Using Innovative Online Course Design to Close Students Skills Gaps: Preemptive Workplace Learning

Abstract

Workplaces increasingly report graduates entering the workplace lacking necessary skills, therefore, it is important to determine changes needed to lessen the gap (Lutz, 2017;Rateau, Kaufman, & Cletzer, 2015). Using innovative online course design in an online Master's program, workplace learning begins for students prior to entering the workforce. The classroom becomes a workplace learning laboratory to learn skills that aren't obtained by reading a textbook. Eighty-one experts were surveyed to examine what skills they use in their jobs daily.Analyzed data was sorted into six emerging themes. Local experts were then interviewed on one or more themes. Interview videos were condensed to 3-4-minute videos placed throughout the course to close gaps between course learning and needed workplace skills.