Black Hawk College Teaching/Learning Center

Teaching via Distance Learning

This resource page includes a few annotated Web resources and linked files to assist you in exploring the topic of Teaching via "Distance Learning," a term used at Black Hawk College to refer to live classes taught over the interactive television system between the QC and East campuses. In the literature and at other colleges, teaching via this technology is sometimes called videoconferencing, ITV, compressed video, or just "DL."

What's unique about teaching on "DL?"
Lots of misconceptions abound about teaching via DL. This article addresses some of the "myths" about teaching via DL and some of the key ways that teaching via DL is unique, as compared to face-to-face, traditional instruction. If you are new to teaching this way, start here!

Teaching via DL
PowerPoint slides from Distance Learning Workshop held on 2.12 and 2.20.07 for Rend Lake College. Includes summary slides of many of the teaching topics demonstrated and discussed during the workshop.

Adapting Face-to-face Instructional Strategies to Distance Learning
Contrary to popular belief, teaching via DL is not simply a matter of teaching your regular face-to-face class in a DL room in front of a camera. This article highlights useful tips for adapting the instructional strategies you already know to the DL environment, so that they are very effective. Some of these tips may surprise you!

Maximizing the Visual Aspects of DL
TV is a visual medium. Do you have enough? Are they formatted correctly for TV? Did you know that YOU are a visual too? This document reviews standards for using all kinds of visuals when teaching via DL.

Assessment and Evaluation in DL
As in any class, assessment of student learning and ongoing evaluation helps the instructor make adjustments to a course throughout, to better meet the needs of the students. In DL, these strategies may require some adaptation, but are equally important to the success of a DL class. Learn about the adaptations to consider.

"Mini" Ideas for Active Learning in DL Classes
What are the students doing now? What have they been doing in the last 10 minutes or so? Are these things active and directly related to class objectives (i.e. effective, efficient, appealing?) Do they collectively appeal to a variety of learning styles? Can you make some of the more passive learning portions of the class (aka lectures, watching videos, etc.) seem more like doing? Try some of these “mini” ideas!

Interactivity Options for Online Support Technologies
Whether you use a Course Management System such as Blackboard or WebCT or another set of web-based tools to support out-of-class communication and collaboration, this document provides a host of ideas for online tools that can be used effectively to enhance DL classes.

Sample Tools

Sample Who's Who survey for students (can be sent with a syllabus in a precourse mailing or used as a basis for an online survey to be completed by students the first week of class)
Self-assessment Rubric to use when watching a videotape of your teaching(edit as desired
Tips for Being a Successful Distance Student (student supplement to the syllabus or tool for first class orientation)
Sample Interactive Study Guide (use partially completed guides like this to assist DL students during lectures...makes listening and watching feel more like doing!)

Web Resources on Teaching via Distance Learning (DL)
Coming soon!