Three Considerations
Hello,
Often because most people have written since kindergarten or before, they may assume they write well and in a professional manner. For one particular institution where I have worked, an editor was in place, and after curriculum was in place, either she or one of her assistant editors would copy edit it. In this case, the school overall used APA format. In other schools, I have sometimes seen a variety of errors in the wording for the directions and assignments in the online classes themselves. If a school or a department has chosen a particular academic style, I think it is important to have all instructions for online classes to follow that style and focus on general literacy. Students learn from what they see.
In a class I took while working for a degree a year ago, one of the textbook used was particularly interesting. In Usability Testing and Research by Carol Barnum, in a chapter that focused on various levels of usability testing, information was provided that on many cases, information is created so that the managers who need to approve it will understand it. This can lead to problems. Ideally, information presented for use in online classes should focus on student understanding and accessibility.
Testing is very important. All links need to work well. Iteration also needs to be in place, where sites can be checked regularly to make sure everything is working well. Also, it is beneficial to review course content regularly to see if changes or updates are needed for the material presented to students.
Andy,
There's no better way to see things from the student's point of view is to take an online course. If you get the opportunity to do so, do. You are right in that keeping students focused is important.
To do this, communicate the learning outcomes to the students clearly. And, connect the learning outcomes to each assignment/project.
Thanks.
I have not Participated in any online Education, However as with any student, the more relaxed & focused you can keep them the better they will perform.
Mark,
There is some research about students writing skills in particular in relation to how much they text. I try to make my students write in every class. They need the practice.
Thanks.
As times change more and more of the students struggle with the ability to read and write. I believe this is due to the advancements in technology, such cell phones and the internet.
Marcia,
Testig is important and it's clear taht you have a good grasp on that topic. It's important to make sure the tests are reliable and valid and measure what you want them to measure. Keeping the course content up-to-date and checking the navigation of the course consistently is also key.
Nice job.
