Herbert Brown III

Location: appalachian state university - boone, nc - usa

About me

Herb Brown is a professor and program director in the business and information technology education program at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. He directs the Graduate program in New Media/Global Education and Online Teaching and Learning at Appstate. He has taught information technology, instructional technology, and business education courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for 20 years and served 10 years in the role of Director of Technology for several universities. He has held teaching and administrative positions at James Madison University, The University of Virginia's College at Wise, the University of South Carolina and Appalachian State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Vocational Education with a cognate in Computer Information Systems from Virginia Tech. His articles have appeared in Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journal, EDUCAUSE Quarterly, and the NABTE Journal.

Interests

online teaching and learning, career and technical education, business & information technology education

Skills

online teaching and learning, teaching methodology, information technology education, web development/design

Website

http://edtech.appstate.edu

Activity

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Faculty Expectations

Ricardo, Good point, I like how you are trying to set a positive tone up front. I would still want to make sure that the expectations listed are very clear. I have tried to sound a little too friendly at times just to find that set up too much ambiguity in the expectation and caused confusion later. As with most things it seems you need to find a balance there. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Providing Feedback

Cristina, I like how you suggested keeping everything positive and encouraging for the students. I also like how you placed the assessment back on the student and had them reflect on their performance and allowed them to discuss how they thought they did. I have used that strategy before and usually the students are harder on themselves than I would have been. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio

Susan, Very well articulated! I am not sure I can add much to your response. I too fight with the profit ratio arguments and I have told several administrators that if all they are trying to do is use online learning to fill huge online classes to make a quick buck, then we shouldn't be doing it at all. I am not interesting in putting in the level of extra work required to do online teaching correctly if it is all about making an extra dollar or two. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Will Online Learning Replace the Traditional Classroom?

Bret, I would agree with your statements. We are also seeing strong growth in the blended/hybrid classrooms much for the same reasons you mention about hands-on skills work. Deliver what you can online and meet in person for the other activities. Also sometimes a "flipped" classroom approach. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio

Robert, Well your questions are a personal preference; however, I will share what I do. I do give my students the initial zero. This does several things...they wake up and realize I am serious and on top of what is going on and it immediately opens a dialog with the students about why the assignment was not submitted and what they are doing about it. They are typically less likely to do the same later in the semester. I do enforce the late point policy I use as well...I do this because the reality is that on a job they… >>>

Herbert Brown III

Blog Comment

EL105

Carolyne,

I would certainly agree that you can't and shouldn't stay up all night waiting for the last post to appear. You can establish the expectations at the beginning of the course to help the students understand that if they post 2 minutes before the deadline, then they can't expect an immediate response and it could affect their grade (if they are required to change something). In other words, they may forfiet the ability to rework or rewrite their post or clarify it if they wait until the last minute. I actually have a written expectation that states I will… >>>

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio

Elodie, Are you able to teach only 10 students in your program? Have you been able to get quality student to student interaction with 10 students in a course? I am just curious. I agree the technical nature of the content, especially if students don't have the prerequisites, can make it difficult with more students. The optimal number the majority of respondents report is 15-20, but the optimal number is based on individual circumstances as well. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Will Online Learning Replace the Traditional Classroom?

Cristina, You make a good point. I don't want a doctor to do surgery on my if they have only done "virtual" surgeries on a computer. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Instructor Presence

Heather, I would suggest that education of adults shouldn't be an authority in front of the class any more than that might be appropriate for education of children. In my opinion we need to combine as many learning strategies and tools that we can to reach students regardless of age in a real and meaningful way. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Instructor Presence

Milka, So in your opinion what is the value of the instructor in online learning. Quality online learning should not be just a self study of the material, but should incorporate interaction between students and student and instructor. Assignments should drive students to apply the concepts they are learning to real world applications. If we don't do anything but give them a book and say read it and complete these quizzes on the material in the text, what is the value of an instructor? Herbert Brown III

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