Monthly Archives: May 2020

online learning

Instructional Strategies in Teaching Online for Higher Education: A Case Study

As the new US academic year begins the coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic has forced business schools across the country to transition all their courses to online learning only. However, universities in China were the first to face this challenge with government mandated closures of schools early in 2020. This new paper in Wiley’s Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies Journal by Wei Bao, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Education at Peking University, offers sound advice to colleagues beyond China on how to deliver effective teaching in the online environment.

hbe textbook cover
Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies Journal by Wei Bao, Associate Professor at the Graduate School of Education at Peking University

The paper classifies six instructional strategies to improve students’ learning concentration and engagement:

1. Make emergency plans for unexpected problems;
2. Divide the teaching content into smaller units to help students focus;
3. Emphasize the use of “voice” in teaching;
4. Work with teaching assistants and gain online support from them;
5. Strengthen students’ active learning ability outside of class; and
6. Combine online learning and offline self‐learning effectively.

To read more about these strategies see: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hbe2.191


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MikesBikes Introduction to Business features a unique experience that builds confidence by gradually introducing business terms, concepts and decision-making. This introduction to business gives students a taste of making sales, marketing, and operations decisions in a safe and fun learning environment.

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MikesBikes Advanced is a strategic management simulation. Students conduct market research, formulate strategy and make critical company decisions in this challenging addition to any business course. Commonly used in management, strategy and capstone courses.

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The Music2Go Marketing Simulation provides an opportunity for students to develop and implement their own Strategic Marketing Plan in a reflective learning environment. This Marketing Simulation gradually introduces core marketing concepts and sales & marketing management.

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Teaching Online Through COVID-19

The coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic has forced instructors to quickly transition their traditional face‐to‐face courses to an online format. In the USA alone, 43 states have either mandated or strongly recommended school closures through to at least the 2020 fall semester. These unprecedented measures creates unique challenges to faculty in delivering their course content, especially given over 70% of America’s 1.5 million college faculty are new to online teaching.

Smartsims’ own Camille Canuto features in a recent blog post by Worthington Direct on “How Teachers are Adapting to the COVID-19 Classroom.”

For other instructors looking for activities to actively engage their students in a distance learning environment, then we would strongly recommend using a business simulation. The setup process is very easy, and students would only need internet connection to use the simulation. It can be accessed in any device and the range of resources available in the website would help guide students on what they need to do. This allows students to be in charge of their own learning and the best way to learn independently.

– Camille Canuto


For the full article with more advice and tips on online teaching see: https://blog.worthingtondirect.com/school-furniture/how-teachers-are-adapting-to-the-covid-19-classroom-our-experts-weigh-in/