Taghreed,
The platform is essential in engaging students, providing a repository for learning elements and helping students learn. This in coordination with knowing your content and students will enhance the learning process.
Thanks.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
Steve,
Love that you provided these in question format. Thanks. They are excellent questions and make us all think about what we need to know for our own course and content.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
Daniel,
You hit the nail on the head. When you engage the students and they see the relevancy on the content, they will be more responsive and enjoy learning.
Thanks.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
Amanda,
Your key point is well taken - knowing your audience. Once you know this, you can organize and reach accordingly.
Thanks.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
cynthia,
Clear and simple is the key. When instructions and expectations are clear and subject matter is provided in a variety of formats, the level of student success is higher. Thanks.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
Otis,
Yes, Hess three things re of the utmost importance and should be integrated. Thanks.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
Detra,
Misinterpretation can happen easily so you are right - do what you can to alleviate that possibility best you can. Thanks.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
Kurt,
You are right. I have had students tell me that I provide too much detail and it gets in the way. You have to find a balance.
Dr. Tena B. Crews
Joanna;
Not knowing one's subject matter is an effective way to alienate the class from the instructor. The good news is oftentimes students with a wealth of experience and practical training can bring fresh ideas and information into the course. It is a real treat to learn from those students and to witness the exchange of ideas in the discussions. Thanks.
Amanda;
Item number two on your list is particularly vital, in my opinion. Students often sift through a syllabus in search of technical errors, loopholes, and so forth. It is all part of the theme of finding the shortest route between two points, which would be starting the course and leaving with a satisfactory grade. What you suggest makes a great deal of sense. It also helps avoid answering numerous emails and messages about the meaning of a particular item in the course / syllabus. For beginners, the course plan can seem daunting. So, having a well organized and clearly drafted organizational plan is necessary. Thanks.
Trip;
Let me add something to your comments about target audience. I think you are exactly right in that regard. I teach graduate courses for another institution. The topics are very complex and involve a great deal of research and critical thinking by the students. Normally, the backgrounds of the students vary wildly from recently graduated newbies to 30-year veterans in some of working environment within government or the service. The particular course has different attractions for these people. Some are passionate, as you noted, about the topic while others simply want to muddle through and get to a satisfying conclusion e.g. a good grade.
The balance is very challenging; sometimes I get frustrated because I cannot find enough common ground for all of the students to participate in earnest. One telltale sign is asking a question, however brief, and not receive a response from a student.
If you have some ideas on striking a balance I would be very happy to read them. Thanks
Over time I've found several factors are instrumental in the success of my online courses. There are more than three things that I consider essential, but among them I would include the following:
1. Clarity; expressed as effective, direct, and recognizable communication between students and myself. This item requires an understanding that the language of online instruction is not the same as that used in a ground course.
2. Assessment; this is a fundamental requirement for an effective course. Assessment measures performance, provides standardized scales for measurable outcomes, direct students in satisfying and understanding the relationship between rubrics and performance. This may well be the single most important factor to me. Without it, I do not know how we could evaluate the efficacy and student centered outcomes for a course. This includes such items has expectations, scoring systems, and so forth.
3. Scaffolding; by this I refer to the integration of an array of instructional modalities such as video, live chats, hot links, e-folios, research building skills, forum based dialogues, and the proper location of basic writing guidelines e.g. APA.
For me online instruction is a bit like standing on constantly shifting ground. That is a plethora of instructional options available. I must pick and choose carefully depending on the length and level of the course as well it as the needs of the institution. It is easy to get swept away through immersion of too many of these instructional options thus denying students the opportunity to demonstrate success in those areas that really matter. I am referring to the areas of critical thinking, research, and the translation of knowledge into application.
At this stage in my online instructional career I think less is more, so to speak. The goal is not too overwhelmed or saturate a student with too many options and too much information. In my opinion the goal is to be able to connect student learning with outcomes and a variety of instructional means. How we get there within the online environments is, of course, the challenge.
Thanks
1. Knowing the student's knowledge base and realistic objectives for the course (where they are at, and where they want to go);
2. Providing practical, useful knowledge and skills that are relevant to the objectives of the course
3. doing your best to make the online course as interesting as possible!
These items are very important:
1. The online platform that will be used for the course. If the platform supports live chat, then there should be component for live chat.
2. The audience and their expected knowledge. One cannot give too much content if audience is not ready.
3. Engage the audience
The three most important things to me would be:
1. Who is my audience?
2. What do I want them to know and be able to apply?
3. How do they learn?
The first is important because the subject matter may different for different target audiences.
The second is important because of all the subject matter available, I have to select that which is most applicable to the goals the students have or those that I perceive the learners to have.
The third is important because as we all know, learners learn in different ways. What are methods that best fit that audience?
Great question,
I am a history instructor, so it is one of those fields that many students have already written off as "boring" because of their past high school experiences. For me engagement is important. Sometimes it is hard enough to get students engaged when they are staring you in the face in a classroom setting, online there are many temptations that might cut a student's learning short.
So my three most important issues would be:
1) Finding alternative content delivery. Yes, the book and the written lecture are important in a fact driven discipline such as mine, but even in a ground classroom, the value comes in a more dynamic presentation. I need to replicate that dynamic presentation online through the use of documentaries, learning games, or podcasts, to name a few.
2) Creating a learning environment. I always think of this as a "safe" place for students to come and express their opinions. They need to be able to ask any question they desire, and also explore topics with other students. So creating a "warm" environment that encourages the expansion of knowledge is important.
3) Evaluation. I don't think traditional testing works online. One cannot just give a giant multiple choice and essay test three times a semester. Students don't retain information online the same way as on ground. I think evaluation must be more often, and more creative.
Anyway, those are my three most important things when authoring an online course. I hope it is alright that I took the liberty of personalizing the question to my specific discipline.
I would say the following are most important, although this list could certainly go on!
1. Knowing the subject and what students should achieve or learn in the subject.
2. Organization and a plan! Make sure the sections are manageable and useful to students and that it "makes sense" to them.
3. Knowing the audience. Make sure that students find the material accessible and as useful as possible.
1. Be clear in expectations for assignments, reading, grading
2. Clean, simple presentations
3. Multiple formats
Hi Tena and classmates,
I believe the three most important things are:
a. the students
b. the subject matter
c. the Learning Management System (LMS)
After teaching at several online schools, I have found that the type of student targeted by the school is different. Therefore,one must definitely know the type of students you are dealing with at your university. This will certainly impact your decision on how you author your online course.
The subject matter of your course is of great importance. One must certainly have command of the subject matter and keep up with any new research and information that might be available. One wants to be knowledgeable so that one may lead and inform his/her students. One also wants to be able to challenge his/her students with breaking or up-to-date news.
I feel knowing the LMS in which you are teaching is of the utmost importance because one needs to know what resources are available to you when you are authoring your course. The LMS is not a "one size fits all" at all universities. We must be able to adjust and adapt to the nuances of each system and tap into the resources that will best help our targeted student audience to learn.
Hi Tena and classmates,
I believe the three most important things are:
a. the students
b. the subject matter
c. the Learning Management System (LMS)
After teaching at several online schools, I have found that the type of student targeted by the school is different. Therefore,one must definitely know the type of students you are dealing with at your university. This will certainly impact your decision on how you author your online course.
The subject matter of your course is of great importance. One must certainly have command of the subject matter and keep up with any new research and information that might be available. One wants to be knowledgeable so that one may lead and inform his/her students. One also wants to be able to challenge his/her students with breaking or up-to-date news.
I feel knowing the LMS in which you are teaching is of the utmost importance because one needs to know what resources are available to you when you are authoring your course. The LMS is not a "one size fits all" at all universities. We must be able to adjust and adapt to the nuances of each system and tap into the resources that will best help our targeted student audience to learn.
