Share Paper: Five Best Practices to Create International Student-Friendly Online Learning Environments

  1. Jane Wolfarth, MS, University of Utah, United States
  2. Alison McGregor, PhD, University of Texas, United States
Thursday, June 30 2:45 PM-3:05 PM Junior Ballroom B

Abstract: Ever-increasing numbers of non-native English speakers are taking higher education courses online in the United States. These students face unique challenges which can be alleviated through well-crafted, thoughtful course design. Based on instructional design experiences from the University of Utah, this session will provide instructors and course designers with strategies to markedly improve student outcomes in online learning environments. In this session, common cultural differences and language hurdles faced by international students will be presented, followed by examples of five best practices in creating ESL-friendly online courses. Specifically, recommendations for asynchronous discussion boards, synchronous video conferencing, collaborative assignments, course navigation ...