Online
Teaching & Learning
Teaching Large Classes With the Web
This
is the title page for Teaching Large Classes with the Web.
Guidelines for Creating Web Content Accessible to All
Accessibility
is for everyone. Although there are legal mandates requiring institutions
of higher education to make educational materials accessible), accessibility
is fundamentally just good web page design. Here are two examples of
how accessibility benefits everyone:
Managing—and Motivating!—Distance Learning Group Activities
Effective, creative uses of technology should rest on all we know about human learning.
Not surprisingly, the same principles—outlined below—that foster effective
in-class learning can also promote learning at a distance.
Gathering Our Teaching Patterns
Transforming
a lesson to a new medium creates a moment when it is necessary to become
critically conscious of the teaching patterns that have become our habits.
While the IRE may be effective in a classroom, can it work in an asynchronous
class? Efforts to twist the new medium so that we can force fit patterns
that are better suited to another setting will prove frustrating. Instead,
we may need to modify or adopt different interaction sequences. The
first step, then, is to look carefully at what patterns we typically
use when planning and conducting our lessons.
Considering Your Goals (Teaching Goals and Instructional Patterns)
The
skill-oriented (demonstrator) style recommends that teachers lay out
the competency objectives for their students. Heidi Schweizer, in Designing
and Teaching an On-Line Course, describes how to use performance objectives
to plan a web-based course.
Reviewing Your Instructional Patterns
To
transform a lesson into an electronic media form, it is clear that the
lesson should be working as smoothly as possible. Having collected one
or two of your instructional patterns, some obvious questions might
arise: How do you know how effective they are? What distinguishes a
productive routine from a sequence of activities that is not likely
to produce any real learning? Or, more importantly, what distinguishes
either of these from an ordinary kind of pattern that, by and large,
works for most people most of the time?
Working with Instructional Patterns
The
task is to find appropriate patterns and adapt them to the educational
setting. There are two basic sources for instructional patterns: 1)
social patterns and 2) pedagogical patterns….
Creating a Patterned Lesson Plan
As
you prepare to turn a lesson into a electronically mediated learning
activity, you can utilize the information about teaching patterns to
help you design an effective learning experience. The steps below
should guide you through the basic routine for planning a lesson.
Student Learning Patterns
Since
we have been discussing patterns that teachers use in preparing their
lessons, it should not be much of a surprise to find out that students
also use patterns when they engage in academic work. When they open
a book and begin to read, they follow a certain pattern as they work
through the material. Likewise, taking notes, studying for exams, analyzing
problems, preparing presentation are all activities that involve following
certain behavioral steps. These are called learning patterns.
Assessing the Learning Environment
How
do you know where your students are? This is one of the most nagging
questions for those who teach in a distance environment. Without
regular classroom contact, the informal ways of gathering student feedback
disappear. Teachers in distance learning settings need to design
deliberate methods to find out how students are responding to the instruction.
Working within The Organization
The
course transformation process places us in the midst of shifting expectations
about what we should do and how we should do it. It challenges organizations
(and their leaders) to adjust institutional structures and rewards to
support the new (and often until recently unknown) approaches with new
(and as yet unknown) administrative procedures. How should we work within
an organization that is, itself, unsure how to adapt to novel expectations?
Managing Classrooms in a Technological Environment
No
matter how good your teaching plans, if the details are not well managed
the learning encounter will not be successful. In traditional settings,
most of these logistical details are handled automatically. Classrooms
are scheduled, meeting times set, media delivered, and the library is
a short walk away. For the distance educator, this logistical infrastructure
must be actively monitored.
Teaching Styles and Web Pages (Web Templates)
The
links on this page connect to sample web pages and templates that you
can use to design your own course website. Each template is based
on the rhythms of one of four teaching styles.
Teaching Routines on the Internet
The
planning of distance education courses requires that teachers reconsider
how they will create the necessary interaction with students (and between
students). The principle medium described in this handbook is
internet-based electronic communications. Many of the same principles
could be applied to television and audio-conferencing.
Formal Authority Routines
Formal
Authority Teachers aim to cover content. Their rhythms are normally
organized to communicate this content in steps. There are several
types of routines -- lesson plans -- that can be used to guide classroom
interactions. Modified, these can serve as guides for organizing
lessons conducted through internet. Below are listed some common
routines with notes about how students can be engaged in participatory
activities as a normal part of the lesson.
Demonstrator Routines
Demonstrator
teachers aim to develop performance mastery in a set of skills.
They view the knowledge base as an essential element in performance
but emphasize the ability to adequately perform a procedure. Accordingly,
the routines below involve active efforts by students to show that they
can follow the professional/intellectual steps outlined by the teacher.
Facilitator Routines
The
facilitator defines the aims of the lesson in terms of the development
of the student as a learner. This normally entails some model
of learning, as a series of steps, processes, or stages of development.
It is sometimes defined more specifically in terms of problem-solving
or critical thinking skills. The routines described below are
designed to lead students through specific learning steps (although
there are many more learning models that can provide a structure).
Delegator Routines
The
delegator teacher aims to construct classroom encounters that provide
transformative experiences for students. Knowledge is supposed
to be part of a humanizing process that makes people better individuals,
not simply individuals with more content. Because this approach
assumes some model about human potential, the routines used must
do more than introduce content, they must facilitate a process of personal
development.
8 Ways to Get Students More Engaged in Online Conferences (PDF file)
Dr.
William Klemm from Texas A&M University recommends following these
eight guidelines to create a strong collaborative learning environment
in your course discussion board. These methods increase both the quality
and quantity of student participation. Here are eight ways to get students
more engaged in online conferences
Instructional
Strategies for Online Courses
Effective
online instruction depends on learning experiences appropriately designed
and facilitated by knowledgeable educators. Because learners have different
learning styles or a combination of styles, online educators should
design activities that address their modes of learning in order to provide
significant experiences for each class participant.
Elements
of Instruction
The
following elements are adapted from Gagné's nine universal steps of
instruction and should be included in the instructional design of learning
materials. A description of how these elements can be incorporated into
Web-based courseware is below:
Alternatives
to the Online Lecture
When
instructors adapt their course materials to the online environment,
they should be sensitive to the advantages and disadvantages of the
Virtual Classroom. Web-based learning is well-suited for
communications, collaboration, and information acquisition, but not
for reading long text files. It is difficult to read screen after screen
of text on a computer.
Developing
Course Objectives
Objectives
describe what learners will be able to do at the end of instruction,
and they provide clear reasons for teaching. When writing objectives
be sure to describe the intended result of instruction rather than the
process of instruction itself.
Instructional Design
A
set of articles that discuss instructional issues and strategies in
the online environment
The Online Report on Pedagogical Techniques for Computer-Mediated Communication
The
author provides detailed descriptions about an array of instructional
techniques. He organizes the techniques according to the four communication
paradigms used in computer-mediated communication: information retrieval,
electronic mail, bulletin boards, and computer conferencing.
A Framework for Designing Questions for Online Learning
Proper
attention to the design, facilitation, and maintenance of an online
instructional discussion is critical to promote students' constructive
thinking. Questioning is a significant instructional design element
for the promotion of effective discussion. This article describes a
theoretical framework for designing questions for starting online discussion
and follow-up questions to maintain the discussion.
Learning Online ( Models and Styles)
This
chapter combines material from two themes (.tutor and learner styles
.models of online learning)
The Tutor's Role
This
chapter reviews the roles of an online tutor, offers examples of current
practice and presents guidelines and strategies for effective practice
in online tutoring. We believe that a clearer understanding of the roles
and skills required by online tutors will assist those already in the
field who wish to improve their practice, and help those new to online
teaching.
Building an Online Learning Community
This
chapter draws on almost two hundred ideas and experiences relevant to
building online communities that are dispersed throughout the sixty-five
case studies and twenty discussion groups from this online conference.
New Assessment Strategies
The
first part of this chapter, Assessment Issues (sections 2 and 3), sets
the background for online assessment and feedback, and provides pointers
to resources on computer-assisted assessment. The second part of this
chapter, Assessment in Practice (sections 4-7), describes current innovative
practice in assessment which exploits the potential for collaborative
learning offered by the online environment.
Evaluation
This
chapter draws on the experiences of the e-workshop participants and
on published literature to present a clearer understanding of the role
and methods of evaluation in online learning and teaching
Culture and Ethics: Facilitating Online Learning
Learning
and tutoring are very complex phenomena, much like "culture and
ethics" that cannot easily be reduced to simple factors. Given
this, the aim of our reflections is to suggest ways in which fellow
tutors could anticipate and enhance the possible impact of culture and
ethics in online communication and, consequently, in online learning.
Institutional Support
The
aim of this chapter is to examine the role of institutional support
in online tutoring, to identify areas where this support is required
and to offer examples of current practice where it can be seen that
institutional support is encouraging the growth of online tutoring and
learning.
Staff Development
This
chapter aims to present a framework for staff development and a range
of rich resources (including the OTiS e-book and case studies) that
can be used to support appropriate and sustainable approaches to staff
development for online tutors.
Quality Assurance
Quality emerged as a key factor in assuring the success of online learning
initiatives. This chapter reviews the role of quality assurance in online
tutoring and explores what issues an agenda regarding quality and online
learning might address.
Teaching College Courses Online Vs Face-To-Face
This
article describes the differences between teaching online and teaching
face-to-face courses.
Synergy
in the Virtual Classroom
The
dynamic energetic atmosphere created in an online class when participants
interact and productively communicate with each other and in groups.
The cooperative efforts of the participants create an enhanced combined
effect compared to the sum of their individual effects. This atmosphere
is highly conducive to learning.
Conferencing
Strategies for Teaching at a Distance: Discussion Questions (PDF file)
Please
discuss possible answers to the questions below This exercise will hopefully
generate a lot of thought provoking discussion since there are many
right answers to each question. After you have thought about your answer,
click on the number next to each question to view an example of a possible
answer.
Distance Education (The Virtual Professor: A Personal Case Study)
As
time went on, these three "coping" strategies became the core
of my approach to teaching...to the point where I could successfully
run a course at distance without the need for any on-site classes. Audio
conferences could be supplemented by instructional tv with telephone
call-in, or two-way videoconferencing. Online guests could participate
this way as well or online. Finally bulletin board systems were replaced
by the internet and web with more sophisticated capabilities for information
distribution and interaction.
What
Makes a Successful Online Student?
The
traditional school will never go away, but the virtual classroom is
a significant player in today’s educational community. Corporations
are using the online model to train technical professionals while private
and public universities redefine the world as their markets. The market
for students is expanding rapidly. In general, the online student should
possess the following qualities:
What Every Student Should Know About Online Learning
Computer-mediated distance education-is it for everyone? Since the main
objective is to give everyone an opportunity to enroll in an online
class, it is important to advise prospective students considering credit
or non-credit study. This form of learning may not be for everyone however,
at least not initially. Listed below are several key considerations
that faculty and advisors may wish to consider:
Tips
for Online Success
As
the facilitator of an online course, it is important that you clearly
communicate your expectations to your students. In your online course,
you may want to include reference links to resources and tips for your
students to use to help them be more successful online learners. Here
are some tips for success that you should share with your students:
What
Makes a Successful Online Facilitator?
The facilitator in the online environment must possess a unique set
of tools to perform effectively. Reflect on your teaching style to see
where you might find room for improvement. Some of the basic criteria
for a person to be successful as an online facilitator are:
Concerns of Instructors Delivering Distance Learning via the WWW
The
top-down pressures that are mandating the delivery of web-based distance
education courses are creating a problem because the responsibility
for developing and delivering these courses is bottom-up and has fallen
on the shoulders of unprepared University faculty members. In response
to the political and market-place pressures, institutions must find
a way to train and encourage more faculty to develop web-based courses.
Going the Extra Mile: Serving Distance Education Students
If
colleges and universities want to succeed in the online education environment,
they must begin to reassess the ways in which distance students are
treated across the board; their tuition dollars, while often greater
than on-site tuition-is a significant factor in the continuing success
of distance education enrollment. While students are clearly benefiting
from the convenience and availability of online courses, additional
mechanisms must be established and sustained if distance education is
to continue its successful run:
17 Elements Of Good Online Courses
The
criteria of good online courses are those of the author based on the
author's experience in web course development, writing, and research.
In view of the facts that there are many types of online courses, many
disciplines with very different "modi operandi," many very
different online audiences, and always the possibility of different
but equally respectable approaches to teaching, not every criterium
will always apply.
Strategies
Crafting
Questions for On-line Learning
Examples of Student Activities
The
following list of activities has been compiled from student assignments
built into World Campus courses and/or Independent Learning courses.
Most activities lend themselves to a variety of methods of presentation
and submission, i.e., hard copy/print or electronic (Web, chat, or e-mail).
Using Online Technology to Break Classroom Boundaries
Instructors
adapting computer technology to their particular teaching styles and
aims have set up home pages for their courses, started newsgroups aimed
at encouraging discussion outside the classroom, and provide background
assignments, including linking students to research resources on the
Internet.
Student
E-mail: Issues and Solutions
The
following list of ideas about how to manage course-related e-mail
Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever
This
essay, then, describes some of the most cost-effective and appropriate
ways to use computers, video, and telecommunications technologies to
advance the Seven Principles. This is the same article as above but
there is a little bit more thing described here.
Courses & the Web (Online Teaching)
University
of Idaho Center for Teaching Innovation. Suggestions from Web developers
to instructors that include keeping it simple, mapping it out, talking
it over with others involved, promoting information exchange among students,
keeping students informed and involved, and making use of visuals and
graphics when possible.
Facilitating Online Learning
Prerequisite Skills for lecturers and teachers, Prerequisite Skills
for students, induction, getting started, keeping the momentum
Tips for Online Teaching
Tips
for Online Teaching
Using the Web to Design Online Course (Teaching / Learning Activities)
What
do you want to use technology for? To help you answer this question,
we've outlined some teaching/learning activities below that are used
across the disciplines and tried to suggest through examples from the
Web how each might utilize a certain kind of technology or a combination
of different technologies to accomplish specific learning objectives.
Managing Interaction in Online teaching
How
can interaction be used effectively in online learning? To help you
answer this question, we present video interviews with six experienced
practitioners from across the disciplines. Each practitioner focuses
on a particular aspect of online learning and suggests strategies for
using interaction as a tool in online and Web-enhanced courses.
Systems Approach to Designing Online Learning Activities
The
systems approach described here outlines seven steps to follow.
Avoiding Online Discussion Pitfalls
There
are answers about some problems that faculty used to face.
Technology and Education Online Discussion Forums: It's in the Response
The integration of technology in instruction is not an excuse to abrogate
our responsibility to design stimulating courses that provide learning
opportunities based on sound pedagogical principles. However, web courses
that include online discussion forums maximize student learning in a
number of ways, promote student involvement and feedback feedback, and
may inadvertently provide an outlet for students to voice frustrations
otherwise saved for program administrators.
Using Materials from the Internet
The
place to look for the use of online materials in academic courses.
From Local To Virtual Learning Environments: Making The Connection
University
of Colorado, Denver. Discussion of transitional adjustments encountered
as learners begin to adopt online learning communities and virtual culture.
The paper suggests strategies for introducing students and faculty to
networked learning environments.
Types of Web Courses
The
term "online course" is quite broad, and is often used to
refer to various levels of Web use. - Web presence - Web-enhanced course
- Web-centric course - Web course
Web Resource Evaluation Techniques
(Powerpoint file)
Web
Resource Evaluation Techniques
Understanding the Lifecycles of Network-based Learning Communities
A
better understanding of this "lifecycle" allows teachers and
learners to better function in these network-based learning communities,
and permits the development of institutional structures that more appropriately
support learning and teaching in these new media.
Writing to Learn In Online Class
Rather
than view writing as the outcome of student learning, many instructors
use writing as a tool to help students learn. Networked technologies
enable students to receive feedback from a diverse audience as they
draft papers and formulate thoughts. Feedback from peers, instructors
and others helps turn the writing process into a learning process.
Write an outline on the blackboard before you begin
One
professor of physiology says that he picked this up from a colleague
when they were team-teaching several years ago. "I put the outline
of my lecture in the corner of the blackboard when I first come into
class," he says. "That way the students can tell at a glance
when I've shifted topics and where we are in the day's discussion. I
also make frequent reference to the outline to alert students to transitions
and the relationships between topics."
Outline your lecture on the blackboard as it develops
One
professor in the biological sciences says that she always outlines her
lectures on the board as she goes along, using colored chalk to differentiate
major and subordinate heads or points and to diagram relationships.
On a separate section of the blackboard she also writes down any technical
terms or names of scientists that the students might not know how to
spell.
Use the blackboard for effective summarization
Using
the blackboards for effective summarization. Several excellent teachers
stressed the need to plan their blackboard work carefully so that the
most important concepts are still visible at the end of the hour and
can be used in making a summary.
Use the blackboard as a brake
"One
of the best ways I have found to do this is to outline my lectures as
I go along. I also write out all important concepts, key words for definitions
or important examples, and diagram various relationships at the time
I am discussing them. I try to plan my board work ahead so that there
will be enough space, and I use colored chalk to differentiate concepts
and highlight relationships."
Crafting Questions for On-line Learning
Have students synthesize prior week's responses. Have students take
sides on an issue and defend their position. Use the polling section
of Course Talk to take a poll on a particular question or issue. Then
have students support their positions in the threaded discussion area.
Designing Courses That Take Advantage of Computer-Based Learning
Do
you know how to use computers in your teaching, either to support classroom-based
learning, or to put a whole course online?
Using Course Websites as Instructional Tools (PDF file)
Using
its long history of developing and offering face-to-face instruction
and its large investment in technology, Florida State University has
developed online instructional tools for use in the traditional classroom,
the web-enhanced class, and in fully online courses. In this chapter
we discuss every aspect of creating and maintaining an online course.
Technology to support learning
What
is now known about learning provides important guidelines for uses of
technology that can help students and teachers develop the competencies
needed for the twenty-first century. The new technologies provide opportunities
for creating learning environments that extend the possibilities of
"old"--but still useful--technologies--books; blackboards;
and linear, one-way communication media, such as radio and television
shows--as well as offering new possibilities.
An Active Learning Approach to Teaching Effective Online Search Strategies
This
article describes the workshops that resulted from the collaboration
of a librarian and an economics faculty member. The object of our workshops
is to teach students how to locate appropriate academic sources on the
Web and in library databases, how to create an effective search strategy,
and how to use the retrieval features in InfoTrac.
Internet Resources for Higher Education Outcomes Assessment
Many
of the pages on this list have links to other resources and to each
other. We like to use other people's lists of links instead of connecting
to all the resources directly from here.
Web Course Design
Web-based
instruction is simply using the World Wide Web (WWW) Internet utility
to deliver interactive and non-interactive course material. With the
web, the educational experience can be freed from the boundaries of
the classroom and time restraints of class schedules.
Computer-Assisted Instruction
Computers
can play an important role in the teaching/learning process occurring
in medical education. Computer-Assisted-Instruction (CAI) is an area
of computer use most often designed for direct instruction, skill development,
tutorial, and enrichment.
Diagram-mediated Collaborative Learning: Diagrams as tools to provoke
and support elaboration and argumentation
Student
interaction during a collaborative learning task is partly shaped by
the tools that are available. Wertsch (1991) describes the study of
learning as the study of people in action using tools. Artifacts that
are the residue of cultural behavior can enable, constrain and shape
ways of thinking and acting.
Facilitating Interaction in Computer Mediated Online Courses
Depending
on audience size and how many audience members have been students/teachers
online, we will pose questions focused toward the scope of this presentation:
teaching methods and techniques to foster interaction (process) and
collaboration (product) among students and teachers online.
Instructional Design (Instructional & Audience Analysis)
Formal
or informal instructional and audience analyses should be conducted
prior to the onset of a course design. Instructional analysis should
determine the suitability of a course for online delivery with present
technology capability.
Instructional Design (Goals & Objectives)
Course
learning goals and objectives should be stated in a manner that is clear
and measurable.
Instructional Design (Instructional Activities)
Specific
instructional activities should be directed toward providing learners
with the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience required to meet
the goals and objectives of the course.
Instructional Design (Evaluation)
Methods
and procedures for formative and summative course evaluation should
be carefully planned in the course design process.
Instructional Design (Teaching Strategies)
Teaching
strategies should reflect personal teaching philosophy. They should
be congruent with that philosophy and capitalize on the strengths of
the instructor. Effective strategies assist learners in achieving learning
goals and objectives.
Instructional Media Interaction and Feedback (Interaction Among Learners)
Carefully
select communication technologies such as Electronic mail and bulletin
boards to enable and increase interaction and collaboration among learners.
Instructional Media Interaction and Feedback (Interaction between Learners
and the Instructor)
Provide
time and opportunity for learners to practice and master the skills
that are necessary to participate in the electronic discussion.
Instructional Media Interaction and Feedback (Interaction between Learners
and Instructional Materials)
Provide
time and opportunity for learners to practice and master the skills
that are necessary to participate in the electronic discussion.
Instructional Media Interaction and Feedback (Electronic Collaboration)
Develop
and encourage collaborative activities among learners.
Instructional Media Interaction and Feedback (Feedback Systems)
Timely
feedback from the instructor to learners is crucial to the success of
any teaching and learning event. Electronic communication technologies
can be used as tools for providing feedback.
Instructional Media Interaction and Feedback (Feedback Systems)
Timely
feedback will strengthen the relationship between students and the instructor
to reduce the tendency for academic procrastination.
Instructional Media Interaction and Feedback (Asynchronous/Synchronous
Electronic Communication)
By
conducting an audience analysis, the instructor may be able to determine
the most appropriate venues for communication with and between students.
For successful electronic discussions, whether synchronous or asynchronous,
all students need to participate.
Instructional Media (Information Presentation)
The
information on a course web page should be organized in a way that facilitates
information processing and reading.
Instructional Media (Interface Design)
Navigation
devices should be carefully designed on a web page to orient the user
and provide a sense of direction.
Instructional Media (Information Presentation)
When
using multimedia elements for a web site, always consider the instructional
needs of the media elements and the accessibility to end-users. When
audio is selected as instructional media, use the audio to reinforce
the content, not as a sole carrier of the content.
Course Management (Time Requirements)
The
instructor should allocate adequate time to develop and deliver an online
course. The instructor should recommend the enrollment number in an
online course depending on the course content, the support system, and
the instructor's experience with online instruction.
Course Management (Tracking and Evaluating Student Progress)
The
instructor should provide students with adequate time and resources
to master the learning technologies prior to the delivery of course
content.
Course Management (Providing Adequate Feedback)
Respond
to students' emails in a timely fashion and provide students with adequate
feedback.
Course Management (Managing Asynchronous/Synchronous Electronic Communication)
Use
asynchronous or synchronous tools to promote interaction in an online
course.
Course Management (Promoting Online Learning Community)
The
instructor should design opportunities for social contacts with students.
The instructor should create and promote an atmosphere of sharing.
Organizational Support Services (Technical Services and Support )
A
comprehensive system of technical support services should be in place
to ensure the effective use of technologies in online courses for learners,
instructors, and staff.
Active Learning on the Web
For
a year and a half now I've been experimenting with a variety of ways
of teaching with the Web. One format that is both simple to implement
and highly effective is something I named a webquest. While the definition
of a webquest is still a bit slippery, it is at its heart a technique
for engaging students in active learning which uses the web and other
resources as they strive to understand a topic.
Learning and Teaching in Cyberspace
The
site provides access to brief summaries of the chapters along with links
to all the examples and profiles of leaders in the field of online education.
Tips for Training Online Instructors
...Because
online teaching is so different, even experienced teachers will require
considerable practice before being good online instructors. So it going
to be a while before most teachers are good at this. Organizations and
institutions offering online courses should be mindful of the time period
required to properly prepare their teachers to teach in cyberspace.
The Role of the Online Instructor/Facilitator
This article will list the roles and functions of the online instructor
in computer conferencing (CC). Simply stated, computer conferencing
is "direct human-human communication, with the computer acting
simply as a transaction router, or providing simple storage and retrieval
functions"
Eight Ways to Get Students More Engaged in Online Conferences
The
title really says it all - eight strategies to foster active engagement
and discourage lurking.
Selected
Web Resources On: Distance Education
Contains a lot of useful links on distance education
Web-Based Course Management Systems.
This Resource Page contains
a wealth of resources about getting more value out of systems such as
Angel, Blackboard, CHEF, ... and WebCT.
Distance Education.
This Resource Page includes a variety of resources of use to leaders
and faculty in programs of distance and distributed learning. It's of
some benefit for improving blended and hybrid courses, too.
