Abreast of the market teaching tools
Delineate the best online teaching tools.
Audio? video? live chat, discussion board assignment? group project? etc.
Mahmoud,
Since online instruction is relatively new, the "best" is often debated. Especially since new teaching tools are continually being introduced in the marketplace, the "best" is difficult to define. Nevertheless, there are scenario-based and interactive simulations that are gaining in popularity. Audiovisual sessions are also finding success in many online classrooms. Discussion boards and group projects have lost appeal in the past few years because of these other advancements. However, they are still useful for their own purposes. Excellent question. Thanks for asking.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Hi Mahmoud,
As Dr. Vaillancourt mentioned, I'm sure there are differing opinions of what is best. However, from my set of experiences over the past few years, discussion boards with good design make a great difference in student engagement with both classmates and the instructor. Video and live chats (recordings thus becoming similar to video) have been very valuable in my subject area, mathematics, as the demonstration of the skills being learned are often helpful. I try to tell students that I often create media resources in order to enable them to benefit from their text when they complain that they cannot learn math from a textbook.
Eugenia
I am not sure what is the best teaching methodology, because for some people one methodology works better than another methodology. All I know is this, find the methodology the works for a student and then use it.
Donald,
I believe this question currently is best answered the way you did. Classroom instruction (online or traditional) is still an art, in large part. There are many 'best practices' that are mutually exclusive, but are still valid because the anecdotal application of them usually has nuances that are not yet measurable and repeatable to the degree acceptable as scientific method. Gather the 'best practices' then implement according to your situation. ;-]
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
