Michol Cortez

One must consider what is most important from F2F course and build into the online course.  Objectives should be the same but how learners reach those objectives will vary using online course method.  

Utilizing student feedback will help to decide which methods were most effective.  Using a variety of methods to encourage student engagement increases the rate of success in the course.  

Setting up protocols for both synchronous and asynchronous environments is necessary.  Making sure that learners have access to a FAQ page will help eliminate a lot of questions and repetition of responses.  Organization in ANY learning environment is key.  I also learned that a combination of both synchronous and asynchronous may be optimal in an upper-level learning environment (University level).

Using technology is essential to help meet the needs of all online learners.  Just as we differentiate in the classroom and use various techniques, we must do the same with the online teaching environment as well.  Various tools and methods help to keep learners engaged.

Multipl evaluations provide learners to demonstrate proficiency in a variety of ways (learning styles).  

The importance of rubrics to help learners understand the expectations in a tangible way.  As a learner, I value rubrics but as an instructor, I find them quite daunting; especially if you are having to create them yourself.   

The importance behind establishing emailing rules regarding S2I communication.  This can save a lot of time when students have a database to to access FAQs to search for answers or post their question.  Allowing students to not only post a question but also answer questions is also helpful and if answered correctly, could be given extra credit (as determined by the instructor).  

Consistency is key.  While not every module has to be exactly the same, they should all be similar in length, font size, words, shapes and colors.  Other modalities should be incorporated when possible to enhance the course content and reach all styles of learning.   Creating a respository is something I plan to use in the near future with a catalog of file names for easier access.

The most beneficial thing I got out of this section are the numberous ways to address issues that arise with any e-learning environment.  For every identified situation of learner style, multiple strategies were shared to help the instructor move forward while keeping the e-learner egaged.

I have learned the pros and cons to administering asynchronous and synchronous discussions and that asynchronous is the preferred method for e-learning.  I also learned the importance of soliciting student feedback throughout the course as it will help form your decisions on how to proceed and also identify student needs.