Rashunda,
Thank you for your post. A good f2f course can (and should) take time to create and adjust. You may have more challenges in the online just because of familiarity.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Melissa,
I agree with you. You don't have to "throw the baby out with the bath water", you have to develop your own online style.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The course content for a face-to-face course may involve heavy use of lectures. In the online environment this tool is not appropriate due to the asynchronous nature of the virtual classroom. As such, content that is interactive must be developed to engage the student.
Ted Framan
Not only by design the F2F course would not fit online, it works vice versa too! There are many advantages to online which is consistently moving toward F2F capability. I have had guest speakers that literally can present themselves and how to do things on video feed in front of the online class. Technology is very quickly approaching the point where online capabilities will really be comparable to F2F minus the actual tactile elements of the environment.
Course content created for face to face content is not enough in the online course.. it can't merlt be transfered it must be transformed and done in such a way that it engages the online learner.
Charlene,
You have to look at the options in the online environment. You make a great point about changing some but not changing all.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Colleen,
It looks like you have a solid game plan. Good for you! Don't you love Jing!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Greetings.
The f2f material is created for the classroom environment in a building where students are sitting. There are many elements we may be able to use or modify and then can use in the online environment. The one guiding feature that both classes share are the objectives.
In most online items the material has to be self-explanatory since assistance may not be available at 3AM to the student.
The level of engagement and types of communication will also vary a great deal.
As with any class...always try to put yourself in the student shoes and see how they are perceiving the class material.
Be awesome.
John
I think some content can...however there needs to be serious consideration of what communication needs to be altered in order to ensure a valid learning experience in light of all that is lost with the lack of F2F time.
I think face-to-face can be appropriate in online course by having a chat session. This gives the student an opportunity to ask specific questions and feel a little more comfortable with the instructor.
Course content designed for the face-to-face learning environment may not be appropriate for an online course because of the type of learners participating in the course. Online content must be thought out and well planned, not to say that face-to-face content does not. There are many things to consider in an online environment such as the demographics of the learners, appropriate technology to use so that content is easy to access and understand, and the way in which feedback is delivered to the student, just to name a few. It is easier to accomplish each of these in a face-to-face environment because learning is "real-time". Making provisions to content in a reasonable time is more challenging in online course content.
I think there are many elements of F2F courses that can be used within online courses so long as they are modified for the online environment. There is no reason to disregard a beautifully created Power Point presentation just because it was made for a F2F classroom. Rather, for the online class the PPT can be used effectively by add in audio or even using it for a synchronous lecture. It is true that F2F instruction and online instruction are very different, however instructors should use any and all materials they have that suit the objectives and environment of the online classroom.
While an online line course can be a combination of both asynchronous and synchronous environment, a face-to-face class usually means that the student and the instructor generally communicate with each other during the same time. While there may be some assessments that are taken online, the actually learning, lectures, discussions take place in the physical classroom. The interaction between the student and the instructor may be enhanced to role playing or classroom group challenges that cannot take place in the online environment. Or at best may be difficult for the concept to come across in an online class.
Content created for a face-to-face course will have to be modified for the online course. The delivery method wil influence the content in an online environment. If the delivery method is asynchronous, more detail must be included.
I have provided course content for online courses and attempted to align them with the on ground class course content. I had to break the topics down into subtopics, and clearly label the subtopics so students could navigate to the topics. I then provided Jing demonstrations of the topic.
Carlos,
I don't agree. You can have immediate response using chatting or skype or other technology. You are limiting yourself in the online environment. Students are adapting to this type of learning.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Randy,
While I agree that f2f and online learning have different fits, I don't think you lose 80% of the communication. There is different communication not less communication. The challenge is to make the online environment a successful learning experience in a different way.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Virginia,
I don't think students have to self teach in an online course. I do think we as instructors have to find "new" ways of teaching our content online effectively.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
David,
Great points. It is quite frustrating. The use of publisher material and LMS makes the instructor required to juggle several balls in the air!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
It is obvious, this definition should be implemented in like manner. Otherwise, they would have defined it virtual environment. I see your point Michael.
The real-time face-to-face content does not allow the student for immediate response, feedback or immediate explanation. This is something that students need in a face-to-face environment. Another reason, why many students fail to attend school online. Many of the answers I get from students, is I can't do this online thing, I need to go in a classroom.
