147 PRACTICAL TIPS FOR
TEACHING ONLINE GROUPS

By Donald E. Hanna, Michelle Glowacki-Dudka
& Simone Conceigao-Runlee

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

  Acknowledgments
Foreword (by Parker J. Palmer)
Preface
  A Unique Look at the Authors
  Why This Book?
  The Web-based Environment
  Synchronous and Asynchronous Learning
  The Addition of Technology to the Teacher, Learner,
    and Content of the Classroom
  The Context of This Book

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Chapter 1: Before You Begin 1
1. Know yourself 1
2. Determine your philosophy of teaching and learning
  Teacher-centered
  Learner-centered
  Learning community-centered
  Technology-driven		 2
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3. Be a team player
Instructor
Coordinator
Learner liaison
Instructional designer
Graphic designer
Technology personnel
Resource personnel
Administrative personnel		 4
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5
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6
4. Learn new skills for teaching online 6
5. Understand your audience 6
6. Understand the online environment 7
7. Learn about the technology 7
8. Learn about your resources 7
9. Recognize the absence of physical presence 8
10. Create multiple spaces for work, interaction, and socializing 9
11. Include multiple types of interactions 9
12. Consider which interactions to include 10
13. Consider learner-to-teacher interaction 10
14. Consider learner-to-learner interaction 10
15. Learner-to-expert interaction 10
16. Learner-to-content interaction 12
17. Learner-to-technology interaction 12
18. Establish the preferred class size 12
19. Consider team-based learning 13
20. Form personal relationships online 13
21. Develop learning communities 14
22. Learn through dialogue 14
23. Be prepared and flexible 15
24. Define your role in the online classroom 15
25. Clarify your expectations of learners' roles 16
26. Expect learners to be present online and to avoid passive observing 16
27. Expect learners to create, share, and hold knowledge and experiences 17
28. Expect learners to be self-motivated and self-directed 17
29. Expect learners to manage their time effectively 18
30. Expect learners to be ready to learn 18
31. Expect learners to troubleshoot problems 19
32. Expect learners to contribute to the class discussions 19
33. Expect learners to teach others and facilitate the experience 20
34. Expect learners to act as collegial members of the class 20
35. Expect learners to review readings and materials thoughtfully and reflectively
20
36. Expect learners to provide timely, meaningful feedback to you and their fellow learners
20
37. Expect learners to be leaders 21
38. Expect learners to "listen" to others 21
39. Expect learners to communicate by addressing each other, not just you 21
40. Expect learners to be proactive 22
41. Expect learners to observe the process 22
42. Establish a contingency plan 22

Chapter 2: Myths and Constraints of Online Teaching and Learning

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Myths of Online Teaching and Learning

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43. Myth: Learners are unable to adapt to the online environment 23
44. Myth: The instructor has to know how to do everything 24
45. Myth: Time requirements for teachers are lower in an online environment 24
46. Myth: Online classrooms aren't conducive to group interaction and activities
24
47. Myth: Online classrooms aren't as social as face-to-face classrooms 25
48. Myth: The number of learners in online classrooms can be unlimited 25
49 Myth: Technology will always work 26
50. Myth: The course will market itself; post it on the web and they will come 26
51. Myth: Learners will always understand your intended expectations for them from your clearly written syllabus
27

Constraints for Interactive Online Teaching and Learning

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52. Constraint: Fear of technology 27
53. Constraint: Different levels of technology skills 28
54. Constraint: Literacy levels 28
55. Constraint: Ability to type and use the keyboard 28
56. Constraint: Access to a computer and an internet connection 28
57. Constraint: The comfort of physical work space 29
58. Constraint: Having a disability 29
59. Constraint: Not being able to correspond in the language of the course 30
60. Constraint: Reaching across multiple time zones 30

Chapter 3: Organizing the Online Course

 31
61. Identify the course design 31
62. Consider course goals and objectives 31
63. Consider content 32
64. Consider readings 32
65. Consider resources 32
66. Copyright issues 32
67. Determine methods of delivery 33
68. Consider interactive applications 33
69. Consider non-interactive applications 34
70. Give learners appropriate advance information 34
71. Tell learners about the computer hardware and software they'll need 34
72. Tell learners about the level of computing proficiency 35
73. Tell learners about the level of course content and the course's time expectations
35
74. Decide and communicate what's private and what's public 35
75. Develop course details 36
76. Establish discussion guidelines 36
77. Develop a flexible syllabus 36
78. Organize content into modules or units 36
79. Create a timeline 37
80. Develop assignments 37
81. Decide about evaluation techniques to use 38
82. Evaluate your learners 38
83. Assess course effectiveness 39

Strategies for Evaluating Learning

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84. Use quizzes 40
85. Use essays 40
86. Use portfolios 40
87. Use performance evaluation 41
88. Use interviews 41
89. Use journals 42
90. Use reflective papers 42
91. Use web site development 43
92. Use learner participation figures 43
93. Use peer assessment 43
94. Use learner self-assessment 44
95. Consider how you'll grade assignments 44
96. Develop a way to evaluate group projects 44
97. Develop a way to grade portfolios 45
98. Develop a way to grade reflective papers 46
99. Consider strategies for course improvement 46
100. Use the one-minute assessment 46
101. Use a pretest/post-test approach 47
102. Use a learner tryout 47
103. Use direct observation 47
104. Ask learners for their reflections 48
105. Conduct peer reviews 48
106. Do a teacher preview 48
107. Reflect on your experiences 48

Chapter 4: Beginning Instruction in the Online Course: Implementing the Course Design
51
108. Create a space for learning 51
109. Design strategies for assessing learners' characteristics and building learners' self-knowledge
51
110. Design strategies to introduce learners to each other 52
111. Use effective teaching strategies 53
112. Gain agreement with the learners about rules, norms, and procedures for discussion -- and do so from the start
53
113. Use a free flowing and interactive content and structure 53
114. Develop team-building activities 54
115. Share biographical information or stories 54
116. Share course assignments 55
117. Create a social space 55
118. Involve learners in team projects 55
119. Develop asynchronous group discussions 56
120. Develop challenging problems 56
121. Promote critical thinking 56
122. Encourage students to evaluate information 57
123. Encourage students to analyze information 57
124. Encourage students to connect information 57
125. Promote self-regulating learning 57
126. Build collaborative skills 58
127. Create a loose framework for exploring topics 58
128. Create opportunities for learners to teach and to facilitate discussions 58
129. Add games and fun activities into the learning mix 59
130. Use existing software applications creatively 59
131. Use case studies 60
132. Use simulations as opportunities for learning by doing 60
133. Use external communities, people, and resources to build content knowledge
61
134. Create opportunities for reflection on the course, technology, content, and process
61
135. Help your learners manage information 61
136. Encourage substantive feedback from learners -- including yourself 61
137. Motivate your learners to participate 62
138. Give learners roles during discussions 62
139. Make students facilitators 62
140. Make students process observers 63
141. Make students information net workers/summarizers 63
142. Consider online office hours 63
143. Take advantage of opportunities for continuous learning 63
144. Read all you can about online learning 64
145. Understand that you're not the only one who feels overwhelmed once in a while
64
146. Know that sometime, someday you'll struggle with the technology 64
147. Enjoy yourself! 65

Postscript: Some Final Words

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Appendix A: Online Classroom Software

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Appendix B: Online Resources

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Bibliography

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