Where do I start with this question???!!! :-)
Having taught in the virtual classroom that was merely on-ground content dumped into an online venue - the students, facilitators, and tech support personnel were more than frustrated!!
Because on-ground content is designed with the understanding that the instructor will be seeing the student on a face-to-face daily basis, much information is not as clear as it should be made in the course content. This can be cleared up and expanded on inside the brick and mortar classroom.
This becomes horrendous to deal with in the online venue! Online course content must be written and tailored to meet the type of instruction that will be delivered to have the best teaching possible!
Dr. Vicki,
I too love the post. Not only is content dumped, instructors are dumped in online education and told there is really no difference, you have taught this before; yea, right!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hi Marti: I laughed out loud when I saw your use of the word "dumped"--because that's exactly what it is! And I've seen that happen many times before too when I've consulted with schools that are thinking about offering online courses. I've gotten to a point now when I hear "we'll just take the classes we offer now and that will take care of it," I gently recommend that a few key administrators (and I was one myself for 20+ years) take a course in instructional design. Even if they don't want to do that though, I can educate them on the differences. It's fun seeing the lightbulb goes off and they realize their school's foray into online will be so much more than a dumping process. Vicki
Reginald,
I totally agree with you. Clarity, proper organization and communication must be the focal point.
Cora D.
Susan,
Yes, it can be frustrating. I use quite a bit of case studies as well as simulations that I can adapt from publishers.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
That happened to me with one of our courses....very frustrating. Had to adapt almost all of the assignments for the on-line environment. On-line needs a much heavier emphasis on analyzing the application because in a way, the students have to be able to evaluate their own application of the knowledge. I find that assignments that require the student to do an in depth analysis of their abilities to apply the information are critical in the on-line classroom :)
Jeanice,
True! Hopefully you find that your online course and your f2f courses complement each other!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I had to develop an online course from a F2F program and it took me a lot of hits and misses before I could get it right. Just the ability to get up in front of my class and clarify a question they all had seems so much easier than having to write it out.
Jeanice Porta
Kim,
You are sooooo smart to study instructional design. I find that many times when I transform content into an online course I use the tools for my f2f. I want anytime learning and those tools allow that. Great effort!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I have seen this happen too and is really frustrating! I find that I supplement online materials with mini-lectures using Educreations and also implement social tools to augment the class.
Online materials need to be just that, online materials and cannot simply take a face to face class, make a couple of adjustments, and voila.. an online course.
I am enrolled in an instructional design program and am learning excellent methods to help in designing online courses and cannot wait to put my newly found skills to use!
Kim
Linnea,
You make a great point. There is really no way to keep them exactly alike. There is really some education to be done regarding online ed with administrators!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
One of the big problems I have had to deal with is when a course is taught both in the online and traditional format. For instance, one section is online and the other is on ground. The administration wants everything in both courses to be the same to ensure that both groups are getting the same content. However, in a lot of cases, administration designs the on ground course without understanding that the online environment is different.
This can be frustrating for both the instructors and the students.
Faryl,
Well said. You may have to work with students so they can develop good online learning habits.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree with your completely. It is so important to realize that the content objectives will remain but how the students learn the information and what they do with the information will change drastically.
on that note it is also realistic if you are viang in to the one asppct of how the studenta realize the potential of you teaaching.
Reginald,
I like the term "make up communication" You are exactly right!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Reginald,
Right on. Clear, consistent communication is the key. You do not want to leave anything out just for students to try to figure out. Clear is good. Thanks!
This is more fact than question. In a non face-to-face format clarity and proper organization of course content is a must. Otherwise, you will confuse and dis-interest the average online learner. Thus leading to too much make up communication to clarity course information.
Reginald
