There have been some great responses to this question on this forum! I enjoy getting to know my students in the classroom. In addition, I have found that even with students I have not met face-to-face, I can develop a good working relationship from sending comprehensive emails & discussion responses that respond fully to students' questions and perhaps even anticipate their next questions. Adding personal notes is helpful, too - the equivalent of that face-to-face smile. For example, a seasonal greeting, 'have a good weekend' when it's late in the week, or a comment on something from their bio; these extra bits say clearly that I am interested in you and enhance the belief that this teacher really cares about student success.
Richard:
This is a very thoughtful response. I believe the risk of students disappearing when they hear of the written expression rquirements is high; but not at the university level at which, for major projects, they may be required to follow either thre institution's Style Guide, or another Publication Manual.
The other side of th coin---I have seen talented multimedia developers, graphic designers, software developers etc who fail to produce acceptable products because they failed to comprehend the Specifications to which they were required to abide.
With great sincerity, I also share your thoughts of McLuhan. Many may view me as old fashioned; hovever, if I were given the option to teach on-the-ground or online, I will choose on-the-ground. I maintain that "Humans are gregarious". We have always been and are likely to continue to be so. The synergy generated in a face-to-face learning environment cannot, in my opinion, ever be replicated in an online environment.
Satrohan
Very interesting answers; from their content it appears that most people think students, like instructors, have to work harder to communicate effectively online as opposed to traditional teaching. I wonder how that can be communicated to them so they don't disappear into the woodwork as the course goes along?
As somebody who has real trouble with reading (or even seeing) body language and vocal tones, online learning looks easier...but it also seems colder and less fun since I find it a pleasure to talk with students and listen to them as we have conversations. It certainly is possible to have a chat in synchronous mode, but it is a bit removed from the real world.
Related to that, I am concerned, too, that it would be easy with online learning for a course's material to take over the class--in othe words, what we are studying becomes entrenched to the point where there is less flexible discussion about the subject and more canned responses to what is being presented. (It's sort of the difference between wandering throgh a library and picking up books near each other and just doing a database search with narrow preestablished parameters--more efficient, but you might miss some interesting things.)
Once again I think McLuhan was onto something when he discussed how a medium can become the message that people respond to.
Chris:
In your rsponse, you have certainly added another another dimension that I have never considered before----peer pressure, and I am a written face.
Satrohan
No, I think you actually gain the ability to know your students. Students sometimes act differently in traditional classroom environments, for example they bend to peer pressure and to "fit in with" those around them. There is a certain anonymity with taking courses on-line that allows greater honesty. I am a written face, not a physical one - I can ask questions and not get the "you are dumb" look from others. I can respond to discussion posts and not have the feeling threatened for staying involved look.
I have always enjoyed the "post your introduction" in the discussion boards as it does allow me to know who I am in a class with. I look forward to meeting and reading about each new group of students.
-Chris
Fernando:
This has been a concern for many institutions; not so much for students who are are already professionsal; but for students who are undergraduates and lower. I do not know of any way in which you can verify the authenticity of students online. Some institutions administer proctored exams as a way of encouraging students to do their own work.
Satrohan
I know this is not related to you question but I am curious about it.
Is there a real concern for online teaching to make sure that the person on the other side of the synchronous or asynchronous discussion is our student? I have not taught on line yet.
Michelle:
I agree. Current technology supports different strategies an instructor can adopt to establish and maintain relationships with his or her students and this includes gaining an undertsanding of the students; for example, assessing their entry level skills.
Satrohan
No, I don't believe you would lose the ability to get to know your students. It may be more difficult, but with today's technology it is possible.
Joanne:
TO answer your question about the outcomes approach, it depends what the objective of the course is. When I use the term learning outcomes, I refer to learning objectives. For example, the objective could be for the learner to use the software to solve problems in the workplace without the use of reference materials. The objective must have a capability verb that can be measured. In this case, you have another dimension-----"with the confidence" . You will have to find a measure that enables you to conclude that the student exhibits this criterion.
I hope that the clarification I have offered about using the two terms synonomously is of some help.
Satrohan
Hard skills to me simple familiarity with a software application; Word Processing perhaps. Soft skills are those classes like the development of critical thinking argument, persuasion.
If I were to apply where the Outcomes approach should be applied: do I want to have a student simply go through a text book on software application with point & click skills or do I wish to know that a student can complete a course with the confidence to use a software application as a problem solver in the workplace without a list of instructions.
I have seen evidence that online courses are simply the results of successfully uploading completed prescribed exercises.
Joanne:
You have done an excellent job in capturing the trend technology has played in learning. I remember the days in which radio was introduced; slide presentations, narrated slide presentations, television, interactive videodisc; and the wonderful promise of the predominance of intelligent tutoring systems by the early nineties.
I am not sure I comprehend your first question. In regards to the second question, in my opinion, one cannot separate the desired learning outcomes from instructional and delivery strategies.
I have not had any experience with any institution in which the desired learning outcomes are the last on the list. They are more upfront, and in many cases are one of the first factors to be considerd whe designing instructional materials. I belong to a school of thought which maintains that technology should not dictate the instructional strategy.
Personally, I also admire students who require occasional mentoring. Moreover, I consider it a very rewarding experience when I am able to assist students who are more challenged.
Satrohan
Perhaps this needs clarification.
Am I directing the achievement of 'hard or soft' skills? Is it the content delivery or the learning I am interested in? ("I" can be either student or instructor in that statement.)
As I have pursued my interest in online education for a number of years, I have noticed perhaps an evolution of sorts in the approach and the delivery of content.
Technology has markedly improved, publication companies have scrambled to hang onto a marketplace, institutions have leaped whilly nilly into establishing online curricula.
The student outcomes are often the last on the list of concerns.
I have an unabiding respect for the student who needs only an occasional mentoring, as well as a sense of achievement in the guidance of a student who needs more hand holding to master the same material. Perhaps it is the 'art of teaching' in either environment
Shanel:
In my work with online programs with Universities and Colleges, we have found the online bios to be very effective. We usually recommend the posting of the Bio as the first assignment to be completed on the first day the student accesses the course. Moreover, we encourage Instructors to respond to this assignment before the ending of the first week of class.
Satrohan
There are many ways to really get to know your students in an e-learning environment. The first way is through the biographies that are posted in week 1. This is an important step because it allows the students to open up to you and disclose important information. The instructor should then respond to each biography to show that they are not only interested in the student's success in school, but also to the student as a person.
Rebecca:
This feedback is based on the assumption that you have written the course content and that you will be teaching the course. The universities I serve maintain this practice.
There is a master version of the course to which no one except for the System Administrator or the person responsible for implementing changes to the course are allowed access to the master. Almost always, the Course Writer is not the person authorized to make changes as this would require indepth knowledge of the Course Delivery Platform. The request for additions are usually sent for us to implement; unless they are simple additions such as Announcements. This is done to maintain the integrity of the Master. It also helps with implementing changes in a uniform manner to multiple sections of the course. One person makes all, ensures that all are made; so that we do not end up with versions that significantly differ from the master.
Institutions practice the kinds of activities you mentioned to maintain consistency in the message they send to their students in their marketing and introductory materials.
All things being equal, an Instructor can post their own Discussion questions---in addition to those pre-loaded. This is done when current events arise as the course is being run-----events relevant to the course content----about which an Instructor seeks students' opinions.
We incorporate the biography of the Instructor of the course. Instructors can add welcome messages to their Biography-----messages written in a less formal business tone as is done in the scripted welcome letters; the content of which can be more course administration centered than Instructor centered.
This is as much as I will sate now without describing course implementing variables in detail. Feel free to ask any further questions on this Subject. It is a very important Question especially when the Course Writer and the Instructor are the same. When they are the same, they want the privilege to do the kinds of things you mentioned. When they are not the same, there is resistance from the Course Writer as he or she does not want his or her course to be altered to the point that different students in different sections of the course receive different learning experiences; or that the course content takes a different slant from that which he or she envisioned. Yes; some Course Writers are very protective; and rightfully so, as their integrity is at stake.
Satrohan
Rebecca:
You have raised some important points. I share with you my experience in those areas for your consideration.
Agreed that a well-constructed initial survey can result in more open responses in an online environment than in a face-to-face environment. However, methods of assessing students' entry level skills should yield about the same results regardless of the environment in which they are administerd. A comprehensive survey can resolve the problem of having only an hour per class.
Consider yourself lucky that in an online environment, you have all the time to learn about your students. Every program I have worked on with Universities pays Instructors a fixed sum of money per course based on a fixed number of students. And these courses have a start and end date that can be of anywhere from five to seven weeks duration as students take one course at a time. It has been my experience that th emajority of Instructors ae always conscious about how much they are being paid and how many hours they believe they should exert without moving down to the minimum wage level.
Satrohan
Those are great ideas. Thank you for sharing those. I am going to incorporate them into my class.
I guess I would like to pose a question about an instructors freedom in a pre-developed class. At my school, the class is predeveloped and preloaded. The discussion questions are loaded, the activities, the welcome emails are scripted, etc. How much freedom do you really have to incorporate things like this? Does anyone have any insight on this or are doing this themselves even though it is not necessarily encouraged?
No, I think that you know your students better in an e-learning environment. I do anyway. In face to face, you do not have the time to really get to know everyone's background and personalities but in the online environment, not only are students more comfortable to share, but you actually have the time to read about each student in depth.
In face to face, you only have usually about an hour per class. Most of that time is taken up by lecture. But online, the instructor is not on a time constraint and can take the time to learn about their students.
That is such a great point Mary. I earned my bachelor's degree in a traditional university setting and did OK. However, I earned my master's degree online. I did really well in the environment because I did not feel intimidated and I was confident in my answers. It was not any less challenging or rewarding but I felt like I got more out of it.
In my classes that I teach, I try to make it friendly and personable so that students feel comfortable with me and with their peers. I think they have a better experience when they feel comfortable and part of a community.
