GOALS (graduate online active learning strategies)
Authors: Tom Atkinson, Rhonda H. Atkinson, Diane Smith
Venue: Journal of Computing Sciences in Colleges (2002)

The purpose of this project was to develop active learning strategies for experiential learning in an online environment. As institutions embrace technology, designers and developers should endeavor to incorporate effective strategies that emulate the instructor-student interaction of a traditional classroom and engage the learners in an active learning process. That process should incorporate problem-solving strategies and modeling using many different forms of instructional technology. Online learning experiences should provide authentic experiences using adaptive learning contexts that enable the learner to immediately apply the knowledge gained. The online course created by this project serves as a model for the development of future courses and as a new paradigm for higher education in both pedagogical and curricular reform.This paper describes the significance, development, and components of an online course for graduate students that incorporate experiential and active learning in a virtual environment. The course is housed in a department that is committed to providing personalized higher education experiences for a diverse body of students. GOALS, the project acronym selected early in the design phase, guided the development and application of instructional strategies for the course. Other strategies included adaptive learning to individualize the content, motivate the learner, and provide authentic experiences that were relevant.When the course begins, the student is informed that s/he has been hired as a instructional technology coordinator at the "school of your dreams." Students complete an online form that prompts them to select the level of school (e.g., K-3, K-12, 9-12), the size of the school (less than 500, 500-1000, more than 1000), and the location of the school (e.g., rural, urban, suburban). Additional information is assigned with random data (e.g., racial/gender percentages, number of students receiving free lunches, type of students with disabilities, and so on). Learners access a "virtual office" with computer, phone, Rolodex, in-box, and a bookcase containing links for each activity. The instructional content consists of four sections divided into twenty-two activities that engage learners in an active learning process that incorporates problem-solving strategies and modeling using many different forms of technology. An animated video character referred to as the "virtual assistant" guides the learner through the activities by providing specific instructions about what to do. Learners receive virtual e-mails and voice mail messages that describe their assignments. Some assignments are adaptive to an initial profile submitted by the learner; however, all assignments are completed in the authentic context of the technology director position.This online course serves as a model for the development of future courses and as a new paradigm for higher education in both pedagogical and curricular reform. The result is learner-centered education that is outcomes-driven, performance-based, and assessment intensive.