Short Description: Students are given a situation or context that they analyse under different aspects, or search a solution to which could be useful in a real live situation. They might also develop alternatives and explain the rational for their choice.
Variation 1: Wrong element. The students receive the description of a case which is voluntarily containing misleading information that first have to be eliminated.
Variation 2: Missing element. Students are given a description or scenario and are asked to elaborate on the consequences that would happen if the concerned phenomenon,setup or machine had an element 'x' missing.
Variation 3: Choices. Present participants with the data on an event and with several possible choices. All participants are asked to reflect all choices. They than chose individually the best one and indicate the consequences of the selected choice and justify it.
Aim: Requires students to make connections between a misdescription and a real-world situation.
Further information: Fallmethodik, case study in Geology at the ETHZ (German).An Example with Simulation edustock. Case Studies in Science, eLearning Scenario: Case Study & Self-Analysis..
Tool: Assignment 

Short description: PBL is an teaching method confronting students with "real world" that they can solve.
Aim: It requires students to  develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, and acquire knowledge of the essential concepts in the learning material.
Further information: PBL in Wikipedia, Leitfaden für Problemorientiertes Lernen. PBL-Homepage.  Guide to Problem based Learning.
Tool: Assignment.

Short description: POL is a longterm learning task which requires students to independently organise their learning task in a strategic and structured way that leads to a  final self-explaining product. Often in group work.
Example: Students prepare a presentation (images, charts, spreadsheets, texts, etc.) to convince an imaginary client to buy a product/service or idea.
Variation 1: WebQuest It is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all used by drawn from web webquests are designed focus learner on using information rather than looking for to support learners thinking at the levels analysis synthesis and evaluation it is a specific form of project
Variation 2: Information Gap Mini Project. Several participants of a virtual course have to solve a task together. Each of them receives a piece of information (which is presented to them in the form of a picture to prevent any click and copy), but since none of them has the complete information, they will have to communicate intensely by Email or Chat to find the solution together.
Aim: Engaging in a worthwhile tasks (and interacting and communicating meaningful with others), while learning practical skills and knowledge that prepare for the actual workplace.
Further information: What is project-based learning? (D), (F), Initiate project-based learning (D), (F), Examples of project-based learning (D), (F), Projektmethode im Unterricht,  Project oriented Learning experience, Project Oriented Learning Environment. The Webquest Page, Webquest and Learning Activities.
Tool: Assignment, Group Manager, Forum

Short Description: Three and more students working together under a shared assignment for a punctual result or a longterm collaboration.
Variation 1: Group warm-up and group building. Describe your-self (D), Present your-self with (4) criteria (E), (D), (F), Two lies and one truth (D), (F).
Variation 2: Group Glossary. Creating of a Groups' own glossary (D), (F),.
Aim: To profit from the motivational aspect of sharing and caring as well as to train collaborative skills that are needed for the work place.
Further information: Collaborative Learning: Was ist der Unterricht nach der Puzzelmethode,  Group Work and Study Teams,  Tips for Virtual Teams, Small Group Learning Page.
Tool: Assignment, Group Manager, Forum, Chat

Short description:  Virtual exchange of messages in asynchronous mode outside the real-world classroom.
Variation 1: Text-based Debate. Example (D), (F). Students read a text and are asked to produce a forum message with the following content: Indicate the three most important statements, that you agree with. Indicate the three most important statements, that you don't agree with. Share the three most important questions that the reading provoked.
Variation 2: The Three-Steps-Debate. 1.  Each participant sends one opinion. 2. The participants try a synthesis of the postings (can also contain critic). 3. The participants try to identify emerging tendencies or regroup postings to facilitate compromising.
Variation 3: Only questions! Quescussion.
Aim: To deepen understanding and reflection on main course subjects through the requirement of writing opinions. Learn to base arguments on evidence, descriptions of examples or citations. Allow students to learn from other students’ expertise and knowledge. 
Further information: FAQ on Forum discussions (D), (F), (E); Crafting question for online discussion, Taking positions (D), (F), How to use discussion forums (D), (F), Reflections on online Forum Discussion (D), (F).
Tool: Forum

Short description: A number of students each act out the role of a character different from their own. This could be a sort of drama or free-form theater, in which the participants improvise their contribution in the limits of their roles.
Variation 1: Language Learning in a Literature Course. “Assume the identity of your character in the book or play. Then "talk" to each other 'off-stage' in the discussion forum and express your feelings about what's going on in the story.“ More in Role Playing in an online discussion forum
Variation 2: Role Playing via Chat. Instruction and discussion!
Variation 3: Role playing with the online tool Fablusi. More in Role Play Simulation for Teaching and Learning
Further information: Abstract Guidelines on learning that inform teaching demonstrated ... , Collaborative Learning: Role Play as Teaching Method. A practical Guide.

Short description: Students note down their findings, experiences, ideas, and other thoughts during the course.
Example: Task: Post each week into the Forum topic "Learning Diary" (your personal thread) a message detailing shortly 1. what you experienced that helped you learning. 2. what learning did you gain. 3. what has changed through this learning for you.
Aim: To foster self-evaluation and self-reflection. Create consciousness about the progress of the studies and hopefully encourages and motivates. It also helps to clarify abstract things and theories.
Further information: ENO Learning Diary. Guidelines on a learning Diary, a Teachers Learning Diary, Journaling Versions.
Tool: Forum

Short description: A report's most important characteristic is to inform as clearly and succinctly as possible.
Aim: Learn to concentrate on the essential. Learn to justify an action or give proof of it's execution.
Further information: Help for Students Writing a School Report, Student Guide to Reporting, Reporting as an academic skill, Formal Reports for Engineers, Cooperative Learning and Assessment, Scientific Report Writing.
Tool: Forum, Assignment

Short description: Tests provide official information about the acquired knowledge of a student, often ending a learning period. The Vista Assessment tool provides 8 different types of test, which often allow quite a number of sub-variations. In Vista all test types can also be used as Self-Tests!

1.	Calculated Question	Calculated Questions are questions in which the variables are defined as ranges of values, and a general formula is used to calculate the defined parameter. The advantage is that each time a student opens the question, he/she gets different numbers to calculate. Get more details and access to an example. Vista Help Text: (E), (D), (F).
2.	Multiple Choice	Multiple Choice Tests offer several answers to a question from which the correct one is to be chosen. Get more details (for three types) and access to an example. Vista Help Text: (E), (D), (F).
3.	Fill in the Blank	Fill in the Blank presents students with a text where they have to fill in the missing words. Get more details and access to an example. Vista Help Text: (E), (D), (F).
4.	Jumbled Sentence	Jumbled Sentence Tests present the students with sentences in a mixed-up syntax that the students have to re-establish. Get more details and access to an example. Vista Help Text: (E), (D), (F).
5.	Matching	Matching tests present opposing lists of items to the students that have to indicate which of them are related. Get more details and access to an example. Vista Help Text: (E), (D), (F).
6.	Paragraph	Paragraph Tests ask students (instead of choosing from presented text bits) to provide answers in their own words of up to a whole paragraphs. Get more details (for three types) and access to an example. Vista Help Text: (E), (D), (F).
7.	Short Answer Test	Short Answer Tests require students to answer in writing (instead of choosing from presented text bits). Vista proposes 4 types where students have to produce either a word, several words, a short sentence or several short sentences. Get more details (for three types) and access to an example. Vista Help Text: (E), (D), (F).
8.	True False Question	True False Question Tests require students to answer with either true or false. Get more details (for three types) and access to an example. Vista Help Text: (E), (D), (F).

Aim: These different types of test can assess the competence of such a great number of skills and knowledge that this can not be listed here.
Tool: Assessment

Short description: Self-tests are for the students benefit only. They produce feedback, that lets them check their knowledge and rehearse accordingly. These same tests can represent an even more powerful learning tool for the students, if you encourage them to create them them-self. This can be done with the help of web-based free exercise generators and the integration of their product into the Learning Modules, Assignment or Discussion Tool. For Vista's Self-Tests see above under "Assessment".

1. Multiple-Choice Test This test type offers several answers to a question from which the correct one is to be chosen.
   Further information: Analysis of an example test (D), (F) See also further advices under Assessment and Multiple-Choice above.
2. Fill in the Blank. This test type presents students with a text where they have to fill in the missing words.
   Further information: Analysis of an example test (D), (F). Vocabulary Learning. (D), (F). See also further advices under Assessment and 'Fill in the Blank' above.
3. Matching. This text presents opposing list of items to the students that have to indicate which of them are related.
   Further information: Analysis of an example test (D), (F). Math-puzzle (D). See also further advices under Assessment and Matching above.
4. Open Question This test type provides model answers to open questions. Students analyse them-selves if their answer is acceptable.
   Further information: Analysis of an example test (D), (F).
5. Crossword puzzle. Analysis of an example test (D), (F).

Aim: Give your students access to feedback helping them to check their knowledge and rehearse accordingly.
Tool: Learning Modules, Assignment, Forum.

Short description: Surveys are anonymous online tests for which there are no grades assigned. They can also be used as polling tools with a neat statistical graph showing the groupes results.
Further information: How to do a Survey in Vista, How to do a Polling in Vista, Vista Help Text: (E), (D), (F).
Aim: This is an ideal tool to get rapidly an honest feedback from your students or to poll them for very specific information.
Tool: Assessment Tool

Short description: Instead of giving answers to teachers question, students in this activity are encourage to ask questions.
Example : Phase 1: Per email present an issue to your students with the assignment to formulate one questions that would be of pedagogical value to the other members of the course and that they post in the forum. Phase 2: Each participant reacts to at least two questions. Phase 3: The teacher reveals the original questions and each students indicates in a feedback to at least two discussion threads if they think that the questions where of pedagogical value.
Further information: Teacher's Guide for Answering and Asking Questions, Asking Questions in Political Science, Train Students in The Art of Asking and Answering Questions.
Aim: Sensitising your students for the difference between different types of questions and the cognitive activities that these may trigger. Prepare students for peer reviewing of their knowledge and the creation of self-learning tests.
Tool: Forum

Short description: Students formulate exam questions that they expect to receive during examination, evaluate them and answer them.
Aim: Concentrate students on their examination. Direct students to go back and extract essential learning issues. Provide students with an comprehensive repetition.
Further information: Exam Questions in the Forum (D), (F).
Tool: Forum

Short description:  A synchronous 'storm' of ideas and association is collected on a given subject and then reprocessed to sort out the best results.
Variation 1: What do you know about the subject? Participants get a low key introduction to a subject through a informal stress-free collection of pre-existing knowledge on the subject without further analysis. 1 to 3 days before starting a new subject.
Variation 2: What are the key concepts on the learning subject. 1 to 3 days after finishing a learning subject rehearse the key issues.
Aim: Circumvent timidity and common blockages to creativity through spontaneous and unregulated, associative statements that are stimulated by the social and emotional context. Preparing a learning group for a specific subject. Fostering the development of a group feeling. Building of a learning community.
Further information: Brainstorming in a Chat - Dozentenanleitung (D), (F), Studentenanleitung (D), (F), Anleitung.
Tool: Chat

Short description: A microarticle shows in approx. one page the students reflexion and assimilation of the the learning experience of one day, or his or her learning. Work on a project, an important session, reading, seminar etc.
Aim: Encourage students to reflect on their learning and train their ability to produce concise texts.
Further information: Microarticle in Learning Tasks (D), (F)
Tool: Assignment

Short description: Each student summarizes the content of one article out of a selection that comprehensively covers a subject area or field of learning and reads all the other summaries.
Example task: "Produce the summary of an article in the forum topic 'Abstracts'. Choose on title in the following list. To avoid double usage please start with a first posting that only contains the chosen title in the message title and send it. Once your are sure to be the only one having chosen this title, start working on the job to summarize the article. No more than 1000 signs."
Aim: Giving the students a rapid overview of a whole field. Training their excerpting skills. Preparing them for writing abstracts.
Further information: Student skills Summarizing, Summarizing success.
Tool: Forum, Assignment

Short description: Based on a list of prepared questions one student collects opinions or facts from one or several course participants and and posts a summary together with his or her comment.
Aim: Encourage students to collect information in a synchronous setting. Stimulate peer knowledge review. Encourage students to take a stand. Prepare a class news paper.
Further information: Einführung in die Interviewtechniken, Das problemzentrierte Interview, Das qualitative Interview als Methode der Datenerhebung.
Tool: Chat, Mail, Asseignment

Short description: Guided by a checklist or questionnaire each learner indicates his or her position or value standing concerning a presented phenomenon, technical product, social issue, etc. They confronts their choices with those of the other course participants.
Variation: Ranking. Learners are asked to rank certain statements, sentences, or words that might be presented alphabetically according to certain criteria. Example in architecture: Choosing between the values of 1 or 10, with one indicating lowest agreement and 10 highest agreement, students are asked to regroup a list of 10 security rules in house construction to indicate the level of importance that they give them. Further should they comment briefly on their decisions. Aim: Raising the conscience on value decisions. Train student to question their own and others value choice and help develop argumentation.
Further information: On Values, values information and values clarification, Management Training, other Scenarios using eMail for the clarification of values, Howtos zu Emailgames (E), (D), (F), exercise example from Economy, Interactive example from Learn to Manage.
Tool: Forum, Assignment