Transparency and Metacognition in Online Courses

On March 29, 2022, the College of Arts and Sciences Office of Distance Education hosted a teaching forum to discuss integrating transparency and metacognitive practices in online course design and delivery. Metacognition refers to processes used to plan, monitor, and assess one’s own understanding and performance. Research asserts transparent course design that includes pathways to metacognitive reflection on time management, study habits, and content mastery supports student learning and future success.

A panel of ASC faculty instructors and staff experts from the ASC Office of Distance Education and the Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning shared their experiences implementing course design plans that combine transparency of expectations and a framework for student metacognitive reflection.

Anticipated Outcomes - Our goal was that by the end of this session, attendees would be able to... 

• Explicitly teach students how to engage in meaningful reflection on their learning and demonstrate how this reflection connects to their success, their self-awareness, and their regulation of future learning
   
• Reflect on course design principles and practices that encourage students to develop strategies to effectively navigate a course and monitor their learning
   
• Identify resources like the DL Syllabus template and Carmen course templates that can aid in providing a consistent structure for transparent, clear, and inclusive course design
   
• Consider small changes in their own course design that could better clarify expectations of learning, assessments, and student engagement

Teaching Forum Panelists

David Sovic (Michael V. Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning)
Jessica Henderson (ASC Office of Distance Education)
Sarah Dove (ASC Office of Distance Education)
Laura Neese (Department of Dance)
Madhura Pradhan (Department of Microbiology)
Wynne Wong (Department of French and Italian)