Fostering critical thinking and inclusivity online is a growing responsibility and privilege of educators. This session explores practical tools and engagement strategies to transform digital classrooms into dynamic, learner-centered spaces where students from diverse backgrounds and intersectionalities feel valued, challenged, and empowered to think critically, collaborate meaningfully, and succeed academically.

As educators, we are given a gift - the responsibility of educating youth and adults who present with diverse backgrounds, life experiences, and learning preferences. In educating minds of all ages, e-education or e-learning has evolved to encompass a cadre of digital education technologies ranging from digital textbooks and virtual simulations to synchronously and/or asynchronously online courses. 

The Open University in the United Kingdom, established in 1969, was an early approach to using technology (radio, TV, and later online tools) that offered educational content to a broad audience. As the interest in e-education grew, more options became available at higher education institutions. The birth of the World Wide Web opened the way to institutions offering courses and complete degree programs through new institutions such as the University of Phoenix, Jones International University, and Western Governors University, followed by the development of learning management systems such as Blackboard. By some estimates, over 11 million college students in the United States took at least one online course in 2024. 

As educators, we are challenged to provide an inclusive and interactive learning environment that targets most, if not all, of our students. Teaching online courses can challenge even the best of educators to provide such an environment. Additionally, university administration is challenging educators to offer more coursework that challenges our students to develop and/or hone critical thinking skills/attributes.

The foundation for building an inclusive learning environment (that ensures students feel welcomed, heard, and respected) in the synchronous e-learning world is trust – students can trust educators that the prescribed course content will be covered and framed in a context that students can relate to on one or more levels. Additionally, if "we" infuse some of the tenants of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs – belonging, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and respect - with the ultimate goal of helping our students reach "self-actualization, "we" have been semi-valent in our efforts to build a safe and inclusive environment. One might ask – "How do I have time to inquire about my students' previous experiences, learning preferences, and interests in the course content?" 

Educators have many tools to capture their students' learning preferences and their former experience(s) with course material. First-day assessments, both summative and formative, can be helpful in this endeavor. A limited assessment – the Visual, Aural, Read Write, Kinesthetic (VARK), and Learning Style Quiz can be insightful. Carving out part of day one of the semester can be valuable and demonstrate to your students that you "care" and are genuinely interested in their learning.

In the e-education world, interactive teaching can sometimes be more challenging than a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom because the audience is not in the same formal space. Students can be perceived as more passive learners and/or not even present during live/synchronous lectures. How can educators create an interactive and dynamic learning environment that keeps some, if not all, of our students engaged at some level? Tools we can use to create interaction can be some of the same tools we use in the brick-and-mortar environment. One consideration is that a learner's attention span is semi-connected to their age and interest in courses. According to research conducted at the University of California – Irvine over 20 years, college students' attention spans while using digital technology flipping from one task to another has shrunk from 2.5 minutes in 2004 to just 47 seconds in 2024. With this statistic, how can educators compete with unprescribed distractions during classes?

A cadre of tools can be used to engage students, and the success of each will be determined by the audience's learning preferences, course content, and an inclusive learning environment. As members of the digital age, educators must take advantage of pedagogical tools, including live quizzes and polls, generative AI, breakout rooms, YouTube videos, TED Talks, live news feeds, and guest lectures, just to name a few. With any pedagogical tool, educators must remember that the audience has attention spans ranging from less than a minute to 6-8 minutes. An established lecture method, including PPT slides and little, if any, time for formative assessments, is a recipe for failure. 

Some suggestions for a 50-minute synchronous course include starting with an essential question or "hook" to capture the audience's attention, followed by a structured set of learning objectives setting the day's stage. Another tactic is to create an environment similar to TV or radio programs with short breaks and fictional sponsors' messages. Another strategy is to use a game show approach such as Kahoot or Quizlet. As one might surmise, these interactive options take time to prepare and incorporate, as do the other pedagogical tools. However, educators must always be cognizant of our audience's needs and interests while ensuring coverage of the necessary course content.

As previously mentioned, college and university administrators are challenging educators to incorporate to develop student's critical thinking skills. This challenge has been driven partly by industry leaders seeking new hires with "transferable" or "soft" skills. For decades, industry professionals have advocated for new graduates to bring essential skills for success, including communication, teamwork, ethical decision-making, leadership, and navigating workplace conflicts. For contextual purposes, critical thinking, as defined by the late Edward Glaser, includes (1) an attitude of thoughtful consideration of relevant problems, (2) knowledge of logical inquiry and reasoning methods, and (3) skill in applying those methods. It also requires recognizing problems, identifying workable solutions, gathering pertinent information, evaluating evidence and arguments, testing conclusions, and making sound judgments.
Educators may wonder how such skills can be cultivated in an online environment. Various approaches rooted in andragogical strategies offer pathways to a shift in education. These include encouraging students to co-create knowledge by solving real-world issues or discussing current events in breakout rooms, collaborating on team-based projects without meeting in person, or engaging in community service tied to course objectives. Culminating assignments, such as reflective evaluations of their work and its impact on the organization, further reinforce critical thinking and civic engagement.

This presentation will pair innovative content with experiential insights from faculty with decades of distance education experience. Participants will engage individually and in small groups to develop practical, inclusive resources designed to enhance online instruction and support the evaluation of critical thinking across diverse, intersectional student populations.
 

Dennis W. Duncan

Professor at Tennessee Technological University

Duncan is a professor in the College of Agriculture and Human Ecology at TN Tech University. His background and experience stems from his 30+ years in higher education, serving as a teacher educator, Graduate Student Coordinator, Program Director and Department Chairperson. Duncan's first distance course was in the fall of 2004, and utilized video conferencing equipment connected to students across the state of Georgia. Since 2004 Duncan has utilized many distance education platforms to connect students from Virginia Tech, the University of Georgia and TN Tech with students and faculty from France, Italy, Austria, Denmark and Scotland. His research interests include program planning and evaluation, teacher efficacy and the impacts of college courses on undergraduates critical thinking attributes.

Dr. Katherine Hermann-Turner

Professor at Tennessee Technological University

Katherine M. Hermann-Turner is a Professor in the Department of Counseling & Psychology at Tennessee Technological University. She received her doctoral degree in Counselor Education from the College of William & Mary, master’s degree in Community Counseling from Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi, and bachelor’s degree in Economics and Managerial Studies from Rice University. As a faculty member, Katherine integrates her experiences as a family counselor, mother, and researcher into courses for master's and doctoral level counseling students. Her current research interests include exploring the experiences of mothers, family systems, and applying qualitative research methodology using a Relational Cultural Theory perspective. She is a License Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Tennessee, a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), and a Board Certified TelaMental Health Provider (BC-TMH).