Completion

It is now the end of this journey that I started in August of last year.  During that time, I have learned a lot about online teaching and in teaching in general.

This course, Producing Digital Content, was all about using the tools in the online environment to publish my sample course in a way to assist students with their learning.  Governors' State University's BlackBoard system hosted the sample course.   The tasks involved were: setting up a course structure, providing menus, creating digital content for the course, establishing a variety of student interactions, writing  assessments, and composing interactive syllabus and orientation sections.

During the course, I had to review my course to the Quality Matters Rubric.  Quality Matters is an organization that aims to improve online education.  Their rubric includes eight standards and many sub-standards to evaluate an online course.  The standards evaluate the following components: clear overview design, measurable objectives, assessment strategies, instructional materials, interactions, navigation, student support, and accessibility.

Specifically, in this class, I produced digital documents (course readings and a syllabus).  I also recorded audio introductions.  In addition, I created an Adobe Captivate learning activity and presentation.  I wrote discussion board questions and set up a Collaborate session.  I learned how to set-up a course menu and designed my basic lesson template.  I also completed my online portfolio.

Overall, the certificate program has prepared my for the next steps: completing and presenting my continuing education course and providing other online education opportunities.  ~Lynne

The end is in sight!

     I am excited to begin ONTL 720: Producing Digital Content for a variety of different reasons.  First, it will be a great accomplishment to finish the course sequence.  Next, I look forward to seeing my course, along with my classmates, in a completed format.  Lastly, I am excited to teach my course in the future.

    In this course, I will be learning different aspects of setting up a course in a Learning Management System.  In particular, this course will teach me how to set up Blackboard for my course's needs.  Items that will be covered include: creating a menu, setting up announcements,  along with other interactive tools.  I also hope to practice using some of the other tools that I have learned along the way in my other programs and trainings.  Continuing from the last class, I will also receive and give feedback to my peers and provide hints as needed.

    This course will continue to build on the information presented in the previous courses to culminate in an almost finished course.  The foundations were set in the pedagogy of best practices for teaching online, to how to facilitate learning, then designing a course, and ending in producing content.

    My personal goal for this semester is to create an online course that is polished and ready to go for mid-spring.  I will use different tools when appropriate to assist my learners in mastering the material.  I also plan writing the final three lessons of my course.

End of 7101

     Designing Online Courses, in a nutshell, was about all of the steps and considerations a course designer should take into account when designing a course.  As a classroom teacher, some of the steps were familiar to me while others were new.  Our main project was to write a proposal of an online course.  The course I proposed is called Individual Learning with Personal Learning Networks.  One of the main things I learned was the number of revisions a designer needs to make to have a successful course.  During this course, we were required to provide feedback to our peers on their proposed course.  Providing, listening to, and incorporating the feedback was a learning experience which allowed me to understand the concepts presented in a deeper way.

     During the class, we spent a lot of time learning about and applying design considerations in an online course. There are design considerations relative to the the learners along with non-learner concerns.  An example of a learner concern from my proposed course is the experience level of learners with online learning.  Two of the ways I addressed that concern was to clearly state the expectations in the course description and provide an activity for students to become familiar with the online tools.  An example of a non-learner issue is the changing nature of the internet.  I addressed this issue by instructing on general topics and then addressing specific tools.  For example, I have a lesson on micro blogging and Twitter.  This will allow me to update the more specific information when needed instead of the entire lesson.

     Community building and student-student interactions are an important part of developing an online course.  Community building needs to be planned ahead of time, especially in an online course.   Students do not have the opportunity to talk before and after class like in a Face-to-Face course.  This can be done by including ice-breaker discussions, having students interact with each other, and work together on a project.  In my proposed course, I included an introductory ice-breaker discussion board and requiring students to reply to each others posts.

     An online course designer also needs to plan how to present the content along with how students will interact with the content.  In my course, I will use Course Sites to present my course.  Each week will have a similar set-up: a lecturette, information presented, and weekly activities.  Information presented will be in the form of videos, readings, and website visits.  Supplemental information will also be provided for students who desire to learn more.  Students will then have to answer discussion questions, complete activities, and maintain a blog.

     Another element that needs to be planned is how an instructor will interact with students during a course.  There are two types of interactions: one-to-many and one-to-one.  One-to-many communications include using course announcements, answering questions posed on a discussion board, and using live video conferencing.  Examples of one-to-one communications include answering e-mails, providing feedback on assignments, and having individual consultations using internet messaging or video conferencing.

    Assessments are another part of an online course.  In Designing Online Courses, we discussed formative and summative assessments.  Formative assessments are used to evaluate students' understanding of the material during a course.  Summative assessments are used to evaluate the students' overall learning of the material.  In my course, I used both types of assessments.  Examples of my formative assessments are discussion posts, completing various tasks, and finding other resources.  I included a final paper that learners will write a plan on how to use their Personal Learning Networks after the course is completed.

     We then had to incorporate all of the above information to lesson worksheet for three different lessons.  We had to write lesson objectives that correlated with our course objectives.  We then presented our lesson resources, activities, interactions, and assessments.  Our assessments included the rubrics for grading. 

    We had to evaluate a review a peers' project and Designing Online Courses to a best standard rubric.  We used the standards from Quality Matters.  This process required me to determine if the courses met the different standards.  I also had to provide recommendations to improve the course and/or have the course meet the standard.  This process was time consuming; but learning how to apply best practices standards to an online course allowed me to reflect and learn how to apply the different standards.  It also helped me to review other courses and recognize high-quality courses.

    Overall, I found this course to be challenging and informative.  I learned a lot from the instructor, the presented material, and the feedback from my peers.  I look forward to the next course in the sequence and presenting my online course.

Starting to Design

It’s time for the next step in learning how to teach online.  In course number one, I learned how to be an online student and what makes an effective online instructor.  In the second course, I learned how to teach online and the information needed for setting up an online course.  The next step, is to actually design an online course.  This class appears to be focused on how to put information into a class along with adding activities to enhance learning and assessments to evaluate learning.

In the previous classes, the lessons were mainly broken into weekly learning modules.  Some of the modules were based on the previous module.  Some were standalone units that would have fit anywhere in the course.  When I plan my daily living skills F2F class, I follow these steps.  First, I review the curriculum given to me from the school.  I then review that year’s specific course of study.  Additionally, I look at my students’ Individual Education Plans to determine if there are specific goals that I have to cover.  Using all of that information, I plan weekly units to cover the material.  From there, I plan daily activities and assessments on a monthly basis.  I also continually evaluate and adjust the plan as needed.  I expect that the process will be similar in an online environment.  For my specific goal of teaching professional development classes online, I will also have to develop the curriculum and learning objectives.

In this class, I will have to think more about the different activities and assessments.  My F2F classes tend to include lectures with multimedia support, class discussions, hands-on activities, and short assessments. Due to how the program is set up, each day has to be a self-contained activity lasting 40 minutes.  Most of the professional development courses that I have done, due to time limits, have been the same way.  My proposed online course is set up for 15 contact hours over 5 weeks.  This will allow me to have more in-depth activities and assessments.

In this class, I look forward to putting the beginning of an online class together.  I hope to improve my skills on writing long-term learning objectives and matching activities and assessments to the objectives.  Another thing that I am excited and anxious about for this class is to see how taking an online class is when I am not at home.  This summer, I am lucky to be able to go to a conference for a few days.  I am also traveling out of state twice (one a short 4^th of July trip to see family and another a real vacation).  I felt better when I saw the Collaborate sessions were not while I was sitting on an airplane or a beach in Hawaii.  However, it would have added to the adventure this certificate program has been!  As an instructor, having the availability to travel while teaching, could be a freeing experience and might entice some teachers to teach longer.

End of Course Two Reflections

      It is hard to believe that this course is over and the program is half completed. This course ended with topics on assessment and evaluation, diversity and ethics, and common problems in online teaching.  It also included the only group project of the course and a paper on our plan on using social media in our classrooms. 

     During the assessment and evaluation section of the course, we discussed formative and summative assessments.  Formative assessments take place when the learning is still taking place.  Summative assessments are completed after the learning and teaching have taken place.  Both provide useful information for the student and the instructor.  In an online classroom, formative assessments can include evaluating the students’ understanding of the current readings by their answers to discussion questions.  Also, during live sessions, instructors could take a poll or survey during the presentation to gauge student comprehension.  Examples of summative assessments in an online class could be a final exam, a reflective paper and an e-portfolio that documents learning.  The use of rubrics is a way to assist instructors in evaluating students and allows students to know how they will be graded on a project.  In this section of the course, we had to give a sample assignment with directions and write a rubric to grade that assignment.

      Online instructors and students have to be aware of diversity in their classrooms. The freedom of being online and not in a physical location every week opens the doors for more diverse learners.  Diversity takes many forms: ethnicity, disabilities, languages, religions, political views, and time zones.  People involved in an online environment have to understand the diverse population and be aware of the use of humor, popular culture references and figurative language that people might not understand due to regional and language differences.  Instructors need to be prepared for different opinions and ideals based on cultural differences among the class.  Instructors also need to consider that students are in different time zones when scheduling group projects, live sessions, and due dates.

      Ethics, for the instructor, involves acting professionally and responsibly.  There are guidelines for K12 and high education online teachers.  They are similar to ones written for face to face instructors.  However, they can be implemented differently.  In short, instructors are to provide proper instruction, treat students fairly, and act professionally.  Ethics, for the student, involve demonstrating academic honesty and respecting the diversity of others.

     Common problems in online teaching include: late coming students, possible cheating, lack of participation, issues with group dynamics, and students having trouble using the technology.  During this week, we had respond to four different scenarios.  In our responses, we had to state how we will deal with the issue and give examples of what we might say. We then had to critique other students’ responses for the other scenarios.

     The social media paper that we had to write was a plan on how to use different social media tools in our classrooms and our professional life.  In it, we reflected on what we learned about the different social media tools and specific ways to use the tools of our choosing in our classes.  The group project also was a reflection on what we have learned in both courses in order to help a teacher new to online instruction.  In it, we had to give tips for before and during a course.  We used asynchronous tools to work together to complete our project.  

      Overall, this class built on the skills from the previous course and gave me more insight in how to be an effective online instructor.  I look forward to the next two classes. ~Lynne

End of Part Two!: Things an Instructor needs to think about and Social Media

                Part two of the course has focused on items to think about, plan, and prepare for before and during an online course.  There also was a continued focus on using social media in the classroom including using sites like Twitter, Facebook, and social bookmarking sites.  Topics included pedagogy, community building, designing a syllabus and orientation guide, and different managerial and technical roles of an online instructor.

                Pedagogy is the science behind teaching.  An effective instructor needs to understand their learners, the learning process, and how to create a learning environment based on sharing knowledge.  Knowing how learners learn will help the instructor create activities to benefit the student and build upon prior knowledge.  Online instructors need to remember that online learning is different than face to face learning to be effective.  It needs to be interactive with time for reflection and allow students to use their prior knowledge to build upon the course’s topics.  Instructors should also be open to learn things from their students as well.  I will make sure my courses are paced well to allow for vigorous learning with time for reflection and sharing.  I will also reflect on what works and doesn't work for me before, during, and after a course.  I will also prepare assignments that students can modify for use in their fields and are meaningful.

                Online instructors need to foster a feeling of community for students to feel connected to the class, feel free to post their ideas, and to motivate students to stay in the class.  Community building needs to begin the first day of the course and thought before the class begins.  Some ways of building a community of learners is to have a virtual student lounge embedded in the LMS where students can participate in off-topic discussions, have students post pictures or avatars to represent themselves, and have a getting to know each other beginning activity.  Online instructors should model proper netiquette and participate in the different community building activities.  Instructors should also encourage all students by posting feedback.  In my role of an online instructor, I will have quick response times, post frequency, and provide comments on assignments as appropriate. 

"Teaching Online across devices" by Eric Wignall Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wignall_media/6897785011/in/photostream/

                Before a course starts, there is a lot for online instructors to do.  A course needs a syllabus.  A syllabus for an online course needs to have more information than a face to face course.  It needs to have clear instructions on how to reach the instructor, where things are located in the course, and expectations for assignments.  Students also need to be informed how to use the learning management system.  Common questions should be answered in an area easily accessed by students.  Instructors need to welcome students and have announcements ready.  An instructor also needs to provide links for technical support.  Links for outside resources need to be checked and replaced if necessary.  Calendars need to be updated with correct due dates.  As the instructor, I will have the entire course ready to go before the class begins.  I will also provide a clear calendar with assignments listed. 

                For a first time course, there is more to be done.  Learning objectives need to be written and approved.  Learning materials need to be found.  Assignments and discussion board questions need to be written.  The course materials needs to be broken down in to smaller segments.  Web pages might need to be designed and the learning management system needs to be customized. 

                During a course, an instructor has to grade, monitor discussion boards, and maintain links.  They need to be ready to answer questions and emails.  They also need to open and close discussion boards and schedule live sessions.  Some instructors hold regular virtual office hours to assist students.  They need to stay current in their field of expertise, online teaching, and the technologies of online teaching.  As an instructor, I would have a schedule for myself to balance home, school, and work.  Along with helping me to stay on top of all of the materials.

                One way to stay current is to use social media.  Instructors can use Twitter and social bookmarking sites to follow other instructors and leaders in the field.  They can also use Facebook other sites to quickly communicate with their students.  Instructors could also share information to others via social media.  Another way to stay current, is to join professional organizations and attend conferences.  Social bookmarking sites will also assist with research and saving links for later.  Depending on the course, I would use a variety of the tools discussed in this part and part one to stay current and to share information.~Lynne

Facilitation Week

     When preparing for my facilitation week, I read the required readings with an instructor’s eye. I had to think about what information was important and how best to present the information. I also reflected on what I thought worked and didn't work from the two previous student facilitators. I also knew I had to stick to my teaching style to sound confident, comfortable knowledgeable, and like me.

     My week’s topic was “Setting the Stage.” The content was focused on the items that need to be thought about prior during a course beginning that should allow the course the go smoothly. The main focus was the items to include in a syllabus and/or orientation link to assist the students with learning. Other topics included the course’s home page, the different ways to welcome students, and using social bookmarking sites in a course. I decided to go ahead and use visuals that reminded me of a play during my presentation to use as an analogy. From there, putting together the presentation was an easy task to finish. I made sure that the document included the information without having too much text and was organized in a way that made sense to me. I also prepared a poll questions and some discussion questions ahead of time. I wanted to have students participate to increase retention and engagement.

     Now, it was practice time. I used the Sandbox mode to upload my documents and practice the presentation. The first few times were awful! The information would not come out of my mouth at all. I teach for a living and talk most of the day; so this was confusing to say the least. I decided it was the microphone. I don’t like microphones which doesn't make any sense because I need to wear a FM system during the school day for one of my students. At one point, I was contemplating wearing my headset to school to get used to talking into it. I ultimately decided that wasn't a good plan because I pictured my students in the lunchroom talking about it later. My answer was just to practice more. The more I practiced with the microphone; the more comfortable I became.

     During the week, I monitored the two discussion boards and left feedback to all of the students who posted. I tried to add additional questions with my comments to keep the conversation going. I also posted my own comments early in the week. This part of the facilitation didn't seem that much different than posting on a regular week except for the increased number of responses. It did help that this class is small. I found myself logging in more than I usually do.

     When it was time for my live session, I double checked that the links were available early in the day. That night, I logged in early to upload the presentation and check my audio settings. With my notes and glass of water nearby, it was time to go. Before I knew it, my presentation was finished. I would love to report that everything went smoothly and it was successful. However, that was not the case. About halfway, I realized that I couldn't hear others audio. I sent a private message to the instructor who posted a solution to the chat room. Towards the end of the presentation, I figured out that I stopped turning off my microphone when I wasn't talking.

     Feedback from my peers was positive and helpful. One of the students stated that I led the class from the philosophy of a friend sharing information instead of the traditional lecture. At first, that comment made me think. After further reflection, the comment made sense. My current classes include teaching independent living skills (money skills, cooking, and cleaning) to my special education students and technology integration tools and techniques to my colleagues. In those settings, it seems natural and works. I believe that a more authoritative presence wouldn't work. However, if I were to teach in a different setting I would have to rethink that technique.

     Things that I need to work on would be finding resources about different topics that I will present and consistency using the social bookmarking tools; learning more about the different tools for synchronous sessions and multitasking during the synchronous sessions. I will accomplish this by practicing until I get more used to the tools and possibly signing up for another session. ~Lynne

Image used under Creative Commons License
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