Julie Ann,
You are exactly right! We seem to think we need to change the content but we may not be able to. The process to change curriculum varies from institution to institution but it can be arduous.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Peter,
You raise an important point. Assessment is such an important point in learning. I really hadn't thought about the need to change assessment as much as content. You have given me something to think about. . .
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
During a F2F course, most of the communication is the teacher speaking and students responding with their immediate thoughts.
In an online environment, it would be to monotonous to have a teacher just speak and no other stimulating conversation happening. Online courses need to include a variety of teaching methods which include ebooks, videos, blogs, and discussions to engage the student.
Lauree,
You are right and that is how you create your online persona. I try to interject videos and other types of media to help break up the learning.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
It's important to remember when creating an online course that many of the tools used in a F2F do not transfer appropriately to the online environment. For example, not all content can easily be replicated in the online environment. Science labs are a good example of this. What may be a quick and easy lab that a student could do on their own in a F2F setting may have to become a video presentation by the instructor in an online setting due to constraints such as equipment and other materials.
Sarah,
Great post! I actually was talking about this with my husband. He was talking with a physics professor who teaches physics online. The online student gets a "lab in a box". It has everything they need to perform the experiments. They use videos and other types of tutorials to guide the experiences. Where there is a will there is a way!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
There are a number of reasons why you can't use learning material from a face-to-face course in an online environment. Especially for things like math and science, it is difficult for an online learner to understand the steps that each problem needs without having someone physically there to help them. A lot of people cannot teach themselves. Also physical experiments cannot be done. It is hard to convey those types of lessons online.
Telicia,
The number of reasons why content can't be taught is really diminishing. I just had a conversation with someone who was telling their institution taught physics online. There is a lab component and the online students receive a "lab in a box". There is everything you need to do your lab experiments. They use tutorials and videos to walk students through the experiments.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
This is because F2F courses are designed to be delivered on the synchronous communication level. It is an environment that enables most of our communication as asynchronous and this allow for various teaching techniques to be applied in this environment.
Loriann,
Do you think it is the content or the delivery that has to be changed?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Why can't course content created for a face-to-face course be appropriate for an online course?
Course content created for a face-to-face course cannot be appropriate for an online course because of:
• delivery method
• asynchronous/synchronous communication
• structure and organization of the course
• student accessibility
F2F content may be based on student interaction via different forms. That could be interaction with each other, breaking into groups, use of the white board or other visual aids.
F2F courses, when I teach them, also require immediate interaction between students and/or instructors or other students. Online courses normally do not have the immediate interaction available.
Also, F2F courses depend upon lecture, sometimes an entire class meeting of lecture. Lectures are very difficult if not impossible in the online world.
Julie,
I think we think content when really it is organization and delivery. Can we deliver online the outcomes in our syllabus? That is indeed the question.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Valerie,
Do you record information for your students. I find it invaluable for my online cours. It is important to make sure your tools work for you student.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Much of the F2F information can be included in an online class. Although it may have to be conveyed through differing channels, depending on learning styles which we can readily see in F2F where as in online, we do not as readily see if a learner is getting it or not until perhaps they take a test. In F2F setting we can demonstrate examples immediately and get other students involved in the discussion to help those who may not readily understand a concept. For online learners, we may have to include more information, pictures, graphs, examples, etc. to ensure the learner understands what is expected of them in a particular assignment, discussion, etc.
Hi Anthony!
Great post! Mine was very similar to yours! In F2F we can demonstrate what we mean by showing examples immediately. Additionally, if we have students in class who "get it" they like to jump in and offer helpful advice as well. However, online learners tend to email questions, or don't ask at all because the are afraid of "asking a dumb question". I post announcements and send emails to all students encouraging them to ask if they have questions. I also include this in my feedback. I let them know it is better to ask now while in school, than to get out in the "real world" and not know. ;)
Hi Telisha!
Great point about trying to teach and or learn math online! I was very fortunate to have an online instructor who got on the phone with me before I would have to take my algebra tests online. He would review the concepts to ensure I understood, then I would immediately take the test. Thanks to him I passed the course! As I had many helpful instructors such as this, I try to provide the same type of assistance to my online students as well. It is always good to remember where we came from and that we were right where these students were not all that long ago ourselves. ;)
Coleen,
You are right, the difference is really about delivery. We may have to make sure it is in different forms. I find when I work to develop good learning for my online course it improves my f2f.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Coleen,
Great strategies. I love your comment "better to ask now while in school than not know in the real world" We have to "pull" them into the conversation as this may we they way some students have to learn at work.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Coleen,
Don't you think your time spent as a student in the online environment helps you as an online instructor? We should always learn from our times as students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
