Get Your Students Hired
David,
You hit the key word in experience!! The more you do it, the more you know what you need in the class.
Shelly Crider
I think it may take a little more time to develop an online course for the first time, although with a little practice and experience you would be able to build a more efficient course in less time.
BRIGITTE ,
In a traditional there is room for on the moment change, the online environment may take a little more time for everyone to see what you are adding.
Shelly Crider
After engaging in both the traditional classroom preparation and the online learning environment, designing an online course takes quite a bit more time. I find that while in the traditional classroom one does not have to load the classroom with the required documentation all at once but may prepare from lecture to lecture if desired. Consequently, I will have to disagree with this statement.
Angela ,
Ahhhh......good point! Students need tools whether in a traditional or online course, but what tools are needed in each one! Good job!
Shelly Crider
I disagree with this. I think you need to invest they same amount of time and insight for on online lass and traditional class. I do not think creating a course for online or traditional are any less time consuming. I think the difference in creating a quality online course is that you need to include the different tools that are available to the student such as a discussion board or weekly chat. In the traditional classroom, the classroom discussion evolves naturally as the instructor is lecturing.
Jason,
Oh so true, you can have a perfect class, but yet the next time it runs it may not run smoothly.
Shelly Crider
I strongly disagree. A quality course takes time to develop whether it is online or "on ground". Skimping on course design because the class will be offered online is unfair to the students and to the professor, who will have to work harder to make sure their students are learning if the course development is slipshod.
I disagree:
Both types of instruction are just as valid, but the online course needs to be built-up quite a bit to make up for the fact that there is not a dynamic, present, flexible instructor standing in the front of the ever-unique student. Every class of students I teach "on-the-ground" is totally different from the last set of students with their own unique set of standards and needs for the course.
To make a course on-line for the student who potentially will not take the time/exposure to reach out and project themselves into the discussion and still give them the greatest chance to learn the required course content takes quite a bit more pre-planning and revelation of what may come...
Edwin,
It is good to hear that you tweak and tweak! I hate it when a student is the one who finds an error.
Shelly Crider
I disagree. It takes many hours of thought to be able to translate the information effectively into an online format that carries with it the emphasis of face to face communication. An instructor will have to learn to use authoring applications such as power point, excel, audio and video to fill in the gaps.I find I am constantly tweaking the courses based on information from the discussion area and student concerns.
Jesse,
Maintaining focus for the student is what we want for them to absorb the knowledge being sent to them.
Shelly Crider
Gretchen,
Detail is a must. I like how you added concise and accurate.
Shelly Crider
Developing the course content should be about the same. If you have a quality on site course..with multimedia etc..you can and should use the same content inside your online course. A course could be designed to be suitable to both learning environments.
David Pittman
It seems that the a quality online course would actually take more time than for a traditional classroom delivery. Three reasons for my perspective include:
1. A more detailed version of lectures and activities would be required.
2. A richer version of PowerPoint slides would be needed to compensate for the missing physical instructor/student experience.
3. Substitute strategies for connecting with each student and for retention would have to be identified.
I disagree. In an online environment an instructor needs to prepare lectures knowing that lectures need to be informative and entertaining in order for students to maintain focus. Therefore more thought and preparation goes into lectures, online instructors do not have the luxury of meeting with students face to face on a regulary basis.
I disagree with the statement, “The time invested to develop a quality online course is less than the time required to develop the same course for a traditional classroom delivery.†At the minimum, the time it takes to develop a quality online course is equal to or even longer than the time required developing the same course for a traditional classroom delivery. I believe most, if not all, of the basic syllabus, course description, and lectures require the same time and effort to develop, discussions (asynchronous or synchronous) can actually take more time, as well as the time it takes to facilitate the online course work.
I am sorry but I disagree with you. Confusion arises when you are not complete, clear, concise and accurate in instructions. That is when a student becomes despondent and gives up.
Gretchen,
We do need to be clear and concise as it is easy to become confused reading what an instructor wants from us. Once a student becomes confused, they give up.
Shelly Crider
I disagree with the statement that an online course takes less time than an on-ground course to set up. In fact, I would say it takes more time and dedication because you do not have the luxury to "know" the students or their learning culture and vice versa. Therefore, you need to be clear, concise, complete, and accurate in your instructions, lessons, and expectations for the course to be successful.