Section 1: Introduction. Online lecture, videos, or screencasts created by an instructor can have a positive impact on students’ attitudes towards their learning experience. Students may believe that they comprehend the content better due to hearing their instructor’s voice.
· The most prominent theme we identified concerned the students’ need to have online access to course materials and resources. The responses illustrated a desire to have increased access to class/lecture notes and slides; assignments, tests, and quizzes; and recorded or streaming lectures. Students expressed the importance of having course ...
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Generally, student responsibilities in an online or blended course parallel those encountered in the traditional classroom with some variations given the nature of the course environment. These responsibilities include. Attending the Course Orientation: Whether on-site or online, students must participate in a course orientation to become ...
Course materials are powerful indicators of an instructor's approach to teaching and learning. They are important in supporting in-class experiences, as well as experiences outside the classroom. Materials included are those that have been used well in courses and are in line with the philosophy of teaching.
Learning materials are important because they can significantly increase student achievement by supporting student learning. For example, a worksheet may provide a student with important opportunities to practice a new skill gained in class.
In an online learning environment, your instructors take on the role like that of a curator as they design the course. They will guide you towards readings and other learning materials that will serve your learning goals.
The purpose of lectures Lectures are a critical part of a student's learning experience and so merit our attention. They are the most common method of teaching and disseminating academic information to students and are likely to remain so for many years to come.
Since the use of learning tools promotes active learning, the students will acquire skills to analyse, synthesise and apply the material. It will help develop their logical reasoning and creative thinking because the teachers are allowing them to have a more active role in the learning process.
Introduction Materials can be; Informative (informing the learner about the target language) Instructional (guiding the learner in practising the language) Experiential (providing the learner with experience of the language in use) Eliciting (encouraging the learner to use the language) Exploratory (helping the learner ...
Instructors provide teaching or training in a classroom setting or via a remote platform. They create and follow lesson plans, choose any necessary curriculum or resource materials, explain concepts and theories, and review assignments and examinations.
Whereas the job of a traditional lecturer is to deliver knowledge to a large group of students who for the most part sit quietly, an online instructor acts as a facilitator, encouraging students to interact with each other to discuss the material.
As online facilitators, their job is to make the class and discussion easier for students and to manage the discussion like a moderator or the role of an online course instructor, which is similar to the teaching role in academic settings.
Lecture method is teacher controlled and information centered approach in which teacher works as a role resource in classroom instruction. In this method, the only teacher does the talking and the student is passive listens.
Class attendance facilitates learning in a variety of ways, and here are just a few: Lectures and classes supplement reading assignments. Class gives you another perspective on the material besides just the textbook. Even if you think you already understand the material well, classes always adds something new.
The advantages include: Increases students' interests and engagement – lectures mixed with discussions can help maintain students' focus. As they discuss their answers, they get different perspectives on the topic. Good questions and answers can get students to think deeply and make connections.
In the learner-centered model, the teacher takes on the role of facilitator: guide, coach, conductor, midwife, gardener. Why? Because the students are doing the work of problem solving, reviewing, discussing and creating. Initially, this may feel like the teacher's job has been replaced by her students.
Teachers can reach far-off places and educate students that are unable to travel by using advances in technology. Online tools can be used to finish assignments and generate group discussions. This fosters collaboration and cooperation among students and teachers in a virtual learning environment.
Other respondents discussed how important lecture capture is for sick days and that such a resource "can be a life-saver if an illness causes an extended absence." Lecture capture can make courses more accessible to students who have a variety of conditions, such as a chronic illness, limited mobility, or disorders that are so severe that physically being in class hinders their learning. 5 Several students also wanted to watch class via live streaming. An engineering student reflected on why this would be important to him: "I would like to watch the lectures [in] real time and be able to ask questions [in] real time, but also have the recording to go back to if needed."
These examples demonstrate that having class notes and presentation slides is critical to students' engagement with their coursework and overall learning. For example, students with sensory disabilities, such as the student who mentioned eyesight, might not be able to see the slides projected in the classroom. Having slides and/or notes beforehand allows students to print them, enlarge them if necessary, and bring them to class and use as a guide. When instructors provide these digitized materials, students can also access them via their own devices during class and view them in a size and format they know works best for them. Those with language processing disorders might also need more time to study the class material. 2 Many students experience steep barriers to full participation if they are not given access to these online materials both before and after in-person meetings.
EDUCAUSE research on faculty and information technology has consistently found that "the most common faculty uses of the LMS are all operational, course management functions …that require little or no interaction between the instructor and the student." 7 A portion of the responses in this study demonstrate that some students want their instructors to leverage more of the advanced features of their institution's LMS, including the online gradebook, to enhance their academic experience. As one student told us, "I don't feel like instructors use programs like Blackboard to their fullest extent." A social sciences major at a public institution went further and recommended adopting specific tools within the LMS:
Respondents also said that having LMS sites updated regularly, with live links and current dates for assignments, would help their learning: "Keep modules organized, listing weekly class info with dates. Verify [that] links and documents are accessible to students in every semester; some links direct to [an] error webpage." This comment is a reminder of the importance of formatting documents and other web materials following Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 so that all students, regardless of the kinds of assistive or accessible technology they might or might not need, can access the course content.
A few students stated that using the LMS should be required for instructors. Others also said that using one LMS platform consistently would enhance their academic success, as managing different platforms could be challenging or even expensive:
In their open responses, students frequently talked about the importance of the LMS, 6 and two prominent patterns emerged: students want their instructors to adopt or increase the use of the LMS, and they want their LMS course sites to be user friendly. Many of the responses suggest that some instructors do not use the LMS at all. ("Use Blackboard more often. Some professors love it, but a lot refuse to use it.") And for some students, this can be frustrating. For example:
Many said they want to take assessments online so that they can control their testing environment. For example, one student told us, "Giving all exams ...
Technologies that allow instructors to maintain audio and video control while giving students a chance to ask questions and engage in discussion using a live chat might offer a common ground. Asynchronous discussion boards are another, perhaps more structured means of addressing questions and discussions. Small classes, however, can often accommodate live, two-way audio and video, which provides an even more personal, classroom-like learning experience.
The differences between online and classroom instruction go beyond medium alone. How instructors deliver information, interact with students, and assess learning is much different in a virtual learning environment. Online education demands more independence, so students must be able to learn at least some of the material when professors are ...
In synchronous courses, professors pose questions and discuss course material using real-time chats and web-conferencing tools. Students enrolled in asynchronous classes tend to communicate with peers and instructors using discussion boards, Web forums, and social media tools.
Whether used in conjunction with lectures or as a separate learning exercise, class discussion supports learning and actively engages online students in the learning process. Learners have an opportunity to ask questions and communicate their ideas while practicing analytical and cognitive skills. According to Kenneth Chapman, Vice President of Market Strategy at Distance2Learn, many students feel more comfortable participating in discussions online than in the classroom.
Lecture. Lecture is perhaps the most prevalent instructional strategy used in higher education—on campus and online. Just as they would in a classroom, many online professors use lectures to transmit information, promote comprehension, and spark students’ interests. Learning management systems (LMSes) typically allow instructors to record lectures, ...
Online degree programs are designed to convey the same knowledge and skills as campus-based programs, so professors often adapt the same instructional methods to the online teaching environment. In some cases, delivery is virtually the only notable difference; in others, the technology fundamentally changes or enriches the learning experience. Dr. Aldridge discussed the relationship between online teaching methods and student learning experiences during an interview with OnlineEducation.com.
Online courses that allow students to view lectures, access materials, and collaborate with teachers and peers on their own schedule are called asynchronous courses. Lectures might be pre-recorded or presented on a program like Microsoft PowerPoint, perhaps with instructor voice-over. These delivery methods allow students to review and re-review lessons as necessary. These options could be quite helpful to students who cannot attend scheduled sessions, hope to minimize live group projects or discussions, or want to work through lessons at their own pace.
Plan for interaction! Make sure your course is rich in opportunities for students to engage with the content, with you and with each other. This means creating diverse activities like discussions, group work, case studies and collaborative problem-solving. Also, be sure to select resources that are relevant and present a variety of viewpoints and meet different learning styles. Consider multimedia, periodicals, web resources, etc.
According to a 10 year study conducted by the Online Learning Consortium, 6.7 million students have taken at least one online course and roughly thirty-two percent of all higher-education students now take at least one online course during their educational career. And these numbers continue to rise.
Using the learning objectives you can become more selective in what you include in your course. This selection process is known as alignment. Alignment occurs when the course component (activity, assignment, material, technology and/or assessment) will help the student meet the learning objectives. To get started, build a Conceptual Framework for each module. In this framework outline the learning by identifying the course competencies and learning objectives for the module. Then review the course components (each piece of your module that you identified in the module map process) and see if they fit (align), i.e. contribute to the student achieving the stated learning objective. If a component does not align you need to either change the objective, change the course component or if it is essential to keep this non-aligned component, make sure that it is clearly identified as supplemental.
We all love our course content! As a result, it is tempting to throw everything into your course in an effort to spark that same love in the heart of your students. But how do students know what is important and essential to their learning? How do we help them focus?
Creating Learning Objectives. It is essential to build measurable and clear objectives that outline what is expected of the learner. These objectives will make it easy to align the rest of your course and will serve to communicate learning expectations to students.
Although the study was conducted in 1987, these principles identified are amongst the most frequently referenced by online course designers as best practices. Keep these strategies in mind as you examine and approach your course design.
Online education is not an “alternative” to traditional classroom learning.
Faculty are responsible for including any hardware and software requirements in their course syllabus and materials.
The instructor must develop or adopt appropriate materials, assessments, class exercises, and any other helpful resources that will assist in developing a supportive learning community.
Faculty are responsible for including information on Academic Dishonesty in their course syllabus. Faculty are responsible for including any hardware and software requirements in their course syllabus and materials.
Faculty are responsible for noticing changes in student behavior and coursework such as sudden shifts in academic performance, writing styles, or behaving differently in group assignments.
Faculty must provide frequent assessments and feedback to students. They must also identify when and how students will interact with and contact the instructor.
Students have the responsibility of maintaining the security of their usernames, passwords, and personally identifiable information. Students must abide by FSU's Responsible Computing Policy.
Designing an online course can be an overwhelming process, which is why it’s helpful to divide it up into parts. Your students will also be able to follow your course more easily if it’s broken down into a few digestible components.
The key to creating an effective online course outline is to make itsimple, clear, and easy to understand.
While modules should have the same basic structure, they don’t need to have the same number of lessons. One module may have only three lessons, while another module may have ten —and that’s perfectly fine! 4.
Hearing your voice can be a useful and relatable experience for your students , especially when combined with traditional text-based content.
The outline accounts for each step along the way to your goal, complete with material formats, lesson structures, and how you’ll measure your students’ success as they progress through the course.
When planning the class, you’ll need to start with a comprehensive outline to refer back to; otherwise, you would find it difficult to have a functional grasp of your learning objectives, benchmarks, and topic schedule as the course progresses.
Regardless of the type of course you choose, it is essential that you plot it out carefully, so that your pupils can understand what is expected of them at each stage.
Much like in a face-to-face course, the syllabus for an online course provides the big picture for learners to guide them through the course and help them plan their time, efforts, and lives (Boettcher and Conrad, 2010). While the syllabus for an online course includes many of the components of a face-to-face course (i.e., course description, goals and objectives, assignments, course materials), a syllabus for an online course also features goals and objectives that are appropriate for the online teaching and learning context; a course schedule that organizes content, activities, and assessments into accessible modules; explicit instructions to keep students on track; and guidelines for communicating and interacting effectively online (often referred to as netiquette). Some course policies and procedures that you may revise or add for the online context include participation guidelines, discussion guidelines, academic integrity, and technology support resources.
Online course formats can include, asynchronous, synchronous, or a blend of the two.*
Get assistance by phone and virtual walk-in hours, visit the Get Help section of the CTL website.
The classroom space and feel is quite different in an online classroom, and considering what community and engagement ought to look like in these new environments is essential to student learning. A large part of helping students become comfortable in this new space is to reflect on your expectations for students and consider how these expectations might need to change to better facilitate online learning.
Blending these two formats can help vary and make more accessible the content and concepts of your course. Considering how these two opportunities for learning–inside and outside of class–supplement each other will help you make the most of your and your students’ time.
In an asynchronous online format, students engage with course materials and complete tasks, activities, and assignments on their own time. This provides students with flexibility and control over when and where they engage with course content, and is helpful for teaching students learning in different timezones (see the CTL’s resource on Asynchronous Learning Across Time Zones for more information).
Regardless of the methods selected, online learners will benefit from clear instructions, explanation of expectations, and knowing the criteria that will be used to assess their work (e.g., using rubrics can help students as they work on an assessment and help instructors and TAs provide feedback).
Effective online courses are well designed so that teaching and learning is organized in the most effective and engaging manner possible. In an online learning situation, the student’s learning experience is almost entirely mediated through some form of technology; therefore, the design of the teaching and learning experience is especially critical.
An effectively designed online course or program must take into account multiple factors – the characteristics of targeted learners, the nature of the content, the role of the community in shaping learning, and integration of ongoing feedback and assessment; ample opportunities for practice and expert feedback to guide the development of knowledge in action.
Visual media –such as animations and simulations– can help learners enhance their understanding of concepts, such as object identification and spatial relationships. Visual media which portray motion can demonstrate psychomotor or cognitive domain expectations by showing the skill as a model against which students can measure their performance. Images can enhance vocabulary and reading comprehension for poor readers. Full motion video can be used to depict performance so that learners can copy the movement. Audio narration can help poor readers comprehend information and music can serve as a memory aid. Literacy research shows that readers remember what they’ve read if key words are highlighted by different colors and font styles. Color coding concepts is also an effective visual mnemonic.
A mix of media is more effective than the reliance on one type of media because it satisfies the many types of learning preferences that one person may embody or that a class embodies. Particularly in print- and web-based professional development courses which are primarily text heavy, the use of still and moving visual media can help learners who are poor readers better understand content.
Technology should be not just a medium of delivery but a learning aid that provides opportunities for concrete, contextually meaningful experiences through which they can search for patterns, raise their own questions, and construct their own models, concepts, and strategies.
They should be highly interactive and allow for a range of levels of learning, learner entry points, and experiences. Information should be “chunked” and moves sequentially from simple to complex; concrete to abstract and general to specific, in clear, concise text.
Engagement to tap into diverse learners’ interests, challenge them appropriately, and motivate them to learn (choices among various scenarios for learning the same competency).
This introduction to online education from 2016 provides an overview of the teaching landscape, sharing different research on the topic. The entry discusses how face-to-face and online environments compare, particularly with regards to learning outcomes, instructional design, and instructional effectiveness. Valuable insight is also shared on how to better understand online learners.
Participation in an online course calls for interaction with the materials, students, and the instructor. The entry digs into why intuitive communication and navigation is necessary for quality participation, as well as different hands-on and hands-off approaches for instructors to implement from the beginning.
Technology use creates new natural environments for social participation and new rules for social interaction and it has been theorized that students with emotional and behavioral disorders will not do as well socially in online environments. This study studied different types of online social skill instruction and found that they were effective at increasing students’ identification of problem behaviors in an online environment. Implications for the incorporation of this instruction into social skills interventions are discussed.
Many instructors being asked to adapt their face-to-face courses to an online environment do not have sufficient training do so. This commentary shares challenges faced by instructors adapting courses from face-to-face to online, best practices, and common mistakes.
This article identifies the major issues related to online#N#learning that instructors and institutions should be wary of such as: 1 Learner issues: learners’ expectations, readiness, and participation 2 Instructor issues: making the transition from face-to-face to online, managing time, and finding appropriate teaching styles 3 Content issues: the role of instructors in content development, integration of multimedia, and the role of instructional strategies in content development
This article first assesses the attitudes and perceptions of widely used learning management systems (LMS) in creating an engaging student learning experience and then discusses the educational uses of Slack, a business communications tool, as an LMS complement. While many LMS platforms present communication challenges for students and instructors, the author finds that Slack positively enhances students’ perceptions of the classroom as a real-world experience, as well as perceived learning outcomes from group work.