Get Your Students Hired
Elias,
Good point. There is a difference between teaching and learning. Thanks for bringing that up. BTW - maybe after you take these classes, you'll get a raise. ;-)
Nizar,
Whenever you can help students feel comfortable and have a peace of mind, it's so helpful. Thanks for your input in this forum.
I believe the three most important things to consider in teaching an online course consist of the following:
Effective Communication
Course Framework
Dynamic Syllabus
On principle, a great syllabus, a great LMS and a great teacher will suffice for great teaching. Except, we are talking about learning, not teaching, so the main material of success is... great students. Well, in reality we don't always have great students, sometimes quite the opposite... Solution: the facilitator has to work even harder. I have given my students 24/7 access to me by email and tel. I tutor on the phone often because chats and emails are not efficient when confusion reigns. So, engagement is individual and continuous and that gets the most learning... At the same time, I make $3.60/hr but that's not why we teach, is it? (I'll tell my landlord and see what she says..) :-)
Hi Dr. Crews,
I add an extra discussion forum in week 1 and ask the students to introduce themselves. This allows for the students to share more about themselves, and I use this information to relate to them.
I also focus on being available and reachable in discussion forum, via email, IM, and phone. This provides the student with some added peace of mind.
Finally, I set expectations at the beginning of the term. I share my expectations of the students, and what they should expect of me as well. I believe that setting expectations paves for a smooth class, and avoids any misunderstanding.
Hi Dr. Crews,
You're very welcome. Most definitely! The syllabus is where it all begins after the course has been developed. I appreciate your response.
Best...
Dr. Naomi
Lisa,
Good info. I especially like the point you bring up about looking ahead and thinking about assignments that may be troubling for students. Being proactive like this is great. Thanks!
The three most important things to consider are course outcomes, how to best reach students, and which assignments may be troubling for students.
Gary,
I especially like your "if not" statement. The key is that if it is not happening we do have to try and figure out why. Good point.
1. Are the students engaged and if not, identify the problem areas and make needed changes. Considering things like ease of navigation, is the material too difficult/easy? Is it reaching objectives?
2. Are there any changes that need to be made to make it a better experience for the instructor?
3. Consider students feedback on how things are going.
David,
Staying on top of things can be difficult, but it's essential - as you said. We have to try to understand our students the best we can and make sure the content is "live" and the navigation is appropriate. Thanks!
Dr. Crews.
The main things that I try to consider when instructing my online courses are monitoring the content carefully. You have to make sure that you stay on top of all things in the classroom. You also need to monitor involvement of all students inside the classroom to ensure active participation from everyone. Finally, you should keep encouraging students to work hard...yet be understanding when they have difficult times in the course and try to help them through them.
David Pittman
Amy,
"Chunking" is essential. Thanks for bringing that term into this conversation. We have to make our content in chunks that are attainable for the students.
John,
Effective communication is the key. Whether we communicate via email, discussion boards or in writing through our syllabus, they are all important.
When teaching my online courses, due to the subject matter I must consider the learning styles of each student, how to chunk and link each module, and to be able to relate complex concepts ( again due to the subject matter) into everyday terms my students can understand. This is a delicate juggling act at times.
I would say communication is maybe the most important and technology must be utilized to ensure that the best possible scaffolding of learning can take place for our students. I also believe we must provide efficient tools for our students to engage in an online community on a consistent basis. And I believe the syllabus must be what leads our students on their learning path to success and it must be dynamic.
Dr. Naomi,
We do have to understand out students and determine where they are coming from (their learning level) and communication is key. The syllabus is many times the first point of communication. Thanks!
Hi Dr. Crews,
I believe when teaching an online course the most important things to consider are:
- The students and their current level (undergraduate or graduate).
- The course syllabus and what it entails and is it dynamic, and subject to change based on student experience and learning.
- Communication is vital in the online environment via discussion boards, chats, email, ebooks (reading) and other various tools.
- Technology and utilizing scaffold learning, because it builds on what the student already knows and is also a key element in the online environment.
Take care...
Dr. Sealey
Anthony,
You do have a tough job. Figuring out where you students are coming from can be done with a simple Algebra pre-test. That can tell you a lot. You can also ask computer/technology questions to get a feel for what they know along those lines as well. The students have to realize they need to meet the course expectations and what the grading scale is. If they are not able to check email daily, yet that is a requirement, they need to realize up front, that they probably will not receive and "A." OR you have to adjust the requirements if you can yet still allow for students to achieve the learning outcomes. Does this make sense or help you?
Dr. Crews,
In teaching College Algebra to adult students who have not seen or used Algebra in 20 years or more, the most important thing is to understand who the students are, what their access to technology is, and whether they have the capacity to work consistently on the course throughout the 5 week period. In more detail…
First I need to assess the level of the students. Can they do some Algebra as the course starts, or is remedial work needed? I ask them how long they have been out of school, and whether they use any algebra or technology in their day to day work. When a student asks me “…what does the “slash†in 1/2 mean….â€, I realize the student does not even know basic arithmetic.
Secondly, I need to assess their access to technology. Some students have computer or laptops at home with good internet connection. Others have just moved, or lost internet (couldn’t pay the bill), or may not have internet at all, and are dependent on a distant library. One student was a “sales rep†at a vacation/condomimum resort and was living in her car in the parking lot. She needed to do her work when the laptop could be charged off the car battery. Another student was in the military in Afghanistan, and could only access “technology†when his unit was not in “black outâ€. These issues all need to be considered.
Thirdly, students need to be able to access the course on a daily or semi daily basis. Many adult students are not able to do this. The “sales rep†above, could only get access once or twice a week and could not realistically be part of a "communityâ€. The student in Afghanistan always downloaded the Syllabus, Course Material, and all Assignments right at the start of the course, as he had no idea when he would be able to use any internet. He did join in one Live Chat but had to leave quickly …â€â€¦got to go .. incoming mortar fire..â€. A “Dynamic Syllabus†made no sense for him.
In reading the CEE Course Material and Forums, I am left with the impression that the students of these faculty members are all younger, technically “with itâ€, and are able to study on a regular basis, and interface with their peers. In the adult learning situations I have encountered many of the presented concepts seem out of touch with those having full time jobs, are out of the country, and who are studying on a very, very compressed time schedule!
Comments?
Anthony