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

Will Online Learning Replace the Traditional Classroom?

Daniel, Interesting perspective. I would agree with much of what you mention. There are pros and cons of online delivery. However, the research does show that clearly Online is still growing as well as web hybrid or blended classrooms. I personally do not believe that online will completely replace traditional; however, we will continue to see growth in the areas most easily transferred to online environments. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Instructor Presence

Cynthia, That is a good point. A college success course could be the main factor in the students' future success or failure in college coursework. Helping them understand the different paradigm is critical for their success. It doesn't mean you never are a sage, at times you do have to present materials to them; however, the majority of time is spent guiding them in their learning. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Faculty Expectations

Dean , Good. I like how you include both expectations for the students and for yourself relative to the course. It really helps to set the positive tone for the course. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Faculty Expectations

Daniel, I agree that the faster you respond to your students the more the students will feel you are connect and present in the course. However, that can be problematic for the instructor. Is it fair that the instructor should have to be connected 24/7? Establishing clear expectations of when and how you will communicate will allow the instructor to have some time to themselves too. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

The Responsibilities of Teaching Online

Candace, Good point. This reinforces the need for clear expectations for both students and instructors so students know NOT to expect a 24/7 response, but also understand what they should expect. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio

Daniel, I would say that your reflection is consistent with others. The ideal ratio of 15-20:1 for the average course. There are many factors that can influence the ideal size of a course including level of content, design of the course, writing intensity, etc. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Faculty Expectations

Cynthia, That is true, faculty expectations can be established for you. However, if you have the flexibility you really need to reconsider them and add to them for your specific courses. We need to make sure we consider not only student expectations for the course, but also expectations of what the instructor should do and when. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Instructor Presence

Ruby, Great point. Even online students do value that personal touch and interaction. Sometimes we can get that connection through online video conferencing and sometimes through a phone call. Whatever works to connect on a personal level with the students. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Faculty Expectations

Ruby, You are right, this information is extremely valuable to the students but they don't always read the expectations and then ask questions later that are clearly spelling out. So how do we address that. Many instructors will have one of the first assignments or quizzes in the class based on the Syllabus and course expectations. This ensures the students have to review the materials to pass the assessment and you, the instructor, have documentation that they did know this material at the beginning of the course. Herbert Brown III

Herbert Brown III

Discussion Comment

Engaging Learners in Discussion

Dan, I agree. I try to respond as quickly as possible to students, and they do notice. They feel that I am more connected with them when I connect quickly than if it takes me until the next day to respond. Timeliness is a critical element in responding to students. Herbert Brown III

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