Teaching Beyond the Template – Entry #2

In the “A Case for Different Cans: Learning Offline While Clicking Online” section, Rod Graham argues that even within standardized or “canned” online courses, meaningful learning can still be fostered by intentionally incorporating offline, real-world engagement. Rather than relying solely on click-through, screen-based activities, Graham emphasizes assignments that require students to interact with their physical environments—using their bodies, senses, and social contexts. This approach encourages deeper engagement, disrupts passive participation, and limits the effectiveness of AI shortcuts, since such tasks require presence and lived experience rather than generated responses. Ultimately, Graham’s argument is that instructors can work within institutional constraints while still creating more human-centered, intellectually rich learning experiences by blending online structure with offline practice.

If you have ideas that address the loss of quality in compressed courses, the ways student use of AI can diminish learning, or how standardized courses dehumanize the educational experience, please submit them to oduaaup@protonmail.com.