Be organized, plan ahead and be flexible. If we are to be student centered then we must be willing to change as we go along.
I am a 'keep the end in mind' type of teacher. With that said, it will be most important to look at what the institution is looking to evaluate at the end of the course. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting 'teaching to the test', but I assume the institution is forward thinking enough to know whtat is important enough to be considered.
Michelle Boddy
John,
Ah - be flexible. That's for sure. For those who are flexible will not be broken. Ha!
Thanks!
Michelle,
We do always have to keep the end in mind and think about the objectives in mind as well -- for meeting them is the end goal. Thanks for your input.
When teaching an online course, the three most important things that I should consider are (1) how to interact with my students to keep them motivated (2) how to present the course information in such a way that it is in harmony with the learning styles of my students, and (3) how to provide an effective feedback that will help them to improve. Of course, I assume that the syllabus for the course is dynamic, meaning that it will assist the learner in finding course information and viewing specific course information.
Shirley,
I agree with everything that you said. Syllabus, good communication, and good materials are very important. As a matter of fact, bad communication leads to a lot of problems. Communication is the human connection when teaching online. It is the key to success in both online and traditional instruction delivery.
From my own personal online teaching experience, three things I consider to be important are ensuring 1). that students have submitted assignments on time, 2). that they've engaged in discussions, and 3). that students' queries are timely replied.
Hi Donna Dimatteo, I agree with you regarding the use of different teaching approaches in order to make sure all learning styles can be fully activated.
Dr. Crew,
When teaching my own online course, the three most important things that I will consider are as follows:
(1) Rubrics
(2) Timely Feedback
(3) Open line of communication with my students
I believe that it is important to base feedback on rubrics because it provides a meaningful feedback and promotes learning. Rubrics make the assessment process transparent. It also helps to alleviate confusion and questions from students. In addition, it also saves time. If rubrics are provided for students, it is assumed that students will crosscheck their answers with the rubrics to ensure that all questions are covered and that all answers are tied to the rubrics.
Timely feedback is necessary so that students will know what they didn't do right so that they will not repeat the same mistakes in future assignments. Good and open communication will ensure that my students understand assignment requirements or ask for clarification if instructions for assignments are not clear to them.
Dr. Crews,
When I teach online courses, the three most important things that I consider are:
1.What the students know before the class.
2.The learning needs of the students and how each and every students can successfully learn from the technology available.
3. How to effectively communicate with students.
-Christine
Penelope and Donna,
Thanks for continuing the conversation. We do, as online instructors, have to vary our teaching methods to "get to" all students. Thanks.
Harprit,
Good job. Two of your three items deal with timeliness. One on the part of the students and one the instructor. Time management is key for all of us. Thanks.
Ejike and Shirley,
Agreed. Effective communication can't be emphasized enough. Thanks to you both.
Christine,
When you start with finding out what the students know before the course, you are starting the communication early. This is a great idea. Thanks.
Ejike,
Basically all three of your items will help keep the students engaged. When we design those effective interactions even in our feedback, students will be more motivated to improve. Thanks.
Ejike,
Rubrics help us provide timely communication and help us also provide meaningful feedback. This instills a good communication process as well. Thanks!
In response to this forum question I’d offer the following four significant key instructor lessons. These are in addition to the other well stated replies from our group.
1. Students appreciate regular communication and timely feedback on their progress.
I teach clinical and non-clinical healthcare courses, so students often come to my courses feeling anxious about the subject matter. Students may also feel anxious at the thought of taking an online course and it should be part of the instructor's job to put students at ease right from the beginning.
It is important for the students to know I'm there if they need help. I strive to create a supportive online community where students can be free to take risks in discussion, attempting to explain their understanding of challenging concepts and ideas. For this reason, it's crucial that the instructor have a presence online using all of the tech vehicles available, e.g. chat rooms, live lecture, discussion boards, etc.
2. Many great tools exist but aren't always necessary.
Many amazingly cool tools can be used in online courses but it's important to balance what's necessary against what will make the site look impressive.
My approach has been to keep things simple. Video, audio, and live lecture supported by slides and use of a ‘blackboard’ all have their place, but I worry about the student who has technological barriers to accessing it all.
Slowly over the years I have selectively added and used technology. But I’m cautious to identify what is absolutely necessary to achieve the learning goals and separate these tools from those that are simply snazzy.
3. Students need extrinsic motivation.
Some students are motivated by wanting to learn the material and wanting to practice applying what they learn, while other students need to be motivated extrinsically. In a traditional F2F classroom an instructor presenting directly in front of the students may be extrinsic motivation enough. Online, however, if an assignment is not collected or graded, some students will simply skip it, even if you strongly encourage them to do it for the sake of their education, careers, and obtaining a better understanding the material.
If I see a student making significant progress in a course I’ll send them an email of encouragement. Also, substantive postings that truly add to a discussion are recognized with an acknowledgment.
4. Provide students with work deadlines.
Deadlines keep students on task and ensure that they are working through the material at a similar pace. Sometimes, I've heard students use the terms "self-paced" and "individual study" to describe online learning, and it makes me cringe. Flexibility is one thing, but it doesn't mean "no deadlines," nor does it mean that students can work at whatever pace they want.
Flexibility means that from week to week students can have some choice in terms of when they sit down to do their work. But they will encounter deadlines on a weekly basis. In learning, ideas build on others and take advantage of scaffolding in course content, and instructors need to help students create the foundation they need to better understand the more complex ideas and concepts that they will encounter later in the course or even in the successive course. And, I want to make sure that students are working at a similar pace so they can engage in real discussion.
I very much agree with you Craig regarding preparation. Doing sound research about the topic can make the difference between an interesting and "tune it out" instructor presentation. I recently delivered a lecture in a grad healthcare course about Kotter's 8 steps for organizational change and its application to hospital administration. I added background about Alfred Kotter and the historical context in which he worked. Perhaps not surprising many of the students assumed he was dead! Which would be a great surprise to his family. By providing some background the students could engage better with his work and concepts.
Delivering assignments on time is a real world skill!! I also emphasize this expectation.
Robert,
Thanks for your extensive post. You provide great content to help others learn more about teaching online. Communication must be clear and timely and it's important to assess each technology tool to make sure it meets our needs. Developing those time management skills and helping motivate students is key elements as well. Nice job.
