Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Hi Steve, You do have the best of both worlds! How do you go about ensuring that students engage in your asynchronous discussions? Some say that a higher level of learning takes place when asynchronous methods are used. Do you agree or has your experience been different? Thanks, Jane

Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Online discussion methods...

Sylvia, Your point about the immediacy of synchronous chats is a good one. I have used them a bit in my online classes but have always made them optional; usually as review for a major exam. Some say that asynchronous discussions allow for "deeper learning" because students spend time formulating their answers to discussion questions before posting them. They also learn from the postings of their classmates. What do you think? :) Jane

Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Online course design specification...

Hi again Sylvia! I agree... some things are best left to the experts! That is where a design specification comes in handy for all of the parties involved. If you are the teacher or the learning institution, this document is your means of communication your requirements to the designer and developer. If you are part of the design team, this document functions as your 'to-do' list. It ensures that your final product will meet the needs of your customer. Although some perceive this process as time-consuming and costly, as you indicated, it could save both time and money if it… >>>

Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Online assessment methods...

Nieva, Quizzes are a terrific way to ascertain what your students have learned. I like to allow them to retake quizzes until they earn 100%. This way, the quiz itself is a learning experience. Do you agree, or do you have a different take on quizzes? What would you think of students creating presentations that their classmates could view rather than just emailing them to you? Just a suggestion :) Thanks for your input! Jane

Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Online vs. traditional education...

Brad, The original question was asking if, all else being equal, you would choose a job candidate that attended traditional classes over the job candidate that was trained online. I remember a time when online education was thought to be substandard. Are we past that now? I am interested in your thoughts :) Jane

Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Online discussion methods...

Nieva, Domineering students can certainly be a problem in online classrooms; although I don't believe they stiffle participation as much as they do in the traditional classroom. My general rule is... praise in public, reprimand in private. If I feel a student is dominating the classroom discussion, I will send that student a private email or, better yet, call them on the telephone. I generally take the approach... "I have a problem...can you help me solve it?" Too much involvement is much easier to solve than too little. :) Thanks for your input, Jane

Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Online discussion methods...

Hi Nieva, I couldn't agree with you more! Online learning is an excellent opportunity for students to hone their written communication skills. Do you think that online teachers should grade on grammar, punctuation, and spelling as well as content? Can you see yourself using both synchronous and asynchronous discussions in your online classroom? :) Jane

Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Online assessment methods...

Anne-Patricia, I am not a strong advocate of pop-quizzes in any classroom setting. However, in the courses I teach, I can control when a quiz is accessible to students; from hours to days. You could certainly post one and open it from 1pm to 2pm on Thursday. I prefer that quizzes are learning experiences in themselves. I usually allow students to take them more than once. This way they can improve their grades while they learn. :) Jane

Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Online course design specification...

Excellent point! So often, the online instructor is not a participant in the designing of the course. :) Jane

Jane Leight

Discussion Comment

Online discussion methods...

Anne-Patricia, This has been my experience. Those who take the time to research the discussion questions and engage in asynchronous discussions with their classmates generally comment that they learned a great deal in the course. I teach marketing online, and sometimes the students amaze me with their feedback on discussion topics. I learn from them every day. Jane