Instructor Guide: Best Practices and Sample Activities for Virtual Learning
Abstract
This report is an instructor guide that contains guidelines and best practices for teaching in virtual learning (VL) environments for Army instructors and curriculum developers. These best practices were drafted through a review of research on VL in civilian education and based on previous research from the U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences (ARI). Research suggests that strategies for effective face-to-face instruction similarly show promise in the VL environment. Therefore, this guide discusses key elements for effective VL and the methods for establishing social presence, utilizing formative assessments, and methods for providing feedback. Additionally, this guide contains example activities to enhance VL that can be adapted to various course content. The final section of this document is a lesson guide with suggestions on how to build a VL class utilizing the Army's Experiential Learning Model (ELM; see The Army University, Adult Teaching and Learning Users Guide, Army University, n.d and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, 2021). This report is intended to serve as a guide for Army instructors and curriculum developers to help them plan for VL and understand effective VL methods to enhance Army instruction.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1186298
Entities
People
- Ashley H. Wittig
- Lauren E. Postier
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine