Am I Ready to Teach an Online Course?
After taking the self-assessment, it appears that on paper, I'm ready to teach an online course. I mean, I went through an entire Masters program that was completely online and had plenty of experience seeing both well- and poorly- done versions. I thought I had kind of figured out how to develop relationships with my classmates and figure out how to engage from a distance.
But...
I think what I knew deep down but have now become SO aware of is how much time, effort, and intentionality it is going to take to really create an effective online course! And I'm becoming more aware through this week that in all reality, creating an oline program for transfer students is an even bigger challenge. I think it can be done, but I'm going to have to listen carefully to everyone in this class to learn and gain some really solid ideas for finding ways to keep students engaged while getting them to connect to each other and to Trinity. In looking back, I realize that I found ways to create community with my classmates mostly on my own...reaching out through individual messages, phone calls, and asking questions. In many ways, the classes themselves did not foster or require much student-to-student interaction or community. I'm realizing that while my program was effective, maybe it could have done a lot more to facilitate connections with the whole class...not just the two or three people that I found connections to. There was always at least one person that, by the end of the semester, I discovered for the first time had been there all along and I didn't know it. That's not good!
I set out to explore this possibility in order to help our non-traditional age/adult undergraduate students who transfer into Trinity as TUG students. I have watched their commitment and struggle to be full- or part-time students while balancing full-time jobs, families and children, and a big adjustment to college. I want to make their transition as smooth as possible, being respectful of the additional struggles they might have. Allowing them to do all or part of their orientation to Trinity seemed like a good way to help them start their Trinity experience in a way that they feel the hospitality and care that we seek to show. But I am realizing that to make this happen successfully, I'm going to have to really make sure there are effective interactions between students, and that's where the challenge will lie!
In the readings this week, I really enjoyed the 9 Tips For Creating a Sense of Community for Distance Learners. I hope to be able to think carefully about all 9 of these in creating my own course...and I've already noticed Dr. Snoeyink doing this as an example, even in the music and graphic that introduced his first video of the entire course!
But...
I think what I knew deep down but have now become SO aware of is how much time, effort, and intentionality it is going to take to really create an effective online course! And I'm becoming more aware through this week that in all reality, creating an oline program for transfer students is an even bigger challenge. I think it can be done, but I'm going to have to listen carefully to everyone in this class to learn and gain some really solid ideas for finding ways to keep students engaged while getting them to connect to each other and to Trinity. In looking back, I realize that I found ways to create community with my classmates mostly on my own...reaching out through individual messages, phone calls, and asking questions. In many ways, the classes themselves did not foster or require much student-to-student interaction or community. I'm realizing that while my program was effective, maybe it could have done a lot more to facilitate connections with the whole class...not just the two or three people that I found connections to. There was always at least one person that, by the end of the semester, I discovered for the first time had been there all along and I didn't know it. That's not good!
I set out to explore this possibility in order to help our non-traditional age/adult undergraduate students who transfer into Trinity as TUG students. I have watched their commitment and struggle to be full- or part-time students while balancing full-time jobs, families and children, and a big adjustment to college. I want to make their transition as smooth as possible, being respectful of the additional struggles they might have. Allowing them to do all or part of their orientation to Trinity seemed like a good way to help them start their Trinity experience in a way that they feel the hospitality and care that we seek to show. But I am realizing that to make this happen successfully, I'm going to have to really make sure there are effective interactions between students, and that's where the challenge will lie!
In the readings this week, I really enjoyed the 9 Tips For Creating a Sense of Community for Distance Learners. I hope to be able to think carefully about all 9 of these in creating my own course...and I've already noticed Dr. Snoeyink doing this as an example, even in the music and graphic that introduced his first video of the entire course!
I think your awareness of the fact that you found ways to create community with your classmates on your own is crucial. At some point, we need to recognize that students need to take responsibility for creating community as well. I'm thinking of a particular transfer students I met who had zero interest in meeting people or connecting with them; they were here to graduate and that was it. And then I'm thinking of a different transfer student who was fully invested in everything. So I think we can do our best to create an environment that fosters community but then recognize that there are elements that are our of our control.
ReplyDeleteI like your comment about 'listening carefully to everyone in the class' and your idea of being aware of students who may not fully engage in the class. I too feel that this is going to be a BIG challenge. Some people are outgoing and want that interaction, while others just want to come to class, take notes and leave - and that' s just in a FTF class! Being able to hide behind their computers will be a dream for some and a nightmare for others, so some are going to need to be pushed. Nudged? Guided? I struggle with this at times in my FTF classes, so I am not confident about this in an online setting.
ReplyDeleteEmily, i did the same thing to form relationships online when I took an online program about teaching online. I was in several classes with the same people, and I actually did get to know a few of them. What it really took, however, was working with them on mutual projects, where we had to give and get feedback for our work. I used to have a group project in OL 101, which I thought really helped form those bonds. I have it up though because (sadly) too many people started late or didn't really contribute to their groups, making a few people do all the work. Sound familiar?
ReplyDeleteHaving never taken an online class myself, it is helpful to hear about your experiences as a student.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if a small but important step to building community is very explicitly stating to the students that as a goal and that they have responsibilities to help build community. Although in the past I have been more explicit in verbalizing this to students, I know I can also be guilty of having great intentions that I keep to myself.