Inquiry-based learning challenges students to identify and research issues and questions to develop knowledge or solutions. This contrasts with a traditional approach in which instructors present facts and their own knowledge (or provide students with pre-determined resources) about the subject. 

Example: Healthcare Management

In order to determine how technology can enhance hospital operations, a group of students may start by posing questions such as “What is necessary to ensure rooms and other areas of a hospital are kept clean on a daily basis?”, while other groups investigate other questions. The instructor then guides the groups in gathering information and finding connections among these operations that can inform how technology can be applied to enhance all of the operations. Content is “covered” by a strategic selection of inquiry questions and through reflection on information gathered.

Problem-based learning (or PBL) uses complex problems (grounded in real-world situations) to serve as the context and the stimulus for learning. (Problem-based Learning Resource)

Example: Applied Communications

Students identify a local organization with a problem that impacts not only the members of an organization but also the local community (e.g., establishing a pedestrian crosswalk in a school zone on a busy street in the neighborhood). They work closely with decision-makers in the organization to apply communication strategies to understand, address, and communicate possible solutions, in an effort to influence decision-makers and local community members. Content is “covered” as students tackle components of the complex problem (as needed or to challenge students to think more critically about the problem).

Scenario-based learning (SBL) uses interactive scenarios to support active learning strategies such as problem-based or case-based learning. It normally involves students working their way through a storyline, usually based around an ill-structured or complex problem, which they are required to solve. (Scenario-based Learning Resource)

Example: Family-Owned Businesses

As students examine the four biggest challenges for family-owned businesses, they interact with a simulated family at different points of the business life cycle and react to situations in which emotions, entitlement, human resources practices, and succession. The family storyline is enhanced with a variety of multimedia elements to help make the family feel “real”. Content is “covered” in the context of the simulated family.

First, what does it mean to “discuss”? Yes, “to discuss” is oftentimes listed as an action verb in “Comprehension” in Bloom’s Taxonomy (or in “Understand” in the revised taxonomy). But what does this really mean? If the learning intention is for students to demonstrate that they comprehend (or “perceive and recognize the meaning of”), then we should ask what is it they should be able to comprehend about action verbs in a learning objective? Is it what an action verb means? Or what purpose an action verb serves in a learning objective? Then, we can ask ourselves, how will we know students “perceive and recognize the meaning of” action verbs?

Let's say the above assessment prompt asks students to write a learning objective that is measurable, which is at the application level of Bloom's Taxonomy. This would mean there is a mismatch between the assessment prompt -- which asks students to "write" a measurable objective -- and the learning objective -- which states students will "complete" a self-assessment. We need to ensure that the there is alignment between the activities we're asking students to complete and the Module Learning Objective. So, if you're thinking about swapping out an existing assignment, be sure you're reviewing the Module Learning Objectives to ensure your new assignment is still aligned. 

Likely, you will discover we want more from students. You may think, “I want students to be able to choose an action verb for a learning objective based on the type of thinking they are looking for students to demonstrate”. The learning intention is now much clearer. We can rewrite the learning objective to match that learning intention: “Explain how the action verb in a learning objective matches the learning intention.” Is this more specific? Does it match the learning intention? Can it be observed or measured?

Quality Matters is a program that provides professional development, a set of rubrics, and a course peer review process that work together to support faculty in improving the quality of online and blended courses. For Assessment, Quality Matters emphasizes the following:

1. The assessments measure the achievement of the stated learning objectives. (This goes back to examining the learning objective and thinking about the level of learning we want students to demonstrate.)
2. Specific and descriptive criteria are provided for the evaluation of learners’ work, and their connection to the course grading policy is clearly explained. (This may require that we look beyond a single course. How is knowledge or skill developed across a program, and what do the criteria for, say, mastery look like in this course, compared to other courses before and after?)
3. The assessments used are sequenced, varied, and suited to the level of the course. (This can include pre-, ongoing, and post-assessments; subjective or objective; self- and peer-assessments; observed or submitted; and informal or formal assessments.)
4. The course provides learners with multiple opportunities to track their learning progress with timely feedback. (This reinforces the importance of the Outcomes Alignment Table, and looks at how the CLOs, through the MLOs, are developed across a course.)

Formative Assessment (assessment FOR learning)

Formative assessment when accompanied by feedback from instructors and from other students can be used to modify teaching strategies to meet learning needs. It provides students with feedback on progress and identifies areas for improvement and provides instructors with information on where their students need to improve (with regard to achieving the MLO and/or CLO).

Summative Assessment (assessment OF learning)

Summative assessment tasks assess the achievement against the intended learning objectives. It is summative in nature, meaning that it is the result of engaging in Learning Activities that support the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students are now expected to demonstrate independently, at a level of quality appropriate for this time in the course or program.

1. Use authentic performance tasks so learners will know they can proficiently apply new learning to their real lives
2. Provide opportunities to demonstrate their learning in ways that reflect their strengths and multiple sources of knowledge.
3. Use self-assessment methods to provide insights and deepen learning using grading practices that enhance learner motivation
4. Use formative assessments to improve learning and instruction essential to course goals - without the use of points for extrinsic rewards

With larger online classes, having organizational systems in place is a must. Beyond that, strategic communication, peer-led collaboration, and using powerful feedback techniques will help with larger numbers. Having a larger class means there is opportunity for robust peer learning and collaboration. Here are some considerations as you create an engaging experience for your students and allow you to balance your time and energy.

Preparation and Administrative Hacks

• Prepare your class ahead of the pre-term deadline and be sure to check that the book in the online bookstore is accurate and that all your links work.
• Enter due dates for every graded item in your course, in D2L and in the syllabus.
• Download your Classlist (un-check everything but User Details) into a Google Sheet and create a column for information you gather about them week-to-week ("Student Info") and one for every week the course is in-session. 
• Design your weekly routine. Consider the flow of the class in terms of due dates, live sessions, grading deadlines, etc. and map out a key activity pattern to keep your workload manageable. (Hint: Be transparent with students about the flow and pacing of the course and offer ideas of study skills to help their routines.) 

Communication

• Leverage one-to-many communication. Use announcements and email blasts wisely and with intention. 
  • Be aware of posting a multitude of announcements, which causes confusion and results in more students reaching out and requiring an individual response. 
  • Create your Weekly Announcement with text and video about important deadlines, to-do's, and any important advice/information they should have to be successful. Be sure to inform students that questions about due dates, content, assignments, etc., should always be posted in the Q&A Discussion Board.
• Set expectations about how to use communication channels and expected response time.
• Schedule an optional Zoom on Day 4 to do a "live" Q&A of how the course works and to answer pressing questions. This approach typically decreases the amount of individual message to which you must respond
• Subscribe to your Q&A Discussion Board (i.e., set up notifications) so you receive an email when a student posts a question.

Facilitation Strategies

• Vary your discussion engagement. Consider the following options:
• Use your class list to create a response rotation to ensure you are responding to a variety of students week over week.
• Look for connection points among student ideas and focus on collaborative questions rather than long scripted responses that are dense with content.
• Assign discussion roles to the students in a rotating manner (discussion leader, question guru, resource sharer, etc.) to create agency for students and decrease the discussion burden of faculty as the central voice.

Assessment and Feedback

• Create feedback banks for key assignments to allow for easier commentary and grading feedback.
• Utilize the rubric to specifically point out areas of improvement rather than repeating the same criteria in the written comments.
• Use audio and video feedback (with accessibility compliance/captions) to provide high level feedback.
• Use surveys during the course to get student feedback on perceptions of content and concepts to best direct additional time and resources. 
• Use reporting and features of D2L to communicate to students who are behind or who are excelling. Reports allow a quick view of activity and engagement to ensure the best use of time and focus. 

Resources

Darby, F. (2020, April 14). 5 low tech time saving ways. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www-chronicle-com.nl.idm.oclc.org/article/5-low-tech-time-saving-ways-to-teach-online-during-covid-19/

In this article, Darby describes how many faculty who are new to online teaching, are looking for ways to make the shift to remote instruction less of a mentally-draining activity. She provides examples of low-tech, time-saving asynchronous techniques to make remote pedagogy easier and more interesting for the instructor and students.

Stanford, D. (2020, March 16). Videoconferencing alternatives: How low-bandwidth teaching will save us all. IDD Blog: Center for Teaching and Learning at DePaul University. https://www.iddblog.org/videoconferencing-alternatives-how-low-bandwidth-teaching-will-save-us-all

Though we all enjoy interacting with our students, Stanford points out two key factors which can make video conferencing potentially problematic as a go-to tool for all learning activities. The author challenges instructors to shift their thinking about choices we make about the technologies we use in order to have a meaningful impact on how inclusive and effective our teaching is.

It’s recommended to use feedback and assessment as central drivers of learning, not just mechanisms for assigning grades. Providing feedback that is constructive and growth-oriented, naming what students did well, where they are struggling, and what specific steps they can take to improve. This feedback is timely and ongoing—arriving early enough and often enough for students to use it to revise work, adjust strategies, and build skills before high-stakes assessments. It’s also beneficial for students when comments are concrete, specific, and clearly linked to transparent criteria and learning outcomes (i.e., rubric criteria), so students understand exactly how their work is being evaluated and what “improvement” looks like in practice.

We also recommend that faculty use a range of assessment tools and modes to monitor learning and support diverse students—rubrics, exemplars, low-stakes quizzes, draft checkpoints, reflections, peer review, and brief conferences. When possible, utilize formative assessment data during instruction or through weekly assignments to quickly check for student understanding. These data may inform instructional next steps or areas to review.

Also, ensure that feedback is delivered in a supportive, inclusive tone that communicates high expectations and confidence in students’ ability to grow, while being mindful of different backgrounds, levels of preparation, and identities. Check out the Community Builder domain to learn more.

Importantly, faculty also design feedback processes that foster reflection and self-assessment. By doing so, students are guided to interpret feedback, set goals, and track their own progress over time, creating feedback loops rather than one-way commentary. We also recommend that opportunities for revision, resubmission, and conversation about feedback are intentionally built into the course. Ideally, students will come to see feedback as a tool they can use—not just something that happens to them—and they develop greater ownership of their learning and a clearer sense of how to improve in future academic and professional contexts.

1. Annotated Drafts with Targeted Next Steps
   • Students submit a draft of a paper, project, or presentation.
   • The instructor uses comments (or audio/video feedback) to highlight strengths, identify 1–3 priority areas for improvement, and suggest specific revision strategies.
   • Students revise and resubmit, including a brief reflection on how they used the feedback.
   • Tools to consider: In D2L, you can upload written, video, or audio feedback for student assignments. Microsoft Word, Adobe, and D2L offer review tools, such as comments, in order to specifically note strengths and revision points on assignments.
2. Rubric-Guided Feedback
   • The instructor shares a rubric in advance that clearly outlines criteria and performance levels.
   • When grading, they highlight the relevant level for each criterion and add short, tailored comments explaining why the work falls in that category and what would move it up.
   • Class time (or an announcement) is used to walk through common strengths and growth areas illustrated by the rubric.
   • Tools to consider: Embedded rubrics in D2L allow for precise scoring and direct areas of improvement. The announcement tool on the homepage of a D2L course allows you to write an easily visible note to your students and give notes on assignment results. Be sure to make reviewing weekly announcements part of your classroom culture to ensure students check for new announcements.
   • Your students can have notifications for new announcements, and other alerts, sent straight from D2L to their phones by clicking on their name in the upper right corner of D2L and selecting “Notifications”
3. Low-Stakes Checks for Understanding
   • The instructor uses quick quizzes, polls, or one-minute papers to gauge understanding of key concepts.
   • They review results before the next class, identify patterns (e.g., a concept most students missed), and adjust instruction accordingly.
   • They communicate these adjustments explicitly: “Many of you struggled with X, so we’ll revisit that today.”
   • Tools to consider: There are many tools to gather formative assessment data by checking for understanding before, during, and/or after instruction. Zoom has polling tools, you can utilize Padlet or Google Jamboard, or any number of other web-based tools in order to gain real-time information as to whether students need to review or are ready to move on to the next area of content.
4. Feedback Embedded in Simulations or Practice Activities
   • In role-plays, labs, or simulations, the instructor observes students’ performance using a brief checklist or mini-rubric.
   • Students receive immediate feedback on specific behaviors (e.g., questioning techniques, steps in a procedure, communication skills) and are given a chance to repeat the task to apply the feedback.
   • Tools to consider: The rubric fo the simulation or practice activity may be created as an assignment in the D2L course shell. During each presentation, the instructor may provide live grading and feedback that is confidential to the student.
5. Structured Reflection on Feedback
   • After receiving feedback on a major assignment, students complete a short reflection prompt (e.g., “What did you learn from this feedback?” “What is one concrete goal for your next assignment?”).
   • The instructor reviews these reflections to identify where students may need clarification and responds with brief follow-up comments or in-class guidance.
   • Tools to consider: These reflections can be conducted through D2L Reflections if the feedback is appropriate for all students to read.
6. Peer Review with Clear Guidance
   • The instructor provides a simple peer review form aligned with key criteria.
   • Students give each other feedback focused on a few specific elements (e.g., clarity of thesis, organization, use of evidence), not everything.
   • The instructor models what constructive, specific feedback sounds like and monitors peer review to ensure quality and respect.
   • Tools to consider: A fishbowl exercise prior to commencing the peer reviews may serve as modeling technique to ensure stronger feedback. This exercise involves the instructor and a volunteer student or two volunteer students conducting all or part of the peer review aloud for the rest of the class to observe. The instructor can then offer corrections or affirm that the modeling has been done correctly prior to students working together in independent teams.
   • If conducting the peer reviews in class but meeting in a synchronous online modality, Breakout Rooms in Zoom are an excellent way to split your students into pairs or groups and the instructor can use the Breakout Room interface to rotate to and monitor each “room”.
7. Office Hours / Conferences Focused on Feedback Use
   • The instructor invites students to bring feedback to office hours or short conferences.
   • Conversations center on unpacking comments, planning next steps, and discussing strategies for improvement rather than negotiating points.
   • Tools to consider: You may wish to hold group office hours or open office hours in which you allow students to come and go during a set time. This can be done in person or on Zoom. If utilizing Zoom, consider using the announcement tool to note the days/times your office hours will take place and post your Zoom link. If you use one Zoom link for all meetings, consider adding a Waiting Room in the Zoom settings to prevent individuals not a part of the class from mistakenly entering the Zoom room.
   • A calendar scheduling tool, like Calendly, or a sign-up tool, like Sign-Up Genius, or a survey tool, look Google Forms, may help you quickly determine you students’ availability or have them sign up for time slots you’ve built into your schedule.
8. Class-Wide Feedback Summaries
   • After grading an assignment, the instructor shares a brief summary: common strengths, common pitfalls, and a few exemplary excerpts (anonymized or with permission).
   • They connect this summary back to course outcomes and offer optional practice or resources for students who want to strengthen specific skills.
9. Use of D2L and RetAIn to Support Struggling Students
   • The instructor checks patterns (e.g., missed quizzes, low scores on particular outcomes, infrequent logins).
   • They reach out with a supportive message that names the concern, offers concrete suggestions, and invites the student to meet or use specific supports.
   • Tools to consider: The D2L course shell has several interfaces through which you may monitor progress. The Gradebook collects scores from all assignment, discussion, reflection, and assessment rubrics and allows you to see the students’ grades at any moment in time. You may view course discussion statistics and monitor students’ interaction with the course discussion board. You may also use the Classlist tool to see the date students last accessed the course.
   • Retain is NLU’s student success management system. You will regularly submit progress reports in Retain for each of your students during the term. You can submit notifications when students are missing assignments, not making adequate progress in the course, if they stopped attending, and many others. Some notifications prompt the Learning Support team or the Advising team to reach out to the student and determine next steps to get back on track. Learning Support resources are linked here.
10. Iterative Project Milestones
    • A larger project is broken into milestones (proposal, outline, draft, final).
    • Each milestone includes targeted feedback and a corresponding reflection or revision requirement.
    • The final evaluation considers not only the end product, but also the student’s engagement with feedback and growth over time.
    • Tools to consider: Capstone projects and dissertation work are two examples of large projects commonly broken into sections or chapters as well as phases of completion. Consider the tools listed in previous examples including Annotated Drafts with Targeted Next Steps, Rubric-Guided Feedback, and Peer Review with Clear Guidance. While these projects can vary greatly in scope and complexity, keeping record of feedback and progress can streamline the drafting process and help ensure a high-quality final product.