Abstract:

We offer an online study program within IT, and in this paper, we will outline and discuss the used teaching structures in a topic according to current research in pedagogy. The goal for the teaching structure is to teach students how to add a Windows-based computer to a Windows Active Directory domain so that one can log on to this computer with a user account that is created in the domain. We will point to why the topic is important and how the topic fits into the area of expertise. In this teaching structure, we first outline for ourselves what important elements must be in place for the students to achieve the goal of the sessions.

We use four learning activities in this teaching structure.
• Create a mind map showing the necessary elements of knowledge that the students think they must possess to reach the goal.
o According to research, mind maps are a great tool to use but also an important aspect of education in general. Through this activity, problem-based learning is activated, as the students initially do not know what elements are needed to accomplish the goal.
• Prepare for practical sessions through text and video
o The flipped classroom is positively mentioned in research, despite the increased workload for teachers and the requirement that students engage in the material before attending class.
• Perform practical tasks
o The learning by doing aspect comes into play and the students are tasked to perform the necessary actions to add the Windows-based computer to the Active Directory domain.
• Reflect and discuss the practical tasks and the results.
o Reflecting upon your own performance and the result of the activity is an important element in learning. Being able to see what was done well, and how you could improve the process and result is crucial to life-long learning.

Both the learning activities in themselves and the reasons for using these activities are explained in the first part of the main section and through these learning activities, we seek to achieve deeper learning for the students. In the second part of the main section, we discuss how communication, digital competence and multimedia contributes to deeper learning. As this study program is delivered online based on different times and different places, the teaching structure is classified as a purely online model. Through the learning platform, forums, and communication tools, we cover three principal elements in teaching: Access – Meaning – Sharing. Digital competence is important not only for the teacher, but we must also account for the student’s digital competence, which might not be at the necessary level. In the conclusion, we summarise the thoughts we have made during the development of the teaching structure. We also conclude that adding the complexity of “pedagogically correct” elements to teaching may well lead to quality learning.

Keywords:

Online teaching, online pedagogy, deep learning, teaching structure.