Walter,
Your three things revolve around the students. It is important to consider the students fully. Then, consider the course content and how you will deliver that content. Nice job.
Dr. Tena Crews,
When teaching your own online course, I believe the three most important things to consider are:
• Anticipate online issues and student’s needs
• Who are your students, what their backgrounds are and what the best way to scaffold the information being presented in the class.
• Make the discussions interesting enough that the students want to participate in the learning process.
Walter
Craig,
It is important to be prepared to teach the content and be able to effectively use the technology you need to teach and communication at your best. Your list of things to consider will help you do this. Thank you.
When teaching an online course i consider the following things to be most important:
1. Strong Preparation. Your classroom should be fully examined and prepared as far ahead of the star date as possible. All the course content should be reviewed for any errors or inconsistencies. Also, all initial course documents and materials should be prepared and uploaded.
2. Prompt Communication. You should communicate proactively with your students as frequently as possible with class announcements. Also, any discussions that occur should have your input as much as possible to generate further interest. Of course, any correspondence you receive form the student, via email, chat, etc. should be addressed in a timely fashion.
3. Prompt Feedback. I separate this from Point 2 because when it comes to grades and work feedback, I feel that those responses must be prompt, meaningful, and accurate. There is nothing more discouraging to a student than not receiving clear, timely feedback from an instructor concerning grades and comments on their work.
Vimlarani,
It is important to carefully consider synchronous vs. asynchronous sessions. They both should be designed to be student-centered and assist in the learning process. Thanks!
Three most important things to consider are S2S, S2I, G2G, these lead to learner centered approaches. Use of Wikis, Blogs, Emails, and DB in synchronous or asynchronous sessions (by choice) becomes equally important.
The goal being how to produce big gains in student learning, helping students to accept that there is more than one right answer, and learning in the course should not end when the course ends. The goal being engaging students on the first day of the class and keeping them engaged as the course ends. The long term effect of student centered learning is that students develop lifelong Problem solving skills.
Marjorie,
Yes, the better we understand "where the students are coming from", the better we can develop content to meet their needs.
Thanks for your input.
Consider the knowledge in the discipline that the students may come in with.
Consider that there will be varying levels of computer and technology understanding.
Aim to be very clear and the steps and tasks the students are to complete in being successful in the online course.
Nicole,
Good "C" words - clarity, consistency, communication, course design and not be confusing. These are all important to achieve that balanced approach. Thanks!
The three concepts that came to mind when reading this question were clarity, consistency and balance of variety. It is important that all aspects of the course (content, assessment, resources, etc.) are clearly communicated – which is where clarity should guide design. Everything must remained focused on the learning goals, which is where consistency comes into play. Consistency is also valuable in terms of course design and navigation. ‘Balance of variety’ took me a while to put into words. There needs to be adequate information to cover a wide variety of learning styles and experiences. But too much variety can become confusing or overwhelming. Different approaches to the material are required but they must be presented in a balanced and approachable manner to truly be useful to the students.
Jacinda,
Right on! You have highlighted the students experiences of different types and helping them succeed in the online experience. Thanks!
Hi Tena and All!
I think the three most important things to consider when teaching an online course are:
1. The skill level of the student
2. Life experiences of the student
3. Previous learning experiences of the student.
By taking these factors into account, an instructor can provide the best possible online experience for the student. Such factors can also help instructors to understand the student better.
What are the best techniques to use in order to learn more about each student on an individual basis?
Thanks,
Jacinda
Kimberly,
Good info. We do need to what the students know already to move them forward to meet the learning outcomes. This can only be done through a variety of delivery formats. Thanks!
1. Developing effective communication
2. The delivery format
3. Understanding what my students need to know and closing the loop holes
Edwin,
Ah - the syllabus. Many times it is the first point of communication and is so important. It serves many purposes as you pointed out. Thanks!
Dr. Cecil,
You have a great list of things that impact the scaffolding of learning. Thanks for bringing them all to our attention.
Laurie,
Yes, these revolve around the students. Who they are, what they want to learn and what they need to achieve. Thanks!
First the syllabus and course navigation should be such that the student knows where to start with the course, the sequence and location of the study materials etc.
Second that the students know the methods of communication that will be used and how to use them in the learning process. I find the hardest thing is to get students to communicate when they don't understand the subject matter or how to do assignments.
Third it is important that the students know why they are taking the course and how it applies their field of study. I like to place the students in the role of employee and myself the employer where I expect assignments to be accomplished in a professional manner as if their status in the company depended on it.
Scaffolding the students’ learning in dynamic and varied venues through the use of all the technologies afforded by online environments is achieved by developing an appropriate syllabus, fostering communication among all stakeholders in the class, and developing a community conducive to learning using all synchronous and asynchronous tools available; wikis, discussion boards, chats, blogs, social media pages, and others that may be appropriate to specific disciplines. To do this effectively, you must develop a dynamic and interactive syllabus, establish avenues and rules for effective communication, and provide “structure for student learning and focus for student activities.â€
Who the students are, what they want to learn, what the desired outcome of the course is.
