The Learning Support area is committed to finding ways to help EHE faculty and staff to support learning across the College. For example, one of our primary focus areas is to help bolster EHE’s human capital infrastructure for distance education. We do this kind of work through connecting with stakeholders across the College, bringing awareness to learning needs, and assisting with self-study and evaluation efforts to enhance what we already do for our community of learners. Each month, we’ll share the Learning Support Briefing to update you on current projects and initiatives and, for those involved in distance education or remote work, check out the Support Shape-up with learning support and wellness tips for the EHE online community.
Monthly Learning Support Briefing
The Learning Support Briefings provide monthly updates and progress reports on area initiatives. Have ideas for us to consider? Submit a suggestion or request a consult!
EHE Online Student Services Group. Learning Support is doing some exciting work to bolster EHE online student services! Our first initiative involves evaluating the student services our College provides for its fully online students. The EHE Online Student Services Group kicked off the project on August 1 and the meeting was very well attended by stakeholders from across EHE. On August 30, we launched the self-study segment of the evaluation of EHE-provided online student services. The self-study is ongoing through September and a report of findings will be shared at the beginning of October. We look forward to sharing the outcomes with you! Contact Dr. Tracey Stuckey at stuckey.113@osu.edu for more info about this initiative.
Monthly Support Shape-up
Your Monthly Learning Support Shape-up consists of a learning support tip for distance education accompanied by a wellness tip for remote workers. Learning support tips are pulled from scholarly and practitioner journals. Wellness tips come from everywhere! Citations and links are provided for all tips. While being excellent for EHE, we want you to remember your own self-care. Enjoy this month’s Support Shape-up!
Learning Support Tip
There is a strong body of research on the importance of students’ sense of belonging and its importance for an optimal learning environment. Unfortunately, much of this research focuses on the in-person learning environment. However, in a recent study published in Distance Education, DiGiacomo et al. (2023) surveyed over 4500 undergraduates to examine influences on sense of belonging during the remote emergency teaching period that took place during the pandemic in 2020. Using a lens informed by sociocultural learning theory and focusing explicitly on equity issues, DiGiacomo and colleagues found trends related to student race, gender, and instructional modality (asynchronous vs. synchronous delivery).
Additional findings indicated that peer interaction, feeling that one’s racial ethnic group was represented, and having discussion opportunities were among aspects of the online learning environment that contributed to students feeling a sense of belonging. These findings have implications for online course design, facilitation approach, and selection of tools that support student interaction. Access the full study to learn more.
Citation: Daniela K. DiGiacomo, Ellen L. Usher, Jaeyun Han, Jill M. Abney, Anastacia E. Cole & Jaylene T. Patterson (2023) The benefits of belonging: Students’ perceptions of their online learning experiences, Distance Education, 44:1, 24-39, DOI: 10.1080/01587919.2022.2155615
Remote Work Wellness Tip
If the shift to remote work from three years ago has resulted in a permanent shift that has left you sitting in front of screens and moving less often, you may have noticed a shift in your mood, too. As a fully online teacher since Autumn 2015, I noticed this shift almost immediately. I often felt tired more often and less creatively inspired. Fortunately, I remembered the benefits of movement and made efforts to be more intentional about adding movement into my day. Too much sitting is just not good for us! Check out this TED-Ed talk to learn more about how sitting for long periods isn’t good for the body.
So, what do you do when your work requires lots of sitting? Well, the answer is simple! Get up and MOVE. Here are a few tips that helped me integrate more movement into my very sedentary workday.
- Walk & Talk – If you’re on any committees where you do more listening than anything, consider taking a walk as you take the meeting. Walking outside is especially nice!
- Timed Movement Breaks – Set a timer to get up from your desk and move every 30-60 minutes. Some fitness trackers and smart watches have this feature readily available, and the device will buzz or beep when it’s time to get up and move.
- Stand & Work – Consider investing in a standing desk or a platform that can convert your traditional desk into a standing one. If you turn on your favorite music, you may even find yourself dancing while you work!
Interested in more tips for staying active while remote working? Check out this article by Remote.co, 10 Tips to Stay Active While Working from Home. I’m sure you’ll find one or two strategies to try. Enjoy!
– Dr .Tray