Course Development

Classroom Assessment Techniques for Distance Education: Empty Outlines

Karen Hallett
Instructional Consulting

Descriptions

The empty outline technique helps faculty find out how well students have "caught" the important points of a lecture, reading, or audiovisual presentation. It also helps learners recall and organize the main points of a lesson within an appropriate knowledge structure, making retention more likely and aiding understanding.

Teaching Improvement

• better uses of available technology (effective uses)
• uses of appropriate strategies for distance education environment
• provide more contact with students, accessibility
• provide information about tailoring instructional activities to meet student's needs

Improving student learning

• improve opportunities to ask questions
• improve opportunities for input and feedback
• provide more contact with students accessibility

Criteria

• equally accessible from both sites
• immediacy of use
• adaptable to a wide range of learning situations
• require minimal time investment of students/instructor
• has continued use as learning tool for students, instructional resource for instructor.