Keeping Online Asynchronous Discussion on Topic
TIPS for Online Instructional StrategiesMyths and Realities of Teaching Online
Instructional Strategies
for an Online Course
Teaching online may require you to rethink some basic assumptions about who teaching and learning including who has control and who has responsibility. The more the learner has control over how they interact with the course content, the more the learner takes responsibility for their own learning. A significant The challenge in online teaching is to choose instructional methods build lessons compatible with learning theory in mind and choose instructional methods to support these learning processes. The following online instructional strategies and possible activities can help you meet thisese challengeSeveral common myths and realities of teaching online are discussed belows.:
Use Pre-instructional Aactivities to Hook the Learner – “hook” the learner with a motivational exercise
Create a background knowledge ssuurvey or discussion to find out what students already knowbackground knowledge on the topic.
Adaddress common misperceptions students have about the topic.
discuss their current level of knowledge
Sshoow a video clip of a news story and solicitencourage student reaction.
Have students iinvestigate a website.
Introduce the section withinclude related quotes or cartoons (remember to obtain copyright permissions).
Communicate ContentInformation in Multiple Ways presentation – introduce new material by building on previous knowledge
Present ltextual ectures as “lectures” presented online text or through video.
video lectures
Use aaudio narrations to explain graphics, photographs, or diagrams.
Introduce course content through textbook readings.textbook readings
Direct students to pre-existing websites.websites
Furnish students with examples of course concepts.examples
Provide a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about a topic.
Activateion of Llearning by Providing Opportunities for Students to Apply New Content – provide opportunities for students to apply new content
Create apply learning in a real world situations, /scenarios, or/ simulations to enhance student learning.
Require student collaboratione to solve problems or case studies.
Eengage students in online discussion forums.
Assign use web for research.
Iinclude small group activities or projects.
Pprovide self-check activities (e.g., drag-and-drop exercises, self-quizzes).
Assess Studentment of Llearning to Determine Attainment of Learning Objectives – determine attainment of learning objectives
Construct a test whererandomly select assessment items are randomly selected from a large pool of questions.
Assigninclude individual and group projects.
Incincorporate opportunities for peer assessment.
Pprovide self-quizzes and practice testsquizzes.
Follow-up Offer Enrichment or Remediation as Follow-up Activitiesand next steps – offer remediation or enrichment
Ssend feedback via email or post in an online gradebook.
Encourage student participatione in online discussions.
Askhave students to self-evaluate their own work.
Pprovide opportunities for peer review.
Aassign tutoring partners.
Uuse hyperlinks to provide additional resources.
iInclude automatic feedback in online assessments.
Referencees
Jolliffe, A., Ritter, J. & Stevens, D. (2001). The online learning handbook: Developing and using web-based learning. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Myths of Teaching Online
- “All I need is a little technology training to be able to teach online effectively.”
While being able to use the technology is an important part of being an online instructor, there is much more that faculty need to know to be successful in an online classroom (i.e., learning theory, course design, how to facilitate online discussions).
- “When I’m finished developing this course, it is solely my intellectual property.”
This depends on the policy at your institution and the resources used to develop the course. At IUPUI, the faculty member owns the course and the university retains the right to use the course for a limited time. For more details about IUPUI’s policy, visit http://www.copyright.iupui.edu/iupuionline.htm
- “I can teach an online course the same way I teach a face-to-face course with similar results.”
It is generally accepted that teaching online is a different experience than teaching face-to-face, and not just because of the technology. “Online development and delivery requires new pedagogical approaches, challenging previous practices with regards to assessment group interaction and student/teacher dialogue” (Ellis & Phelps, 2000, p. 2). In other words, instructors need to rethink and redesign their courses to be successful in an online environment.
- “Students learn less in online courses than they do in traditional face-to-face courses.”
Although online instruction may “look and feel” different than face-to-face instruction, it is not an inferior form of instruction, and one should not assume that students will learn less. Instructors should hold their online students to the same high standards to which they hold their traditional students. Research supports these findings (Clark & Mayer, 2003).
- “I can’t use active learning techniques when teaching online.”
The variety of technology available for use in the online environment has made it easy to integrate active learning techniques into online instruction. For example, discussion forums and chat rooms allow students to easily interact with one another and with the content. You can even hold online debates and conduct role plays to encourage students to examine multiple perspectives. Online games and simulations can also be effective in promoting development of problem solving skills.
- “Since I don’t obtain copyright permission to distribute copies of journal articles in class, scanning and posting journal articles online is also acceptable.”
While it is technologically very easy to post articles online for your students to access, there are strict copyright laws that must be followed. As a rule of thumb, you should always contact the publisher to obtain permission before posting any material online. For more information, visit http://www.copyright.iupui.edu/
Realities of Teaching Online
- “Some students may feel more comfortable and engaged in an online environment than in a face-to-face classroom.”
The anonymous and asynchronous attributes of many online learning environments can be beneficial to students who may not feel as comfortable in face-to-face classrooms. For example, for students who take longer to process information or compose their thoughts, the asynchronous online environment gives them the opportunity to process information at their own pace and take time to compose a thoughtful response, which are often not possible in face-to-face environments.
- “I can ‘get to know’ my students in an online course.”
Many instructors expect teaching online to be a very isolated and lonely experience, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many ways to incorporate interaction with your students into your course, which often leads to more one-on-one interaction with students than in a traditional face-to-face environment.
- “Leading a discussion online is definitely a different experience that will require me to learn new skills.”
While many of the skills you have developed from facilitating face-to-face discussions can be applied in the online environment, leading a discussion online is definitely a different experience. In the online environment, you no longer have the benefit of facial expressions, tone of voice, or other forms of nonverbal communication. Additionally, managing asynchronous discussions that may occur at all times of the day and night can be very different than managing an in-class discussion.
- “Students can learn from each other online.”
With discussion forums and chat rooms, online instructors can create a variety of opportunities for students to interact with one another. Such interaction can allow students to examine multiple perspectives, clarify misconceptions, provide specific examples, and elaborate on course content.
- “Online learning is not for everyone.”
Students must be prepared for the responsibilities of online learning in order to be successful in that environment. Learning online requires students to be more independent and responsible for their own learning. When students do not see their instructor every week, it can become very easy for students to procrastinate and miss deadlines.
- “It seems like I spend more time teaching my online course than I ever did when I was teaching in the regular classroom.”
While the time spent teaching an online course will depend on the course structure, many online instructors report that they spend more time (or their time is distributed differently) when teaching online courses. Keep your time in mind when designing course activities and assessments to safeguard against becoming overwhelmed trying to “keep up” with online students.