George,
The accomplishment of the course outcomes is essential. It sounds as though you are implementing a variety of teaching techniques. This is excellent in that it helps students learn and achieve the set objectives.
Your assessment piece is correct as well. It's essential to not only assess in a summative format at the end of the course, but formatively throughout the course. Getting feedback from students is essential in making the course better so that students can meet set goals.
Nice job. Thanks!
The first things that I think is important are the Terminal Course Objectives. These are set by the university with instructor input over the course of the year. These are standard across campuses. Next, I think that how I will ensure that students accomplish these is important. As I am online, I use a lot of visual material to teach the course, augmented by video, and two live hours per week in a chat. These appeal to most of the learning styles of the students with an occasional one-on-one with a student or group of students who need further information on subject matter they do not understand, APA and so forth. I also look at other activities to use in modules that have given students issues in the past. Finally, I think that assessment is important from square one so that problems with delivery can be noted and corrected, and so that I can determine that I am presenting material that is actually conducive to the learning styles of all students. Some students may need remedial instruction in some subject area work or I can identify students with whom I need to work with more closely on future assignments. For both categories of students, I will look at ways to make delivery in future courses more effective.
Bill,
Thanks you for your well thought out response. You bring up some very good points. Using the proper tools to design, develop and teach in an online environment are essential.
As you transition from teaching face-to-face (F2F) to the online environment, you are on the right track. Nice job!
The three most important things to consider when authoring an online line course are (1) the online environment, (2) online learning, and (3) the design and development of the course.
* Online Environment – (1) Understanding the different types of online applications and how they are used in learning and teaching activities. (2) The benefits and limitations of different online applications in the educational context. This may include e-mail, threaded discussions, real-time conferencing, multi-user domains, desktop video, audio graphics, groupware, file transfers, application software, simulations, and curriculum development and management.
* Online Learning – (1) How online learning compares to learning in a conventional class. (2) The characteristics of successful online learners and an effective online learning environment. (3) How online learning applies to those with special needs. This may include learning to learn, the social milieu, engagement theory (students actively engaged in their learning), netiquette, computer literacy, special needs, and gender equality.
* Design and Development of Online Courses – (1) The design considerations in creating an online course. (2) The nature of online curriculum and the authoring tools available to help create them. This may include development methodology, form and function, the team approach, course documents, integrating online and on-campus activities, authoring courses, and course quality.
- Bill Lembke 01/28/11
George,
Awesome! Thank you for your detailed information in this forum. Sounds like you are doing a great job in providing students with a variety of examples in multisensory ways. This is important with the varietly of learners you are teaching online.
The use of different technologies also makes the class more interesting and you are hitting on the word "edutainment." Entertaining education. Nice job.
Thank you.
Ana,
Thanks for you input. You are correct in making sure the content and objectives match. This is essential. Making the information clear is also essential. This leads to good communicaion, whether through email, the syllabus, discussion board, etc. with students.
Nice job.
I enjoy creating my own classes because it gives me some ability to add value. There are many areas to help assist me in teaching online. This environment would help by the use of weblinks, audio, video, website field trips and guest speakers.
Weblinks
Weblinks provides students with links to relevant web-sites. Weblinks contains searchable; • organized under a number of broad curriculum headings, each subdivided further. Each link has a brief summary.
Audio
This area is important to bring sound to the online environment.
Audio may refer to:
Sound that is capable of being heard
Sound recording and reproduction
Natural acoustic audio
Audio frequencies
Audio content
Audio book, a sound recording of a book
Audio content file format
Video
This area is important to bring video to the online environment. An example would be showing police arrest an individual during a criminal procedure class. Video is the technology of electronically capturing, recording, processing, storing, transmitting, and reconstructing a sequence of still images representing scenes in motion. Video technology was first developed for television systems, but has been further developed in many formats to allow for consumer video recording. Video can also be viewed through the Internet as video clips or streaming media clips on the internet and new ways for media to reach a global audience on their computer monitors.
Newbie here; I've never authored online courses either. But having taught for a long time, it's reassuring to see similar pedagogical threads in online and FF formats.
1) make sure the on line material meets the objectives of the class
2) Make the information, and instructions of the assignments as clear as possible
3) keep in mind the length of time it would take to do assignments
Kristin,
Thank you for your well thought out and organized response to this forum question. What you said falls right along the lines of what good teaching is:
Tell them (the students) what you're going to teach them.
Teach them (mostly with student-centered activities).
Tell them what you just taught them.
This incorporates your organized course content, objectives, teaching in a variety of ways, feedback, etc. Nice job.
I believe there are a several important components to creating worthy online learning content:
1. Be succinct. The structure of online learning and collaboration requires that the idea be reached quickly.
2. Have well-defined objectives. Students should identify with the point of a lesson at the very beginning.
3.Use loads of subheadings. Group information into specific parts and points to cause online reading to be more effective.
4. Convey material in a range of formats. Offer the choice to print out material, either as a Word or PDF file; utilize PowerPoint Presentations; use graphic models; and embed video or audio.
5. Reiterate points in a range of methods. Highlight important points at the beginning of a lesson or section, and recap it again at the conclusion.
6. Offer numerous opportunities for feedback and collaboration. This must be, after all, an addition to one-on-one interaction (not just a passive learning experience). Use interactive quizzes and games; if allowed require some sort of offline activity.
Best,
Kristin
Joseph,
Great. I'm glad you can utilize what you are learning in this course. Let us know how it works out.
Thank you.
Lawrence,
Thank you for your organized and complete response. Communication and a high level of design are important. I am also glad you brought up the point about the approval of the modules and/or syllabus. Many schools develop a consistent format across the curriculuma and this is an important aspect.
I do not believe this have been brought up before. Thank you.
These are absolutely true because we need to make sure that the interests and attention of students are focused on the topic at hand. We have to come up with the learning objective, plan/implementation and evaluation of the course as well.
When authoring my own online course, the three most important things to consider are:
1) The high level design of the course. This would include the text to be used, the course objectives/description, and the main assessments and/or project for the class.
2) Who specifically will need to approve the draft syllabus and all associated content modules. This may not be clear in many situations as many hands might be part of the mix. It is important to get clarification up front to avoid wasting time.
3) The communication and scheduling plan for the course developer. I have done course development and the better schools require frequent verification and interaction with the subject matter expert.
I really like this idea and will have to work that into my process.
Dalene,
Nice job. You are definitely thinking about what students need to learn, how to connect them to the students' "real world" and make them relevant and how you will deliver the content.
These seem like clear cut easy steps, but at times are very difficult. Communication is a key element. Make sure you communicate the learning outcomes to the students and offer content a variety of ways.
Thank you.
Three most important things to consider when authoring an online course are:
1. What are the core competencies that students must learn?
2. Why are those competencies important for the learner?
3. How will I design the course to deliver the knowledge of those competencies?
Tod,
Great ideas and steps to authoring your class. Even though many times you don't have to start from scratch on design, it's important to know what content you have and how to present it effectively.
Students learn in a variety of ways, so present information in a variety of ways as well. Also, provide a variety of outlets for assignmetns as long as they meet the learning objectives. For example, allow students to make a blog, wiki, presentation, concept map, etc. to meet the assignment requirements.
Nice job.
George,
Thank you for your well-thought out response. You provide good information in this forum.
Diversity is as you note not just culture or race. You are right on track when you realize that past knowledge and experiences are included.
Are you referring to the students' confort level with the content or how the instructor approached the content to deliver it to the students individually?
And, you are correct in noting that feedback is essential. Feedback (responding to students) should be a continual process.
Nice job.
