Humanizing Virtual Learning in Higher Education : A Guide to Creating Connection, Engagement, and Inclusivity

Abstract

This is a certificate course and Open Educational Resource (OER) designed for post-secondary educators looking to foster authentic connection and inclusivity in virtual learning spaces. The four-module course focuses on building connection through 3 avenues of interaction (learner-instructor, learner-learner, learner-content), and illustrates how these pathways can foster courageous and Significant Learning (Fink 2003), and building inclusivity through principles of social justice, equity, diversity, decolonization and indigenization (EDDI), and sensitive and trauma-informed pedagogy. The OER is enriched with many examples, templates, and resources from real post-secondary courses, so educators can gain inspiration by seeing strategies in action. Applied activities guide educators in the creation of their own set of concrete strategies and customized approaches for building more connection and inclusivity in virtual courses.

The certificate course, which runs in any LMS, can be run as a resource-conservative self-guided course or as a more hands-on facilitated and cohort-based course. The course can be segmented and run as a series of two-module courses, either focused on humanizing principles and strategies that can be implemented at the virtual course design and development stage , or at the virtual course facilitation stage in term . Alternatively, the course can be segmented to focus on building connection across design, development, and facilitation or to focus on fostering inclusivity across design, development, and facilitation.

In addition, the OER course content can also be used independently of any LMS course and contains self-guided activities for independent learners to meet the course outcomes.