Online Teaching: Best Practices

2007 American Sociological Association Program

Presenters:

Marisol Clark-Ibáñez, Ph.D., Sociology

Linda Scott, Director of Academic Technology Services
California State University San Marcos

Learning to Teach Online article references

I. Introduction

Welcome! Thank you for being here and wanting to learn more about teaching online. Whether you are a seasoned e-pro, a novice, or a skeptic, this workshop [web page] will have something to enhance your pedagogy for the online learning environment.

I began my online teaching journey gradually. First, I used online quizzes in my introduction to Sociology classes. Then, I created a fully online Introduction to Sociology course during summer session of 2005. My original motivation was to be able to teach in the summer while traveling for a conference, my solution: the online course. Since then, I have remained committed to but cautious about online learning and teaching. In this workshop, I will be sharing my online Introduction to Sociology syllabus and discussing 2 semesters worth of experience with creating a positive online learning environment for my students.

Student Voices

Please view this video of a first year Sociology student sharing her perspective on taking online courses.

II. Myths about Online Teaching

Which of these myths are true? Learn more about the realities of online teaching.

III. Benefits of Teaching Online

A. Increased Access

Increased access for students who cannot come to campus and take F2F classes (face to face or in class courses)

B. Increased Student Interaction

  1. Active learning through collaborative approach

    Student quotes     explain how important interaction is for their learning.

  2. Creating Community

    Community building increases students' learning and leads to higher retention in online classes. The peer-to-peer interaction along with the instructor facilitating discussion can result in higher order thinking. Students feel less alienated and more accountable through various discussion strategies. This may encourage them to continue in the class and solicit help from peers and/or instructors instead of dropping out. Community building works! Research has found that healthy online communities found increased learning, increased self-worth and efficacy, adopted a positive attitude, and decreased sense of isolation (Lee et al. 2006, Schellens et al. 2005).

C. Practical Matters

With today's rising gasoline prices, students on a budget save money by not having to drive to campus and dealing with traffic and crowded parking lots.

IV. Designing an Online Class

A. Goal: Active Learning

It was important to for students to know that this class was not a distance learning or correspondence course but rather an interactive class. Clark-Ibáñez wanted her students to feel connected to her and each other. Scott's expertise and coaching helped create a class where students were not isolated.

Students can feel isolated in a fully only course if they do not connect with their classmates and their professor. Beginning slowly at the start of the semester will pay off later in the course. Because students cannot "see" you and each other, they need ways to get to know each other and feel comfortable. They also need to understand how to operate in this environment-especially if this is their first fully online course. "Get acquainted" activities and an opportunity to explore the course tools that will be used are important elements in Week One.

B. How to Get Started

Clark-Ibáñez: I consulted Linda to get a sense of what was possible in an online class. There are several web pages with model online courses that we reviewed including the WebCT Exemplary Courses. We discussed what features I liked and didn't like. This way Linda could get a sense of my style and pedagogical approach.

Then, I put together a story board of the class – a chart where I planned the course elements that needed to be created, such as: daily topics, readings, and assignments.

Scott: From the chart we created one model module that had all the course components. Once we designed the look and fill of that module, it was just a matter of Marisol completing her grid by collecting or creating her course materials for each module. To simplify the organization, we created a folder for each module in WebCT so all of her materials for each module were together.

C. Basic Recipe for Success

  1. Orient students before class begins

  2. Modules

    • Contains lecture content of the course.
    • Tips: Consistent structure and color coding.

  3. Discussion Boards

    • Students' space to discuss course material
    • Sixty to forty percent of grade
    • Make definition of "good posting" and "good reply" explicit (see Discussion Board rubric for postings and replies)
    • Make grading of discussion boards explicit
    • Give students feedback about how they are doing on their discussion through out term
    • Put students into groups so as to better manage discussion and students are able to better respond to one another, but, be flexible and listen to your students if the groups are not working.

  4. Papers / Assignments

    • I did papers the "old fashioned" way but used the assignment tool. Mixed results! Convenient but I miss grading on paper.
    • Some assignments were web-based and very successful.
    • Rubrics are key to helping students understand expectations. Visit the Rubistar webpage for help with making a custom rubric.
    • I created a rubric for my final project.

  5. Communication / Email

    • Webmail versus Email: Use the Course Mail as way to send messages
    • This helps clear your regular mail less cluttered
    • Students get used to checking their webmail
    • Can send webmail from various points on the course (in WebCT6)
    • Use for announcements but be careful of overuse

  6. Midterm Evaluations

    • Crucial to correct misconceptions and bad practices early in the term
    • I set up my as a survey on the quiz tool
    • Communicate to your students what the midterm feedback was and what you are willing and not willing to change
    • On-going evaluation by establishing dedicated Discussion Boards such as “Help!” and “What's Bugging You?”

  7. Clear instructions and instructor interaction

    • Students are frequently confused and scared because they are not experiencing their instructor in the traditional way
    • I acted as a cheerleader to encourage good learning strategies and discussions
    • I tried to use webmail and direct feedback to convey warmth and understanding of students' needs
    • I created video and Media site presentations to talk students through difficult assignments and projects.
    • Watch this video as a student explains how important it is for online instructors to provide clear instructions, among other advice.

  8. The Online Syllabus
  • The syllabus is one of the most important documents a student possesses in an online class.
  • It is very different than a F2F syllabus in that: [Linda, Can you explain this?]
  • Here to sample syllabi for Introduction to Sociology and Sociology of Education.
  • As mentioned earlier, it is important that you create a mechanism to get students to “dig into” the text. For example, I create a syllabus quiz.

D. Bells and Whistles

Before viewing the "fancy" tools on the web site, you should know that Clark-Ibáñez has incrementally worked on adding these exciting features. Without the help of the educational technology expert, she would not have gotten far at all. In fact, Clark-Ibáñez has shown various modules to show the evolution of her class. Some are "tricked out" with streaming video and photographs while others are bare bones with only written text. Use the resources you have – on your own campus and elsewhere – but remember to not get overwhelmed by the possibilities. 

          1. Audio Welcome

          2. Streaming Video: Lecture on Social Institutions

          3. Web based assignments:

4. Media Site

V. Challenges & How to Address Them

A. Students must be self-disciplined and organized but many seem to take online classes because they think it will be very easy.

a. Direct them to an online quiz (as seen in my welcome letter) that gives students a chance to see if they are ready for an online class.

b. Stress to them over and over again how self-guided they must be in your course.

B. Students without access to fast speed internet may experience frustration.

a. Encourage students to come to campus to view the extra features on the class web site.

b. Let students know you are aware of this frustration and offer low-risk means for students to test out features they will use in the future that may produce anxiety due to slow internet. For example, offer a required but ungraded Quiz 0 which is based on material from the syllabus. This lets students know how their computers handle future course tasks.

C. Students may not have computers that can download the appropriate software to benefit from the bells and whistles.

a. Encourage students to come to campus to view the extra features on the class web site.

b. Make sure you have written text in addition to the multimedia features so as to ensure that all students are exposed to the same material.

D. Overload – students who typically choose online classes have least amount of time to spare. They either take the online as an "extra" course, thereby overloading their schedules OR they take the online course because their life is on "overload" (work full time, parenting responsibilities) and therefore cannot come to campus and take F2F courses.

a. Let students know that the competing classes and real life dilemmas may get in the way of their ability to take the online course. Encourage students to communicate their various stresses and constraints to keep you in the loop. This is not allowing for whining or excuses but simply validating students' lives.

b. Life happens. Online classes take patience on the part of the instructor and student.

VI. Assessing Your Online Course

How do you know if you online class has all the necessary components to be a tool for deep thinking, student interaction, and accessibility?

There are several ways to assess your online course. We are going to focus on a nationally recognized, award winning approach from CSU Chio: Rubric of Online Instruction.

VII. Post-workshop Resources for Online Teaching

Seven Principles of Effective Teaching: A Practical Lens for Evaluating Online Courses by Charles Graham, Kursat Cagiltay, Byung-Ro Lim, Joni Craner and Thomas M. Duffy

Instructional Strategies and Pedagogy from Illinois Online Network

Less is More: Designing an Online Course by R. Thomas Berner

Using the Student Perspective to Drive Course Development by Karla Embleton

Tips and Tricks for Teaching Online: How to Teach Like a Pro! by Kaye Shelton and George Saltsman (garden metaphor)

CSU Chico Rubric for Online Instruction

Learning to Teach Online article references