Setting Up and Online Learning Experience

The following are important questions to consider when setting up an online learning experience.

What is the significance of knowing the technology available to you?

Technology in the online learning environment sets the foundation for the course.  As the instruction of an online course you must be aware of the resources available to you.  You must also be aware that some students have limits related to technology.   One of the initial steps in course development is determining which tools will be used in the course.  Once the instructor determines the course requirements, the skill level of the students needs to be determined ( Conrad & Donaldson, 2011). If you a new to the online learning environment the best advice is to Keep It Simple(KIT)

Why is it essential to communicate clear expectations to learners?

Communication is the foundation for any online course.  Giving clear expectations at the start of the online will eliminate confusing and problems later.   The syllabus to me sets the foundation for the course expectations.  The syllabus for an online course performs the same functions as for a face-to-face class, but even more so.  Providing a bird’s-eye picture of the whole course so that learners can plan their lives is essential to learners’ having a sense of control and optimism (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010)  It is important to remind students from the beginning that communication in an online course is very different from a traditional face-to-face course. In face – to-face environments, the instructor is in front of the students, and most of the questions are directed to him/her, so communication patterns flow predominantly between faculty and students. In the online course site content, questions are posted in the question forum and not in a private email to the instructor (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010).

What additional considerations should the instructor take into account when setting up an online learning experience?

Setting-up and conducting your online course can be a daunting task.  If you are new to this process like I am, it can seem downright over whelming.  I would recommend the ten core principles that can guide the design of your online course and the delivery of your course (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010)

1.      Every structured learning experience has four elements with the leaner at the center.

2.     Learners bring their own personalized and customized knowledge, skills and attitudes to the experience.

3.     Faculty mentors are the directors of learning experience.

4.     All learners do not need to learn all course content, all learners do need  to learn the core concepts.

5.     Every learning experience includes the environment or content in which the learner interacts.

6.     Every learner has a zone of proximal development that defines the space that a learner is ready to develop into useful knowledge.

7.     Concepts are not words but organized and interconnected knowledge clusters.

8.     Different instruction is required for different learning outcomes.

9.     Everything else being equal, more time on task equals more learning.

10.  We shape our tools, and our tools shape us.

This Framework simplifies the process of designing and managing instructional experiences.

What other questions/considerations would you add to this list?

References

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Online Learning Communties

Setting the foundation for the online learning community is critical.  Meeting the needs of the learner should be the forefront goal of the course. 

The essential elements of building and online community can be accomplished in four stages.  Each stage of a course is different and depends on how the four elements of the learner, faulty-mentor, content, and environment interact and flow(Boettcher & Conrad, 2010)

1.      Course Beginnings-Starting off on the right foot – launch the course well, laying the groundwork for a learning community in which learners and faculty support each other to accomplishment of course goals

2.     Early Middle- Keeping the ball rolling – The primary goal is for the learner to become deeply engaged with the content, laying the basis for more complex learning and course project in the latter half of the course, and development of the learning community.

3.     Late Middle – Letting go of the power – the learner  begins to focus on particular case studies, scenarios, and other discipline of course issues.

4.     Closing Weeks – Pruning, Reflecting, and Wrapping Up – The primary goal is for the learner to complete a positive learning experience and identify the knowledge and skills they have developed form the course experiences while supporting the community goals to accomplish tier own personalize, customized learning tasks.

Laying the foundation is the key to building effective online communities.  If you thing about the coordination and foundation it takes to build a neighborhood from scratch and the infrastructure to consider it takes that much detail and consideration to build and online community. A student’s learning process is enhanced through careful activity preparation on the part of the instructor or course designer.  The goal is to create activates that twill engage and challenge learners while expanding their personal connections to their existing knowledge(Conrad & Donaldson, 2011)

Resources

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). The online teaching survival guide: Simple and practical pedagogical tips. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Conrad, R., & Donaldson, J. A. (2011). Engaging the online learner: Activities and resources for creative instruction (Updated ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.