Online Education
Teaching Learning Technology
May 2003
1
Online Teaching?
What are the important elements of
planning, initiating, and maintaining online classes?
Why are discussions essential for
success of on-line classes?
What makes a DL course successful for
you and your students?
2
Nature of On-line Instruction
All communications must be in writing
Have to think about responses
Everybody is on equal footing – all
students and the teacher
Instructor is facilitator and not a
lecturer who stands in front of
classroom and presents material
3
Nature of On-line Instruction
People participate differently
Face to face classes are instructor
centered
On-line classes are student centered
4
Before you Begin, Know about
On-line Course Attrition
The three top reasons 45-50% of students
withdraw from or fail an online course are:
Lack of student responsibility – time management,
infrequent logons, and nonparticipation.
Technical difficulties – real or perceived problems,
computer illiteracy, and user error.
Isolation – a feeling or belief that they are working
alone without the help of their teacher or
classmates.
5
Misconceptions about On-line
Education
Online classes will be fairly sterile and
impersonal
Online education is only for "techies “
Online classes will be easy -- easier
than conventional classes.
6
Swift Trust
•Online faculty role changes
•Faculty perceptions of online community
building
•Correlation to theories of swift trust with
coding scheme
•Strategies for trust formation
7
Swift Trust, 2
•Swift trust is a concept relating to temporary
teams whose existence is formed around a clear
purpose and common task with a finite life span.
•Its elements include a willingness to suspend
doubt about whether others who are "strangers"
can be counted on in order to get to work on the
group's task... and a positive expectation that the
group activity will be beneficial.
• It is built and maintained by a high level of
activity and responsiveness.
8
Swift Trust, 3
Faculty who become successful virtual
professors overcome the coldness in the
electronic media with social communication
clues in discussion conferences.
The most effective online teachers get a
good start in the very first week of online
classes
Once established, swift trust remains
9
Swift Trust Summary
•In order to build swift trust at the beginning of
a course, the instructor needs to structure
clear contributions for each student to make,
help them cope with any technical or task
uncertainties, model and encourage response
to each others' contributions.
•Early encouragement of social
communications (and explicit statements of
commitment, excitement and optimism) also
strengthen trust.
10
Community Building Strategies
•Establish early communication
•Class members need to perceive the instructor’s
presence as soon as they enter the course
•Develop a positive social atmosphere
•Class members respond to perceived caring in
course
•Model solidarity, congeniality, and affiliation
11
Community Building Strategies, 2
•Reinforce predictable patterns in
communication and action
•Students need carefully structured
activities and regular feedback
•Involve class members in tasks
•Students need to be involved in
meaningful tasks in the first week.
12
Tips for Beginning On-line Class
Plan course schedule
Post E-mail contact point for students –
tell them to e-mail you and answer
them
Publish welcome letter and syllabus
Set up Webboard or WebCT before first
day of semester
13
Tips for Beginning On-line Class
Introductions should be first task
Introduce yourself
You get to know students
Students can get to know each other
Give students assignments [early and often]
Get them into habit of visiting on-line classroom in
the first weeks of class
Encourage participation in on-line discussion
forum [WebCT or Webboard]
14
Tips for successful on-line teaching
Provide meaningful and frequent feedback
MOST class business should be shared rather
than to create behind the scenes discussion
Send personal notes throughout the online
course to simulate the informal chat that
often occurs at the beginning or end of a
traditional classroom meeting. [WebCT mail]
Keep track of how learners are progressing
15
Keys to successful on line teaching
Interaction among participants
Group activity
Getting feedback on things posted is
very important to most people
Online education is inherently studentcentered
16
Tips for successful on-line teaching
Encourage learners to engage each other in
debate
In many classes, size precludes the course
instructor from responding individually to
each learner response - emphasize learner
comments in a summary statement
Encourage learners to be on the lookout for
URLs that interface with the course content
units – can use for next class
Encourage learners to complete course
evaluations
17
Course Requirements
Learners want guidelines from faculty
regarding course requirements.
Learners were dissatisfied when URLs were
inoperative or incorrect.
Learners want to immediately apply
information gleaned in class to life or work
situations.
Learners did not like being required to
purchase books, articles, various programs or
other required material that were not fully
utilized by the course instructor.
18
Administrative suggestions
Sets course agenda, objectives, rules, and decisionmaking norms.
Posts course materials (syllabus, assignments,
discussion topics, etc.) at the beginning of the
course.
Posts timely bulletins about changes and updates to
course.
During first week, assures that all students are ‘on
board’ and responding (contacts privately by phone
or email if not).
Returns student calls/emails within 24 hours.
Refers student problems to advisors and follows up
to assure resolution
19
Planning Discussions
Instructor’s office
Student lounge
Private forums
20
Discussion forum organization
Use the “timed release” formula.
List the most frequently used forums first.
List currently used forums next, meaning
when you move to the next unit, unit 2 goes
above unit 1, etc.
Use color codes to unify forums for each unit.
Label the forum as you did in the instructions.
21
Initiating Discussion Questions
Assign a section of the class a question
to answer in Unit 1, a different section
for Unit 2, etc.
Assign small groups a question they
collaborate on and then report to the
entire class.
Give students options of questions to
answer.
22
Initiating Discussion Questions
(Continued)
Assign each student their own question.
Assign all students the same question.
23
Maintaining Discussion Questions
Peer review of individual assignments in
public forums
24
Characteristics of effective
discussions
Support course/assignment learning
objectives
Generate interest
Questions facilitate thought, not “just the
facts”
Can be applied to everyday life or
professional goals
Provide clear explicit instructions
Receive points and/or graded
25
Characteristics of effective
discussions (Continued)
Reflect a percentage of the course
grade that is appropriate, feasible, and
significant
Provide a rubric or other evaluation tool
that details the evaluation process
Require reply to other participants
Include effective facilitation
26
Facilitating discussions
The “too hard”
facilitator
Doesn’t trust his/her
designed discussion
questions to elicit useful
responses
Controls the discussion
Enters too quickly and/or
too often into the
discussions
The “too soft” facilitator
Believes that discussions
aren’t significant or an
effective way to learn.
Believes he/she has
designed questions that
should result in active
discussions without
further interaction on
his/her part.
Initially has very active
and productive discussion
forums without “stepping
in”
27
Just right Approach
Makes his/her presence
felt but doesn’t
dominate.
Enters discussions when
asked a question
directed specifically to
him/her.
Redirects only when
information is incorrect,
or is off-topic
Allows time for students
to respond to each
other, before
commenting.
Immediately stops
inappropriate, rude or
hostile postings.
Promotes critical
thinking through
Socratic questioning.
28
Discussion Suggestions
Write effective
discussion responses
Provide examples
Function as gatekeeper
24 hour response
36-48 hour wait period
at beginning
Compensate for lack of
nonverbals
Delete rude or
inappropriate postings
Provide clear and
explicit instructions
Make objectives clear to
students
Provide and stress the
evaluation process
29
Facilitation suggestions
Manages discussion and student interactions with
leadership and direction.
Posts thoughtful discussion questions related to the topic
and appropriate to the desired cognitive outcomes
(Bloom’s Taxonomy).
Moderates discussion, models desired methods of
communication.
Engages students, fosters sharing of participants’
knowledge, questions, and expertise.
Privately (by email or phone) asks noncontributing
students to participate in discussion.
30
Faciliation suggestions (Con’t)
Contributes outside resources (online, print-based,
others).
Contributes advanced content knowledge and insights,
weaves together discussion threads. Helps students apply,
analyze, and synthesize content.
Fosters group learning.
Minimum of 10% of discussion postings are from the
instructor.
Provides public and private acknowledgment to students
who contribute to discussion.
31
Technical suggestions
Proficient with all technical systems
used in the course.
Helps students troubleshoot technical
systems used in the course and refers
to appropriate help sources, as needed.
Helps students quickly feel comfortable
with the system and the software.
32
Evaluation suggestions
Provides students with clear grading criteria.
Reminds students about upcoming
assignments.
Expects college level writing (in higher ed
courses). Grades/corrects spelling and
grammar mistakes.
Provides examples of desired
writing/assignments.
Provides resource ideas for completing
assignments.
Assists students who are having problems (by
email or phone) completing the assignments.
33
Evaluation suggestions (Con’t)
Acknowledges receipt of assignments within
24 hours. [WebCT can do automatically]
Returns students assignments, with detailed
notes and grade, within 96 hours.
Contacts (by email or phone) students who
have not completed assignments within 24
hours after assignment due date. Helps
student work out plan to complete
assignments
34
Evaluation/Assignments
almost any form of assessment or
evaluation is possible with online
classes
assignments and projects that involve
critical thinking, creativity, problemsolving and group discussion/interaction
are more appropriate for online
education
35
Rules of Netiquette
Brief is Best.
Careful with Formatting
Provide Structure
Manage Participation
Public domain
Be kind and gentle.
36
Faculty Responsibilities for On-line
Discussions
Learners want prompt feedback from faculty
and seem to appreciate it when these
comments were posted in the discussion
forum in a timely manner.
Learners want specific feedback and view
comments such as "nice job" or "good
response" as being indicative of a
disinterested or lazy faculty member.
37
Faculty Responsibilities for On-line
Discussions
Learners do not object to opinions
being challenged as long as the
individual was not belittled or
humiliated for offering the response.
Learners prefer that negative comments
be given privately, preferably through a
phone call.
38
Facilitating Discussions
Learners appreciate and seemed to learn
much from the responses of other learners.
Learner responses seem to be a valuable
aspect of the course.
There is perceived guilt among some learners
about not posting when postings of other
learners have captured the essence of what
they wanted to say.
39
Facilitating Discussions
Learners do not like it when fellow classmates
did not keep current with the weekly online
posting requirements.
Learners prefer discussion forums that
encourage open and honest dialog; are not
dominated by one or two "dominant voices;"
and are not used to express non-courserelated concerns or complaints.
40
Facilitating Discussion
Present a personal introduction the first week
Send a picture of yourself to all learners at all
sites
Communication using asynchronous postings
to the discussion forum allows learners to
post at their convenience
Quality of discussion usually reflects a higher
level of scholarly discourse than is typical in
many FTF classes
41
Facilitating Discussion
Post a weekly summary of the class
discussion for the prior week
develop a response to a discussion topic
before it is presented to the class
keep learners up to speed with the
discussion's progress
Keep all comments positive in the forumdiscuss negative feedback privately
42
Facilitating Discussion
Learners frequently have expertise related to
the subject matter of the course and should
be encouraged to share their knowledge
Online courses are not conducive to lecturing,
so instructors who facilitate learners' mastery
of course objectives by encouraging
discussion
Keep notes about each learner so that you
are reminded about learner interests and
experience.
43
Seven Principles of Effective
Teaching:
A Practical Lens for Evaluating
Online Courses
by Graham, Cagitay, Lim, Craner,
and Duffy
44
Principle 1: Good Practice
Encourages Student-Faculty Contact
Instructors should provide clear
guidelines for interaction with students.
Establish policies describing the types
of communication that should take
place over different channels.
Set clear standards for instructors'
timelines for responding to messages.
45
\Principle 2: Good Practice
Encourages Cooperation Among
Students
Well-designed discussion assignments
facilitate meaningful cooperation among
students.
Learners should be required to participate (and their grade
should depend on participation).
Discussion groups should remain small.
Discussions should be focused on a task.
Tasks should always result in a product.
Tasks should engage learners in the content.
Learners should receive feedback on their discussions.
Evaluation should be based on the quality of postings (and
not the length or number).
Instructors should post expectations for discussions.
46
Principle 3: Good Practice
Encourages Active Learning
Students should present course projects
Students learn valuable skills from
presenting their projects
Often motivated to perform at a higher
level
Students also learn a great deal from
seeing and discussing their peers' work.
47
Principle 4: Good Practice Gives
Prompt Feedback
Instructors need to provide two types of
feedback: information feedback and
acknowledgment feedback.
Two kinds of feedback provided by online
instructors: "information feedback" and
"acknowledgement feedback."
Give detailed personal feedback to each student.
During the semester's busiest times, instructors
can still give prompt feedback on discussion
assignments by responding to the class as a whole
instead of to each individual student.
48
Principle 5: Good Practice
Emphasizes Time on Task
Online courses need deadlines.
Regularly-distributed deadlines encourage
students to spend time on tasks and help
students with busy schedules avoid
procrastination.
Deadlines provide a context for regular
contact with the instructor and peers.
49
Principle 6: Good Practice
Communicates High
Expectations
Challenging tasks, sample cases, and
praise for quality work communicate
high expectations.
Give challenging assignments
Provide examples or models for students to
follow, along with comments explaining
why the examples are good
Publicly praising exemplary work
communicates high expectations
50
Principle 7: Good Practice
Respects Diverse Talents and
Ways of Learning
Allowing students to choose project
topics incorporates diverse views into
online courses.
51
AVOIDING ONLINE
DISCUSSION PITFALLS
Problem
Solution
Students are quickly overwhelmed
by too much information. If teachers
do not clearly organize
conversations, participants become
confused.
Plan and streamline course
discussions. Plot the duration and
focus of discussion threads. Students
should also take turns running
discussions about course readings.
Students are easily stumped by
online tasks, including cutting and
pasting text on the Web. Students
may lack Web expertise,
misunderstand directions or are
unsure what's expected of them.
Structure online activities. Provide
guidelines for posting material, how
often to comment, length of
comments and what to say in them.
52
AVOIDING ONLINE
DISCUSSION PITFALLS
Student comments lack justification.
They often make comments without
providing evidence.
In your own postings, model ways to
support arguments. Cite research
studies or theories to back up your
comments.
Students seldom connect their online
comments to specific course
concepts because they don't realize
they're expected to. Many times
comments are unrelated to readings,
theories or research topics discussed
in class.
Students are too nice on the Web.
This may be because students also
see each other regularly face-to-face
or because their comments are
recorded online.
Frame questions in terms of
concepts. When posting a discussion
question, ask students to answer it
using specifics from readings.
Encourage role-playing. Assign
students to play out roles of devil's
advocate, pessimist or optimist to
help them take different sides and
spur debate.
53
AVOIDING ONLINE
DISCUSSION PITFALLS
Peer camaraderie is lacking.
Students tend not to reach out to
each other online as fully online as
they do face-to-face.
Assign online buddies. Pair up
students to help each other
troubleshoot software problems and
respond to questions about course
content.
Instructors struggle to teach and not
preach. Instructors easily fall into
lecture mode.
Encourage students to initiate
discussion topics. Require them to
take turns running discussion
threads about readings.
It's difficult to form a "community of
learners" online. Because students
can't see each other, it takes time for
them to build trust and speak freely.
Encourage students to interact
casually. Create discussion threads
or areas for hanging out and
personal introductions.
54
AVOIDING ONLINE
DISCUSSION PITFALLS
Web postings are time consuming to
grade. Students often post large
amounts of text, making it hard for
instructors to keep up.
Award points according to set
criteria. Give points for posting
regularly, interacting concisely with
others and showing deep thinking,
rather than for generating lots of
text.
Computers crash. Students'
computers or Internet connections
may malfunction, or glitches may
plague online discussion software.
Troubleshoot. Check in regularly to
see whether students need help
using the discussion software or
whether you need to call technology
support personnel about more
serious software problems.
55