In Chapter 13 of The Skillful Teacher, "Online Learning" (Stephen D. Brookfield, 2015) there are some fantastic insights about the benefits of online learning for students and what instructors need to do to maximize the opportunities for student success.
…Establish the relevance of learning early on, organize content into manageable chunks, use a range of learning modalities, employ questioning skillfully, provide continuous feedback to students, develop students sense of responsibility for their own learning, and organize relevant learning tasks to move from simple to complex. (Brookfield, p. 170)
Some of the most important facets to teaching online are to have early activities that will allow students to introduce themselves in order to instill a sense of community in the classroom. A strong syllabus that is adhered to with clearly defined learning objectives and a visible pathway to negotiate the course including due dates and grading rubrics. Discussions and journaling play a key part in every online course I have been involved with as a student. This makes sense as a means to encourage discussion and meet learning objectives. It also helps to foster a collaborative environment. It can demonstrate learning on the part of the students and be used as formative and summative assessment. Reflective journaling is also key to show concepts are being contextualized by the learners.
In some courses I have taken, the instructor encourages community using group chats on Skype or Oovoo. These group chats are another feedback mechanism like a twitter feed that allow an instructor to engage the students and give them a pathway to ask questions and get feedback. It is also beneficial that often peers in the classroom can answer questions as many students may be having the same issues which others have already mastered. I need to use that to my advantage in an online environment.
Even more so than in a classroom, detailed written feedback on student submissions will help to engage the student and keep them motivated and focused.
Feedback and engagement are critical in Online Teaching. Coupled with good content and a clearly defined syllabus, the advantages of online learning such as going at your own pace and setting your own hours should help to smooth the students transition to an online environment when that is initiated in my program in the next calendar year.
Reference
Brookfield, S. D. (2015). The Skillful Teacher: On Technique, Trust, and Responsiveness in the Classroom. John Wiley & Sons.
…Establish the relevance of learning early on, organize content into manageable chunks, use a range of learning modalities, employ questioning skillfully, provide continuous feedback to students, develop students sense of responsibility for their own learning, and organize relevant learning tasks to move from simple to complex. (Brookfield, p. 170)
Some of the most important facets to teaching online are to have early activities that will allow students to introduce themselves in order to instill a sense of community in the classroom. A strong syllabus that is adhered to with clearly defined learning objectives and a visible pathway to negotiate the course including due dates and grading rubrics. Discussions and journaling play a key part in every online course I have been involved with as a student. This makes sense as a means to encourage discussion and meet learning objectives. It also helps to foster a collaborative environment. It can demonstrate learning on the part of the students and be used as formative and summative assessment. Reflective journaling is also key to show concepts are being contextualized by the learners.
In some courses I have taken, the instructor encourages community using group chats on Skype or Oovoo. These group chats are another feedback mechanism like a twitter feed that allow an instructor to engage the students and give them a pathway to ask questions and get feedback. It is also beneficial that often peers in the classroom can answer questions as many students may be having the same issues which others have already mastered. I need to use that to my advantage in an online environment.
Even more so than in a classroom, detailed written feedback on student submissions will help to engage the student and keep them motivated and focused.
Feedback and engagement are critical in Online Teaching. Coupled with good content and a clearly defined syllabus, the advantages of online learning such as going at your own pace and setting your own hours should help to smooth the students transition to an online environment when that is initiated in my program in the next calendar year.
Reference
Brookfield, S. D. (2015). The Skillful Teacher: On Technique, Trust, and Responsiveness in the Classroom. John Wiley & Sons.