Enquiry-Based Learning Online: Course Development and Student Experience of a First-Year Enquiry-Based Learning Seminar
Date
2017
Authors
Murray, Jacqueline
Lachowsky, Nathan J.
Green, Natalie
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching
Abstract
Online courses are increasing in popularity while universities are using.first-year seminars to address
the challenges of large impersonal classes, lack of student engagement, and increased skills
development. Could the learning experience and benefits of an in-person first-year seminar be
achieved through an online distance education (DE) format? How would students' experience
benefit from an online DE first-year seminar? At the University of Guelph, an online
interdisciplinary first-year seminar was developed and offered four times. This essay includes
reflections from the faculty instructor and educational developer who co-designed the course, results
from pre- and post-course surveys completed by students, and interviews conducted with students.
Description
The authors wish to acknowledge the support of the
University of Guelph First-Year Seminar Program,
including all of the instructors and students. The
authors thank Jack Mallon, Meagan Stewart, and
Kelsea Martin who assisted with data entry and
transcription, Dale Lackeyram who read an earlier
version of this article, and the anonymous reviewers
for their immensely helpful comments and valuable
advice.
Keywords
first-year seminars, enquiry-based learning, interdisciplinary, active learning, instructional design, pedagogy
Citation
Murray, J., Lachowsky, N. J., & Green, N. (2017). “Enquiry-Based Learning Online: Course Development and Student Experience of a First-Year Enquiry-Based Learning Seminar.” Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching, 10, 129–142.