Digital Strategies

There are a number of technologies and strategies that facilitate active learning and the building of a learning community. Some of these include:

• Small group projects - online anytime/anywhere facilitates students working together
• Case studies - engaging students in applying the knowledge they have constructed
• Collaborations - linking students from different classes (even universities) together
• Journals - facilitate reflected and deep learning
• Blogs - sharing creative work with larger groups (even the Web) for comments
• Wikis - collaboratively building reports
• Podcasts and SlideShare/SlideCast - adding audio and video to projects
• Virtual guest speakers - live or recorded and responding to discussion board comments

The applications are many, but the principles are few - engage the student, facilitate knowledge building, tap the collective wisdom of the Web, encourage diversity, and enable discovery.