Online Mentoring:
Observe a Class as a
Student
• Start the semester before
teaching your first online class
• If possible have co-instructor
privileges to see assignments
submitted by other students
Faculty Observer
Responsibilities
• Participate in class discussions
• Do assignments
• Do the “library” research expected of the
rest of the class
• Follow deadlines
Observation: Bureaucracy
• A number of students
don’t appear in the class
until the second (or third)
week
• Late arrivals affect an
online class more than
traditional classes
Observer Solution: Bureaucracy
• Build in extra time; especially during
the first two weeks of class
• Assume you will lose the first week
• Don’t cover content material the first
week
• The goal of the first week(s) is to have
the students acclimate to the online
environment
Observation: Level of
Computer Literacy
• Students had difficulty attaching files
• Students had difficulty including
pictures and text
• Students lost assignments because
they didn’t use multiple windows
• Students had difficulty logging into the
SLN system
Observer Solution: Add
Computer Basics
• Use step by step screen captures to
show computer basics such as
running multiple applications
• Provide detailed log-in instructions
• Display SLN Help Desk information
in a prominent location
Observation: Roadmap
• Students became lost in the the
module organization
• Students didn’t understand what was
due to be completed by a particular
date
• Students didn’t understand that each
week they had to complete several
different types of activities
Observer Solution:
Roadmap Consistencies
• Provide a consistent module
organization throughout the course
• Always have the same elements occur
in each module
• Follow a consistent day of the week
pattern for each module’s completion
Observation: Reading
Patterns
• Students don’t tend to read more
than one or two screens of
information
• Students have difficulty
following instructions
• Students have difficulty
following text sequences
Observer Solutions:
Reading Problems
• “Chunk” large presentations into
smaller bits
• Use PowerPoint for instruction where
students need to follow a logical
sequence
• Specifically instruct students to print
out text you have written in a more
lengthy document
Observation: Assignment
Expectations
• Perception that online means easy;
not a lot of time commitment
• Tendency to minimize assignment
and discussion responses
• Tendency to write in short “check
off” style when more thoughtful
responses are required
Observer Solutions: Explicit
Expectations
• Make assignment expectations very explicit
• Let student know when you expect them to
research and not just give their own opinion in
response
• Use the first assignment/discussion grade
to insure they are aware their response was
deficient
Observation: Discussion
Participation
• Discussions tend to start slowly
• The level of participation increases as
the deadline approaches
• One or two students tend to lead the
discussion
• Some students tune out completely from
the discussion
Observer Solutions:
Grading and Deadlines
• Students must be forced to start
participating early in the module
• State that credit will not be given for all
discussion participation occurring on the
last day of the module
• Count each module participation
• It is very important to immediately give
grade feedback on discussions
Observer Solutions: Monitor
• Watch the discussion to make sure
your “leaders” are on track
• Intervene as quickly as possible if
your discussion goes off-track
• Add extra items, such as issues or
references to other articles to keep your
“leaders” interested
Faculty Observer Benefits
• Observe online class
flow
• Observe student level of
interaction
• Observe online behavior
• Observe problematic
technology areas
Veteran Faculty Benefits
• Observer gives guidance when
instructions are confusing
• Observer can serve as
assignment guinea pig
• Observer gives pedagogical
feedback of what worked and what
didn’t work online