Setting Up An Online Learning Experience

From time to time, various classes in the course I am taking at Walden University require me to write blog entries as a way to demonstrate my ability to apply what I am learning to a practical issue. In my current class,” Online Instructional Strategies,” I have been asked to write about setting up an learning online environment.

As a student, when I begin a new course, I want to know what I will be learning, the kinds of activities that learning will involve, and the time I can expect to spend on those activities. I enter an online learning environment with questions like “how can I give myself the best advantage to stay ahead of course expectations?” I look for a course calendar, and I copy deadlines to my personal calendar, and set alarms so my cell phone will remind me of deadlines. I also look at specific activities with a focus on which activities demand an online connection, and which of those activities can be done off-line with some preparation. I download PDF files, convert them to Kindle format, and copy them to my Kindle reader. In an online course, fellow learners are a student’s most valuable resource. Taking an active roll in introducing myself to fellow classmates and making myself available to them as a resource is my next priority as I begin a new course.

In my previous post, I talked about online learning communities. Establishing an online learning environment is primarily about establishing a community of learners by acquainting each member with the tools of the online learning environment, and most importantly, by acquainting the members of the learning community with each other.

“The Online Teaching Survival Guide” (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010) suggests ten tips for setting up a successful online course. The first tip concerns course preparations, beginning with mundane considerations such as knowing who controls course resources and making sure those resources are in place. Beginning with the course syllabus, and following whatever procedural standards are required by the institution, the course designer maps out the evaluation plan and the course schedule, ensuring students will have reasonable time to complete learning activities. (Boettcher & Conrad)

Other tips concern how to make best use of time from the beginning of the course, how to design a syllabus that is appropriate for online learning, with special sections on communicating with fellow students online, understanding and avoiding plagiarism, and what to do when technical problems prevent timely posting of online assignments. (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010)


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

Most schools offering online courses provide a course management system (CMS) which functions to standardize course structure and to streamline development. However, most CMSs do not provide tools for generating learning activities such as videos, games, or surveys. It is very important that students are familiarized with forum tools, email, and how to submit assignments using a CMS dropbox. (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010)


Why is it essential to communicate clear expectations to learners?

Especially in an online learning context, it is easy for students to be left with unclear understandings of classroom expectations. Misunderstandings of classroom expectations can happen as a result of not fully understanding the tools of the learning environment. Students who have less experience using email and online forums may need instructions in online etiquette to insure the learning community is supportive. Online tools make it easy to cut-and-paste materials from diverse sources. Students need clear direction regarding plagiarism, both to understand what it is, how to avoid inadvertent plagiarism, and how to make use of self-check tools.    (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010)


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

Don’t use technology for the sake of using technology, to be flashy, or just to prove you can. Select technological tools based on the learning objectives that are to be accomplished. As in most disciplines, the simplest approach that accomplishes the task is usually the best approach. Focus on facilitating each individual’s construction of their own mental model. Focus on facilitating social interaction that will enhance the number of personal connections students make with the instructional content. People learn socially. Use technology to bring people together, and avoid letting technology separate learners. (Boettcher & Conrad, 2010)


References:

Boettcher, J. V., & Conrad, R. (2010). Phase one: Tips for course beginnings. In The online teaching survival guide. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.