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Ioana Pitu, Queen’s University student and founder of , shares 3 approaches for your studying strategy this semester.

For some instructors, teaching online is an intimidating, foreign idea. But for award-winning professor Avi Cohen, it is a familiar skill he has crafted over the years.

With an eCampus Ontario grant, in 2016 he created an online version of his introductory economics course for 300 students at the University of Toronto. This Fall, with Professor Gordana Colby, they moved online a massive York University introductory economics course, with almost 3000 students. The radically transformed online course has increased student engagement, student participation, and instructor involvement.

With his extensive online teaching experience, including using student surveys to modify courses, Avi Cohen shares his experience for teaching online and creating an effective online course.

(These responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.)

Tell us a little bit about your experience with moving your 500-person introductory economics course online.

At York University, before we moved online, our economics introductory course had 8 sections, each with 400-500 students. The 8 section instructors would each repeat essentially the same information in lecture halls where maybe 150-200 students would show up.

In the restructured online course, there are asynchronous recorded online lectures, which are very sophisticated (small chunked videos, high production values, embedded knowledge check questions, targeted visual and auditory feedback) and delivered by an award-winning teacher. Although Professor Colby and I both have had online training and experience, restructuring the course still took 6 months of collaboration, time, and planning, involving 8 instructors. In our case, the student experience online has been far superior than a face-to-face experience sitting anxiously and feeling alone in a 500-person lecture hall.

How do you drive participation, student engagement, and bridge the screen gap?

The knowledge check questions that intersperse the asynchronous videos promote active recall, Another advantage is that instructors no longer have to deliver the same material over and over again. Now, instructors divide their section into 3 smaller seminars, and the professors engage in smaller group teaching, all devoted to Socratic-style active learning.

Previously, our discussion boards were staffed by TA’s, many of whom are international students whose first language is not English. There were also limited TA hours due to budgetary constraints. Now, the professors themselves are actually the ones responding to discussion questions and comments. This is a level of interaction that did not exist before in the traditional face-to-face model.

There has been a lot of criticism with the student experience with online learning. What are your thoughts on them?

When universities went online in March [2020], there was a lot of criticism around the student experience. There was an editorial in a national newspaper which said that online learning is a pale reflection of the real thing. When COVID struck, most instructors didn’t have training in online learning. I would call what happened then emergency remote teaching: when people take what they do in a classroom and just try to push it online. Instead of standing in front of a lecture hall, instructors stood (or sat) in front of a Zoom camera. There was no fundamental restructuring of the course to take advantage of the real opportunities online learning presents.

I disagree with the generalization that online learning is worse than face-to-face. It might be true for smaller seminars, but it’s not necessarily true for large classes. Large lecture halls—no matter how good the professor is—can be very alienating for students. They’re afraid to ask questions. There’s very little interaction. And that’s the core of their weekly experience. In an online course that’s been properly developed, you can have much more involvement, much more learner-centered activities than you can in a traditional lecture hall.

What does building a good online course require?

A good online course can take up to 6-12 months to create. You have to first decide on your course learning objectives. Then, using the backward design process go back and ask:

• What are the that will help students accomplish those objectives?
• What will test those specific objectives?
• How to incorporate the technology?
• How to promote ?

It’s a very complex process but when done well, the student can have a really great learning experience.

As a Canadian professor and sociologist, Bruce Ravelli has devoted much of his career to thinking about the student learning experience and how social events influence people. When COVID-19 disrupted higher education halfway into the spring 2020 semester, educators and students scrambled to adjust to a new online learning reality.

Professor Ravelli sat down to reflect on what he’s learned through this experience, the true value of higher education, and important things to consider when moving online. ��

(These responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.)

What’s been most surprising about moving your class online?

When the university shut down in March, I remember feeling surprised at how quickly the discussion evolved to thinking about university only as a place where a bunch of information is conveyed from instructors to students. I think we missed that real opportunity to educate the public and our colleagues about what really happens at a university.

A lot of learning certainly occurs in classrooms, but it also occurs over a coffee or a chat in between classes. As teachers, our gift is to introduce concepts, ideas, and theories that students have never heard before. Often, those teachings inform the discussions students have at coffee shops, at bars, and with friends.

So, what surprised me was how many assumed that what we do can be simply packaged and distributed electronically when the pandemic first hit. I think the best thing we do as educators is have our students think about the world in a different way. I certainly don’t want to miss this opportunity to celebrate the very best things we do as teachers, and not lose sight of that in a post-COVID world.

“I think the best thing we do as educators is have our students think about the world in a different way. I certainly don’t want to lose sight of that in a post-COVID world.”

What advice would you give to others in your position?

I would ask you to consider two things:

1.����������Think about what you do well and what you might need help with.��If you're a good lecturer, in the online world, maybe it’s best for you to record a video and present it. Maybe its a series of blog posts where you discuss different issues in the media, society, or theory to let students see the world as you see it.So, I would caution you to think critically on what technology you're going to use and why. You should only use technology that will make your teaching more effective and to compensate on areas you need support.

2.�������� What do you want your students to achieve in your courses?

Think about what students’ lives must be like in this post-COVID world. They're probably taking 3-4 different courses online with 4-5 different instructors each having different sets of expectations. So, I'd ask you to be very reasonable in your expectations of students.

If you want them to learn a lot of concepts and theories, there are many supplementary materials provided for textbooks these days. They have online testing strategies to help you assess your students. They can provide links to YouTube videos, and more.

I would just caution any new person moving online to not rush into 50 different techniques and technologies, but really think about what you are good at, what you need some help with, and what you want your students to achieve. Be thoughtful, practical, methodical. And certainly have some compassion for all the students facing so many different demands in this post-COVID world.

“Be thoughtful, practical, methodical. And certainly have some compassion for all the students facing so many different demands in this post-COVID world.

What have you learned during this time? ��

What I learned came as a bit of a surprise. I always knew I liked teaching, but I was surprised by how much I missed the classroom.

I miss that feeling when you’re giving a great lecture—when the students are indicating that they’re learning something they’ve never thought about before. When you can make them laugh, when you can make them have that deep thoughtful moment. I miss students diligently working, diligently asking questions, meeting their friends in class. I miss all of those moments.

“I always knew I liked teaching, but I was surprised by how much I missed the classroom.”

Through a lot of social media conversations, I also learned how students want to learn from somebody they can trust, talking about things the person is an expert in. So, I cherish those moments thinking about teaching again. I am really gratified to know the important role that many of us play in our students lives when we get to show them things for the first time. So, it's not so much what I've learned about myself over the last six months, but how I've relearned being invigorated by my discipline, by the joy I have in teaching and meeting students.

“I am really gratified to know the important role that many of us play in our students. I've relearned being invigorated by my discipline, by the joy I have in teaching and meeting students.”

We’re almost a month into online learning, and exam season is creeping up at a rapid pace. There’s a science to successful learning – you have to change your thinking to turn regular study habits into lifelong learning. I’m going to share some of my favourite strategies for studying, so you can get through this semester, carry it into the next and learn a little deeper!

In light of World Mental Health Day, we compiled some of our most-read blog articles on mental health, wellness, and dealing with stress and anxiety as a student. These are all written by students who have and are going through similar situations as you.

If you are in immediate danger, please go to your local emergency department, or call Crisis Services Canada at 1-833-456-4566 anytime or text 45645 from 4pm to midnight.

Looking for motivation?

Searching for inspirational stories?

• Published at age 19, Hailey Rodgers advocates for mental health and authentic living through storytelling
• Engineering student’s first-year project is lending a hand
• How being uncomfortable helped this Western University student get into Harvard
• 21-year-old SFU student’s spark for empowering youth
• One Ryerson student’s quest to find identity in community
  

Want some advice?

Looking for campus resources and support?

Want ideas for self-care activities?

We hope these articles help you find motivation, inspiration, and solace in knowing that you are not alone in your battles. Take care of yourselves and prioritize your mental health.

Studying for university and college can get overwhelming. Thanks to technology, you can get study help anytime just by using your phone. From Calculus help to writing and audio(text)books, here are the 5 best study apps we have to help make studying easier:

I’ve always loved the first day of school. I love the sweet September air, the new school supplies and the reunions. I’m starting my fourth year of my undergrad, and an untouched notebook still brings me just as much joy as it did in first grade. I guess it’s what it represents: my love for lifelong learning and fresh starts.

The world is a really weird place right now. Sometimes normalcy slips in and I forget about everything for a bit. The Zoom calls, the masks, and the 2 meters. But now that I’m back at school and I’m adjusting to online classes, the new reality is sinking in. My heart breaks for the first years starting their University career like this, but I wanted to share some things I’ve learned about navigating online school.

The Benefits – Yes, there are some!

1. You're finally working on your own schedule - depending on how your classes are set. Say hello to a little freedom! You get to decide when and how you're going to get your work done. I personally work best at night, so I will definitely be taking advantage of some sleep ins.

2. You have more flexibility to work at your own pace. You can pause the lecture recording if you need to, and re-watch until you really understand. Typically, with online class your profs will set the same deadlines each week - so you can stay organized and really focus on learning the information.

Tips for Tackling Online Class

Schedule it in. And I mean everything. Read your syllabus inside and out for each class and put every important date into your calendar. Assignments, quizzes, exams – everything. I use the one on my laptop so I can see the upcoming weeks, but writing it in a physical agenda works really well for a lot of people too! Something I’ve found super useful is scheduling blocks of time into four categories: focus (when you’re grinding), admin (answering emails, any extracurricular duties etc.), social (you need time to connect – even if it’s virtual), and recovery (taking time for YOU). If your classes are asynchronous I’d recommend setting a time to work on certain classes, so you don’t fall behind! I even schedule in showers and meals just so I make sure I get everything done. Before each week, I make a weekly plan and highlight important tasks I need to accomplish each day. Staying organized will save you a lot of headaches, I promise.

Create a study space. I’m a huge library enthusiast, and have a really hard time staying home so this has been hard for me. I always make sure my room is clean, well-lit with natural light, and put on a diffuser so it smells nice (also some really good relaxing/focus scents). Even if it means going to a coffee shop or a public library, find your space and mix it up to stay motivated!

Take care of yourself. Your own physical and mental health are a priority. Go to therapy. Drink lots of water - always more than you think! If you're shopping for yourself, fill your cart with lots of fruits and veg. Your body will thank you. When I'm feeling anxious or generally unmotivated and uninspired, exercising always helps! Even if it's just a quick walk to get out of the house, your serotonin levels will undoubtedly increase. I know you've heard it before, but make sure you get enough sleep. Memory retention is directly correlated with the amount of sleep you get. If you have an off day, don't push it. You're allowed to take time for yourself. Take the day off to disconnect from extraneous stressors and focus on what YOU need. Putting your own needs first is not selfish.

Focus on the learning. Take your classes just as seriously as you would if they were in person. If you dive into subjects with a thirst for knowledge rather than memorization, you'll enjoy it more. Watch a documentary, read a book (not JUST textbooks), listen to a podcast or a TedTalk - there is so much to learn! Education is such a powerful tool, and if you're fortunate enough to have access - don't take it for granted.

There are people here to help you. Everyone is in the same boat. We’re all going to be a little lost, and a lot confused sometimes. It is okay to ask for help. Never stop asking for help. Go to virtual office hours, make a study group, and get a tutor if you need to! There are so many incredible resources at your disposal – I use , which have saved me money and so much time. You can use direct highlight tools, have topics explained with illustrations and videos, and easily navigate the textbook. Always utilize and take advantage of the resources around you, there's always someone or something that can help.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous for this year. It's unchartered territory for all of us, but we are all in it together. Even though my back to school outfit is a sweat suit, and the reunions will be taking place in front of a screen, I'm still excited. Excited to immerse myself in new classes. Challenge myself. Be inspired. I'm still going to get outside to enjoy the warm September breeze. I'll always love the first day of school - even if it's on Zoom. It doesn't really matter where you are in the world, learning can always take place.

Ioana Pitu, Queen’s University student and founder of Mistral Spirit, shares the 5 best study tools that has kept her organized and helped her succeed in school and her career.

By Ioana Pitu, Queen’s University student and founder of Mistral Spirit����

As a student blogger and content creator, I’ve built my entire personal brand and online presence around being organized. My YouTube channel, , aims to help other students and lifelong learners work towards a motivated, balanced and goal-driven lifestyle through organized bullet journal inspiration, productivity strategies, and creative journaling.

20-year old Queen’s University student, Hailey Rodgers, is going full steam ahead on her mission to advocate for mental health and share the values of authentic living with today’s youth.

By Fiona Lam

How do I become happy?

This is a question Hailey Rodgers sought to answer in , a collection of intimate stories and insights from her personal experience on the importance of being fearlessly authentic and why it is crucial to living a happy, successful life as a young adult.��

Published at only 19, the third-year Queen’s University commerce student has dedicated much of her university career to mental health advocacy. Her love for business began since Grade 2 when she would sell items to her friends during recess, donating all proceeds to the humane society. “I really liked this idea of creating something impactful that benefits someone else,” Hailey reflected.��

“I really liked this idea of creating something impactful that benefits someone else.”

Currently, Hailey is making an impact on campus as the co-president of , a non-profit organization that aims to increase mental health accessibility and end the stigma. Hailey works with the team to share resources on campus and host fundraisers, like sock sales and Smashing the Stigma: Car Smash, for mental health organizations. This advocacy work has encouraged Hailey to be transparent about her own mental health struggles. The more she shared, the more liberated and authentic she felt.��