What is
Content
What is „it‟?
While there are a number of new challenges to online teaching and learning,
there advantages are as well. It is obvious that the flexibility of scheduling
available with online learning enables many non-traditional students to acquire
an language. Furthermore, the use of online information for teaching provides
more immediacy than traditional textbooks.
A study done at the State University of New York (cited in Mayadas, Bourne and
Moore, 2002) revealed that:
students reported studying more for online courses than for traditional
courses
students reported putting more thought into online discussions
students reported their satisfaction with timely, constructive feedback
faculty reported that online teaching improves understanding of teaching
with technology
faculty reported that online teaching improves face-to-face teaching
Teaching online is very convenient. You can log in and work whenever
best suits your schedule.
Online classes provide excellent “outreach”.
Teaching a class online will really boost your computer confidence and
skills.
Pedagogy for Online Instruction
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Teaching an online course can be very different than teaching a traditional
course. Most often, pedagogical changes must occur to make the online
teaching/learning experience a positive one. Chickering and Gamson (1991)
provide seven principles for good teaching practice that apply to both traditional
in-class instruction and online instruction. The principles can serve as a guide as
materials and learning exercises are developed. The principles are:
encourage contact between students and faculty,
develop reciprocity and cooperation among students,
encourage active learning,
give prompt feedback,
emphasize time on task,
communicate high expectations, and
respect diverse talents and ways of learning.
While these principles can guide curricular decisions, more specific information is
needed to implement them. For example, "Encourage contact" can be achieved
by requiring that students participate in online discussions. As the instructor, it is
up to you to guide this communication. Having students post 2-3 responses,
questions, or comments to a reading assignment or to a question posed by you is
more focused than simply requiring that students post 2-3 times to the discussion
each week. Klemm (2001) offers other ideas for implementing these principles
and for getting students engaged using online communication.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning
back to top
Initial benefits to online learning were believed to be cost effectiveness and
access to new learners unable to attend traditional classes. It is generally agreed
that the initial cost associated with developing an online course is much higher
than the sustained cost of teaching the course once it is developed but that cost
effectiveness benefits are not immediate. Factors to consider when developing a
partial or completely online course include:
class size may be smaller than a traditional course due to the volume of
online communication that must be processed by the instructor
computing skills are a prerequisite to an online course, not a by-product of
it
technical limitations and issues might introduce problems to be overcome
communications (chat and discussions) can be unfocused unless the
instructor exercises a strong guiding influence on the conversation with
prompts, cues, and suggestions
the demographics of students in online courses and in traditional courses
is usually different (with online courses generally being more diverse and
often being comprised of older, non-degree-seeking, part-time students)
Choosing an Online Communications Tool
back to top
There are a number of technologies that can be used for online instruction. A
number of these technologies are used to facilitate communication among
students and with the instructor. Knowing some characteristics of the tools
enables an instructor to adopt the best tool for his or her purpose. The figure
below categorizes commonly used communication technologies into a quadrant
depicting tools for synchronous (same time) or asynchronous (time delayed) and
for one-to-many or one-to-one communications.
While there are a number of new challenges to online teaching and learning,
there advantages are as well. It is obvious that the flexibility of scheduling
available with online learning enables many non-traditional students to acquire
an language. Furthermore, the use of online information for teaching provides
more immediacy than traditional textbooks.
A study done at the State University of New York (cited in Mayadas, Bourne and
Moore, 2002) revealed that:
students reported studying more for online courses than for traditional
courses
students reported putting more thought into online discussions
students reported their satisfaction with timely, constructive feedback
faculty reported that online teaching improves understanding of teaching
with technology
faculty reported that online teaching improves face-to-face teaching
Teaching online is very convenient. You can log in and work whenever
best suits your schedule.
Online classes provide excellent “outreach”.
Teaching a class online will really boost your computer confidence and
skills.
Pedagogy for Online Instruction
back to top
Teaching an online course can be very different than teaching a traditional
course. Most often, pedagogical changes must occur to make the online
teaching/learning experience a positive one. Chickering and Gamson (1991)
provide seven principles for good teaching practice that apply to both traditional
in-class instruction and online instruction. The principles can serve as a guide as
materials and learning exercises are developed. The principles are:
encourage contact between students and faculty,
develop reciprocity and cooperation among students,
encourage active learning,
give prompt feedback,
emphasize time on task,
communicate high expectations, and
respect diverse talents and ways of learning.
While these principles can guide curricular decisions, more specific information is
needed to implement them. For example, "Encourage contact" can be achieved
by requiring that students participate in online discussions. As the instructor, it is
up to you to guide this communication. Having students post 2-3 responses,
questions, or comments to a reading assignment or to a question posed by you is
more focused than simply requiring that students post 2-3 times to the discussion
each week. Klemm (2001) offers other ideas for implementing these principles
and for getting students engaged using online communication.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Learning
back to top
Initial benefits to online learning were believed to be cost effectiveness and
access to new learners unable to attend traditional classes. It is generally agreed
that the initial cost associated with developing an online course is much higher
than the sustained cost of teaching the course once it is developed but that cost
effectiveness benefits are not immediate. Factors to consider when developing a
partial or completely online course include:
class size may be smaller than a traditional course due to the volume of
online communication that must be processed by the instructor
computing skills are a prerequisite to an online course, not a by-product of
it
technical limitations and issues might introduce problems to be overcome
communications (chat and discussions) can be unfocused unless the
instructor exercises a strong guiding influence on the conversation with
prompts, cues, and suggestions
the demographics of students in online courses and in traditional courses
is usually different (with online courses generally being more diverse and
often being comprised of older, non-degree-seeking, part-time students)
Choosing an Online Communications Tool
back to top
There are a number of technologies that can be used for online instruction. A
number of these technologies are used to facilitate communication among
students and with the instructor. Knowing some characteristics of the tools
enables an instructor to adopt the best tool for his or her purpose. The figure
below categorizes commonly used communication technologies into a quadrant
depicting tools for synchronous (same time) or asynchronous (time delayed) and
for one-to-many or one-to-one communications.
