Outside-In
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The virtual classroom environment can be confining. It can be exciting and educational to expand beyond this and bring the outside world into your virtual classroom. |
Guests |
- Call or email professionals, experts, those who work in your field, other instructors, or those who have had personal experiences with your course content
- Be sure to explain to your guest how online works (login instructions, time frame for the visit, how to used Dbs, what to expect)
- For adding guest lecturers or others to your Bb containers, as of Spring 09, fill out the form in the GCCCD Online Course Container area: Add a Guest Speaker (they will be enrolled as a student with TA - temporary access)
- Open up a Db thread for one week or so (be sure to prepare students ahead of time)
- Instead of using Dbs, you can set up a live chat session with Bb recorded transcripts for those who cannot attend (these tend to be chaotic, so see the sidebar in Using Groups)
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Interviews |
- Have students interview someone related to course material (in person, by phone, by email)
- Post their interview (or a recording or video) to Bb
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Observations |
- Have students observe people or a situation that relates to course material
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Field Trips |
- Have students visit a course-related location and report (prepare assignment instructions and questions)
- Examples: a church for religious studies, court for law, planetarium for astronomy
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Cross-Cultural Assignment |
- Explore other countries by Web search
- Google has a language translator
- You might even set up correspondence through similar online courses in other countries (perfect for history, languages, political science)
- Google has a text translator
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Movies |
- Have students view a movie (theater or rented) that relates to class material
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Share |
- Exchange material with other instructors here or across the world (search for schools)
- Share video, animations, presentations
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Labs |
- Simulate laboratory experiments using household items
- See the sidebar in Choosing Materials
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