Below are some alternative instructional equivalencies to consider during continuity planning. One credit hour should involve an input of approximately three hours per class meeting for the average student in a fifteen week schedule (e.g. one hour of class and two hours of out-of-class preparation). For a course meeting 2-3 times a week for 15-18 weeks, that equates to 9 hours per week of student work (3 hours of class, 6 hours of homework).
| Type | Description | Rate of Equivalency |
|---|---|---|
| Blogs, journals, logs | Students’ opportunity to apply learned concepts or for reflection on learning experiences; to be shared with instructor and/or classmates for thoughtful analysis, feedback and assessment. | 1 private posting = ½ hour instruction 1 shared posting (required to read all classmates postings) = 1 hour instruction |
| Case studies and problem solving scenarios | In-depth analysis requiring utilization of higher order analytical skills which relate to course objectives and is shared with instructor and/or classmates for feedback and assessment | 1 case study analysis and posting = 1-3 hours instruction |
| Chat rooms for class or group projects | Instructor led opportunities for collaborative, synchronous learning with specific expectations for participation and feedback. (Post chats in class for review.) | 1 hour chat = 1 hour instruction |
| Discussion board | Instructor guided or mediated threaded discussion that directly relates to course objectives and which has specified timeframes, expectations for participation, and thoughtful analysis. | 1 posting (requires reading all postings) = ½ hour instruction 1 posting (requires reading all postings and reply to a minimum of 5) = 1 hour instruction |
| Instructional PowerPoint videos | Instructor mediated to expand upon and clarify course concepts and objectives. | Reviews and posts response to 1 unit = 1 hour instruction |
| Lecture activity - video, written or audio | Opportunity for students to develop questions, comments, or observations, to be shared with classmates and instructor through discussion board postings or participation in chat rooms. | Reviews 1 lecture and posts response = 1 hour instruction |
| Library research (instructor led) | In-depth instructor led opportunity for students to research scholarly articles or professional journals that relate to course objectives; to be shared with class in a designated manner. | 1 five page project = 1 hour instruction 1 3-5 page paper = 1-2 hours of instruction |
| Online quizzes | Opportunity for instructor to assess students’ subject knowledge and provide feedback on students‟ progress. | 1 hour test = 1 hour of instruction |
| Reflection paper or article review | Instructor guided activity for students to apply learned concepts and relate practices to personal experiences or apply higher order analytic skills in assessing scholarly articles or professional journals. | 1 private posting = ½ hour instruction 1 shared posting (required to read all classmates postings) = 1 hour instruction |
| Web-conferencing | Instructor led video streaming instruction for collaborative, synchronous learning with specific expectations for participation and feedback. (i.e., Google Hangouts) Students can call in via phone if they don’t have access to an internet connection or computer. |
1 hour webinar = 1 hour instruction |