Engaging Online Learners
Dr. Jocelyn Sirkis
Community College of Philadelphia
Director of Professional Development
Adjunct MIS Faculty
Why I Love Teaching On-Line…
What My Students Think I Look Like
What I Really Look Like
The Great Challenge of Online Classes
Learning Online Can Feel Isolating and Disconnected
Myths About Learning Online
Myth: Online Students are Computer
Literate Techy Whiz Kids
Some On-Line Learners Struggle to Understand
Computers and Technology
And Computers Have Issues of Their Own
Myth: You Can’t Create Intimacy in Online
Classrooms
Getting to Know You…
• Always include an introduction
assignment
• Use your VOICE, VIDEO, WRITING
• Welcome each person individually
explaining why YOU are HAPPY to meet
them and HOW you expect they will
contribute
• “As someone almost ready to
graduate Lila, I hope you’ll be
willing to help some of our newer
students!”
• “Banking is a great industry to be
in Joe – and certainly one that
everyone in the class will be able
to relate to. Everyone will be
interested in your examples!
Other Ways to Build Intimacy?
• Use “WE”
• Consider EVERY student a contributor
• Look at every assignment as an
opportunity to “speak” to each
student
• Use announcements
• ASK students How They’re doing and
how they feel about the course,
material, etc.
• Let students know you will meet or
talk by phone if they make an
arrangement in advance
• Keep a cheat sheet on each student
Connect Where Appropriate
• Let them know where you’ll be
eating lunch
• Have office hours or times when
you can reliably be reached
• Respond to Emails in less than 48
hours
• Show signs that you are in the
online classroom at least 3-4 times
each week
• Insist that struggling students call
you
Myth: It’s Best To Mix Things Up Over the
Course of the Semester
Be Consistent
• Students are busy. Consistent,
predictable assignments allow
students to budget their time
appropriately
• Have a clear rubric for each
assignment type
• Keep a clear and detailed syllabus
to cut down on confusion and
phone calls
Myth: Social Media is the Way to Go!
Use Social Media – But Don’t Go Overboard
It is unrealistic to expect students to keep track of you on Twitter, Instagram,
Facebook and your blog. If you must connect using social media – choose ONE!
Myth: Online Learning is Even more Boring Than
Traditional Courses
Bring Concepts to LIFE
Find Juicy, Real Life, Material for Some Assignments
Add Interest to the Lesson Material
• Curate! Find resources on
the internet for each topic.
Look for interesting and
accessible videos,
webpages, study guides –
even other people teaching
the same class!
• Bring in guest experts and
guest speakers
• Create an “online fieldtrip”
Myth: Survey Courses Have to Be Broad
Go “Deep”
Go Deep and Give Each Student Something to OWN
• Every student spends the
semester becoming an “expert” in
something
• Students retain more when they
go deep
• Allows students to apply learning
to something “real” – great for
overly vague survey courses
• It will broaden your understanding
of the topic and your students’
understanding as well
• You will demonstrate to students
that what they are learning is
applicable in more than one way
How Can Your Students Go Deep?
• Foreign Language (foods, cities or Spanish speaking countries)
• Anthropology (civilizations)
• Introduction to Business (businesses)
• Statistics (casino games)
• Health Sciences (diseases)
• Music and Art (artists, genres)
• History (cities, historical figures, economic, political, cultural
perspectives)
• Management Information Systems (industries)
Disadvantages of Letting Students “Go Deep”
• You can’t expect everyone to
turn in the same essay or
discussion posts –grading
takes longer
• You might not know a lot
about a student’s chosen topic
(ask me about cargo
shipping!)
• It may take a few extra
minutes to verify what
students are saying
Myth: Class Discussions Aren’t Valuable
Discussions Have Value
• Builds class community by
promoting discussion on
course topics
• Allows time for in-depth
reflection- students have
more time to reflect, research
& compose their thoughts
before participating in the
discussion
• Facilitates learning by
allowing students to view &
to respond to the work of
others
• Develops thinking & writing
skills
http://www.edutopia.org/pdfs/stw/edutopia-onlinelearning-mastering-online-discussionboard-facilitation.pdf
Class Discussions Can
Go Horribly Wrong
Describe
Describe
eventsevents
that spurred
that spurred
the beginning
the beginning
of theofGreat
the Great
War? War?
Arnie: Arnie:
Do youDo
mean
you World
mean World
War I??????
War I??????
The assassination
of Archduke
Ferdinand
Leslie:Leslie:
The assassination
of Archduke
Ferdinand
Joe: Ditto
Joe: Ditto
Lekiesha: Archduke Ferdinand was murdered in 1914 by Gravilo
Lekiesha:
Archduke
Ferdinand
was murdered
in 1914
Gravilo
Princip. His
Princip.
His wife
was assassinated
too. Her
nameby
was
Sophie.
wife was
too.itHer name was Sophie.
Lila:assassinated
Yup – that was
James:
And
theit rest is history!
Lila: Yup
– that
was
I read
James:Marie:
And the
restsomewhere
is history! that he might have lived if he hadn’t
been sewn into his suit.
Marie:Jonathan:
I read somewhere
that
he –might
if heit.hadn’t been sewn into
Shame. But
yeah
that’shave
whatlived
started
his suit.
Marie: I heard that he wanted the suit to fit perfectly. They
Jonathan:
Shame.
But yeah
started
it. save him. The
couldn’t
get him
out of– itthat’s
quickwhat
enough
to help
diedhe
forwanted
fashion.the suit to fit perfectly. They couldn’t get him out
Marie:archduke
I heard that
of it quick enough to help save him. The archduke died for fashion.
Discussion Tips
• Have each student tackle the
question from a different
perspective
• Consider starting the weekly
discussion on a Wednesday so
the first post is due on Saturday
night or Sunday
• Grade discussions using a rubric
with specific expectations: word
count, use of references, use of
examples, response to others
• Jump into the discussion
Myth: Responses to Discussion Posts
are Usually Pointless
“Ojo, you always have the most
interesting posts. That’s why I like to
respond to your posts. You make a
really interesting point about the
airlines. I had no idea that airlines
actually charge different prices to
different people. What a ripoff that
is! It seems everywhere you go,
people are trying to rip you off! Who
knew?! I will have to go check this
out. Thank you so much for a really
great post Ojo!”
Define What a Substantial Response Is
• Add a fact or an
additional
example
• Ask a question
that
demonstrates
critical thinking
• Politely refute
something in a
classmate’s post
Myth: You Need a Mid-Term and A Final
Students Need to Apply Sustained Effort
• High stakes exams encourage
“bursts of energy” and
periods of non-energy
• Book publisher questions and
answers may be posted on
the internet
• Regular, low stakes
assignments keep students
engaged
• An end of year metaassignment can encourage
reflection and allow students
to see how the totality of
their course learning and
coursework comes together
Myth: You Have to Be Tough and Stick to the Rules
Hold Accountable and Set Expectations
• Have VERY high expectations
• Prosecute plagiarism with a zero tolerance policy
• Let students know when work is not up to par
• Know that some may never get on board: “It is obvious that you have not taken the
time to review the syllabus nor the rubrics for course assignments. Please do not
expect that you will be able to pass this course without following the requirements
described in the syllabus and rubrics.”
• Ask your best students or very good students for permission to use their work as
exemplars. Doing so helps the “model student” and struggling students
• But…
Bend and Adjust as Necessary
• Drop the lowest grade on weekly
assignments
• Make your “Official Rules” slightly
stricter than you really are
• Change what isn’t working and
explain why
Myth: How They feel Is Not Your
Concern
Show Concern for Students as Individuals
• Where have you been?
• How are your transfer
applications going?
• Are you feeling better?
• Your work is not up to
your usual standard? Did
something happen to you
this week?
Heap Praise
• Ask your top students to
help out weaker ones
• “Good point!” “Great
question!”
• Always try to find
something positive
unless there is
absolutely nothing good
to say
Demonstrate Concern for Student Learning
Chapter survey:
• What did you find most
interesting or unexpected
about this chapter?
• Were any concepts confusing or
difficult for you?
• On a scale of 1-10, how difficult
was this week’s written
assignment?
• What else do you want me to
know?
Myth: It’s Hard to Be Fun in an Online Course
Make it Fun
• Countdown the weeks or host an
asynchronous ½ semester party
(post photos)
• Share something fun you found
• Cartoon intro for each new chapter
• Promise students that if the class
quiz average is above 85%, you’ll air
guitar to “Happy”
• Invite students to meet you in
person for an end-of semester pizza
Be the Easter Bunny
Hide a few extra credit points to see who’s
paying attention.
•
•
•
•
In the syllabus
In an announcement
In a module
In an exam
• Expect to spend 8 hours or more per week per class
• Be present in the classroom
• Be consistent
• Look for consistent effort instead of high stakes exams
• Use multimedia LMS tools
• Use and grade discussions
• Be clear about expectations
• Show concern – create intimacy
• Find “juicy points of interest”
• Let each student “go deep”
• Bend