I agree with William's 3 important considerations, especially "know the subject you are teaching." I would like to add the importance of grammar checks. I rarely see spelling errors with online courses. However when I see grammar errors they make me question the knowledge level of the author/instructor. In addition, when key points are listed without numbering or bullet points, it can cause confusion for the student.
The three most important things to consider are
1. Student Knowledge Level : Different students have different knowledge levels and it could also vary by sections. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the student knowledge level.
2. Learning objectives: Every student takes the course for different reasons. For some, it is required and for some it is optional.
3. Online meetings: The course meetings will need to be held a time convenient to all students.
The three most important things to consider when authoring your own online course are:
1) Know your audience (students)
2) Understand the learning objectives
3) Consider more than one mode of instruction
The three most important things to consider when authoring an online course are:
1) Know your audience
2) Know the material
3) Know the platform (LMS)
Patrice,
You bring a wealth of information to the course. The experiences can help students connect the content to the real world. Thansk!
Patrice,
Right on - see it, do it, teach it. It's what the students have to do do get it. Thanks for your input.
I believe that the instructor should have experience under his/her belt before teaching any course. I worked on Wall Street for 20 years as a financial manager before I began teaching Financial Management as a professor. This allows me to tell stories about my experiences, and structure assignments that mimic what goes on in the real world.
What I like to do is relate the topics to everyday life. I say it, I draw it, and I try it in Excel or Word or on a powerpoint so they understand the topic at hand. I like the use of all senses, as you have said. I believe it makes a footprint in your brain once all senses are used. You comments regarding seeing it (sight), hearing (sound) and trying it (touch with keystrokes) allows the topic to become imbedded in a student's mind. Good post!
Patrice Nybro
corinne,
Concise, but good list. We must start with the course objectives and ensure we're doing what we can to help make the students successful. That includes understanding their knowledge base and needs. Thanks for your input.
What do you believe are the three most important things to consider?
1. The course objectives.
2. The students' knowledge base
3. The students' learning needs.
Frances,
Right on. I love your statement at just because you think the course is great that everyone else feels the same. Revisions are ongoing. Thanks.
The three most important things to know in authoriing an online class for me would be:
(1) Understand the requirements for the course so that the objectives are correctly determined at the beginning. If you do not understand what the end result for the course should be, then the correct content will not be in the course and the students will not learn the required information.
(2) Understand that content is more than text. Students will come to the class with more than one learning style, therefore, the content should be set out for the maximum impact on all learning styles. This can be difficult to do if there are not enough other resources such as audio and video available for that particular course.
(3) Revision and testing is required on an ongoing basis. Just because you think the course is great does not mean that students and others would think the same. Ongoing revisions based on feedback from students and others is essential for a course to be the best course possible.
Frances
Rick,
Right on and I like the word stakeholders. That sums it up. There are many stakeholders and they are all different. Thanks for your input.
When authoring an online course, I think first and foremost one must know the stakeholders who will be the learners. Their commitment to the course, their expectations, their time they are willing to spend with the course responsibilites, and what the learners need or want to gain from the objectives of the course are all important.
I think a second component of authoring an online course is understanding how to assess mastery of the objectives for the students. The course needs to be designed to allow for not only student success, but more importantly, assessment tools need to be developed to ensure mastery of the material for all students.
Lastly, as the author, I need to be a content expert. Learners will ask questions and my knoweldge, background, and experience should be used to enhance the curriculum and material being developed.
Russell,
The content and organization of that content is very important. We always want to remember to create a module and make sure it works before we make several more. Thanks for your input.
When authoring an online course these three components would be the most important things to consider.
Make sure the content, sequence, and assessment format is easy-to-use and makes sense to the student.
Organize an effective learning object database.
Review and revise the course module template on a regular basis.
Jonathan and William,
Thanks for keeping the conversation going. You are so right in that communication can come in many forms, but is an absolute must to get everything else done. Thanks!
Elivett,
The instructor must know the content and provide it to students in a variety of ways. Thanks for your input.
Anthony,
Yes, your expectations connected to your learning outcomes. Thanks!
I have to agree with William. Know the audience but also understand the individual student learner. Providing personal contact will enhance the learners experience and help all meet their desired objective.
I agree with the second point, but suggest that an instructor must be a subject matter expert. I believe continuing education is essential to maintaining that knowledge and remaining knowledgeable on the subject matter.
Although I agree with the third being communication, I suggest that this takes many forms in an online environment and all forms of technology must be utilized efficiently.
