Orientation to Teaching Online

Audrey L. CutlerCenter for Instructional Advancement and Technology

Welcome!• All about you!• Name, Department• Experience with online

and hybrid courses (as faculty or student)

• Goals? Concerns?

 

Objectives

By the end of this workshops, participants will be able to: • Define online and hybrid courses at Towson• Identify the steps involved in preparation for and

design of your online or hybrid course using the Quality Matters rubric

• Evaluate the Digital Media Classroom as a resource for your online and hybrid course

• Locate instruction design, library, and technical resources for assistance through the design process

 

Defining Online & Hybrid Courses @ TU

 

Defining Online & Hybrid Courses @ TU

• Online Courses – Require no face-to-face meetings (no trips to campus) and all instruction is delivered electronically.

• Hybrid Courses – Taught partially online. The face-to-face classroom meetings are reduced by at least 50% and replaced with online activities.

• Web-supported Courses – Face-to-face classes that use online resources such as Blackboard to support instruction (unofficial designation).

 Online Teaching and LearningChallenges and Rewards

Challenges:Communication• No real-time F2F

communication & synergy• Slower communication• Majority of courses are still

text-basedTime Management • More independence - Both for

you and students• 24/7 access

Rewards:• Flexibility (own pace, space,

time)• Individual attention; guide

each student• Addresses different learning

styles• Self-reflection in redesign

leads to better teaching

 

Changing Perspectives

Face-to-Face Classes• Instructor-centered

(lecture-centered)• Take place on campus• Designated days to meet• Instructional content and

interaction occurs during class session

Online Course• Student-centered • Housed in Blackboard• Weekly modules – you

create when your week starts/ends

• 24/7 Access• Content provided via

Blackboard• Writing/reading to

communicate

 

Your New Role as the Facilitator/Coach

• Support students to construct their own knowledge

• Does not diminish the role of the instructor/faculty member

 

Similarities

• You’re the expert!• Online, we often face these same concerns in

face-to-face courses:– Student attrition– Students do not comprehend course content &– Students do not participate actively in class discussions

• The key to resolving many of these concerns:– Well designed and organized online/hybrid course– Clear and timely communication on the parts of both

instructors and students

Interaction and Feedback in a Traditional Course

Interaction and Feedback in a Traditional Course

• Instructor Presentation• Discussion • Simulation• Question and Answer• Classroom assessments

• Office hours• Extra help• Review• Group-Oriented Work• Assessment • E-mail

Where does it go?

Understanding Content

• Lecturette and graphics• DMC & Video • Audio • PPT with audio• Web resources• Guest lectures• Simulations• Case studies• Question and answers

for clarification

 

Face-to-Face Communication

• Face-to-Face signals used to gauge student comprehension or have reached content overload– Body language– Blank stares – Lack/lots of questions

• Information given verbally in class

• Learning community

Where does it go?

 

Online Communication

• These same types of cues can be identified in online course – response to assignments, discussions, or the number of times

a student accesses the course

• Clear, timely and accurate communication– Be Consistent!– Set and keep weekly or bi-weekly deadlines (not daily for

online course)– Post assignments on time (can use blackboard release

features)

• Learning community– Created through ice-breakers, ongoing discussions, groups,

peer-review assignments, feedback

 

Online Communication

• Syllabus: Contract and Map – Use to set expectations, deadlines and policies.

• Create a clear, explicit course schedule.• Email your students before class starts!• Hand-hold students through their first time in the

course site and the first three weeks.• Keep consistent, student-centered design in Blackboard.• Encourage not only faculty to student communication,

but also student to student communication. • Build time into your schedule to communicate

Ice-breakersQ & AFeedback

Applications and interpretation questions

Problem questions/Case studies

Connective and causal effect questions

Comparative questionsEvaluative questionsCritical questions

Interaction – Using Discussion Board & Groups

Group Areas

Peer Review Group Projects Journals

Feedback on assignments

Grade book entriesEmailsChat areaAnonymous surveys

Interaction – Feedback

• Quiz tool• Proctored exams• Project-based

assessment• Participation online

Mind reading skills?

Assessment

Sample Courses

 

Course Design

 

Chunking

• Chunking allows the instructor to break the content up into more manageable units or modules

• Chunking is good for recall, comprehension, focus and course planning

• Chunking content helps students prioritize, organize, and identify core elements

• Chunking presents the content in smaller manageable pieces to students

• Before starting to chunk your course gather your syllabus, reading and supplemental materials and resources.

 

Chunking - Example

• Define online and hybrid learning and its unique attributes • Which parts go better online? • Match current teaching styles to methods of online teaching • Identify elements of quality online/hybrid courses using the Quality Matters

Rubric • Write measurable module objectives using an alignment chart. • Organize and upload course content using the Blackboard Content

Management System • Use e-Reserves and organizing content with collection • Determine appropriate learning activities using available resources and given

available technology• Create a complete course module including module-level objectives, learning

activities, and assessments based on the module worksheet • Use basic functions of the Bb Grading Center and Assignments • Evaluate the Digital Media Classroom and tools - as a resource for

online/hybrid classes

Preparing Your Traditional Course for Online or Hybrid Delivery

 

Chunking - Example

Session One - Designing your course• Define online and hybrid learning and its

unique attributes • Which parts go better online? • Match current teaching styles to methods

of online teaching • Identify elements of quality online/hybrid

courses using the Quality Matters Rubric • Write measurable module objectives using

an alignment chart.

Session Two - Organizing Course Materials• Organize and upload course content using

the Blackboard Content Management System

• Use e-Reserves and organizing content with collection

• Determine appropriate learning activities using available resources and given available technology

Session Three - Supplementary Tools to Deliver and Assess Instructional Materials• Create a complete course module

including module-level objectives, learning activities, and assessments based on the module worksheet

• Use basic functions of the Bb Grading Center and Assignments

• Evaluate the Digital Media Classroom and tools - as a resource for online/hybrid classes

 

Chunking - Example

Session One - Designing your course• Define online and hybrid learning and its unique

attributes – Defining TU Online and Hybrid Courses– Facilitator/Moderator– Communication– Support– Move the Course Forward (time management)– Chunking

 

How do you Chunk?

• Gather your documents and identify the needed modules

• Write out everything on paper!• Reflect on the activities/assessment/assignments

will they work in an online environment• For hybrid courses identify what content can be

covered via online sessions

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