Karen Tuohey

There are several different strategies an instructor can chose to use to design a course. Using multiple media strategies helps to engage the learner in the content and promotes delivery of the content. 

It is important to organize the syllabus so students can be informed about the course expectations, grading criteria, course content, learning objectives, what resource material will be used, and how the instructor will assess their learning of the course material. When designing the course content it is important to provide learners with opportunities to apply the course material to real world scenarios so future application can be made. When assessing the student's learning it is important to provide timely feedback to enable the student to deepen their knowledge.

I learned that the learning activities in a course need to be varied and that Socratic questioning is a good option to enforce the topic and assist students with learning the content. There are many activities that can be incorporated into an online course to effectively support student learning.

This module was informative regarding the four major qualities that must be included in an online course. The qualities are structural integrity, navigational simplicity, active learner-centered learning, and intellectual interaction. If one of these qualities is missing then the course will lack integrity and student learning will be compromised.

Student participation in online discussion assignments facilitates learning and critical thinking. The instructor needs to develop policies and inform students of them before an assignment is completed so each student is aware of the assignment objectives and what areas they will be assessed. Rubrics are an assessment tool that can provide students with these specific requirements and when used correctly be an instrcutor can provide the student with feedback on the areas they are doing well and areas where improvement is needed and how they can make those improvementson future assignments.

Instructors need to be prepared to address the challenges that will surface with communication in an online course environment. It is the instructor's responsibility to set the tone and model the expectations they have for the students with communication. The biggest challenge with online communication is typically due to misinterpretation of the communication because we cannot observe the nonverbal language that is apparent with face-to-face interaction. The instructor needs to facilitate the communication process and not dominate it. 

This module provided best practices in creating and sustaining protocols for communication between instructors and students in an online environment. Netiquette must be addressed in the protocol to maintain civility among the users. The protocol needs to include guidelines for the tools being used, frequency of use, participation requirements, and enforcement for those who do not abide by the rules. 

It is important to use the right tools to communicate effectively in an online environment. There are several technology communication tools available and each one can enhance communication and each one will also have its challenges with use. During the course, it is important to determine if the chosen tool works effectively and if it does not then changes need to be made to improve the communication process. Asking pointed questions about the tools in an end of course evaluation will also help determine if the tool works as intended or if changes are needed. 

When designing online course content an instructor wants to make sure that the course layout matches their learning style. It is important to use a variety of tools--both traditional and technology tools, when developing the course content to facilitate learning for all learners. 

As a facilitator of an online course, my role is to guide students to be responsible for their own learning experience.