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Full-Text Articles in Science and Mathematics Education
Community In The Online Science Classroom, Emily Faulconer
Community In The Online Science Classroom, Emily Faulconer
Publications
As online course offerings rise, it is important to design and facilitate courses to promote community so students feel connected to each other and the instructor and feel a sense of belonging as a scientist. Online discussions are a common feature for building and nurturing community and combating isolation. Discussions stimulate active learning, a strategy to promote participation in knowledge construction. This sense of community and science identity is important for both persistence and performance. I will share efforts to promote community while reducing extraneous cognitive load through discussion design and targeted instructor professional development. I will share data on …
Cognitive Load In Asynchronous Discussions Of An Online Undergraduate Stem Course, Emily Faulconer, Beverly Wood, Charlotte Bolch
Cognitive Load In Asynchronous Discussions Of An Online Undergraduate Stem Course, Emily Faulconer, Beverly Wood, Charlotte Bolch
Publications
Purpose
As online course enrollments increase, it is important to understand how common course features influence students' behaviors and performance. Asynchronous online courses often include a discussion forum to promote community through interaction between students and instructors. Students interact both socially and cognitively; instructors' engagement often demonstrates social or teaching presence. Students' engagement in the discussions introduces both intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load. The purpose of this study is to validate an instrument for measuring cognitive load in asynchronous online discussions.