Revolutionizing Online Learning: The Journey

Revolutionizing Online Learning takes readers on a groundbreaking exploration of what it takes to design, deliver, and experience transformative online education. Drawing from years of experience and global practitioner interviews, the authors blend theory and practice to guide readers through building engaging, high-impact learning environments with Farhan Sadique and Aileen Zaballero!

This book offers not just ideas, but tools. It highlights over 1,500 evidence-based strategies for increasing learner engagement in virtual settings. The framework presented empowers educators, trainers, and learning leaders to rethink how online learning is developed, delivered, and evaluated.

Key Features:

• Over 1,500 strategies and AI based instruments to increase learner engagement
• Interviews with expert practitioners from around the world
• Insights on microlearning, simulation, gamification, and cognitive load
• Tools to humanize learning and reduce digital fatigue
• Frameworks for virtual classroom design, learner interaction, and emotional presence

Ideal Audience:

• Higher education faculty
• Instructional designers
• L&D professionals
• Corporate trainers
• Educational leaders
• Graduate students in education, OD, and instructional design

Source of the 1500 Ways to Increase Engagement

Revolutionizing the Online Learning Journey: 1500 Ways to Increase Engagement

based on the practices and experiences of educators from different industries. In the quest to transform online learning and determine the most effective methods for engagement, a team of researchers launched a comprehensive study to solicit insights from teachers and trainers across the globe. Dr. William J. Rothwell, a pragmatic researcher, used a phenomenological study as a qualitative approach that recognizes the value of an individual’s lived experience with virtual learning. His team collected first-hand accounts from professional educators to gain valuable insights into their experiences and strategies to engage online learners.

Statement of the Problem

Online learning has been a popular method of education for more than a decade and has recently become the only method of education due to social distance regulations during the pandemic. Educators and trainers experimented with numerous technologies and approaches to improve the online learning experience. However, given the rapid development of online resources and the constant introduction of new facilitators, tracking all the novel techniques being developed was difficult. Facilitators have used various methods to gain the attention of learners, and numerous tools have been introduced. However, it is difficult to identify the resources needed out of millions of available sources, with a list that continues to expand. Hence, a study was designed to identify ways to engage online learners.

Data Collection

During the study, Dr. Rothwell conducted in-depth interviews with the participants, allowing them to reflect on their experiences and share their unique perspectives. These interviews were designed to elicit detailed narratives, exploring the participants’ thoughts, emotions, challenges, and successes in engaging online learners. By utilizing open-ended questions, Dr. Rothwell encouraged participants to provide rich descriptions and insights into their innovative practices.

The authors conducted five focus groups with participants from various geographic locations, industries, and demographic backgrounds. Dr. William J. Rothwell solicited participation from all faculty members, and a preliminary focus group was recruited from the Workforce Education and Development department. Two focus groups, comprised of 25 Penn State professors, have been convened to assess game-changing approaches to online education by drawing on the experts’ practical experience and foresight.

Facebook, LinkedIn, and email were employed to contact a second group of prospective participants for multiple focus group sessions. Early childhood educators, K-12 media specialists, corporate trainers and coaches, curriculum project assistants, IG designers, IG specialists, IG specialists in instructional systems, OG consultants/practitioners, conference organizers, and IG experts in sign language were among the participants in focus groups 3 and 4. Students from Penn State University who varied in age, race/ethnicity/gender, and country of origin participated in the final focus group sessions of the study. They contributed extremely helpful information as a pupil who has used an online learning system.

Selection Criteria

The participants in the research study were selected based on their extensive experience as educators and trainers. The study sought out people enthusiastic about sharing their effective innovative practices and were also open to learning from others.

Focus Group process

Dr. William J. Rothwell began the semi-structured discussions with the focus groups by stating the project’s objectives and presenting key results from preliminary analysis and previous group meetings. Zoom was used to facilitate the focus groups, and Farhan Sadique, his assistant, took notes and videotaped the meetings for subsequent analysis. The presentations were then analyzed subject by subject, resulting in a list of resources and recommendations. It took considerable time to classify the tools into their respective categories and determine where each one would be most useful in the discussion. The following is a list of additional software and applications compatible with the previously mentioned utilities. Participants were given a second opportunity to contribute by reviewing the list and adding any additional thoughts or observations. In the book’s chapters, the researchers presented the abundance of knowledge garnered from the extensive literature review, years of observation, and thematic analysis of the focus group discussion. And the purpose was to provide educators and trainers with a comprehensive catalog of methods to enhance online learning and support online learning systems with the latest trend and innovative ideas to gain attention from learners.

This event is sponosred by the International Society for Organization Development & Change. For more information, go to www.isodc.org.