7 Distance Learning Books Ricardo Hausmann and Others Recommend

What started as an urgent response to pandemic-era schooling, this book evolves into a measured guide for educators aiming to master distance learning with intention and depth. Fisher, Frey, and Hattie draw on extensive VISIBLE LEARNING® research to dissect what truly enhances student engagement and achievement online, going beyond crisis tactics. You’ll find practical frameworks for crafting clear learning intentions, fostering meaningful teacher-student relationships, and designing assessments that hold up outside traditional classrooms. Notably, the authors dedicate attention to equity challenges and young learners, offering nuanced strategies that benefit K-12 educators committed to purposeful remote instruction. This book suits teachers and administrators seeking evidence-based methods rather than quick fixes.

Lindy Hockenbary's extensive background as a classroom teacher and instructional technologist shapes this thoughtful exploration of virtual K-12 education. You’ll find detailed guidance on engaging students without face-to-face interaction, managing online classrooms, and assessing work with integrity, alongside strategies for communicating with families and addressing equity. The book mixes practical insights with a flexible mindset, emphasizing choosing the right tech tools for your unique teaching context. If you’re navigating the challenges of online teaching or looking to strengthen digital instruction foundations, this book offers clear, experience-driven advice without oversimplifying the complexities.

This tailored book explores the essentials of mastering distance learning by focusing on your unique background, experience, and goals. It covers key concepts such as student engagement, remote teaching techniques, and assessment methods, all crafted to match your specific interests. By synthesizing extensive expert knowledge with your priorities, it reveals effective approaches for creating dynamic and inclusive virtual classrooms. The personalized content guides you through overcoming common challenges in online education while enhancing your ability to connect with students remotely. This tailored exploration ensures you gain relevant insights that directly support your growth as an educator in digital environments, making the learning journey both practical and inspiring.

Drawing from extensive expertise in adult and distance education, Simone C. O. Conceição and Les Howles present a nuanced approach to crafting online learning environments that prioritize the learner's journey over mere content delivery. You’ll discover how to design courses that foster meaningful interactions between students, instructors, and content, moving beyond traditional instructional design to embrace a learning design mindset. The book’s eight chapters thoughtfully cover engagement strategies, learner motivation, and practical frameworks like Design Thinking, culminating in a real-world application example that ties theory to practice. Whether you’re a novice or seasoned online educator, this resource equips you to create more personalized and connected digital learning experiences.

Susan Ko's decades of experience in faculty development and online teaching shape this guide into a practical manual for educators venturing into virtual classrooms. This book offers concrete insights on implementing online courses, including up-to-date advice on MOOCs, mobile learning, and multimedia tools, illustrated with faculty interviews and case studies. You will learn key strategies for engaging students and managing technology without wading through heavy theory. It's particularly suited for educators new to online instruction or those seeking to refresh their approach with current trends and tools.

After more than two decades immersed in online education, Marjorie Vai teamed up with Kristen Sosulski to craft this guide that demystifies the process of building effective online courses. You’ll explore a stepwise method rooted in established standards, covering everything from crafting a clear syllabus to organizing content visually and pedagogically. The book’s practical format includes checklists and templates that help you self-assess your course design, making it ideal if you’re tasked with translating traditional curricula into engaging digital experiences. Whether you’re an educator new to online teaching or a seasoned designer seeking structure, this book offers concrete frameworks without jargon, especially in chapters detailing syllabus development and visual design principles.

This tailored book explores a focused 30-day plan designed to rapidly enhance your effectiveness in virtual teaching environments. It covers practical actions to boost student engagement, interaction, and learning outcomes in distance education, carefully matched to your background and goals. By concentrating on step-by-step techniques for online teaching, it reveals how to create a dynamic virtual classroom that feels personal and impactful despite the physical distance. The approach is tailored to your specific interests, allowing you to master tools and methods that align closely with your teaching style and student needs, turning complex expert knowledge into manageable, actionable steps for immediate application.

When Dan Levy observed how abruptly educators had to shift online during the 2020 pandemic, he saw the urgent need for clear guidance on live virtual teaching. Drawing from over two decades at Harvard and extensive interviews with students and faculty, Levy breaks down effective Zoom strategies, like using breakout rooms purposefully and fostering community in digital classrooms. You’ll find practical insights on managing chat functions and engaging students authentically in an online setting. This book is particularly useful if you teach or design courses remotely and want to enhance interaction and learning without the typical trial-and-error frustration.

This book draws on the combined expertise of Douglas Fisher, Nancy Frey, Vince Bustamante, and John Hattie to tackle a key challenge in education: how to accurately measure student learning in both remote and traditional classrooms. You’ll find practical frameworks like "assessment cookies" that work regardless of setting, alongside a versatile "playlist" of tools including peer assessment and teach-back methods, designed to help you adapt evaluations for distance and hybrid models. The book also explores how to interpret assessment results to refine your teaching strategies, making it especially useful if you’re navigating the nuances of blended learning environments.