McRel is an educational research nonprofit with headquarters in Denver, Colorado. They have published numerous studies on instruction effectiveness. In the book, Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, they present 9 essential instructional strategies:
Identifying Similarities and Differences
Summarizing and Note Taking
Reinforcing effort and providing recognition
Homework and Practice
Nonlinguistic Representations
Cooperative Learning
Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback
Generating and Testing Hypotheses
Questions, cues and organizers
These are fairly basic techniques that I used religiously in a face-to-face classroom.
How can these strategies be used in an online or blended course?
Identifying Similarities and Differences – Ask students to identify similarities and differences in a discussion board. Use digital storytelling assignments with analogies.
Summarizing and Note Taking – Provide opportunities to produce collaborative notes. Use creative “making” notes assignments rather than just “taking” notes.
Reinforcing Effort and Providing Recognition – Use digital badging and microcredentials to promote skill acquisition. Log personal progress in a discussion board. Use a webinar or teacher created video to provide recognition.
Homework and Practice – Use autograding features of an LMS to provide instant feedback during homework and practice.
Nonlinguistic Representations – Use color images and graphics. Ask students to graphically show their knowledge. Provide infographics for students to analyze. Ask students to create their own infographics.
Cooperative Learning – Be cognizant of how to use groups in online courses. For example, in classes where non engaged students are a concern, consider assigning groups based on readiness/timeliness. Groups can also exist in classes from around the world using a globalization/flat classroom approach.
Setting Objectives and Providing Feedback – Vary the feedback to include audio, written and video. Offer feedback from peers and from the instructor.
Generating and Testing Hypotheses – Ask “What if?” or “Would this work?” This is a great way to use a discussion board and generate ideas from the class.
Cues, Questions, and Advance Organizers – Ask a question in a discussion board and ask students to respond before interacting with the course content. Then, have them correct or expand on their original answer after the lesson.
I hope you can use these ideas. What other ways could the McRel strategies be used in an online or blended classroom?