Pedagogical Roles
Instructors have to motivate and coach students to success. On the other hand, the student also plays a role in taking responsibility for completing assignments in a timely manner and communicate with their peers, especially in group discussions. Additionally, effective pedagogy involves a respect of a diversity of opinions, values and experiences, otherwise known as cultural sensitivity. The effective online instructor will also be able to manage these same dynamic between student-to-student interaction.
Social World-Building Community
How does one build a community in an online course? This can be challenge since there is no face-to face interaction and there is no real way to harness community the way it would be done in a traditional classroom setting. There are steps an online instructor can take, however. Communication is a great way to begin. Instructors can assign group projects with communication requirements between students (i.e wikis, chats, discussion boards). The more communication that takes place, the more likely community can be built. Ice breakers are other tools that instructors can use to build community. For example, when students upload their pictures so that others can put a face with a person, this can make the environment more warm and inviting. Another way is for students to share information about themselves and their experiences with others.
Social Networks and Bookmarking
Just about everyone nowadays has had some exposure to social networks such as Twitter and Facebook or knows someone who use them. These are used to share information and ideas. Since communication is a large and important part of online learning and instruction, these can be great resources for the online classroom. One obvious advantage is that many are already familiar with Facebook and Twitter. Discussions can take place between students in these environments. On Twitter, maybe someone with great information on course content can be followed for the latest updates. One has to be careful in using social networks, however, because on the flip side, there is also a lot of non-credible, often questionable exchanges that take place on these networks. Educational environments usually do not allow content as such. Because social bookmarking is a relatively new concept to me, I wonder how it will play out over the long time in online education. Here is a short video on the ABC's of social bookmarking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeBmvDpVbWc
Managing Online Courses
This can be a challenge for even the most experienced of instructors. Communication is key, along with effective time management skills. How does an instructor manage posts from many students, grading, give feedback, monitor communication, and stay abreast of the latest technology? The answer is very carefully. Quick feedback (i.e., within 24-48 hours for posts and a week for grading assignments may be best practices). Students seem to adapt better when feedback is constantly in motion during the process rather than at the end. Announcements are also another great communication tool in a CMS since many times this is what students see first. There are many online resources available to assist online instructors in learning about best practices and course management tips. Bookmarking them for later use is a great idea. The following links offer more tips:
http://www.ponce.inter.edu/html/retencion/11stratmanageonlinecourse-oc.pdf
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=course+management+system&view=detail&mid=64796A3BE57AF788271264796A3BE57AF7882712&first=21
No comments:
Post a Comment