14 Considerations for Online Classes
Teaching online, whether synchronously or asynchronously, involves many of the same issues concerning student use of generative AI as are found when teaching in-person classes. Syllabus statements are important to clarify acceptable uses of generative AI, and faculty should anticipate questions such as:
- What constitutes plagiarism?
- What is the policy on the use of AI tools like ChatGPT , Grammarly, GitHub Copilot, DALL-E, Google translate, etc.?
- How do you cite ChatGPT?
Rethinking the online course learning objectives and the related online assignments and assessments in the age of ChatGPT is now an essential aspect of preparing to teach online.
To best support online learners’ success, assignments should be designed to make critical thinking and the process of learning visible to the online course instructor and online classmates. Scaffolded assignments with feedback are more effective than just asking for a paper, or essay, as a completed final product in one step. These considerations will be especially important for asynchronous online classes. Synchronous online classes have the option to include Lane 1 activities (as described above) to assure student attainment of course learning outcomes through real-time activities and interactions. Asynchronous online courses have no built-in option for such Lane 1 activities and must rely more heavily on scaffolded learning activities that focus on the learning process more than the learning product.
Here are some recommendations for effective online teaching practices:
- Design assignments that must reference weekly course readings, content, and online interactions/discussions.
- If applicable, incorporate or ask online learners to incorporate very recent news and current events into assignments (there will be a lag in between the time a news event occurs and when it is added to AI language models, although how long is likely to decrease as time goes on).
- Prompt learners to incorporate their own personal views, experiences, examples, or aspirations into their assignments.
- Design assignments that build toward a final product a step at a time.
- Allow online learners options in how they make their thinking and learning visible to you. For example, design activities where learners can create a multimedia response to an assignment.
