Students new to blended and/or online learning may be a bit overwhelmed with the technology and environment.
What challenges for new students have you found and what suggestions do you have to decrease frustration? If you are new to online learning, what do you think your greatest obstacle would be?
Please respond with your thoughts and suggestions.
Thanks!
Deb
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9 comments:
I've not attempted an online learning course before, but one of the factors that might keep me from doing so is the fear that the experience would be impersonal. A conducive environment and a sense of community are vital components in my classroom learning, and I have trouble envisioning an online learning experience offering a relational and environmental matrix that would be compelling and attractive.
I agree that a sense of community is important in online learning.
There are a number of tools available to promote it. Two common options are discussion boards and photo galleries.
Discussion boards can increase communication on a number of topics among online students. Although an obvious choice in online classes, we can also use electronic two-way communication in a face to face or blended classroom.
I have found the most important benefit to students is to create an active learning community among their peers. Without the discussions, students tend to become isolated, and sometimes develop a tunnel-vision to their projects. Communicating with others through a discussion board, as an example, provides an additional environment for sharing viewpoints and developing critical thinking.
Students who may not speak up in a traditional classroom are more apt to post to a discussion board where they can think about and refine their answers before sharing. The learning becomes more student-centered.
The initial discussion topic in each of my classes is a self-introduction. Another example of a discussion topic includes asking students to research adaptive/assistive technologies and share their findings. It helps to promote the study of diversity as well. Private boards can be created for team collaboration needs. My students also do project peer reviews using the discussion board.
A class photo gallery helps to further develop the feeling of community; it enables students (and the instructor) to see the person, not just a name.
Hi everyone,
For online learners, sense of faculty presence and prompt feedback can help motivate learners. Also, course content should be easy to navigate and the organization should be user friendly.
Lo-An
Lo-An
I agree. Expectations of instructor feedback time should also be posted on the course site. For navigation, a modular format and basic organization seem to work well.
Thanks.
Hi, everyone,
In addition to creating a sense of community in the online class itself, it is also a prime directive for colleges to provide a sense of community to the students as a whole.
This might include online student support services to provide access to information and a connection to the college. There should also be access to records, announcements, and activities. In addition, students should have a venue to talk amongst themselves in the online environment, i.e, a virtual student union.
I love the virtual student union idea. Another important area of student support would be access to technical support on a 24 hour basis, or at least on an extended basis since many online students are "in class" at all hours, both day and night.
Hi All,
I believe on major challenge in online learning is the lack of face to face interaction.
I know that even as an online instructor, I find it much easier to communicate with my students in the classroom than online. Emails don't always have the "personalization" that the student is needing.
As for blending learning, I feel that it is a great concept, however, difficult to keep as blended. Often it usually ends up with more online than classroom or visa versa.
Hi All,
I believe on major challenge in online learning is the lack of face to face interaction.
I know that even as an online instructor, I find it much easier to communicate with my students in the classroom than online. Emails don't always have the "personalization" that the student is needing.
As for blending learning, I feel that it is a great concept, however, difficult to keep as blended. Often it usually ends up with more online than classroom or visa versa.
Communicating in the classroom is definitely easier and usually better than what is available in an online class. (Although sometimes students seem to open up more without the face-to-face component.) The blended classroom can provide the "best of both worlds." However, as you noted, it is important to ensure a balance exists between the traditional and virtual classroom.
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