Bruce Fraser

Being able to make changes to a syllabus, or having a dynamic syllabus, managing dynamic elements (and their respective links and / or websites) along with a myriad of course revisions and updates (much or all of this executed in software) stored in some type of "course repository" in case the changes need to be "backed up" or "undone" is a great policy to have at the individual online teacher / course level.

As the text says: "Good communication is part of what makes a successful online course" (Module 3 - "Communication with Students" Section, Pg.1). Included in those "good communications" are important things to execute on, such as 1) Issuing commuications guidelines that include boundaries and will properly inform and serve both the students and the instructor (from a time management / workload management standpoint), 2) Providing regular and consistent student feedback (according to guidelines published by the online instructor) in a timely manner and 3) students and teachers working together to help build and maintain a collaborative working environment for all involved.

I think this module tries to point out successfull strategies to manage your time properly and in doing so, become a more successful online teacher in the process and many of the strategies discussed in this module are valid and I'm sure work in a lot of online teaching environments. Obviously, some of these things are easier said than done, such as "Distinguishing between work and personal life" including "setting boundaries so online work does not overwhelm their personal life'. I've worked 7 day a week, 80 hour a week jobs in the private sector before coming a teacher and… >>>

In assessing and prioritizing a situation to determine how you are going to manage your time, there are clearly a lot of unknowns for the first time onlilne teacher, particularly if they are going to be expected to create, test and provide technical support for content they created and then administer the class as well, versus an online teacher that is only administering an established course or program and not having to do all of those additional tasks up front to establish and create the class, the content, etc. I'm sure a lot of online teacher workload depends on how… >>>

Certainly, there is a lot to consider when setting up and administering an online course, class or CoP. Part of that administrative role is to ensure your students are setting and maintaining reasonable goals and objectives that will help them finish the course or class successfully and on time, while allowing for other important activities such as interaction and participation. Time managment plays a critical part in helping to accurately estimate, plan and complete such goals and objectives on a timely, accurate and succssful basis.  Ensuring students understand (and practice) important concepts and practices, which include netiquettte and proper online… >>>

A good online instructor needs to identify and consider the technical skills that students need to participate in the course or program, provide "tech tips" and / or some type of technology training for those students that need to enhance their technical skills, along with what types of tools the instructor should use based on the course type - asynchronous or synchronous? Social media based? To be successfull and build a well working, effective CoP, the successful teacher or instructor must strike a successful balance between all of these options and then provide the student support (as needed) to help… >>>

This module (Module 2 - Non-Technical Skills) covers some key points to creating and maintaining the online learning environment or in this case, the Community of Practice (CoP). Specifically: 1) Defining and maintaining "Good Online Citizenship" - very similar in concept and practice to "Netiquette" from a previous module; 2) Effective commuications - Clear, Professional, Appropriate (CPA) which are not only necessary for solid academic work, but are also required in the "working world" to get (and keep) that job; 3) the need for both the instructor and the student to interact and maintain effective communications and a good level… >>>

The issue of "onlilne persona" has to be looked at from a number of different ways. Not only should the student and the instructor perform self-analysis / self assessments of their online skills and abilities, the instructor has to continously monitor student performance, relative to issues like motivation, time management and special needs issues that need to be identified, understood and addressed in order to help the student achieve his or her maximum potential in a particular learning experience.

Developing / establishing a good student community, maintaining that community and moving that community ahead is no small task for the online instructor. Scoring things like participation in a consistent, timely and uniform manner requires discipline and the use of rubrics to ensure the instructor's expectations are understood by the students and are fairly (and uniformly) applied to all grading the students receive individually and as a community.

Engaging students in a productive and meaningful manner that facilitates active and engaged communications is indeed the basis of online learning. While most of burdeon for creating and maintaining this environment falls on the course designer / course instructor, students too have a highly active role in making that environment a success through timely written and verbal communications, as well as following the course or program guidelines.