Online Seminar-Style Presentation-Based Graduate Courses in STEM: Reflection and Recommendations for Tomorrow’s Professionals

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss our recent delivery of a modest-sized, graduate-level, seminar-style, presentation-oriented graduate course run entirely online. We highlight certain decisions for designing the course in order to improve the educational experiences of the students. We also draw attention to important skillsets that the students acquired during the term and the value of these talents as we evolve to tomorrow’s academic gatherings and workplaces that expect virtual participation. We conclude by encouraging additional opportunities for online learning, providing key observations and recommendations from our own quality assurance study, as guidance for any future efforts to teach such courses. We learned that detailed feedback is invaluable towards achieving progressive improvements in skill throughout the term and that the inclusion of small-group activities in breakout rooms adjudicated by the instructor assisted significantly in establishing a well-respected social environment for learning.