Introduction to Online Education Fundamentals
Transcript of Introduction to Online Education Fundamentals
For Administrators
This course introduces potential faculty and/or administrators to online education fundamentals and is a prerequisite to both the Online Teaching Certificate and the Blended Teaching Certificate programs. Not only will you discuss the concepts but you will use the technologies to gain practical "hands-on" experience.
Objective:
Compare face-to-face and online teaching, including expectations, role adjustments, and course design
◦ Participation: Learners and instructors will take an active role in creating dialog and peer interaction
◦ Instruction: Innovative, engaging, and flexible, but based on outcomes
◦ Presence: The perception that others are present; environment and activities are designed to promote presence
◦ Guidelines: Clear assignment instructions, rubrics, detailed syllabus, learner contracts/agreements
Instructors
Online activities: communication (discussions, email, chat); evaluation (grading); technical support; changes and maintenance (“hot fixes”)
Providing learners with resources choose from or guidance for finding their own (Mandernach et al., 2009)
Facilitating vs. teaching; willing to put learners in control (ION, 2013)
Learners
More autonomous
Must share in knowledge management and creation
Critical literacy skills: information, technology, thinking
What are your expectations for your role as an online instructor? How do you think your role will differ from the face-to-face environment?
Start with goals and objectives; choose assessments, activities, and strategies that best support the learning outcomes (ION, 2013)
Courses: Modular, interactive, engaging; accommodates various learning styles through selection of readings, assignments, and assessments
Discussions: "Planned, meaningful, prepared" (Mandernach et al., 2009); support for higher order activities that are reflective and research-based
Syllabus design: Narrative versus modular (to support cognitive load management online, use of mobile devices)
Objective:
Apply the principles of effective participation through chat and discussion.
"Heart" of online learning; should encourage critical thinking (ION, 2013; Mandernach et al., 2009)
"Presence“: The perception that others are present in the interaction (Short, Williams, & Christy, 1976); quality participation decreases isolation, anonymity, and polarization (Mandernach et al., 2009)
“[D]iscussion questions should not be discrete questions that have a definite answer, rely solely on opinion, or require minimal insight and investigation" (Mandernach et al., 2009)
Three types of communication essential to the online classroom: course content related; planning; social support (Hrastinski, 2008)
Environment: Open to all; established rules ("netiquette"); guidelines for participation (operationalization) (Min, 2007)
Build presence through introductions, ice breakers
Allow space/time for informal dialogue not related to the course (Dailey-Hebert, Mandernach, & Donnelli-Sallee, 2006)
Techniques: Affinity groups, guest speakers, role playing, debate/mock trials, media, case studies, simulations (Mandernach et al., 2009)
Understanding of asynchronous facilitation techniques is essential!
Taking an active role in the discussion (versus monitoring) influences the value and effectiveness of online discussion (Mandernach et al., 2009)
Participate regularly and visibly; remain non-judgmental
Focus on helping learners increase and deepen understanding
Face-to-face discussions can be spontaneous and dynamic. How can you encourage a similar quality of interaction in the online environment?
Objective:
Use synchronous and asynchronous technologies
While research does not support the use of one mode over the other, each has its advantages◦ Synchronous: immediacy, real-time collaboration,
large group interaction, presence
◦ Asynchronous: Flexibility, time management, reflection, information processing; tools are probably more widely used
Synchronous: Chat rooms, instant messaging, video chat, Skype, Communicator, web conferencing, immersive environments, Multi-user Domains (MUDs) or Multi-user Object Oriented Environments (MOOs) (ION, 2013), conference calling, collaborative document editing such as Google Drive
Asynchronous: Listservs, RSS feeds, email, discussion boards, document sharing (Box.net, DropBox, Google Drive), blogs, wikis, portfolios
Helpful Resource:
Faculty Focus. (n.d.). Synchronous and asynchronous learning tools: 15 Strategies for engaging online students using real-time chat, threaded discussions and blogs. Retrieved from http://www.facultyfocus.com/free-reports/synchronous-and-asynchronous-learning-tools-strategies-for-engaging-online-students/
Synchronous: Have an agenda, chunk the presentation, stay on topic, manage emotions, provide summaries
Asynchronous: Organize the environment, use the features of the environment, provide summaries, monitor and guide
From the University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2011b). Best practices for the asynchronous and synchronous classroom. Retrieved from http://academictech.doit.wisc.edu/ideas/otr/communication/best-practices-asynch-synch-classroom
Objective:
Prepare for managing online classes, workload, and resources
Allow additional time to plan, prepare, grade, and communicate
Some indication that online design and development is more time-intensive than face-to-face, but delivery may require less effort (Andersen & Avery, 2008)
According to Andersen and Avery (2008), instructors in online courses spend the greatest amount of time interacting with students. They also spent significantly more time evaluating work than their face-to-face counterparts.
Use variety in selecting activities; appeal to a wide range of learners; give choice (Dailey-Hebert, Mandernach, & Donnelli-Sallee, 2006)
Choose activities that promote critical thinking
Promote active, connected learning
Use techniques that gain attention and provide motivation
Technical support: Just-in-time/self help; peer support (lead faculty); help desk
Promote tools and techniques for time management and organization
Prioritize prompt and substantive communication and feedback
What do you expect to be the biggest challenges for both instructors and learners in the online environment? What actions can you take to address those challenges?
Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2010). Class differences: Online education in the United States, 2010. Retrieved from http://sloanconsortium.org/publications/survey/class_differences
Andersen, K., & Avery, M. (2008). Faculty teaching time: A comparison of web-based and face-to-face graduate nursing courses. International Journal of Nursing Education Scholarship, 5(1). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2920737/
Dailey-Hebert, A., Mandernach, B., & Donnelli-Sallee, E. (2006). Best practices in the development and facilitation of online courses. Retrieved from http://www.park.edu/cetl/documents/OnlineDevelopmentandFacilitation.pdf
Hrastinski, S. (2008, November 4). Asynchronous & synchronous e-learning. EDUCAUSE Quarterly. Retrieved from http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/EQM0848.pdf
ION - Illinois Online Network. (2013). Instructional strategies for online courses. Retrieved from http://www.ion.uillinois.edu/resources/tutorials/pedagogy/instructionalstrategies.asp
Mandernach, B., Forrest, K., Babutzke, J., & Manker, L. (2009). The role of instructor interactivity in promoting critical thinking in online and face-to-face classrooms. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 5(1). Retrieved from http://jolt.merlot.org/vol5no1/mandernach_0309.htm
Min, S. (2007). Online vs. face-to-face deliberation: Effects on civic engagement. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(4). Retrieved from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/issue4/min.html
Morris, L., Xu, H., & Finnegan, C. (2005). Roles of faculty in teaching asynchronous undergraduate courses. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 9(1). Retrieved from http://www.msmc.la.edu/include/learning_resources/online_course_environment/online_teaching/v9n1_faculty.pdf
Pennsylvania State University. (2013). Online instructor performance best practices and expectations. Retrieved from http://psuwcfacdev.ning.com/page/online-instructor-performance
Taylor, S. A. (2013). Getting started teaching online. Retrieved from http://sloanconsortium.org/node/225451
University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2011a). Asynchronous vs synchronous communication. Retrieved from http://academictech.doit.wisc.edu/ideas/otr/communication/asynchronous-synchronous
University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2011b). Best practices for the asynchronous and synchronous classroom. Retrieved from http://academictech.doit.wisc.edu/ideas/otr/communication/best-practices-asynch-synch-classroom