1 / 27

What is so hard about teaching an online class?

What is so hard about teaching an online class?. Growth of Online Classes . 2000-2001: 3,077,000 students 2007: 4 million students 2006-07: 12 million students enrolled in college-level distance learning courses.

miller
Download Presentation

What is so hard about teaching an online class?

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. What is so hard about teaching an online class?

  2. Growth of Online Classes • 2000-2001: 3,077,000 students • 2007: 4 million students • 2006-07: 12 million students enrolled in college-level distance learning courses

  3. As of 2009, over 5.6 million students were enrolled in online courses • 2012 National Center for Education statistics reported 5.5 million students • 2012: Survey of Online Learning-enrollment surpasses 6.7 million students * • 32% of higher education students are enrolled in an online class *Allen & Seaman: Babson Survey Group. January 2013

  4. Through the Eyes of the Instructor • Many of us learned to teach with a mentor or through an apprenticeship in our area of expertise. Therefore, we may teach as we were taught. * • Few academics have experienced taking an online course. • There is the potential for higher education professional development to focus more on theory rather then practical application. *Garcia, Arias, Murri & Serna, 2010 as cited by Gregorya and Salmona, 2013

  5. What is an online class?? Distance Learning Massive Open Online Courses MOOCs Virtual Learning Community Asynchronous online discussions Hybrid Courses E-Learning Virtual Classes

  6. Let’s take a peek at how one instructor might handle her newly assigned class! http://youtu.be/3l1Lxru2fys

  7. NEA & Blackboard Commissioned the Institute for Higher Education Policy in 2000 Case study literature review compiled 45 benchmarks and reduced the number to 24 Grading: high numbers of “A” “F” and “W” grades. Students were either quite successful or dropping out

  8. Themes Online classes are not the same as face-to-face Pedagogy evolving Rules and timelines Immediacy Face-to-face ≠ Online/Distance Learning

  9. BABSON Survey Research Group • Hope for a more efficient means for delivering instruction • Many online courses are similar to face-to-face courses • 2012 survey: more time & effort to teach an online class • Over 75% of academic leaders believe learning outcomes with online classes are comparable to face-to-face

  10. BABSON Survey Concerns • Quality of learning outcomes • Additional faculty time and effort • Online instruction may not be appropriate for all students: 88.8% in 2012 believed students required more self-discipline to succeed in an online course.

  11. Why do students take an online class? • Physical presence • Traditional restrains: time in class • Belief of learning more and at a higher qualitative level (Hannay & Newvine, 2006)

  12. Kirtman: Online Versus In-Class Courses • Learning outcomes • One notable outcome • Students responses • Questions • Learning • Satisfaction vs

  13. Ten Tips from D’Orsie and Day (2006) • Identify prerequisites and requirements for the course listing • Availability of computer equipment • Provide technical computer support • Explain how to purchase books or other learning materials • Reinforce school policies

  14. Provide student assessment and participation requirements • Publish a course schedule and student time requirements • Distribute a syllabus • Send out “welcome letters” • Build a learning community

  15. Online DiscussionsAsynchronous Discussions • Peer-to-peer interactions • Based on constructivist theory: a student centered approach to learning. Assist students in rehearsing and retrieving information • Discussions facilitate group construction of knowledge with discussions reinforcing the learning experience • David Baker (2011) Designing and Orchestrating Online Discussions • Two challenges: a) what design will advance the purpose of the course to include a discussion and b) you must assume responsibility for running the discussion.

  16. Suggestions from D. Baker (2011) • Plan the pacing and extent of the discussion • Design the questions to support learning objectives matching the pacing of the course. Do you want a discussion prior to an exam? • Beware of cultural awareness: inclusivity of all participants • Creation of groups: divide students appropriately to facilitate learning • Identify parameters in the syllabus: time, progress check points, minimum of words to create a substantive comment • Netiquette: ground rules

  17. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching • Finish before you start • Walk before you run • GPS it (or begin each module with a roadmap) • Ready, aim……open the course • Defogify (clarify as much as possible as soon as you can) • No Speeding • Zombie awareness (is anyone still alive?) • Okay, Jump! (trust your students and communicate course issues) • Beat your students (expectations, that is)

  18. Baker: Instructor Immediacy Study Results • Strategies: • Set the tone • Updates will engage student learning • Respond • Develop an interpersonal awareness • Use humor and inclusive

  19. Things I need to change… • Send out all information early • Don’t fill up the time: no added work • Get online everyday if possible • 3 Types of Generic Feedback • Students may be impatient if a response is not immediate • Be prepared: it will be more work for me • Record my lectures

  20. Moving to teaching an online class requires a level of risk-taking. Don’t let the challenges frustrate or even demoralize you! Ask for help. Look for help.

  21. Review of Themes Online classes are not the same as face-to-face Pedagogy evolving Rules and timelines Immediacy Planning and Communication are two of the keys necessary for the success of an online course.

  22. Ideas to Enhance Instruction Discuss relevant key issues: real world applications Inject knowledge from diverse sources Make a video and upload it to YouTube Remain current on new tools for video and screen casting Ask students to search for websites: “useful” or “fun” sites Look for “extra resources” to enhance instruction (film clips) Use personal examples/meaningful examples: outstanding previous student work.

  23. Ideas to Enhance Instruction Design lessons for “active learning”: gather, analyze, present current issues or data Use voice over PowerPoint presentations Use case studies such as site visits, clinical evaluations as a capstone activity. Have students peer review, make corrections and submit the finished product Require one or two synchronous sessions per course Use weekly quizzes to reinforce vocabulary Change graphics on the site to make the site interesting Demand high quality work

  24. What is so hard about teaching an online class? Linda K. Foran EDLD Doctoral Fellow and Candidate Eastern Michigan University lforan@emich.edu Everything!

  25. References Allen, I. E. & Seaman, J. (2013). Changing course: Ten years of tracking online education in the United States. Babson Survey Research Group and Quahog Research Group, LLC. Baker, D. (2011). Designing and orchestrating online discussions. Journal of Online Learning and Teaching , 7(3), 401-411. Baker, J. (2002). An investigation of relationships among instructor immediacy and affective and cognitive learning in the online classroom. The Internet and Higher Education, 7, 1-13. Bennett, C. & Monds, K. (2008). Online courses; The real challenge is “motivation.” College Teaching Methods and Styles Journal, 4 (6), 1-5. Blignaut, A. & Trollip. (2005). Between a rock and a hard place: Faculty participation in online classrooms. Education as Change, 9(2), 5-23. D’Orsie, S. & Day, K. (2006). Ten tips for teaching a web course. Tech Directions 65(7), 18-20.

  26. Graham, C., Cagiltay, K., Lim, B., Craner, J., Duffy, T. (2001) Seven principals of effective teaching: A practical lens for evaluating online courses. Technology Source Archives University of North Carolina, March/April//Assessment. Gregorya, J. & Salmona, G (2013). Professional development for online university teaching. Distance Education, 34(3), 256-270. Illinois Online Network. Instructional strategies for online courses. Retrieved from: http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/instructionalstrategies.asp Institute for Higher Education Policy. (2000). Quality on the line: Benchmarks for success in internet-based distance learning. Washington, DC: Phipps, & Merisotis, J.

  27. Kirtman, L. (2009). Online versus in-class courses: An examination of differences in learning outcomes. Issues in Teacher Education, 18(2). 103-116. Schrum, L. & Hong, S. (2002) Dimensions and strategies for online success: Voices from experienced educators. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 6(1), 57-67. Young, S. (2006). Student views of effective online teaching in higher education. The American Journal of Distance Education, 20(2), 65-77.

More Related