The course content created for a face-to-face course can't be appropriate for an online course primarily because the delivery method is different. Much of the content for a face-to-face course is delivered in a lecture method. The lecture method of delivery is not very effective in the online environment. With this in mind, the face-to-face content must be transformed to be used in the online environment.
Faryl,
Well said. Good teaching is good teaching.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I believe the objectives for the content are the same. The delivery method and learner's interaction requirements will be different.
Jodi,
Well said. Open ended questions are very important.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
We are always dependent on feedback, but it's not immediate as it is in the classroom. You have to be much more intuitive to be able to read between the lines with certain students. They may not be as open as honest with their words as they are with their facial expressions in class. Many more open ended questions have to be asked to keep up with the student's progress.
Jodi,
You are dependent on feedback, you just have to develop different avenues. How would you do that?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
You lose that element of immediate interaction or feedback that you can see in a student's face. So the content has to be organized so it is not dependent on that feedback.
By using Simulation! I teach Electronics and most of our experiments in labs are tangible ones, were students use real components to build circuits. We also have Simulation Software which can do the same on computers. This last option is suitable for online students; nevertheless the experience one gets from the Simulated Lab is less than the real lab.
I think the desktop videos would be a great start. That wold def work in the audio world. I would show examples or the right and possibly wrong ways to do things and also explain why the wrong ways are wrong. I think having online projects where the students records what he is doing would be a great tool in helping to correct any issues or problems a student might have.
Richard,
How would you tackle it? Where would you start?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Its very hard to translate hands on experience into the virtual world. Especially for schools that teach in the Culinary Arts or Audio Recording which I have taught both.
Monique,
Great idea! It also keeps you connected with your students. Great option.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Michael ,
You are correct, you can present content in an attractive way;and there is nothing wrong with that!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
To teach actual hands-on skills via online might be best accomplished through a hybrid program where part is f2f and part is online. I work in a hybrid nursing program where I am a lab instructor. I post the competencies for nursing skills online and videos that go along with them. I also have "open lab" days to practice and help any student that needs help. The students are then tested on their skills on a scheduled day.
One possible answer is that online courses are meant for asynchronous learning. Students that opt for online classes have many demands on their time, and want the flexibility of asynchronous delivery. Having scheduled lectures or presentations by the instructor certainly undermines that objective. Instead, critics of the lecture method recommend that for online courses, content be delivered through instructional articles, internet sites or other materials that are consistent with the course’s objectives and goals.
There is one point to add here. That is that some students are auditory learners, some are visual learners. It is possible for instructors to present content using attractive and effective visual tools, and allow for voice over narrative. If those presentations are recorded, they can be very effective in an online environment. The key is that students be able to access those materials at the times that are most convenient for them. Some software programs , like Adobe Acrobat Connect, do allow instructors to record their live chats.
Michelle,
I agree that not all content is best taught online, but there are so many more technologies now that are helping the online environment be a much better environment for learning. For example, there are online microscopes, presentation software, etc. The key is not to just post PowerPoints online and add a syllabus and call it an online course. The interaction and communication is key! Thanks for your input.
Michael,
You are so right. That lack of nonverbal communication makes a big difference. Communication is the key to successful teaching in any environment, but is especially important in the online environment. Thanks!
Why can't course content created for a face-to-face course be appropriate for an online course?
Some subject matter does not translate well taught in a virtual setting. For example, some health science courses require face to face interaction. Without this interaction the specific learning outcomes cannot be met.
Subject matter obstacles aside, the activities and the presentation of the material needs to take into account that the student is in essence teaching themselves the material presented. Unless there is a synchronous component, the instructor is not there explaining the material. There should be implementation of course tools that help the students understand the material presented. PowerPoints, videos, Jings, etc can be used to present the material in an effective manner.
By defintion online is not face to face. A course that was designed for face to face comm will require more interaction with the learners than the online environment. Online is going to require more clear communicating since the lack of nonverbal communication (Body language)is absent.
Mark,
We are going to have to rethink what "immediate" feedback is in online.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
