I really believe that constant communication is the key to success in an online class. The more active the professor and the students are, the more successful the course will be.
As I am on the verge of designing an online element to my in-residence course I am looking at ways to utilize technology. One concern I have is ease of use. My student population is fairly tech savvy, but impatient. The technology I decide to introduce needs to be easy to use, it needs to work, and it needs to be easily accessible. My student population is often time- strapped and can communicate in very short sessions. Since the time available for communication is limited, the platform needs to be stable and free from glitches. The format/layout needs to communicate clearly the information available to the student. Again, my students do not have time to search for what they need/want to know. Lastly, the technology I use needs to be accessible on multiple devices - but specifically on a phone. If there is one common piece of equipment all my students have it is a Blackberry. If my technology will work on a Blackberry, I am sure to reach everyone and present them with what they need to know.
Elizabeth,
Be careful with the word "constant." You want it to be consistent, but don't become a constant, 24/7 online instructor.
Laura,
You use great words in describing what you need from the technology: accessible, stable, connect on multiple devices, etc. Thanks for bringing all of this to our attention.
I believe the three most important things to consider when assessing the use of a technology tool are these:
1 - Is the tool useful? If it does not meet the needs of the instructor and/or student for communication purposes, then why use it?
2 - Is the tool user friendly? If the tool is not user friendly, one would probably have too many problems trying to use it and it could become a communication barrier. No matter how good the tool is, if there are too many issues using it, it won't be good.
3 - Does the tool match what is needed for use during the course? If the technology tool does not have all the capabilities needed for proper use, then find one that does. If the technology tool has too many bells and whistles, one may want to find a simpler one to use. Find what is needed and use it. The simpler the better.
Nate,
I like that you ask questions. This helps others think about what they should be asking as well. I agree that it must be easy to use, useful and work for the students/instructor/content. Thanks for your input.
There are lots of great answers on this forum!
Technology has grown at astounding rates and our ability to keep up with what is best for our students and institutions has opened a whole area of questions that really didn’t exist in traditional ‘brick and mortar’ universities.
1) As with any course, teachers need to possess good working knowledge of the subject matter and be able to bring that across in an online environment. It’s one thing to know your course material, but truly another to be able to relay what you know in a meaningful way across technology. With most technology, a lot of the human element (nonverbal cues, especially) gets lost in translation – hence so many issues with misunderstood emails, etc.
2) Students and teachers need to keep up-to-date with new technology and consider how it can further enhance the learning experience. Let’s face it – some new technology is interesting, but may not be useful in the classroom. Just because something is new, doesn’t mean it is better. On the other hand, some new technology may be just the thing a professor has been waiting for to better connect with their students.
3) Communication: Can students and professors keep up with the demands of online communication? Can they manage the type and level of communication needed for this environment? Just because we have email and IM features doesn’t mean we have to be plugged in 24/7, but then again, students will want answers to questions fairly quickly, so we can’t wait three days, for example, before answering an email. It’s all about communicating with our students – how often will we check our emails, etc. Beyond how often, we have to be sure to communicate appropriately online. Our tone, word choices, and making sure we actually answered the question are all things we need to consider when communicating online. I can’t tell you the number of times I have emailed a student and asked a question and they have answered me a complete email and never answered my one simple question. I venture to say this happens often to both students and teachers. Effective communication is key.
Karen Bisset
When I assess a technology tool, my top 3 considerations are:
1) Ease of use for all end-users for effective communication
2) Where the tool is located and the security of the product
3) Does it meet FERPA and other requirements set forth by the Board of Education, HEOA and other acts.
I think the three most important things are:
1. The Instructor - will they be bringing their subject matter expertise to the online evironment.
2. Are all of the communication media tools; such as books, vids, etc up to date and available to students and free of errors. I have seen in many courses that the videos dont work or the link is broken so I think checking all of this before a class starts is critical so students can start their materials and course work quickly.
3. I think also using current trending topics in course rooms are important as the students can view these issues as they were current.
In my past experience I would say one of the most important things to consider is what the student needs your help with. In other words if they need to see what you are looking at to be able to understand the process or if it can be explained via the phone in a teleconference. Technology becomes a challenge for me so I know it is for the students sometimes. So knowing this about the students help you assess what is most apt to work and the third thing might be the availability of the student to participate live or not. If there is recording capabilities this might be what needs to happen over a teleconference that is not recorded.
1. Is the virtual classroom student friendly?
It is important for students to feel comfortable when accessing and learning within the virtual classroom. The classroom needs to be “user friendly†and take into consideration different learning styles, technical abilities, and age groups, otherwise, students may become overwhelmed and frustrated trying to navigated the system.
2. Is the Instructor easily accessible to the student, and is the student easily accessible to the instructor?
For optimum communication for both students and the instructor there should several effective direct lines of communication. Three of the optimum methods should include emailing; scheduled faculty office hours, assigned discussion board participation, or chat sessions.
3. Do students have an effective means to communicate with each other (especially during group assignments)?
Students need mutual support with each other in the classroom. This type of communication forms necessary bonds, and allows extended avenues of communication other than thru the instructor or the written material.
Hello Tia,
You’re exactly right in your assessment for effective communication. The classroom needs proper medium to cover the subject matter, accessibility, and comprehension. Concerning your first question (about the lab), do you think there are ways to overcome such obstacles within the online environment?
Russell
Russell,
Good questions and I'm glad you phrased them as questions. This helps others think abou the questions they should ask. Thanks for your input.
Russell and Tia,
Thanks for continuing the conversation. The medium is an essential components to the communication process.
I believe the three most important aspects of communication tools in the on-line learning environment are ease of use, ability to meet demands of class size, and visual appeal. The first two are obvious, but I think screens must be visually appealing in order to make students want to get on-line regularly and participate.
Karen,
Right on. Thank you for your thorough posting in this forum. You described communication and technology components well. Thanks.
Gretchen,
Thanks for bringing up FERPA, security and ease of use into the conversation. Nice job.
George,
I like that you brought up the idea of integrating current topics into the course. That along with effective communication tools and subject matter expertise can make for a wonderful combination.
Ann,
Right. It is developing a better understanding of the students that helps you better provide for the students. Nice job.
Suzanne,
I agree. The visually appealing component is important.
