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Engaged learning is the process in which students actively interact and collaborate in the learning experience. As Conrad and Donaldson (2004) point out, "[e]ngaged learning does not simply happen" (p.13). The process requires educators to make three key moves: a shift from instructivist to constructivist principles, an increased focus on knowledge generation versus knowledge accumulation, and acknowledgment of the central position of activity over lecture. While parting with tradition will likely be met with some level of difficulty, making such changes will ensure that activity--not content--is driving learning. In fact, this new perspective, according to Reeves, Herrington, and Oliver (2002), will require that activity does not supplement the course but becomes the course.

In order to have engaged learning, activities need to be authentic and largely contextualized by the learner's real world places and experiences. Reeves, Herrington, and Oliver (2002) presented a checklist of the ten most common characteristics of authentic activities based on an extensive literature review. After a Skype chat with Dr. Gatin (personal communication, February 27, 2011), I believe that creating polished products (tools) is the most critical in an e-learning environment and the most critical for facilitating digital competency. If courses, particularly those in an e-learning environment, focus on developing tools and increasing the number of tools in the learner's proverbial tool box, then learning and the learner's ability to generate knowledge will continue on after the course ends.

Designing for engagement requires just that--DESIGN skills and DESIGN thinking. To do so, online educators will also need new tools and rubrics. As such, I am proposing a six question checklist to use when designing authentic learning activities:
 * 1) Will the activity help the learner increase his/her number of tools?
 * 2) Will the activity assist in the social process needed to establish a learning community?
 * 3) Will the activity prepare the learner to generate knowledge?
 * 4) Will the activity require regular reflection?
 * 5) Is it possible that few learning activities, rather than more, can be designed to improve the quality and depth of knowledge generation?
 * 6) Is it likely that the finished product/tool will be useful to the learner outside of the classroom

References

Conrad, RM., & Donaldson, J. (2004). //Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction//. San Fransisco, CA: Josey-Bass. Gatin, G. Personal Communication. February 27, 2011. Reeves, T., Herrington, J., & Oliver, R. (2002). Authentic activities and online learning. HERDSA, 562-567.