Amite Sculpture On The Campus Of SUNY-Plattsburgh Photo Copyright 2002 – Ray Guydosh

Amite

Sculpture

On The Campus Of

SUNY-Plattsburgh

Photo Copyright 2002 – Ray Guydosh

Developing Faculty Learning Communities

To Facilitate Migration of Courses

From Classroom to Web

Ray Guydosh [email protected] of Business & Economics SUNY - Plattsburgh

Mark Gultek [email protected], Restaurant, Tourism Management SUNY - Plattsburgh

John Parmelee [email protected], Restaurant, Tourism Management SUNY - Plattsburgh

Karen Volkman [email protected] of Library and Information Sciences SUNY - Plattsburgh








• Start the semester before teaching your first online class

• If possible have co-instructor privileges to see assignments submitted by other students

Online Mentoring:Observe a Class As A Student

• Participate in class discussions

• Do assignments

• Do the “library” research expected of the rest of the class

• Follow deadlines

Faculty Observer Responsibilities

• Students had difficulty attaching files

• Students had difficulty including pictures and text

• Students lost assignments because they didn’t use multiple windows

• Students had difficulty logging into the SLN system

Observation: Level of Computer Literacy

• Use step by step screen captures to show computer basics such as running multiple applications

• Provide detailed log-in instructions

• Display SLN Help Desk information in a prominent location

Observer Solution: Add Computer Basics

• Students became lost in the the module organization

• Students didn’t understand what was due to be completed by a particular date

• Students didn’t understand that each week they had to complete several different types of activities

Observation: Roadmap

• Provide a consistent module organization throughout the course

• Always have the same elements occur in each module

• Follow a consistent day of the week pattern for each module’s completion

Observer Solution: Roadmap Consistencies

• Students don’t tend to read more than one or two screens of information

• Students have difficulty following instructions

• Students have difficulty following text sequences

Observation: Reading Patterns

• “Chunk” large presentations into smaller bits

• Use PowerPoint for instruction where students need to follow a logical sequence

• Specifically instruct students to print out text you have written in a more lengthy document

Observer Solutions: Reading Problems

• Perception that online means easy; not a lot of time commitment

• Tendency to minimize assignment and discussion responses

• Tendency to write in short “check off” style when more thoughtful responses are required

Observation: Assignment Expectations

• Make assignment expectations very explicit

• Let student know when you expect them to research and not just give their own opinion in response

• Use the first assignment/discussion grade to insure they are aware their response was deficient

Observer Solutions: Explicit Expectations

• Discussions tend to start slowly

• The level of participation increases as the deadline approaches

• One or two students tend to lead the discussion

• Some students tune out completely from the discussion

Observation: Discussion Participation

• Students must be forced to start participating early in the module

• State that credit will not be given for all discussion participation occurring on the last day of the module

• Count each module participation

• It is very important to immediately give grade feedback on discussions

Observer Solutions: Grading and Deadlines

• Watch the discussion to make sure your “leaders” are on track

• Intervene as quickly as possible if your discussion goes off-track

• Add extra items, such as issues or references to other articles to keep your “leaders” interested

Observer Solutions: Monitor

• Observe online class flow

• Observe student level of interaction

• Observe online behavior

• Observe problematic technology areas

Faculty Observer Benefits

• Observer gives guidance when instructions are confusing

• Observer can serve as assignment guinea pig

• Observer gives pedagogical feedback of what worked and what didn’t work online

Veteran Faculty Benefits








• Technological

• Pedagogical

• Behavioral

Course Design Concerns

• Technological

• Pedagogical

• Behavioral

Course Design Concerns

•BehavioralClassroom Management

• Common Cause

• Different Manifestation

Behavioral - Classroom Management

• Adding Class Late

• Late Appearance in Course

Behavioral: Procrastination

• Back of Room (Baseball Cap Phenomenon)

• Low Participation

Behavioral: Disengagement

• Marsupial

• Online

Analogy• Placental Mammal

• Traditional

• Marsupial

Animals of the class of mammals that produce their young partly developed and carry them for a time in a pouch.


Animals of the class of mammals having a placenta; all mammals except monotremes and marsupials

Thylacine Wolf

(The Thylacine, Thylacinus cynocephalus, a carnivorous marsupial now believed to be extinct, also known as the Marsupial Wolf. )

Kangaroo Deer

• Marsupial

• Online


• Traditional

• Adding Class Late

• Late Appearance in Course

Behavioral: Procrastination

• Greater Tendency To Consult

• Competence Not Assumed

• Less Embarrassment

Classroom ManagementOnline Setting

• Low Frequency of Consultation

• Competence Assumed

• Embarrassment

Classroom ManagementTraditional Setting

Why A Difference ?

• Willingness to Admit Difficulty• New Type of Environment• Opportunity To Demonstrate Competence• Two Heads Better Than One• Experience As Teacher

Technology FoundationProvides Justification

• A number of students don’t appear in the class until the second (or third) week

• Late arrivals affect an online class more than traditional classes

Observation: BureaucracyK

A

R

E

N

• Build in extra time; especially during the first two weeks of class

• Assume you will lose the first week

• Don’t cover content material the first week

• The goal of the first week(s) is to have the students acclimate to the online environment

Observer Solution: BureaucracyK

A

R

E

N

K

A

R

E

N

Classroom Issue or Problem Manifestation/Consideration In Online Environment

Adding Course Late Ice-Breaking Exercise / Minimize "Real" Material

No-Shows Letters, Email, Phone Calls, Web Page

Late Assignments Computer Inflexibility / Discussion Requires Others

Illness/ Missed Class Extended Time Horizons

Disengagement Contributions Can Be Graded

Discussion Hogging Private Communication

Directing A Discussion Need For Supervision

Rebellion Control of Access

Late Assignments Flurry of Last-Hour Discussion / Early Assignments

“Missing” Assignments Computers Are Infallible

Cheating Alteration of Evaluation Methodology

Gut Course Need To Manage Expectations








• Common Field

• Coordination and Communication

• Closer Learning Opportunities

• Facilitating Opportunities

• Suggestions for Success

Team Teaching

•Familiarity with the methodology necessary to achieve a field based objective.

•Understanding problems and limitations within a common field.

Common Field Advantages

•Sharing the workload.

•Complimenting teaching styles.

•Assist with mechanical issues.

Coordination and Communication

•The need to monitor for redundancy and related concerns.

•The advantages of flexible course coverage.

Coordination and Communication

• Reducing pedagogical uncertainty for inexperienced faculty

• The ability to provide synchronous responses to peer questions especially dealing with mechanics.

Facilitating Opportunities for Faculty Training and Development

• The mentor advantage.

• Cross training opportunities between experienced and inexperienced faculty.

Facilitating Opportunities

• Establish team dynamics and goals as a priority.

• Employ effective communication techniques to enhance course flow.

Suggestions for Success

• Assess student achievement on a continual basis to monitor curriculum effectiveness.

• Recognize individual and team success.

Suggestions for Success








1. OVERCOMING THE AMBIGUITY AND SKEPTICISM

2. CONDUCTING A PRE-INSTRUCTIONAL ANALYSIS

3. NOT JEOPARDIZING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE

COURSE

4. SELECTING THE “RIGHT” KINDS OF ASSIGNMENTS

5. SETTING THE DEADLINES 6. STRUCTURING THE COURSE 7. YOU ARE A “GUIDE ON THE SITE” INSTEAD OF A “SAGE ON THE STAGE” 8. VALIDATING & EVALUATING THE COURSE

CHALLENGES OF DESIGNING A WEB COURSE FOR THE FIRST TIME - BY MARK

GULTEK

• Ambiguity among students • Experience discrepancy • Skepticism in the academia

1.OVERCOMING THE AMBIGUITY AND SKEPTICISM

• Is the course suitable for online teaching?

• Are the delivery methods appropriate?

2. CONDUCTING A PRE-INSTRUCTIONAL ANALYSIS

• The objectives and goals should not change

• Make sure objectives are clearly defined

3. NOT JEOPARDIZING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE

• Objectives should guide the assessment

• Assignments should invite thinking not just replicate the content

• Immediate and ongoing feedback

4. SELECTING THE “RIGHT” KINDS OF ASSIGNMENTS

• Very clear to communicate the

requirements to the students.

5. SETTING THE DEADLINES

• Developing an organized structure

• For each lesson and module, there is an assessment

6. STRUCTURING THE COURSE

• The transition from the

traditional role

7. YOU ARE A “GUIDE ON THE SITE” INSTEAD OF A “SAGE ON THE STAGE”

• Pre-design issues

• Post-design issues

8. VALIDATING & EVALUATING THE COURSE











Questions ? Comments ?

Praise and Applause ??








Documents

Amite Sculpture On The Campus Of SUNY-Plattsburgh Photo Copyright 2002 – Ray Guydosh