The Big 3 are:
1) Adhering University/Department standards for outcomes for the subject
2) Course integrity, it should be the closes approximation to the campus course as possible
3) Form/Flow/Structure. It must look good, flow seamlessly and be structurally sound.
The Big 3 are -
1) University/Department outcomes and standards for the course
2) Understanding the material and what you need to include
3) Maintaining course integrity - online does not mean easy. It should be a realistic alternative to the campus course.
Terry,
I agree. We are getting a lot of great feedback through these forums. Thanks for your input as well.
Many great ideas have already been expressed. Here is my top 3 list:
1. What do I want my students to learn.
2. Who are my students, i.e., what are the characteristics of students in my class.
3. Given the tools available to me, i.e., the platform available to me, my student population, and my objectives, how can I best use these tools to accomplish #1.
Sincerely,
Terry Weaver
Laura,
You are starting off right. Students must understand the expectations and the course outcomes. You are also so right about keeping the content current. Nice job. Keep up the good work.
I am in the process of developing my online course. I have a very specific audience I serve who expect (if not demand) a big return for their time. The first thing I am considering is the overall goal/objective of the course. I need to answer the question, why would someone take time out of their busy day to seek out what I am offering online. A second key component is ease of access and use. If it takes more than two times to get access or acquire the necessary software/hardware, I've lost them. I cannot waste their time. Third, with the content I work with I need the ability to easily upload the latest information into the course infrastructure. For my institution that means permissions. I need full access to my course page to manipulate the content and structure. If I cannot keep the content current, there is no point to developing the course.
Willie ,
It is an important decision. I personally like a mix of asynchronous and synchronous, but each course and situation is different. Thanks.
Willie ,
Right on. Making sure you have the supplemental information you and the students need is essential. Not everything we need is in the book. Thanks for noting the importance of additional resources. Thanks.
Joe, I agree that delivery is important. But, I am wondering, however; when you say delivery do you mean synchronous or asynchronous? Since the typical elements of an online course include the "lecture" (in text and/or video clips or compressed video), graphics, other course materials and resources, such as links and downloadable files, audio, e-mail, and perhaps a threaded discussion, it may be important to consider whether or not the course is being delivered synchronously or asynchronous. I have done both. :-)
Frank, I agree that learning objectives are important. Clearly written course goals and learning objectives provide a roadmap through the course content. As the instructor designs the course, the course goals guide the selection of material and the learning objectives impact the methods used to assess student learning.
One thing that I feel is most important is the same thing I would do for a f2f class: collect my materials. This includes my notes, textbook, hand-outs, quizzes, exams, assignments/papers/projects, online resources, journal articles, and any pertinent computer files for these resources.
Next, I believe that analyzing what I like about the f2f course and try to come up with ways to transfer that to an online environment is important. I think that organizing my f2f course into modules is important. A module may be a concept I wish to examine, a chapter, or some important element in the writing process.
The final thing is to investigate the online resources that I will include in the class. Before I start creating my online class, I get an idea of what's possible. I examine other courses on the internet to see the features I like and those I definitely do not want to emulate.
Joanna,
Thank you for your thorough discussion of these essential components. I also find it difficult when I think of the essential components to limit it to only three. You bring up great points about knowing your students and helping them learn and improve. The online environment has to be carefully considered as we facilitate the learning. Thanks again.
Stanley,
And, if they create your rubrics, make sure they actually measure your learning outcomes.
I believe that the three most important things to consider are:
1) Audience
There is a lot to consider with audience. However, in an on-line learning community, I think one of the main aspects to know about the audience is how comfortable they are with technology and being in an on-line environment. I have had a lot of students who come to class claiming to hate computers and not be "computer savvy." Knowing something about an audience can help with how the course is structured and how "technology-based" it is.
2) Knowledge of student learning (generally) and subject matter (specifically)
Knowledge of student learning and learning styles can greatly enhance authoring a course. Having a wide variety of programs to engage students of different learning styles is key. This can be a challenge in an on-line learning environment sometimes because, at least in my case, a lot of our classes are lecture-based. They are live lectures on microphones and webcams, but the students do have the option of becoming very passive. Therefore, it is important to continually seek out new ways to educate through different learning styles. The second part of knowledge that is important is knowing the subject matter. If the instructor is not well-informed on his/her subject or topic, the students will not have a sense of trust with that instructor. This can create a hostile environment that can impede learning greatly.
3) Create and post a syllabus that works as a contract between instructor and student.
Too many times, I have seen that students claim not to know what a course entails and requires. I believe that a syllabus (combined with a quiz on it so that the students have to prove that they have read and comprehended it) is necessary so that the instructor knows going into a new class that all the students are on the same page. This "contract" also builds a sense of trust in that the instructor knows what to expect of the students and the students know what to expect of the instructor. A syllabus can also be a necessary jumping-off point for students to evaluate the course and ask the instructor any questions. This can clear up confusion before the course really begins. I've had a lot of issues with students in the past not putting in any time outside of class. I had dealt with the opinion that if they don't learn something while being in class, then it won't be learned. From what I have learned about authoring,going forward, I would like to endeavor to put something in the syllabus discussing that outside work and homework is necessary to succeed in the course.
Tony,
Yes, it is crucial. The feedback must be meaningful and help the student improve. Nice job.
Tony,
Excellent. What are we teaching? Who are our audience members? How can I get the information to them. Thanks for your input.
Les,
An audience analysis is important in any setting. The more we know about our students the better we can provide information to them. Thanks!
John,
Yes, you are right. Keeping the content current and engaging students are so key to the success of the students. Important and challenging (as you said) are key words describing this as well. Thanks for your input.
I won't be authoring my own course, since the university I teach at does the course authoring. I will more likely be adding additional elements, such as wikis or blogs.
Feedback is crucial. It helps the student understand where they are in terms of the course objectives. It’s often easy to find deficiencies in student’s work. I certainly point out areas for improvement and include specific references for remediation. I also attempt to point out the positive areas in the work.
