Last semester, I read the “Personal” chapter of Personal, Accessible, Responsive, Strategic: Resources and Strategies for Online Writing Instructors by Jessie Borgman and Casey McArdle, and this reading encouraged the use of images in online writing instruction.
Because of this, I started adding wordclouds to the overview of each module—the wordcloud containing text from the specific week’s module. I thought adding these images was just a fun way to add some color to the module, but my students really enjoyed the different ones each week. I even themed the wordclouds for fall, Halloween, etc.
Of course, other than just adding color, the wordcloud as a tool also acts as a kind of summary/preview and shows important concepts for the week.
By the end of the semester, when the Unit 4 presentations came around, many students incorporated wordclouds into their presentations.
Just adding a graphic each week seems like such a simple thing, but the effect was really positive. Students felt the images made the site more inviting, and this is such an important aspect of making online learning engaging. Thus, I’ve continued adding wordclouds to each module this semester, and I plan to increase my incorporation of other images and multimedia as well.
-Nicole
Hi Nicole,
I love using word clouds too and how you work to incorporate them into your classroom. This is a great way to break-up the course content for our students. Instead of having them arrive to a site with dense information, they have a fun and engaging graphic to greet them. Great way to set up your site!
Michaella
I love that! I especially like the idea of the themed word clouds. I love adding materials to the weekly modules as well. My students have come to recognize and even appreciate my sense of humor, and they like when I add funny but relevant memes, videos, etc. to the modules. In the “Course Welcome” page, I took the time to write a bit about myself, my hobbies and goals, and included some pictures to help make the space feel more personalized. I also created an extra discussion board that they can use to talk about whatever they want; it doesn’t even have to be related to the course. They can chat with each other about what TV shows they are watching; what they’re listening to; how they’re dealing with the pandemic, etc. It’s a little extra space just for the (I rarely chime in; I’m just a silent observer) where they can virtually interact with one another.