Asynchronous or Synchronous Online Course Elements: Why Choose? Use Both! Michael E. Scheuermann Drexel University Copyright 2005, Michael E. Scheuermann,

Asynchronous or Synchronous Online Course Elements: Why Choose? Use Both!

Michael E. ScheuermannDrexel University

Copyright 2005, Michael E. Scheuermann, All Rights Reserved.

- Threaded Discussions -

- Online Chat -


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http://www.educause.edu/

Myth #1

“Anytime – Anywhere” is the way that online learning needs to be!



Myth #2

“I will never be able to get my students together for any synchronous online chat sessions!”


Myth #3

“My students will either think it is impossible to do chat sessions – or – they will not find any value in them anyway.”


Myth #4

“By the way - conducting online chat sessions will be too much work for me!”


Threaded Discussions

• 4-8 topics each week, +– 1 “open” topic– 1 “Water Cooler” topic– 1 “Student Tips” topic (anonymous)

• Requirements:– Read all of the topics / post in four– Make 2 “original” posts by 11pm Tuesday– Read your colleagues’ posts– Make 2 “response” posts by 11pm Friday


Threaded Discussions (cont.)

What constitutes “a post”?1. A few salient sentences on the topic

(Syllabus ~ rubric)2. Encourage the participation of others3. Defend your position4. Dispute positions with which you do

not agree5. Link posts to course / text content6. Cite sources whenever possible



What Does This Approach Accomplish?

• Heightens student-student interaction• Students:

– Read the available topics– Post to two topics that interest them most– Read posts of colleagues– Make response posts in two other topics

• Builds learning community• “Water Cooler” / “Student Tips” / FAQs• Students can author their own topics



TDs – Grading Rubric• 100% of available points

– Read all of the topics in a given week– Post a salient, original comment in two of them– Read all of the postings of your colleagues– Post a salient response to two of them (in two topic areas other

than those in which you made your original posts)• 75% of available points – doing the above, but

– making original and response (O&R) posts (good quality & meaning) in only 3 topics, or

– making posts of mediocre quality in the required number• 50% of available points – doing the above, but

– making (O&R) posts (good quality & meaning) in only 2 topics– or, making posts of lesser quality in the required number

• 25% of available points – doing the above, but– making (O&R) posts (good quality & meaning) in only 1 topic,– or, making posts of questionable quality in the required number

• 0 points - not contributing at all that particular week



Student-Authored Discussion Topics

• Courses is “seeded” with multiple topics for each week– Each week also includes space for topics

that students author– Participation in those additional topics

counts the same as the instructor-authored ones

• Student-authored topics this term could become permanent topics next term



Let’s Look at Some Data


Posts for 8 TD Weeks- 28 graduate students -

- Completely Online Course - WINTER Term2004

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55

Topics

Student Posts

Instructor Posts





0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55

Topics

Student Posts

Instructor Posts


TOTAL Student Posts = 1398 Minimum = 896

56% above minimum13.3 instructor posts/student


0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55

Topics

Student Posts

Instructor Posts

Posts for 8 TD Weeks- 16 under/graduate students -- Completely Online Course - SPRING Term

2004



0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55

Topics

Student Posts

Instructor Posts


2004


TOTAL Student Posts = 832 Minimum = 512

63% above minimum16.4 instructor posts/student


0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

Topics

Student Posts

Instructor Posts





0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

Topics

Student Posts

Instructor Posts


2004



Student-Only Posts- 28 graduate Students - Totally Online Course -


31

36

56

38

4849

80

74

W-1

T-1

W-1

T-3

W-1

T-5

W-1

T-7

W-2

T-2

W-2

T-4

W-2

T-6

W-3

T-1

W-3

T-3

W-3

T-5

W-3

T-7

W-4

T-2

W-4

T-4

W-4

T-6

W-6

T-1

W-6

T-3

W-6

T-5

W-6

T-7

W-6

T-9

W-7

T-2

W-7

T-4

W-8

T-1

W-8

T-3

W-8

T-5

W-9

T-1

W-9

T-3

W-9

T-5

W-9

T-7

Student-Authored Topics

38.1%

41%29.2% 25.3%

23.9%

31.8%

23.2%

19.3%


Student-Only Posts- 16 Graduate and Undergraduate Students - Totally Online Course -

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55

Topic #Copyright 2005, Michael E. Scheuermann, All Rights Reserved.

Student-Authored Topics


Synchronous Chat in Online Courses




Student-Directed Chat Sessions

• Skeletal set of topics to cover during the online chat– linked to the reading assignments

• Students determine the direction of the chat session

• Instructor role:– alternates topics (aligned with readings)– keeps conversation going– redirects only when necessary



Synchronous Chat

• Four scheduled sessions per term– 2 in 1st half / 2 in 2nd half

• 7:30pm-9:00pm or 7:00pm-8:30pm• 7-10 participants per session


<13 students 1 chat night

14-20 students 2 chat nights

21-30 students 3 chat nights


Synchronous Chat (cont.)

• Students are randomly-assigned to the chat nights

• Students can switch chat nights– session-by-session– across the term

• Students do “the swapping”– Contact students who are assigned to the

night to which they want to move– Make the swap– Students advise the instructor of the swap– Builds learning community!



Do Students Want Me to Eliminate Mandatory Chat Sessions?1. David – “NO. I really enjoyed the chats - I found them great

to actually interact live.”2. Matt – “They are perfect, I like the 4 chats too, not too

many and not too few, helps relate the thoughts about the text with others’ opinions in real time.”

3. Christine – “I might consider cutting the chat down to an hour... But other than that, I think it's great... really pulls everything we've learned together.”

4. Louis – “No, there is definitely a value. The OC requires you to quickly draw on the information in the text and apply it to not only your experiences, but to those of others.”

5. Abby – “I think the chats are great....had to get used to it. But I think it's a good way to reinforce reading and discussion topics.”



Getting Started w/ Chat• Conduct “online office hours”

– Solicit student feedback– Should OCs be mandatory?

• Try some optional Chat sessions– Extra credit opportunity, perhaps?

• Introduce a few mandatory sessions in a class (two, perhaps)– Regulate the number of participants– Solicit student feedback– Should the # of OCs be increased?

• Constantly monitor student feedback



Getting Started w/ Chat (cont.)

• Make-up credit• Prep for mid term / final• Student “group work”• Guest speakers• “Ask a Librarian”• Etc.

Provide instant feedbackAppeal to various learning stylesFocus on best teaching practices



The Myths

1. Anytime – Anywhere” is the way that online learning needs to be!


The Myths


2. “I will never be able to get my students together for any synchronous online chat sessions!”


The Myths



3. “My students will either think it is impossible to do chat sessions – or – they will not find any value in them anyway.”


The Myths




4. “By the way - conducting online chat sessions will be too much work for me!”


The Myths




4. “By the way - conducting online chat sessions will be too much work for me!”


YOUR Insights

What other approaches do YOU take with Discussions in your courses?


YOUR Insights

What other approaches do you take with Chat in your courses?


Questions ?

[email protected] 2005, Michael E. Scheuermann, All Rights Reserved.



Documents

Asynchronous or Synchronous Online Course Elements: Why Choose? Use Both! Michael E. Scheuermann Drexel University Copyright 2005, Michael E. Scheuermann,