Academic Quality & Excellence : Learning Activities and Learner Interaction

Standard 5 - Learning Activities and Learner Interaction

This standard affirms the need to design interactive and engaging learning experiences.

1. 1. Design Engaging and Active Learning Experiences

            Create learning activities that promote active engagement, collaboration, and critical thinking.

            Encourage students to apply, analyze, and reflect on their learning through meaningful tasks.

            Incorporate land-based learning experiences when appropriate.

1. 2. Foster Interaction with Content, Instructor, and Peers

            Facilitate regular opportunities for students to interact with:

• Course content through inquiry-based tasks, case studies, land-based learning, and real-world problems
• The instructor through feedback, guidance, and presence
• Peers through discussions, group work, and peer feedback

            Foster safe spaces for sharing and active listening, while respecting silence as a form of reflection

            and participation.

1. 3. Utilize Interactive Tools and Strategies

            Incorporate a variety of strategies to enhance interaction and engagement. Include collaborative

            projects that model reciprocity through mutual knowledge exchange such as:

• Discussion forums

• Group projects
• Peer review exercises
• Collaborative writing tools
• Problem-solving tasks or case-based learning

1. 4. Promote Critical Thinking

            Design activities that require students to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information. Encourage

            creative and critical responses to complex challenges.

1. 5. Support Program-Level Integration

            Ensure that learning activities are intentionally aligned with those in related courses to promote

            continuity, skill development, and curricular coherence across the program.

1. 6. Establish and Maintain a Strong Teaching Presence

            Actively engage with students throughout the course by:

• Responding to questions and contributions promptly
• Providing regular feedback
• Demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment to student success

1. 7. Incorporate Metacognitive Activities

            Promote deeper learning by including activities that prompt students to reflect on their learning

            processes, progress, and challenges.