CASN Lunch and Learn - How to ensure high quality education

Title: Enhancing Online Engagement with Challenge-Based Learning Cycles Description: With a lightning fast mandated change from face-to-face in-person classes to web-based courses globally because of the covid-19 pandemic educators are seeking best practices related to online learning and teaching. Many faculty are examining how to best merge cognition and technology to offer students quality, relevant online courses. Creating and fostering learning communities and social presence in the online environment is of specific importance to engage students in meaningful interactions about, and with, the course content. Students examine and discuss various points of view to stimulate critical thinking and clinical judgement. The discussion will include a presentation of an adapted version of the Challenge-Based LearningTM (CBL) method (Bransford, 2012) and its utility in an online emergency preparedness and disaster planning course. CBL Cycles are learner-centred and maximize the use of learner-generated content thus enhancing the value of active participation and engagement, which is at the very core of successful online education. Student and faculty perspectives related to the CBL method of learning will be discussed and lessons learned from the use of this adapted teaching pedagogy within the online environment will be shared.