Stuart Voytilla, an experienced lecturer at San Diego State University (SDSU) and an advocate for PlayPosit by WeVideo, played a pivotal role in developing the SDSU Flexible Course Design Institute (Flex-CDI). This initiative was established to assist faculty in shifting from traditional face-to-face teaching toward online teaching.
Objectives
- Equip faculty with online teaching skills: Provide necessary skills and resources to faculty, especially those new to online education, for effective virtual instruction.
- Alignment of course elements: Ensure course learning outcomes, activities, and assessments are aligned.
- Inclusive virtual classroom design: Focus the design on inclusive and equitable virtual classrooms to provide for a diverse student population.
Implementation
Flex-CDI’s implementation was a testament to thoughtful instructional design and collaboration. Led by experts like Voytilla, the program offered a blend of required and elective modules. One of Voytilla’s contributions was a module titled “Promoting Student Engagement with Videos and In-Video Quizzing.” This module leveraged tools to enhance interactive learning, including Canvas Studio and PlayPosit. The course began with fundamental concepts and gradually introduced creative ways to engage students using interactive videos and reflecting a structured and adaptable approach to online pedagogy.
Results
The results of the Flex-CDI program were significant.
- Successful training completion: Approximately 1,000 faculty members completed the Flex-CDI training, demonstrating effective upskilling in online teaching methods.
- Alignment achieved in course design: Faculty were able to align course learning outcomes, activities, and assessments more effectively.
- Creation of inclusive and equitable virtual classrooms: Participants reported greater awareness and implementation of teaching practices.
Voytilla’s module on in-video quizzing was particularly impactful, demonstrating practical applications of PlayPosit in his own classes. The in-video quizzing module not only provided faculty with technical skills but also emphasized the pedagogical strategies behind effective online teaching, thereby enhancing the overall quality of virtual instruction at SDSU.
Takeaways
The key takeaways from the Flex-CDI initiative were numerous. The institute highlighted the necessity of comprehensive training for faculty transitioning or improving online teaching, underscored the importance of strategies tailored to virtual environments, and highlighted the effectiveness of interactive tools in student engagement. The program also provided an example of the value of modular, flexible training structures in addressing diverse instructional needs and preferences.