The most important reason that content must be different is that the instructor cannot look the students in the eyes to see if they are "getting it" or not. The course content must be designed to work for all levels of students and to identify if the students meet the required outcomes of the course. Do they have the skills? If not the content must provide them the skills.
-Chris
Dr. Christopher,
Why would that be any different on a f2f course? Don't you think it is more about delivery? How do you look for understanding in an online course?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Course content created for a face-to-face course can't be appropriate for an online course because the online learning removes the traditional boundaries of time & location and offers students flexibility. Students can set their own pace and choose the most convenient time and place to study. When moving from face-to-face course content to an online content it is about transforming the course content by making it well-organized and easy to navigate; the course syllabus should clearly identify the role that the online environment will play in the overall course; communicate course information clearly; LMS is visually and functionally consistent throughout the course and finally any technical issues can be addressed throughout the course.
Audrey,
Great post! Are you really talking about content or rather delivery. Organization is so important as part of the online environment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Most course content that was created for F2F delivery cannot be immediately useful in an online course because it must first be transformed for the needs of the students in a different environment. Based on the technological means of delivery, the content may need to be presented in a different form or within a different organizational format or module. For instance, a classroom lecture may need transitioned into a series of shorter, digestible articles accompanied by an online quiz, discussion forum, video, etc. Transforming the material so that its delivery works effectively is necessary to ensure that the content is still achieving the course outcomes in an online environment.
- Mark W.
Mark,
Great post. You are right, the content is fine it is the delivery. It has to be done thoughtfully.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Face-to-face courses rely a great deal on professors being able to “read†non-verbal communication cues. For example, seeing the glazed look on your students’ faces when you are lecturing can be a cue for you to liven the discussion up; similarly seeing eyes light up when you discuss certain topics can be a cue for you to engage students in a spontaneous discussion. In online courses you do not have the luxury of doing this in the middle of a lecture. I do feel that you can adapt certain content to online courses and attempt to “read†students’ interest in those activities by clicks on a certain activity, discussion threads, or personal blogs about course content. I believe that in order for online courses to be truly successful the content must be authentically developed with that audience in mind. Most of the time face-to-face activities are solely developed based on traditional classroom interaction and don’t allow for the intricacies that are involved in online teaching and learning.
Ester,
I agree with you. There are ways to determine learning it just isn't through non verbal. Each online instructor should think proactively regarding developing a system that allows you to "read" your online students. Good insight.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I think course content created for a face-to-face course can be appropriate for an online course. It just has to be delivered in a different way. I think it comes down to cueing systems and social interaction. In a face-to-face course, both students and teachers can rely on multiple cueing systems to enhance content delivery -- teachers can use oral, visual, and tactile (hands-on) instructional strategies of content delivery while at the same time observing students' immediate reactions to what they are learning -- are they confused? frowning? nodding their heads in agreement? etc. Teachers can incorporate frequent student interactions in a face-to-face course to capitalize on its role in enhancing learning, as well. I'm new at online teaching so I'm still trying to get a handle on cueing and social interaction in a digital/virtual environment.
Online learning is a different environment than on-site and the content needs to be written out so that the online learner can have access to all the course information.
Cathy,
Great answer! You really have to find your way as an instructor to figure out the "cues" and the patterns of online behaviors.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Greg,
I think that is a start. Organization of information and use of technology will help make the content be assessable as well as engaging. "If you build it . . . right; they will learn".
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Because your only face to face is live chat and that should not be the main delivery system. Students waiting for the content defeats the whole purpose of self paced education.
Jason,
I agree with you. We keep trying to convert distance to face to face and it is just different. And the differences is what makes the attractive to students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The reason that course content created a for face-to-face course can not be appropriate for an online course is that the majority of the content is based on synchronous learning environment. The instructor is looking for immediate feedback during a face-to-face course. In an online setting it might be a few days before responses are received.
Samuel Bufkin
Samuel,
Do you think it is the content or is it the delivery? You do have to learn to take cues for the students in a different way.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The online course lacks the immediate communication between the teacher and the student. The content for the online courses will have to be well organized and easy for the students to receive. Q&A's must be put in between to recognize what goals and achievements must be done in order to go to the next step. Sometimes F2F courses aren't able to reply to every students individual needs during that particular time frame. With emails and excessive announcements, the online connection can sometimes give them more of what they need individually.
Course content can remain the same - it's the delivery methods that need to change to accommodate the online learning environment.
Delivery of face to face (F2F) material depends on content and how it is assessed. F2F class content often is designed for immediate feedback while online delivery has to have lead time from the students to check for student comprehension. Modifications to each lesson needs to occur in order to check for student learning over the period of each class module. More emphasis needs to be placed on content so that all students have the ability for comprehension.
Elin,
What a great point! I think we do tend to "overdo" online learning because we are so afraid we aren't doing enough. It can overwhelm the student and cause them to isolate themselves because they feel the cannot meet expectation.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
