Elements of digital-first design

Teaching presence

The element of “teaching presence” is informed by Garrison’s (2017) Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework. When learning online facilitation by the teacher ensures productive and sustained participation in the CoI and improves student confidence, independent learning and socialisation of the learning experience is encouraged and supported. This involves regular online teacher-student communication such as announcements. It also applies to contributions in places where students are encouraged to engage and interact (e.g., forums, Voicethread, Padlet, MS Teams group).

Teachers often state they cannot get to know their online students unless they meet with them synchronously. This is a fallacy, as much research has shown (Garrison, 2003; Watson et al., 2023). However, through strategic online facilitation (teaching presence), students often share more, contribute more (especially if there is an anonymous option for some discussions), and reveal more via online interaction, blogs and portfolios than in a series of synchronous sessions.

Student interaction and collaboration

Aligned with Garrison’s CoI framework and “social presence”, interaction and collaboration are necessary to establish relationships as a foundation for deep and meaningful educational experiences. Enhanced learner-learner interaction through designed activities for formative or summative assessment is a key digital-first strategy. This includes both synchronous (virtual) and asynchronous modes and encourages shared understandings, critical thinking and social construction of knowledge.

Cultivating a Community of Practice (CoP) (Wenger, 1998) relies on interaction where peer learning activities are important in addressing students’ sense of isolation. Flexibility is assured when designed predominantly for asynchronous communication and collaboration. Consider the student who isn’t comfortable in the on-campus classroom and doesn’t speak up. In an asynchronous online space, they can have more of a voice, one in which they have had time to consider the ideas of others, perhaps do some further research, and then make a contribution. And if we use applications that promote students using their voice or video, they also start to feel like they are interacting with their peers in a meaningful and humanised way despite not being in the space at the same time.

Learning does not happen in isolation; therefore, designing and facilitating student interaction and collaboration to build a Community of Practice is vital for supporting HyFlex goals.

Interactive resources

High-quality learning media can support the student’s understanding of conceptual material by providing visual examples of practice and contextualising the broader learning experience. The use of curriculum-specific interactive learning resources, including audio, video, interactive multimedia and computer-based simulations, can provide rich and deep engagement with content and support student learning through visualisation, exploration and embedded feedback. This includes immersive environments where students undertake simulated professional practice. In addition, assessment redesign that supports the student as the “creator” of rich media artefacts encourages flexibility and choice of assessment products.

The development of interactive rich media artefacts supports conceptual understanding of the material. In a HyFlex digital-first environment, this applies also to student choice for assessment and the opportunity to create visual, audio, or graphic material to share learning outcomes.

References

Garrison, D. R. (2003). Cognitive presence for effective asynchronous online learning: The role of reflective inquiry, self-direction and metacognition. Elements of quality online education: Practice and direction, 4(1), 47-58.

Garrison, D. R. (2017). E-learning in the 21st century: A community of inquiry framework for research and practice (3rd edition). Routledge/Taylor & Francis.

Watson, S., Sullivan, D. P., & Watson, K. (2023). Teaching Presence in Asynchronous Online Classes: It’s Not Just a Façade. Online Learning, 27(2), 288-303.

Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge University Press.