When you have a course that was pre-made and given to you, how do you go about amending the course content if you deem it to be necessary?

What have you found to be the most challenging aspect of being an online facilitator and what did you do to overcome these challenges?

Do you find it helpful to change your teaching pattern based on the type of students you have in a particular class?

I have used an amazing Web 2.0 tool that I find is really great. I would love to share this with everyone. It is a Web Quiz that I use as a pre-learning activity. The Web Quiz is self correcting similar to the way that these quizzes are in this unit. I have students take the quiz and they can take it as many times as they wish. They then submit a screen shot of their final quiz grade and receive this grade in the gradebook. I utilize this as a way of making sure students have essential background information for the unit. It also works well as an engagement piece. I use http://www.webwinder.com/quiz/index.php and make sure I use "multiple choice with references". I have also used this when developing integrated literacy based units for school districts.

I would love to see any examples of engaging, pertinent initial posts that you folks have used to motivate and engage students in a discussion. I love to see the creativity that many instructors have and try to use some of that creativity in my instruction.

Which of the tools of technology have you found to be the most helpful for you and your students?

I am interested to see what are some techniques and strategies you have used to differentiate instruction in an on-line environment. It is always great to see what creative techniques different instructors have used.

I have often used tech tools as a motivator to engage students in discussions and creating products that have students defending a position or striving to prove their case or point. I have done this with even students in traditional classrooms as this works well with the new Common Core Standards where students are expected to utilize content and reference content in their writing. I am interested in some of the ways that other instructors have used tech tools in a virtual environment to create student engagement and have students create authentic literacy based products.

Appropriate communication in a respectable manner leads to continuous communication with the students and Instructors.

I recently had a student who sent me inappropriate emails as well as posted some incorrect information on the discussion board. I reached out to him through email. Over the course of a week and several emails, I was able for him to see that his conduct was unprofessional and unproductive. In the end, he actually apologized to me and thanked me for being a member of my course. - Doc Wibbeke

Hello, I have started researching how to include a video welcome along with a printed welcome to all of my students. In preliminary tests, the students seem to react well to seeing me "live" and hearing my voice and not just reading my posted materials. - Dr. Eileen Wibbeke

An online course has a basic scheme: classes, modules, or other basic format of the course, written outcomes, objectives, or competencies, preferably for each unit (class, module, or whatever), interactivity plan (or ideas), how students will interact with the instructor and other students, photos and/or other graphic materials to be included, and the instructors ideas about how students will be able to approach the course differently depending on their learning styles. A course syllabus contains a course overview, course title, how to contact you, your grading and assignment policies, required textbooks, etc., and assignments and tests are other essential elements between f2f and an online course. Some of this help can be obtained from an instructional designer and other faculty members. The content has to be of appropriate format to cover all learning objectives. A consistent course design has to be maintained with minimal online lectures, and providing multiple opportunities of online interaction. Being active in the LMS and revising the course periodically is very helpful to maintain the quality of education as the technology is updated.

The online facilitator is a Manager, who maintains the class website to ensure that students have access to the tools they need to learn. She fields student inquiries should students have any trouble adjusting to this online curriculum. She uses online teaching tools, such as video, chat and discussion boards, to maximize interaction among and with students. As a communicator, promotes communication. The facilitator manages discussions and learning activities to make sure students understand and can discuss the content. He can do this by posting weekly topics on the class discussion board, where students can share their thoughts and respond to one another. Though the facilitator monitors the class discussion, he should only jump in to get students back on track or relate the discussion to the course content. The online facilitator also serves as the judge, just like an educator in a traditional classroom setting would. Ensuring that students are academically honest is always a concern for educators, but this concern multiplies in an online classroom. For example, facilitators cannot confirm that students completed online assignments themselves like they can in a traditional classroom. Therefore, the facilitator serves as a judge, giving students policies on academic honesty and following up on possible plagiarism and cheating. Facilitators might take more time than traditional educators to use the Internet to search for student paper topics or questionable excerpts from their paper to ensure the material is, in fact, their own. The online facilitator might never meet her students face to face, but she still serves as a mentor to support their academic and professional goals. A facilitator often is more accessible than a traditional educator, thanks to technology. Students can talk to their facilitators using online chat, discussion boards or email. Facilitators can attend online "office hours," where students can log in to ask questions about the course or receive academic or career guidance.

A virtual learning environment or learning platform, is an e-learning education system based on the web that models conventional in-person education by providing equivalent virtual access to classes, class content, tests, homework, grades, assessments, and other external resources such as academic or museum website links. It is also a social space where students and teacher can interact through threaded discussions or chat. It typically uses Web 2.0 tools for 2-way interaction, and includes a content management system. These environments are the basic components of contemporary distance learning, but can also be integrated with a physical learning environment which may be referred to as blended learning. Virtual learning can take place synchronously or asynchronously, In synchronous systems, participants meet in “real time”, and teachers conduct live classes in virtual classrooms. Students can communicate through a microphone, chat rights, or by writing on the board. In asynchronous learning, which is sometimes called “self-paced” learning, students are expected to complete lessons and assignments independently through the system. Asynchronous courses have deadlines just as synchronous courses do, but each student is learning at his own pace. These environments can also include students and teachers “meeting” online through a synchronous web-based application. The teacher is able to present lessons through video, PowerPoint, or chatting. The students are able to talk with other students and the teacher, as well as collaborate with each other, answer questions, or pose questions. They can use the tools available through the application to virtually raise their hand, send messages, or answer questions on the screen given by the teacher or student presenter. The most important features of these virtual learning environments include: Content management – creation, storage, access to and use of learning resources Curriculum mapping and planning – lesson planning, assessment and personalization of the learning experience Learner engagement and administration – managed access to learner information and resources and tracking of progress and achievement Communication and collaboration - emails, notices, chat, wikis, blogs

In this respect, it's important to understand the five principles of teaching adults. It's important to know how adults learn. Adults learn best when: They understand why something is important to know or do, they have the freedom to learn in their own way, and learning is experiential. Respect that Your Students Have Different Learning Styles: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Visual learners rely on pictures, and one can best communicate with them by providing handouts, writing on the white board, and using phrases like, “Do you see how this works?” Auditory learners listen carefully to all sounds associated with the learning, and one can best communicate with them by speaking clearly, asking questions, and using phrases like, “How does that sound to you?” Kinesthetic learners need to physically do something to understand it, and one can best communicate with them by involving volunteers, allowing them to practice what they’re learning, and using phrases like, “How do you feel about that?” Allow Your Students to Experience What They’re Learning. Experience can take many forms. Any activity that gets your students involved makes the learning experiential. This includes small group discussions, experiments, role playing, skits, building something at their table or desk, writing or drawing something specific – activity of any kind. Activities also keep people energized, especially activities that involve getting up and moving about. The other aspect of this principle is honoring the life experiences your students bring to the classroom. Be sure to tap into that wealth of wisdom whenever it’s appropriate.

What are two fun critical thinking assignments that you learned about in this module?

What would be your first plan of action in making a critical thinking assignment?

Discuss an active learning strategy you use and note whether it is a reading, reflective writing, displaying or doing strategy.

Discuss three low-risk active learning techniques which could easily be utilized in your course(s).

As an online instructor, what free technology tools do you have available to incorporate active learning in your classes?