Element 1: Student—Understanding and Designing for Student Needs

How to understand student needs, preferences, and strengths with the goal of creating personalized learning paths. Like any good needs analysis, online teachers must understand the characteristics of their student audience to design and facilitate learning that is contextual, practical, engaging, and effective. This element looks at combining elements from a variety of learning theories to promote learner autonomy, development of online learning skills, and personal ownership of their learning experiences.