Online Teaching at Its Best: Merging Instructional Design with Teaching and Learning Research

by Linda B. Nilson

Bring pedagogy and cognitive science to online learning environments Online Teaching at Its Merging Instructional Design with Teaching and Learning Research, 2nd Edition, is the scholarly resource for online learning that faculty, instructional designers, and administrators have raved about. This book addresses course design, teaching, and student motivation across the continuum of online teaching modes―remote, hybrid, hyflex, and fully online―integrating these with pedagogical and cognitive science, and grounding its recommendations in the latest research. The book will help you design or redesign your courses to ensure strong course alignment and effective student learning in any of these teaching modes. Its emphasis on evidence-based practices makes this one of the most scholarly books of its kind on the market today. This new edition features significant new content including more active learning formats for small groups across the online teaching continuum, strategies and tools for scripting and recording effective micro-lectures, ways to integrate quiz items within micro-lectures, more conferencing software and techniques to add interactivity, and a guide for rapid transition from face-to-face to online teaching. You’ll also find updated examples, references, and quotes to reflect more evolved technology. Distance is no barrier to a great education. Online Teaching at Its Best provides practical, real-world advice grounded in educational and psychological science to help online instructors, instructional designers, and administrators deliver an exceptional learning experience even under emergency conditions.

Genres: Teaching, Education, Nonfiction

304 pages, Paperback

Published June 16, 2021

Reviews

[Ana-Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Altough the book is focused mainly on online teaching and adapting and building better syllabus for online, I highly recommend this book for its practical advices on becoming a better teacher even in offline. I found concise and very useful information on the principles of teaching, the best approaches to engage and motivate my students, to asess and make the reading materials more attractive.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is excellent, one of the best teaching online books I've read. I've been teaching online for over a decade, and I've been really disappointed that most of the books I've read about teaching online are very elementary--great for beginning online teachers but not a lot to offer the intermediate or expert teacher.

This book fits the bill. It makes explicit the research that forms the foundation of its suggestions for teaching in a way that most books on teaching don't (and so serves as a really excellent lit review of scholarship of teaching and learning which helps someone who wants to do that kind of writing know what to read/research next). It also has some ideas that were new to me that I'm looking forward to experimenting with/implementing.

Highly recommend this one. I don't think it's for someone who's never taught online before; I'd tell a brand new online instructor to read Small Teaching Online first and then read this book next.

[Sol Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not arresting reading, but should probably be mandatory for a lot of folks. A nice articulation of the research that goes into translating effective course design into an online format. One extra star for not mentioning the word, “Zoom.”

[Elham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the most interesting reads but an essential one for sure.

[Peaches · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really useful and accessible. It covers so much an emphasizes relationships, interests, and emotions, which I really appreciated. I read it for a book chapter I'm writing, but I'm also genuinely happy to have read it because it covers so much about online teaching that one might not assume is a factor.

[Brandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This might be great for a non technology driven teacher, someone who does not use a lesson management system or a college professor. It’s very research driven, with lots of sources cited….with that being said it’s like reading an old textbook. Make sure you’re not reading at bed time, it will put you fast asleep!

[Sean]

A helpful, well-organized, up-to-date guide to online teaching research and effective practices. Gave me some helpful ideas and structures and research bases for designing my upcoming online course, with links to additional resources both scholarly and practical.

[Genie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent resource for online instructors. Very focused on current research in the field, very practical. Breaks down the process in chunks for readability and absorption. Highly recommend for the beginner online instructor or for those more experienced seeking more insight.

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful!

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was provided as part of an online training course on how to build a strong online course. It is fairly basic, but there are good points listed throughout the text.

[Rob Coyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of great information. Very well researched and cited. This is a grad-level textbook that will benefit anyone trying to study or improve their teaching.

[Josie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enough textbook with decent information