Online educators have long known that asynchronous discussion is deeper than face-to-face discussion due to the increased thought time and the “democratization” of the classroom. But one major disadvantage of traditional online discussion is that it is separate from the lecture.

I just received a copy of Michael Harris and Roxanne Cullen’s new book, Leading the Learner-Centered Campus. I’ll be writing more about it in the newsletter. When I first reviewed this manuscript, there was one idea that struck me as being so insightful and on target. It’s what these authors say about the now common and much overused phrase “paradigm shift.”

So, this is a bit embarrassing. In the previous blog I noted that faculty endorsement of group work was tentative. It may be, but I’ve also been assuming that as a consequence, use of it in college courses is not as widespread as it might need to be. Well, shortly (as in a couple of hours) after posting that entry I ran across the some evidence that challenges my assumption.

Faculty usually hold a set of beliefs that make the whole topic of learning outcome assessment seem boring, useless, or both.

For most teachers, a room full of bright students is the stuff dreams are made of. Unless, of course, you’re teaching a course that’s outside of your area of expertise – then it can be a nightmare. You feel like an imposter, and worry that your students will call you out. You cram for each class like you’re back in school.

Although there’s some disagreement as to whether distance education is more susceptible to academic dishonesty than other forms of instruction, what isn't up for debate is the fact that for as long as there’s been exams, there’s been cheating on exams. The online environment simply opens up a different set of challenges that aren't typically seen in traditional face-to-face courses.

Most higher education institutions are not organized to encourage, support, and reward collaboration. Yet, collaboration—across disciplines, functional units, institutions, and organizations—is a highly effective way of dealing with complex issues.

It will probably not shock any instructor to learn that students cram for exams. What may be a bit surprising is the percentage of students who do: somewhere between 25 percent and 50 percent, depending on the study. In the research reported in the article referenced below, approximately 45 percent of students admitted to cramming.

Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from the whitepaper Blended Learning Course Design, which provides 10 recommendations for successfully designing a blended course. The following post discusses learning objectives.