Optimizing Online Teaching and Learning with McGraw Hill and the Online Learning Consortium
The partnership was established in an effort by McGraw Hill to better support instructors as they move to online and hybrid learning.
![](https://www.mheducation.com/content/dam/mhe/blog/higher-ed/stock-images/blog-thumbnails---headers/misc/22-1433-a-o-microsite/1163568487-840x400.jpg)
In early 2020, McGraw Hill announced its partnership with the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), a higher education community dedicated to advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences. The partnership was established in an effort by McGraw Hill to better support instructors as they move to online and hybrid learning. The OLC partnership allows McGraw Hill to lend a higher level of expertise to institutions to help them ensure online and hybrid courses are designed, facilitated, and evaluated effectively.
The OLC has developed a set of best practices for online instruction known as the OLC quality scorecard. McGraw Hill offers preconfigured courseware aligned to the quality scorecard that includes a combination of formative assessments, summative assessments, homework, and application activities, and can easily be customized to meet an individual’s needs and course outcomes. Reach out to your McGraw Hill representative for access to OLC-aligned preconfigured courseware developed to accompany our Majors and Non-Majors Biology titles. Additionally, OLC certified faculty consultants are available to assist with course design, facilitation, and assessment. To assist instructors and administrators, on-demand toolkits are available at no cost on the McGraw Hill Support at Every Step webpage.
Outlined below are recommendations from the OLC for the development of an effective online teaching and learning environment.
Creating an effective course overview
Include a welcome message and personal introduction
Provide a brief orientation to the course
Post a printable version of the syllabus
Link to student success resources and relevant campus policies
Outline digital requirements and various delivery methods of content available to the student
Clearly define objectives and outcomes of the course
Course Design and Layout
Ensure the organization of content is logical and consistent
Break large blocks of information into smaller, more manageable sections with plenty of white space
Employ a color scheme with a stark contrast between text and background
Use at least a 12-point sans-serif font
Avoid animations or gifs if possible
Comply with all applicable accessibility standards
Course Content
Employ a variety of engaging activities and resources that facilitate engagement and collaboration, for example:
Discussion boards
Social media interaction
Group projects
Polling
Include opportunities for experiential learning, problem-solving, and higher-order thinking such as:
Simulations
Role-play
Case studies
General Interaction
Simulate the classroom environment
Provide timely and regular feedback
Allow students to get to know the instructor by having online office hours and sending personal messages
Encourage learners to share resources and/or personal experiences
Building an Online Community
Clearly define and consistently enforce expectations of discourse
Encourage authentic but respectful discussion of content
Facilitate interactions and lead by example, for instance:
Use ice-breakers strategically
Pose questions often and ask that students do the same
Set up a course bulletin board
Create an opportunity to “meet your classmates” either online or in person
Assessment
Provide timely feedback
State grading policies, including consequences for late work, at course onset and reiterate often
Grading criteria is clearly articulated
Well-designed, updated grade book
For assignments with timed response, provide adequate lead time in case there is a need for remediation or accommodations
Student and Instructor Feedback
Allow for frequent and appropriate assessment of content mastery utilizing a variety of methods including formative and summative assessments, peer reviews, and self-reflection
Students have the ability to evaluate their own performance and assess their own learning
Encourage students to provide feedback regarding the course design, content and experience
Continuously assess your course and instruction