3 Online Learning
For Educators:
Active Learning Kit: Engaging Ideas for Live Online Instruction
Cheryl Colan (Maricopa Community College)
2021
Licence: CC BY 4.0
Active learning ideas for synchronous online class meetings.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
The Asynchronous Cookbook: Recipes for Engaged & Active Online Learning
Office of Digital Learning & Inquiry (DLINQ) staff contributors (Middlebury College)
2021
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Whether you’re teaching mostly in person but looking for some regular, asynchronous activities to add to your course, or teaching a fully online course, this resource is for you. The activities in this cookbook draw on research and good practice in online course design to provide recipes – concise and specific instructions and examples – for adding asynchronous activities to a course. Meaningful interaction between students and instructors is a key ingredient in all of these recipes.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook and PDF
Reviews: Open Textbook Library
Beyond the Exam: An Alternative Online Assessment Toolkit 
A Collaboration between McMaster University, Collège Boréal, and Brock University
2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This resource was created to help reduce barriers educators experience in creating and adopting alternative assessment strategies. The toolkit contains a bank of exemplars, resources and instructions as well as a space for users to share back adapted or newly-designed assessment approaches that have proven successful for their learners and context.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and more
Conferencing Tools for Teaching & Learning: Best Practices
Lisa Gedak and Chris Ryan (Kwantlen Polytechnic University)
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
An open resource that explores best practices for using conferencing tools for teaching and learning. Adaptable strategies and activity “recipes” for using various conferencing tools, including, Zoom, BigBlueButton, and Microsoft Teams.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and more
Course Design Companion Guide
Teaching and Innovation Team (Laurentian University), Sarah Bouchard, and Kelly Brennan
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
This resource has been designed to provide faculty members with a basic course design framework that can be applied to remote teaching courses, online courses, and even traditional face to face courses!
Readers will be introduced to the backward design strategy and provided with tips for developing and planning their courses. We’ve also provided course design templates as well as interactive writing/note-taking prompts to facilitate the course design process.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Creating Equitable, Diverse, and Inclusive Assessments in Online and Blended Learning
Sharon Lauricella, Allyson Eamer, Alison Mann, Tricia Dwyer-Kuntz, Robin Kay, and Christopher Craig (Ontario Tech University)
2022
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
This course provides useful approaches, frameworks, and practical strategies to introduce equitable, diverse, and inclusive (EDI) assessment strategies in the online or hybrid environment. Module 1 begins the course with an examination of the purpose of assessment so that users can consider what assignments they require, how such assignments connect to overall course goals, and how instructors can ensure that all such assessments meet student needs in the digital environment. Module 2 considers the important element of feedback and the various ways that feedback (and feedforward) can help meet EDI requirements for formative learning experiences in the digital environment. Module 3 gives particular attention to peer and self-assessment, and how instructors and students can engage in meaningful assessment with EDI top of mind. Module 4 contains a concise list of web-based tools in a variety of categories that can get users started with meaningful, inclusive, and equitable assessment that meets the needs of diverse student groups.
Format: PDF
Creating Online Learning Experiences: A Brief Guide to Online Courses, from Small and Private to Massive and Open
Matt Crosslin (University of Texas at Arlington)
2018
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
This book provides an updated look at issues that comprise the online learning experience creation process. As online learning evolves, the lines and distinctions between various classifications of courses has blurred and often vanished. Classic elements of instructional design remain relevant at the same time that newer concepts of learning experience are growing in importance. However, problematic issues new and old still have to be addressed. This handbook explores many of these topics for new and experienced designers alike, whether creating traditional online courses, open learning experiences, or anything in between.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Reviews: BCcampus
Democratizing Online Learning in Postsecondary Education: Instructional Design Plans
Edited by Robert McGray (Brock University)
2019
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
In the Winter of 2018, Nick Contant and Robert McGray had a discussion about their colleagues involved in teaching online or blended classes. At that time, Contant found that people were keen to talk about their approaches to teaching and possible variations that may have been successful for others. To this end, Contant and McGray organized a teaching fair to share and discuss strategies in the summer of 2018 – this volume documents some of those. These plans as reflect the experiences and scholarship of many passionate about online pedagogy. The instructional design plans in this volume were peer-reviewed through a double-blind process.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Designing and Developing High-Quality Student-Centred Online/Hybrid Learning Experiences
Seneca College, Humber College, Kenjgewin Teg, Trent University, and Nipissing University
2022
Licence: CC BY-NC 4.0
Topics covered: Structuring an online course; accessibility, inclusion, and universal design; assessment strategies in a virtual environment, and virtual classroom as learning community.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Fit for Online Learning: Your Handbook to Teaching Online
UofL Teaching Centre (University of Lethbridge)
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The Fit for Online Learning course is designed to be an initial stepping stone to building the comprehensive set of digital competencies required for creating and facilitating meaningful academic learning experiences for your online students.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and more
High Quality Online Courses: How to Improve Course Design & Delivery for your Post-Secondary Learners
University of Waterloo, Queen’s University, University of Toronto and Conestoga College
2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Topics include creating an online course blueprint, activities and assessments, structure and content, and facilitation and improvement.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook and PDF
Online Course Design for Humans: A Workbook
Trent Online (Trent University)
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
A workbook to support online course planning in a way that keeps humans front and centre.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Remote Teaching: A Guide for Teaching Assistants
Meredith Allen, Alisha Szozda, Jeremy Kerr and Alison Flynn (University of Ottawa)
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This guide is designed to help you effectively and confidently work as a teaching assistant in a virtual environment… There are some important differences to consider from typical courses! For most graduate students, teaching assistant roles quickly become familiar and part of their day-to-day experiences. For students who are just beginning, the transition into teaching assistant roles can be jarring, demanding something a little different from what most have previously experienced. TAs are a critical part of the learning environment. Without them, many courses would be profoundly different and probably far less useful for students.
For professors, who may have been working with teaching assistants in their courses for a long time, roles become routine in a different way. Because the roles become so routine, expectations for TAs can seem obvious and key aspects may not be considered necessary to mention.
Things changed with the kind of emergency conclusion of the winter 2020 semester. A great deal of teaching was moved online rapidly in an effort to meet the core learning objectives for courses under uniquely difficult conditions. There are many differences between moving rapidly to remote teaching under emergency conditions vs doing so in a planned way that reflects evidence around how students learn in remote teaching environments. So, hold onto your hats. Becoming an effective teaching assistant in a remote learning environment requires different approaches than doing so under “normal” circumstances. And defining TA roles in a remote learning environment is quite different than it would be for a lab or lecture course offered in person. If you’re wondering how to re-imagine TA roles and how to be a successful TA who makes a difference for students, this ebook is for you.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Remote Teaching: A Practical Guide with Tools, Tips, and Techniques
Alison Flynn and Jeremy Kerr (University of Ottawa)
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This resource is designed to help you convert your face-to-face class to a remote course as simply as possible. We walk you through the process, at each step giving a suggestion for a specific tool/technology—the uOttawa-supported one and our preferred tool if it is different. We also give an example and sources of additional information. We also created a template of a course in Brightspace, syllabus, and other resources that you can modify to suit your own course, if desired.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Rethinking Assessment Strategies for Online Learning 
Seneca College, Durham College, Algonquin College, and University of Ottawa
2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Short course for post-secondary educators. Topics include: Rethinking the assessment mindset, authentic assessments, and alternative online assessments.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
Comes with Exemplar Collection
Thriving Online: A Guide for Busy Educators: A Guide for Busy Educators
Edited by Robin H. Kay and William J. Hunter (Ontario Tech University)
2022
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
This book focuses on helping educators (secondary school and higher education level) succeed and thrive in blended and online learning settings. Grounded in evidence-based practices and principles, we share diverse and extensive insights on starting out, differentiated learning, learning activities, feedback and assessment, and useful tools. Each chapter includes a subject overview, guidelines, activities or tools, and general resources.
Format: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, and PDF
Using Game-Based Learning Online: A Cookbook of Recipes
Elaine Beaulieu, Mish Boutet, Lynne Bowker, Thomas Burelli, Jackie Carnegie, Alexandre Lillo, David MacDonald, Colin Montpetit, and Steven Ousko (University of Ottawa)
2020
Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
Game-based learning is a teaching approach that uses different forms of games, and the strategies or mechanics associated with them, for educational purposes. It advocates a student-centred approach that allows learners to explore, fail and take up challenges in a safe environment. Game-based learning also supports students in autonomously exploring situations created by their professors. Additionally, games are likely to reinforce the students’ commitment to the learning process. In an educational context, these characteristics and qualities can greatly enhance student engagement, motivation and learning. This collection of recipes has been created to present game-based strategies to make online learning more stimulating and engaging for students. In this cookbook, an interdisciplinary panel of experts offers recipes for integrating different types of game-based learning activities in the context of remote teaching. An overview of game-based learning strategies will be provided, including trivia games, escape games, cooperative games, crossword puzzles, and more.
Format: Pressbooks webbook
12 Key Ideas: An Introduction to Teaching Online
Dave Cormier and Ashlyne O’Neil (University of Windsor)
2020
Licence: CC BY 4.0
This book is meant to be a short course to help you prepare to move to teaching online. Do a chapter a day. Or just pick the ones you like.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
For Students:
Learning to Learn Online
Bailey Csabai, Bilal Sohail, Jykee Pavo, Kristen Swiatoschik, Maryam Odeh, and Nitin Ramesh (University of Windsor)
2020
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Learning to Learn Online was created by students to help ease the shift from a traditional classroom setting to an online environment. You will explore a total of six unique chapters that will help you successfully prepare for online learning.
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, and MOBI
Learning to Learn Online
Learning Centres, Christina Page, and Adam Vincent (Kwantlen Polytechnic University)
2019
Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0
Learning to Learn Online helps you prepare for online learning success by introducing you to the online learning environment and your role as a learner within it. As you come to understand yourself as a self-directed learner, you will also be introduced to effective learning strategies: time management for online learners, information management, professional communication, and reading strategies. Welcome to your online learning journey!
Formats: Pressbooks webbook, EPUB, PDF, MOBI, and more
Reviews: Open Textbook Library – eCampusOntario Open Library
