Curtis J. Bonk & Ke Zhang 
Empowering Online Learning [PDF ebook] 
100+ Activities for Reading, Reflecting, Displaying, and Doing

This is an essential resource for anyone designing or facilitating
online learning. It introduces an easy, practical model (R2D2:
read, reflect, display, and do) that will show online educators how
to deliver content in ways that benefit all types of learners
(visual, auditory, observational, and kinesthetic) from a wide
variety of backgrounds and skill levels. With a solid theoretical
foundation and concrete guidance and examples, this book can be
used as a handy reference, a professional guidebook, or a course
text. The authors intend for it to help online instructors and
instructional designers as well as those contemplating such
positions design, develop, and deliver learner-centered online
instruction.

Empowering Online Learning has 25 unique activities for
each phase of the R2D2 model as well as summary tables helping you
pick and choose what to use whenever you need it. Each activity
lists a description, skills addressed, advice, variations, cost,
risk, and time index, and much more.

This title is loaded with current information about emerging
technologies (e.g., simulations, podcasts, wikis, blogs) and the
Web 2.0. With a useful model, more than 100 online activities, the
latest information on emerging technologies, hundreds of quickly
accessible Web resources, and relevance to all types and ages of
learners–Empowering Online Learning is a book whose time
has come.

Table of Content

Preface v

Acknowledgments xii

About the Authors xiv

1 The R2D2 Model: Read, Reflect, Display, and Do 1

2 Phase 1 of the R2D2 Model: Verbal and Auditory Learners 15

3 Activities for Phase 1: Verbal and Auditory Learners 26

4 Phase 2 of the R2D2 Model: Reflective and Observational Learners 67

5 Activities for Phase 2: Reflective and Observational Learners 78

6 Phase 3 of the R2D2 Model: Visual Learners 118

7 Activities for Phase 3: Visual Learners 134

8 Phase 4 of the R2D2 Model: Hands-On Learners 181

9 Activities for Phase 4: Hands-On Learners 199

10 Integrating R2D2 and Final Reflections on the Web of Learning 249

Web Links, Examples, and Resources 264

References 284

Index 294

About the author

Curt Bonk is Professor of Instructional Systems Technology and adjunct in Informatics at Indiana University. He also spent 15 years as a professor of educational psychology. Dr. Bonk has received the Cyber Star Award from the Indiana Information Technology Association, the Most Outstanding Achievement Award from the U.S. Distance Learning Association, and the Most Innovative Teaching in a Distance Education Program Award from the State of Indiana. He has over 200 publications, including the Handbook of Blended Learning Environments: Global Perspectives, Local Designs (Pfeiffer, 2005), and during the past three years he has presented nearly 300 talks related to online teaching and learning, including ones at universities in China, Australia, Korea, Finland, Ireland, Taiwan, Malaysia, Spain, Iceland, the UK, and the United Arab Emirates.

Ke Zhang is an Assistant Professor of Instructional Technology at Wayne State University with a Ph.D. in Instructional Systems from Penn State University. She has years of success in designing, developing and teaching online courses and programs, together with fruitful research on online learning.