Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
And the type of teaching necessary for "great" online teaching is is in large part quite different from the type of teaching necessary for "great" face-to-face teaching.
This link has been bookmarked by 41 people . It was first bookmarked on 27 Jan 2009, by Christy Tucker.
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04 Nov 09
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02 Nov 09
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it is a categorically different learning environment
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provide distinct pathways through the material,
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imply taking material that was developed for classroom delivery and directly porting it into course management programs such as WebCT or Blackboard tends neither to be effective nor recommended (Ellis & Hafner, 2003).
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lengthy lectures don’t tend to work online.
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26 Sep 09
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great online courses are defined by teaching, not technology
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In our view, an excellent online course is one in which the student is able to focus on the course itself and the medium of delivery becomes transparent to this process.
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Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
How far are we from reaching this reality (the medium becoming transparent to the process)?
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allowing them to construct their own understanding of the subject material.
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Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
This is a difficult concept for me to grasp. Maybe I'm holding on too tightly to *control* of the learning outcomes. Does "allowing them to construct their own understanding" mean that students may leave with an incomplete understanding of the content I'm charged with teaching them?
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There isn’t someone standing nearby to offer comment and clarification. Communication is often asynchronous and commonly in written form. In the classroom, if an instructor is losing the class because a lecture is dragging, he or she can change gears or topics, pick up the pace or suggest a quick break. Not so in the online world.
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At the same time there needs to be another pathway that provides more detailed background material for those students who either want or need more information about a particular concept.
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Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
Multiple pathways - or multiple approaches to the mastery of a single concept... Very difficult to achieve in a face-to-face setting. Online learning is ideally suited to this!
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The roles for both students and teachers are changing in the online world (Collins & Berge, 1996; Sieber, 2005) and one of those changes is that the instructor role is moving from provider of content to designer of student learning experiences
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Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
I hope I'm up to this challenge - "designer of student learning experiences."
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students actually contribute to course content
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Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
From my experience teaching online high school courses, it seems we are far from this. Maybe it is our current approach? Maybe we have not provided the scaffolding necessary for students to learn to participate in content creation meaningfully (as in more than a lackluster answer to a lackluster discussion question).
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Originally her approach was to integrate previously successful best practices but had evolved into a “smorgasbord of jazzy supplements with little thought placed on their value, role and importance within an education context” (p. 7). Mandernach also discovered that despite the outward, tech-savvy appearance of her course, the pedagogical effectiveness had actually decreased.
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Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
AMEN! I love technology as much as (or more than) the next person, and I have taken a course just like the one described here. It was pure distraction - long on "cool," short on content.
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masters of effective feedback
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Specific aspects of online teaching that are reported to contribute to enhanced learning and student satisfaction also include: quick turnaround time by instructor on email and assignments (Hopper and Harmon; 2000); frequent and engaged contact and individual feedback (Anderson, 2006); having goals and objectives that are clearly stated (Carr-Chellman & Duchastel, 2000; King, 1998; Orde, et al., 2001; Sieber, 2005) and detailed enough to clarify “what the student should be able to do, the conditions under which the student should produce the desired behaviour and how well the student must be able to perform it” (Ellis & Hafner, 2003, p. 643); great communication skills (Hopper and Harmon, 2000; White, 2000); regular use of student names (Aragon, 2003) and the capacity to be real and genuine (Aragon, 2003; Beaudin & Henry, 2007).
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It is through sustained communication that participants construct meaning (Garrison, et al., 2000) and come to a more complete understanding of the content.
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Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
Is this the case with all students? I don't learn this way. I'm not trying to be a "Negative Nelly" - just want to avoid painting all students with a broad brush.
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It is also important to emphasize that community will not happen on its own.
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Those new to designing and delivering online courses tend to quickly gain an appreciation for the magnitude of the process.
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Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
Truer words have never been spoken! ;-)
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In an online course, students need to be able to find everything they need to be successful learners and how to do so easily.
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Ideally assessment should provide diagnostic feedback that helps “the student to improve learning, the teacher to improve the instructional process, and the institution to improve its curriculum, support services, and infrastructure” (p. 16).
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One is to provide exemplars of the course assignments.
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Perhaps the most common of these provide direction on being effective self-guided learners. Unless the students in an online course can manage their time and provide some degree of self-motivation, they tend not to do well in a virtual course environment.
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Melanie Jennings on 2009-09-26
Do students actually read these guides and tutorials - the ones that help with self-guiding, time-management, and motivation?
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Another little extra is the inclusion of brief audio clips. There is something particularly connecting and compelling about hearing a voice.
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Of course, the inclusion of additional resources in websites and online courses requires an understanding of the issues of fair use and copyright (Pitler, 2006).
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05 Sep 09
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01 Aug 09
Belinda Donaldsonarticle on creating a riveting online cource
elearning technology listofskills skills online_skills community collaboration
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28 Jul 09
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Cherice MontgomeryEXCELLENT article - ought to be applied to teaching in general.
OnlineLearning edtech pedagogy CurriculumDevelopment for:ckendall for:kidmozart for:jessicahaxhi
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09 Jul 09
Fernando Sánchez ZamoraThis article explores excellence in web-based teaching. Drawing on the views of experts in the field and the perspective of their own years of experience, the authors compiled a list of 9 principles to provide direction in the search for online excellence
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07 Jul 09
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Oblinger and Hawkins (2006) suggested that institutions wanting to develop and deliver online courses should ask themselves: “Do we confuse providing content with creating a learning environment or delivering a course?” (p. 15). They advised that institutions should be aware that while a course most certainly involves content, it also involves things such as interaction, dialogue, and coaching.
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In fact, a good rule of thumb is to “keep the course objectives in mind, and omit any material that does not support them” (King, 1998, p. 30).
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Social presence and a sense of community are influenced by many things, including collaborative learning activities (Aragon, 2003), enhanced communication (Steinweg, et al., 2006), use of humour (Aragon, 2003), small group activities (Rovai, 2002) and it is an essential part of online learning.
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here is a wealth of articles and resources that can be supplied in order to help students find a rhythm that works for them. Many college and university websites offer student guides to help them be successful in taking online courses. Examples are listed in the Appendix at the end of this article.
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Another little extra is the inclusion of brief audio clips. There is something particularly connecting and compelling about hearing a voice.
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Adding little extras to courses can include things such as exemplars, rubrics, guides, tutorials, personal email messages, calendar reminders, audio clips and video segments. These additions, and others like them, often go a long way in contributing to student satisfaction and learning.
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05 Jul 09
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04 Jul 09
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31 May 09
David M. Phillips1. The online world is a medium unto itself.
2. In the online world content is a verb.
3. Technology is a vehicle, not a destination.
4. Great online courses are defined by teaching, not technology.
5. Sense of community and social presence are essential to online excellence.
6. Excellence requires multiple areas of expertise.
7. A great web interface will not save a poor course; but a poor web interface will destroy a potentially great course.
8. Excellence comes from ongoing assessment and refinement.
9. Sometimes the little extras go a long way.-
By absolutely riveting we are referring to excellence; to creating and
delivering exemplary online courses. While the concept of excellence can take
many forms in today’s educational landscape, for the purpose of this article we
are considering factors such as sound pedagogy, creating an effective and
engaging learning environment, generating meaningful learning experiences and
promoting high student satisfaction.In our view, an excellent online course is one in which the student is able
to focus on the course itself and the medium of delivery becomes transparent to
this process. It is one that is designed for delivery within the online medium
and as such makes sound pedagogical use of the tools available in order to
engage and immerse the student in the learning experience. It also creates
learning groups, activities and situations that put the students in charge of
their own learning. All of this takes place within a supportive and safe
environment, allowing them to construct their own understanding of the subject
material. -
But getting material – even outstanding material – online in no way
guarantees that a course will be excellent. There are factors unique to online
education that must be taken into consideration if any course is to have the
potential to be excellent.It is not sufficient to be a content expert. Nor is it sufficient to be
“tech-savvy”. It is not even sufficient to be an excellent traditional classroom
teacher. Because the online world is a categorically different environment a
particular blend of skills and knowledge is necessary if success is to be found
in this domain. Based on our review of the literature and our own online
teaching experience this blend includes an understanding that the online world
is a medium unto itself and that the delivery of content requires action; that
technology must be used wisely and that a sense of community is essential; that
many areas of expertise are needed and that an effective web interface must be
provided; that ongoing assessment and refinement must be carried out, that
little extras often go a long way, and that while technology is the vehicle for
online courses, that vehicle is driven by good pedagogy. Knowledge and
understanding of such principles can help us find success in the exciting world
of online education, and can help us move from the mere uploading of content to
creating absolutely riveting online courses.
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10 Apr 09
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07 Apr 09
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19 Mar 09
Susan NugentNine principles for excellence in web-based teaching by Jim Henry and Jeff Meadows
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20 Feb 09
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17 Feb 09
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11 Feb 09
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09 Feb 09
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Glenn HoyleThis article explores excellence in web-based teaching. Drawing on the views of experts in the field and the perspective of their own years of experience, the authors compiled a list of 9 principles to provide direction in the search for online excellence.
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“What would you do if I asked you to develop an absolutely riveting online course?” This paper is our response to her question.
Some of the answers came to mind immediately; others came with additional exploration. We drew together the views and findings of many experts in the field and added the perspective of our own years of online experience. We wanted to create a set of principles that would provide guidance and direction for new online instructors and course developers, but also, since quality online education involves so many important elements (Dahl, 2004; Hawkes & Coldeway, 2002; Oblinger & Hawkins, 2006) it is our hope that these principles will be useful to those involved at the administrative and policy-making levels as well. -
Measuring quality in the online world is elusive (Oblinger, Barone & Hawkins, 2001) and complex (Alley & Jansak, 2001).
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Because of the different dynamics, material that works well in a traditional environment does not necessarily work in the online environment (Ellis & Hafner, 2003) and often needs to be retooled, converted or redesigned for online use (Koszalka & Ganesan, 2004; Zirkle & Guan, 2000). Simply taking material that was developed for classroom delivery and directly porting it into course management programs such as WebCT or Blackboard tends neither to be effective nor recommended (Ellis & Hafner, 2003). Even supplementary materials such as PowerPoint™ slides, course notes and handouts usually need to be adapted, with explanatory content added (Ferguson & Wijekumar, 2000).
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Principle 2: In the online world content is a verb.
It is reasonable to say that courses tend to be built around content. We take classes in art history, quantum physics – or winemaking – because we are interested in those particular content areas. As well, few people would likely argue with the notion that excellent content is necessary for an excellent course. With that said, however, content alone is not sufficient to result in or to guarantee excellence. -
Principle 4: Great online courses are defined by teaching, not technology.
In describing online courses, many people may tend to first consider technology rather than pedagogy, but excellence in web-based courses is founded on excellence in teaching. The instructors in Hopper and Harmon’s (2000) exemplary online courses were competent, highly skilled and diligent. They had a good sense of humour, were excited about their content areas, and had high, clearly articulated expectations. They cared about their students, were confident, fair and were masters of effective feedback. The courses were “not defined by technology but by teaching” (p. 9). -
Principle 5: Sense of community and social presence are essential to online excellence.
Since web-based courses do not have face-to-face contact and the wide array of non-verbal cues that such contact brings (Gunawardena, 1995), they have the potential to become static and impersonal (Zirkle & Guan, 2000). Creating a sense of community is one of the main objectives in any class (Benfield, 2001) and is also an essential part of the online learning environment (Aragon, 2003; Benfield, 2001; Rovai, 2002). -
Specific aspects of online teaching that are reported to contribute to enhanced learning and student satisfaction also include: quick turnaround time by instructor on email and assignments (Hopper and Harmon; 2000); frequent and engaged contact and individual feedback (Anderson, 2006); having goals and objectives that are clearly stated (Carr-Chellman & Duchastel, 2000; King, 1998; Orde, et al., 2001; Sieber, 2005) and detailed enough to clarify “what the student should be able to do, the conditions under which the student should produce the desired behaviour and how well the student must be able to perform it” (Ellis & Hafner, 2003, p. 643); great communication skills (Hopper and Harmon, 2000; White, 2000); regular use of student names (Aragon, 2003) and the capacity to be real and genuine (Aragon, 2003; Beaudin & Henry, 2007).
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The expertise involved in developing excellent online courses is not optional; it is essential. And we either gain those areas of expertise ourselves or we look for help and support. Otherwise, significant aspects of the courses we develop will be weak, and possibly even mediocre.
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Principle 8: Excellence comes from ongoing assessment and refinement.
Obviously there is some distance between a course that works and one that is absolutely riveting. Two additional factors that develop the former into the latter are evaluation and refinement: the regular and systematic review of all aspects of the course and the subsequent changes and updates added as a result. Evaluation is essential and should cover at least two important areas: course effectiveness and course efficiency (Ellis & Hafner, 2003). -
The integration of related video material also provides another little extra, especially for those students who tend to be auditory or visual in nature. Many online courses are extremely text heavy and instructors need to understand that this is often intimidating for students.
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References
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Appendix
Being Successful in Online Courses: Links to Online Resources
Grossmont – Cuyamaca Community College District: Tips for Online Success: http://www.gcccd.net/online/tips_success.htm
UMBC: Tips for Online Success: http://www.cps.umbc.edu/aps/ Tips_for_ Online_Success.asp?SnID=2
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana: Success Tips for Online Students: http://www.ivytech.edu/distanceed/orientation/resources/success/
EDUCAUSE Quarterly: How Students Develop Online Learning Skills: http://connect.educause.edu/library/abstract/HowStudentsDevelopOn/40009?time=1189404960
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08 Feb 09
Shanta Rohse9 principles for excellence in web-based teaching. A summary of current thinking.
jim_henry jeff_meadows web-based_teaching CJLT delicious_import
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07 Feb 09
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05 Feb 09
Michel BauwensAn absolutely riveting online course: Nine principles for excellence in web-based teaching
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marco campanaThis article explores excellence in web-based teaching. Drawing on the views of experts in the field and the perspective of their own years of experience, the authors compiled a list of 9 principles to provide direction in the search for online excellence
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Settlement AtWorkThis article explores excellence in web-based teaching. Drawing on the views of experts in the field and the perspective of their own years of experience, the authors compiled a list of 9 principles to provide direction in the search for online excellence
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The principles include: the online world is a medium unto itself; sense of community and social presence are essential to online excellence; in the online world, content is a verb; great online courses are defined by teaching, not technology.
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04 Feb 09
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29 Jan 09
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those students who either have previous knowledge of the content, or who are
picking it up quickly. -
providing a clear route to
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using brief excerpts of important points along with the addition of visual
material such as PowerPoint™ slides -
material for online courses needs to be developed with the unique strengths and
dynamics of the web in min -
content alone is not sufficient to result in or to guarantee excellence.
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posting a series of readings or a standard curriculum to a website
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urposefully and strategically engage learners in activities and interaction
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They advised that institutions should be aware that while a course most
certainly involves content, it also involves things such as interaction,
dialogue, and coaching. -
content to designer of student learning experiences
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a facilitator who structures a learning environment where students actually
contribute to course content -
more centered on a set of student tasks and assignments that make up the
learning experiences that students will engage in, in order to meet the
objectives of the course -
Because the online world is a categorically different environment a particular
blend of skills and knowledge is necessary if success is to be found in this
domain
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28 Jan 09
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27 Jan 09
Christy TuckerNot a whole lot new to me here, but a solid collection of principles to guide online facilitators. If you're looking for an introduction for facilitators or administrators who aren't familiar with online learning or don't really "get" why you can't just shovel face-to-face content into an LMS to have a great course, this would be a good way to help show what's required to go beyond the mediocrity typical of many online courses.
e-learning education highered community assessment instructionaldesign
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Principle 1: The online world is a medium unto itself.
The search for excellence begins with this principle: The online world is a medium unto itself (Carr-Chellman & Duchastel, 2000; Ellis & Hafner, 2003). It is not just another learning environment, like a separate classroom down the hall; it is a categorically different learning environment. There are vastly different dynamics in online versus on campus courses. -
Principle 2: In the online world content is a verb.
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We are moving to a mode of learning that is less dependent on information acquisition and is more centered on a set of student tasks and assignments that make up the learning experiences that students will engage in, in order to meet the objectives of the course (Carr-Chellman & Duchastel, 2000). In the online world, content is a verb.
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Principle 5: Sense of community and social presence are essential to online excellence.
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Establishing a sense of community often signals movement to a deeper learning experience (Benfield, 2001). It is through sustained communication that participants construct meaning (Garrison, et al., 2000) and come to a more complete understanding of the content. Indeed it is through such interaction and through attending to the processes of learning and teaching (as opposed to attending only to content) that a deeper rather than a surface approach to learning is encouraged (Ramsden, 2003). Without this connection to the instructor and the other students, the course is little more than a series of exercises to be completed.
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Principle 7: A great web interface will not save a poor course; but a poor web interface will destroy a potentially great course.
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Principle 8: Excellence comes from ongoing assessment and refinement.
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