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Engaging online students by activating ecological knowledge.
Stacy L Hines1, Anthony J Vedral2, Amanda E Jefferson2,3
1Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Mississippi State University Mississippi State MS USA.
Ecology and Evolution
|November 30, 2020
Summary
Active learning strategies can effectively engage students in online ecology courses. This study provides examples and guidelines for implementing these techniques to enhance ecological knowledge acquisition.
Area of Science:
- Ecology education
- Online learning pedagogy
Background:
- The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid shifts to online learning in higher education.
- Field and laboratory-based ecology courses face unique challenges in online environments.
- Existing resources for online active learning in ecology are limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify learning objectives in ecology courses.
- To provide examples of active learning activities for online ecology education.
- To offer guidelines for implementing active learning in online ecology courses.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed 321 learning objectives from 45 online ecology course syllabi.
- Classified objectives into five categories: Identification, Application of Concepts, Resource Management, Professional Skills, and Evaluation.
- Developed active learning activity examples for each category.
Main Results:
- Learning objectives were categorized into five key areas relevant to ecology.
- Active learning activities were designed to align with these objectives for online delivery.
- Guidelines for successful implementation in online settings were provided.
Conclusions:
- Active learning techniques are adaptable to online ecology courses.
- These strategies can enhance student engagement and knowledge activation.
- The study addresses a critical need for resources in online ecological education.
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