15 Effective Online Learning Activities for Workforce and College Readiness
Les Dlabay
Professor of Economics and Business, Emeritus • Co-author of Principles of Business
Online learning is new to most of us and may make us feel excited, challenge, worried, stressed, unsure and, really, the full range of emoji faces on our phones. Most educators are trained to teach in face-to-face environments because that may be the best way to teach. Hybrid teaching environments incorporate useful technologies to enhance the in-class experience, provide instant feedback and ease the work of grading, but even hybrid masters may have trouble connecting with students when they are online at home. By not being in the classroom for an extended time period, how can CTE teachers make sure that students are thinking about future careers and building soft skills: critical-thinking, problem solving, professionalism, communication and teamwork skills while they are alone?
Author Les Dlabay, who has taught business courses both in-class and online is offering a collection of advice and example activities for engaging students with college and career ready skills online with activities aligned to the Oh…D-E-A-R model he introduced in his webinar Career Development and Workforce/College Readiness for High School Students.
Oh…D-E-A-R! framework for planning and implementing learning activities with examples:
- • D – Deliver
• E – Engage
• A – Assess
• R – Reinforce
Download Activities & Tips to deliver, engage, assess and reinforce online for the following topics:
- Workforce/College Readiness
- Human-Centered Design
- Community Mapping
- Virtual Field Trips
- Vocabulary Scavenger Hunt
- Global Product/Package Analysis
- Personal Finance & Money Management
- Fintech
- Supply Chain/Value Chain
- Gig, Sharing, and Circular Economies
- Problem Solving/Case Analysis
- Simulated Interview
- Online Team Project
- Class “Discussion” Responses
- Online Guest Speakers
Plus, metrics for success, successful student actions, and additional activities!
Student actions for successful online learning — both the teacher and student may have to fight to stay organized, engaged and on task while working and learning from home. These tips benefit online learners and teachers to end the day feeling accomplished and de-stress.
- Establish a routine with some variation; mix things up to keep alert and engaged
- Create a daily checklist with time slots and time limits to monitor progress
- Schedule time to relax, exercise, connect with others, and for recreation and entertainment
- Plan the day around quiet hours, and your productive time
- Create a productive work setting with proper lighting, equipment, supplied, materials, and comfortable seating
- Seek assistance and guidance from others
- Plan meals for balance between forgetting to eat and snacking all day; vary the work setting to avoid boredom
- Avoid social media activities not related to class
About the Author:
“Learning for a life worth living” is the teaching emphasis of Les Dlabay, Professor of Business, Emeritus, at Lake Forest College in Illinois. He has authored or has adaptations of over 40 textbooks in the United States, Canada, India, and Singapore, including Principles of Business, International Business, and Business Finance with National Geographic Learning, a part of Cengage. In addition, he has taught more than 30 different courses in high school, community college, university, teacher preparation, and adult education programs. Three times he has been honored with “The Great Teacher” Award at Lake Forest College. Dr. Dlabay has presented more than 300 workshops and seminars emphasizing interactive learning strategies, team projects, and field research activities. His “hobbies” involve a cereal package collection from more than 100 countries, and banknotes from 200 countries, which are used to teach economic, cultural, and political aspects of global business.
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