivity
remote instruction
url https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6760
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