Sam Coulter

The lecture types were interesting! Combining them for online classes seems like a really powerful tool to keep students engaged and interested in the content.

I liked that the module acknowledged that essentially all the classroom elements can be transitioned/available in an online course. The course itself just needs to be adaptable for web purposes, and fitted to the type of delivery, whether that's synchonous or asynchronous.

Easy navigability is something that's often taken for granted, and as digital courses progress the more robust and frequent they'll become. Designing a course that is both navigable and engaging is key to student engagement and success!

I enjoyed learning about how to engage students and set up expectations for discussions. They're always so daunting, but the steps provided in this module are encouraging. Being able to engage students and have them actively pursue their own learning is so important, and these are great methods for doing so in online courses.

I thought the section where it mentioned what students need temprament-wise in regards to online courses was enlightening. I think its worth mentioning in the syllabus, essentially setting up expectations so students are aware of what they'll need to do and contribute in order to thrive within an online class environment.

I'm glad these modules have such a heavy emphasis on communications with students. I think there's a common misconception that since its online its really hands off, when that's definitely not the case. I'd argue that it require equal if not more effort to properly communicate concepts to students without things getting lost in translation. Watching tone is super important.

It might be small but the thing I learned specifically was setting up expectations with students about one-on-one/small group communication. I need to reiterate the importance a few times throughout the semester, reminding students to check their email and announcements via the LMS. It helps create a communication pipeline that everyone can follow without feeling overwhelmed. A real win-win situation!

Since I teach lab courses, when the pandemic hit its zenith it was particularly difficult shifting to an online format. Having class synchronously via webcams helped maintain a level of normalcy, and ended up doing a lot of what the article reccomended and incorporating relevant details, concepts and work to keep students morale and learning momentum going.

I enjoy "guide on the side." I always strive to encourage students to create their own meaning and apply classroom tools and knowledge to their work. I hadn't really considered this as much through the lens of an online course, but I learned its just as viable!

I personally like sychronous, but I definitely see the advantages of asynchronous. I think as we continue to work with advancing technology the digital space will integrate more and more into the classroom and appeal to a variety of learning styles.