The content in a face to face course can be appropriate in an online course. The major difference would be in checking the progress of students and checking for how well they understand the course material.
In a face to face class, you get immediate feedback that students are confused or lost through their body language. You don't have those visual cues in an online class.
Fortunately, I have had both on-ground and online teaching experiences. The conversion was very difficult at first because I was used to the face-to-face communication with my students. I was able to read a students comprehension of the material just by his/her expressions or even involvement with other peers (depending on subject matter). I enjoyed the close interaction, however, my heart has always been with online education. An online learner must have a high level of self-discipline, exceptional communication skills, and be able to learn new technologies without so much of the hands-on experience. The virtual online classroom must have course content that is easily comprehended by a variety of learners. It should always include multiple examples and extra resources to assist in the learning process. The communication level between the instructor and student should not change because the content is delivered in an online environment. The use of the right technology tools should allow the instructor to deliver the content just as well as if face to face.
Laura,
You are right, it is about delivery. You just have look at delivery in a different context.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Lindsey,
It sounds like you have created your online persona. You have to carve your online patterns that makes you unique in the online environment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I would rephrase as "When can't online course course content be appropriate for a face-to-face course?" Ans: Hands-on training with real equipment provides a learning environment that is not sheltered from the unexpected. I have students who can perform the online (virtual) networking labs well and fail with the real equipment. Basically, the online sandbox is structured within very narrow parameters -- only certain aspects are introduced. Learning in a protected/predictable environment is helpful, however, I believe a hybrid environment uses the best of both learning environments.
In a word, cost. In terms of information systems networking, the virtualization labs that I have used so far evoke very limited/restrictive scenarios or they are not maintained, i.e. fail to work as designed. Evidently, it is too costly to program a response for every possible networking aspect as well as challenging to keep a virtual lab functioning. In addition, the command line interface commands may be limited to several instead of hundreds of syntax possibilities minimizing the instructor's/student's ability to troubleshoot or use an alternative method to complete the exercise.
Personal touch and interaction are the main reasons in my opinion that F2F course content may not be appropriate for an online course. F2F courses allow the instructor to "read" the students, and give us the opportunity to quickly address issues or class material that a student may not understand or digest immediately. I encourage my students to detail any issues regarding the class to me so I can address the issues since I cannot look the student in the eye and monitor reactions (except in video conferences during my office hour). The student may, for various reasons, choose not to address issues with the course content for some time, if ever. This hinders the learning process tremendously. While online course are a wonderful means to learn, issues of this nature cause certain content appropriate for F2F courses to be be inappropriate online.
John,
What a great post. You make an important point, simulation is just that "simulating real world". It isn't real world. It really does provide great practice, but we have to realize that a real case with real problems and real people cannot be completely simulated. I play a mean round of golf. . . . online! :)
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
John,
Have you reached out to your book publisher to see if they have a simulation packages that you can use. It is so hard create those situation yourself. In networking, it takes practice in critical thinking and that takes a strong lab component.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Aundrea,
How do you meet those interaction challenges in the online environment? I do think we have to create the online persona that works for our students and develops that engagement we (student and instructor) in learning. Students have to learn the "cues" for learning online. We've been teaching f2f much longer than online.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree that creating a virtual lab can be challenging -- if the publisher has a viable package, then I do make use of it. Oddly enough, I have found that some textbooks adopted for use do not even have a published slide presentation let alone a virtual lab. For this reason, I feel that it is important that we, as instructors, share resources. For example, http://www.cpalms.org/cpalms/instructional_resources.aspx offer "...curated collection of free and open online teaching, learning, and faculty development services contributed and used by an international education community." Retrieved 10/13/2014 from http://www.merlot.org/merlot/index.htm
Taking the opportunity to respond to each student personally in a way wherein they know I have reviewed their work, and can address particular issues that is referenced in their work helps with interaction. A few of my students have made known to me that they have at times received "boilerplate" responses, and wonder if their work was actually read. This helps open up the lines of communication very well. Also, use of the weekly videos that I post each week assist in opening up interaction. It gives the students a chance to see that I am a real, living and breathing person who is concerned about their ability to meet the learning objectives. I've also had the opportunity to correspond with the students in the F2F during my online office hour. Personal touches to show interest in their efforts in the class helps a great deal.
Depending on how one's F2F course is set up, some of the content may be appropriate. Online videos, for example, are good for both but pop quizzes might be more difficult to use in the online format. In one of my college English courses, we would discuss some topic for 10 minutes, write a quick essay (10 minutes), then each share what we had written with the class and prof as sounding boards. This was great for us but would be very difficult to do in an online class.
John,
You really have to share resources. Merlot is such a great resource. They focus on learning objects for online. It is worth a look.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Aundrea,
What a great post. We do have to be careful with boilerplate responses. Is that what we want from our students? I have actually recorded audio messages through grading. My students really like the feedback and I tend to be more positive about their work.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
J.,
You are right, it is about delivery! You have to make sure it works online. I actually have used polling but the time frame is broader. I also have to tell students to look for the poll and you have 24 hours. It can work you have to set the patterns of use.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Why can't course content created for a face-to-face course be appropriate for an online course?
It just doesn't work. When you have students face to face you can use hand gestures or draw examples of show them things - in an online environment you need to add more! You can't just have lecture material - you have to provide some engaging tidbits. There has to be some pictures, or video, or simulations and the lecture material needs to be broken down.
Students will get lost in pages of lectures. You want to provide them with material that will keep their interest since you are not there to do that in person.
Kimberly,
I like your attitude! Its not the content that changes it is the delivery and you can be very creative in your delivery. I find when I work on my online course it always improves my face to face.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
That sounds interesting. How did you use polling?
J.,
I set it up through a discussion board and had a 36 hour window. I found when I do this online, there has to be communication to help facilitate the success of the exercise. Everyone has to know the window of opportunity and be ready to interact within that window. I did find students did prep for the discussion better.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
