Instruction & Learning Online: WebCT ExampleStephan Bera

Presentation• General vision & strategies

Online course structure

Faculty participation

• Notes/observations

• Q & A

• Examples of my related professional work

Online Learning• Definition

• What To Anticipate

• WebCT Platform

• Online Course Structure

• Student Orientation

• Student Engagement

• Student Participation

• Student Assessment

• Looking Ahead

Online LearningTime, Distance, and Device Independent

Learners can participate from any place in the world, using any computer platform, at any time of the day or night

Interactive

Students can interact extensively with each other, with instructors, and with online resources

Online LearningLearner-Centered

Fosters democratic learning environment where the learner can influence what is learned, how it is learned, and the order in which it is learned

Multi Medial

Online courses use varied text, graphics, media, animation, etc.

Online Learning

Developing an online classroom may or may not require a shift in your teaching paradigm…

What Should I Anticipate?Will Probably Have More Tools Than Expected

Good idea to become very familiar with the hardware and software you and your students will be utilizing - WebCT is an integrated system of communication tools and support services (Email Class function, Discussion Board, Chatroom, Document Sharing, etc.)

What Should I Anticipate?The Students

Value pragmatic / "relevant" coursework, often fairly self-reliant learners & will work hard to achieve

Planning Ahead

Initial course development for online teaching usually requires a bit more time, but provides subsequent flexibility

What Should I Anticipate?Anticipate Some Snags

Computers and computer networks are getting better all the time, but they don’t work as well as televisions or telephone systems

It is very important that you know the technical support services available so that you and your students can keep technology problems to a minimum

WebCT Platform

How can I continue to make sure the "ah ha" moments I create in my face-to-face classroom are somehow present in my online course?

WebCT PlatformWith the WebCT Platform You Can:

• Present lectures and slide shows

• Conduct and monitor in class discussions

• Assess homework, quizzes, exams and class participation

• Establish and oversee student groups

• Hold office hours for student help and questions

• Conduct guest lecture chat sessions

WebCT PlatformWebCT offers you a variety of tools to support and facilitate online teaching and learning…

• Syllabus

• Document sharing

• Gradebook

• Email

• Groups

• Synchronous communication “Chat”

• Asynchronous communication “Discussion Board”

• Assessment strategies

Structuring Online Course

Planning to teach an online course for the first time…

Sequential Units (Week, Session, Chapter, etc.) With Unit Homepages:

• Introductory information - connecting to previous unit)

• Logistical instructions - explain the logistics of how students should proceed

• May also want to provide:

Unit Objectives

Quote of the week

Reminders ongoing assignments

Structure: Basic Model

Individual Units:

• Content items (Assignments, Presentation, Discussion Board Thread, Quiz, Links, etc.) repeated in each unit

• You and your students have a comfortable weekly routine

Structure: Basic Model

Week 1

• Assignments

• Presentation

• Discussion Board Thread

• Quiz

• Links

You and your students have a comfortable weekly

routine

Structure: Basic Model

What can I do to orient my students as to how to participate most effectively?

Attention To Students

How will I initially engage my students?

What can I do to promote interaction so that students can enhance their understanding of the information presented?

Getting students off to a good start is as important online as in any other learning environment.

Perhaps even more so…

Student Orientation

Connect students to technical support

Give information how to contact a Helpdesk

Ensure students understand the basic course tools

Provide a “Student Orientation Unit,” and post an Announcement (Course Homepage) reminding students take this unit before proceeding with your course

Encourage students to explore course units and content items ahead of time

Student Orientation

In addition:

• Make use of the Announcements feature, and alert students these will periodically provide important updates

• Provide precise details and redundant messages regarding course objectives, assignments, etc.

• Create a “Class Lounge” and invite students to discuss specific course questions

• Invite students to discuss specific course questions in the chatroom, by email, in work groups, or with the entire class through the discussion board

Student Orientation

Frequent student-faculty contact in and out of class is a most important factor in student motivation and involvement

Student Engagement

Many instructors who are new to the online environment have legitimate concerns about the impact of the loss of face-to-face classroom interaction

It it highly beneficial for instructors who are leading online courses to "reach out" and communicate with their online students early

Send a "Welcome" Email - Even before the course starts, send an email introducing yourself, welcoming students to the course, providing tips for getting started, and/or alternate methods for reaching you (office phone, an alternate email address) 

Course Home Page Welcome - May have same information as in your Welcome email, but being redundant in the online environment is important and beneficial

Student Engagement

Set up "Class Lounge" and "Virtual Office" - Create an informal conversational space allows students introduce themselves, connect, and make observations about the course.  This provides an alternative to emailing you, and it enables all class members to see important issues raised and resolved

Establish a Chat Time - Create some "office hours" when students can contact you for synchronous, one-to-one appointments

Student Engagement

Interaction often leads to more student effort, more student learning, and more student satisfaction with the learning experience…

Student Participation

Partner/Dyad Activities

"Please conference/share/check/review/discuss with your assigned "buddy" the advantages and disadvantages of _______, and email a summary to me by______."

Asynchronous Group Discussions

"Please sign up to lead a discussion with your discussion group for one of the topics/weeks listed below. Also, sign up to be a summarizer of the class discussion for another topic/week."

Student Participation

Project-Based Ventures

"Each workgroup of 4-5 students will create a grant proposal for the development of a _________.”

Debates

"You will be paired with another student, and then each of you will be asked to take pro and con sides of a debate on ___________. After one week, these roles will be reversed. Then, along with your team, you will be asked to write a consensus paper."

Student Participation

Cooperative Group Research

"Each student in a workgroup will select a related mini-topic in which to become an expert. She/he will then share his or her findings with the group. Mini-topics will ultimately be combined into a joint group composition, literature review, or other written product."

Student Participation

Synchronous Chats

"On this Thursday PM, we'll be discussing _______ in a realtime chat along with visiting professor, Dr. Whizbang. Following this discussion, I'd like you to join with your team in the assigned Discussion Board thread and summarize the issues related to this situation."

Student Participation

Public Tutorial

"In the Discussion Board, please pose a topic/question that you find to be particularly challenging. Your classmates will serve as collective tutors and assist you in elaborating your understanding/answer."

Brainstorming

"Over the next day, brainstorm strategies for solving problem X described in the assigned article. Focus on (1) quantity or more ideas, (2) the wilder the better, and (3) suspending evaluation.

Student Participation

Learning entails not only what students know but what they can do with what they know…

Student Assessment

When evaluating your online students' learning:

• Think Multi-faceted - Online assessment provides

an opportunity to obtain an accumulation of each student's work (views on the development of students’ learning products)

• Utilize all of the communication tools from the online course along with other activities you have established for your course

Student Assessment

When evaluating your online students' learning:

• Use practice quizzes and self-assessment exercises

• Count Discussion Board responses, Group Work submissions, activities by email, etc.

• Ask students to recommend work they would like

to have considered in your assessment of their learning

• Count quizzes and exams as only part of the total evaluation

Student Assessment

• 1st online course requires: Larger investment upfront Sacrifice ability to walk in cold to lecture

• Faculty experience subsequent course flexibility: Course will have shelf-life Materials digitized Lends itself to modular approach to instruction for later use

Summary

• Students (working professionals) bring rich background and experience = interesting course discussion

• Allows faculty to be creative: Reach students in ways wouldn’t think of reaching them Involve students in ways wouldn’t think of involving them

• Encourages faculty to stay on top of their game Content-wise Technology-wise What students need and understand

Summary

• Opportunity for faculty to give students more than with typical lecture classes – students getting typical lecture material and interactions and activities while learning

• Opportunity for faculty to not only support learning content, but meta-learning:

How use technology Relationships Information

Summary

• Standardized Online Course Evaluation Strategy

Self-evaluation tool to assist instructors

Means for getting public recognition for exemplary online instruction

Means to guide design of new courses

• Research & Evaluation Strategy

Modeling student learning

Publication

• Making Use of Emergent Technologies

Looking Ahead

• Learner Support & Resources

• Online Organization & Design

• Instructional Design & Delivery

• Assessment of Student Learning

• Innovative Teaching Technology

Course Evaluation Strategy

Learner Support & Resources

Tips for being successful online studentLink to library resourcesContact information for technical supportSources for any required pluginsContact info for instructorContact info for academic dept/advisorEstimated amount time need complete req’sLinks to websites with supporting info

Links to websites relevant organ’s/assn’s Glossary of terms Links to defn’s new vocabulary Links to external learning objects

Course Evaluation Strategy

Online Organization & Design

Syllabus easily locatedInstructional materials req’d easily locatedCourse objectivesCourse completion requirementsFaculty member introductory informationExpectations faculty avail’y and turnaroundTypeface easy to readNavigation is clear, simple, user friendly

Clear directions for each task or assignment Printer friendly options available when appl.

Alternative format of materials provided Images/video optimized for speed

Course Evaluation Strategy

Instructional Design & Delivery

Students introduce themselvesStudents prompted by faculty to elaborateCourse content chunked for manag learningTasks/activities desig’d as synch or asynchSummaries provided freq to reinfor learningVideo clipsHistorical audio clipsFlash simulations

Case studies Collaborative exercises

Course Evaluation Strategy

Assessment of Student Learning

Prerequisites defined and enforcedCriteria used to evaluate discussion activitesStudy questionsTasks/activities desig’d as synch or asynchStudents provided variety oppor demo profic Frequent and substantial feedback from facSamples of assign’s illustr. faculty’s expect’sDue dates for all assignments

Self-tests Peer review opportunities

Course Evaluation Strategy

Innovative Teaching Technology

Discussion boardsSynchronous chatsEmail, listserv, instant messagingGroup discussion areasTutorials w/ screen captures and voice over Audio, video, powerpointLow bandwidth alternatives availableDue dates for all assignments

Course Evaluation Strategy

Faculty Use of Student Feedback

Evaluation survey at end of courseStudents prompted to contr resourcesStudents prompted to share tech flawsAnonymous student input sought at regular intervals:

“I wish you would stop __________.”“I hope you keep on ____________.”“I don’t understand _____________.”“During upcoming classes start ____.”

Course Evaluation Strategy

Modeling Learning Process & Learning Outcomes

• Student background and experience information

• Pre/post professional growth needs assessment

• Pre/post knowledge assessment

• Pre/post learning styles assessment

• Student assessment results

Research & Evaluation

• GoToMyPC software – invite faculty to share student’s desktop in realtime to demonstrate writing, calculations, etc.

• Video streaming/webcasts- Special events/speakers- Archive of classroom-based lectures

• Podcasts – audio streams for mp3 players/car- Telephone interviews with guests- Archive of podcasts

• Web conferencing

• Video conferencing

• Case libraries: transcripts, audio, video

Use of Emergent Tech’s

Instruction & Learning Online: WebCT Example

Stephan Bera