Jacqueline,
There are times when you need to adjust an online course while it is being taught. Using your discussion board is an excellent way to keep up with what students are needing. If you find students are struggling, then adjust what needs adjusted.
Shelly Crider
Hi Shelly,
I disagree. I believe that the time require to develop a quality online course is considerably more than for a traditional ground course. With distance learning considerably more thought needs to be given to ensure clear communication of objectives and course requirements.
Michael ,
Clear communication is key in absolutely everything, but especially if we are trying to transfer knowledge to students.
Shelly Crider
The amount of time put into an online course is the same or probably even more. The reason for this is because you will have to be available to address concerns students may be having interacting properly with the material and you must constantly check the online course for accuracy and effectiveness. Preparing course content for a ground class is tedious but online courses require just as much work as well.
I disagree since I believe the time required to develop a quality online course is actually more than the time it takes to develop the same course administered on ground. I believe it takes more time to develop an online course due to the need to structure it appropriately for the online learner and the mostly asynchronous interaction between the instructor and students. Also, materials sometimes need to be converted from tangible (hard copy) to electronic mediums. Also, new ways of delivering content need to be researched and modeled, which may be more complex than content delivery methods in a classroom environment. Again, I think most of the preparation exists due to the asynchronous environment and the need to provide more guidance to the student to navigate through the material.
I have taught traditional courses since 2005 and Online courses since 2011 and it is my personal opinion as well as many other instructors--it takes a tremendous effort to develop a properly structured Online class. A FTF instructor takes for granted many aspects of interactions between students, between students and professors alike, whereas Online classrooms must develop all of the asynchronous and synchronous interaction in an effective manner. Certainly, there are pros and cons to each course environment, but once again I believe the student has the ability to gain a more memorable learning experience from the Online environment.
Quebec,
A good class will take time no matter where you are at! Good job!
Shelly Crider
Keith,
There are always new programs popping up to help you create your class. Good job!
Shelly Crider
Roland,
I like how you say...properly structured....that is key!
Shelly Crider
I disagree. In my experience it takes much longer to develop courses for online instruction than for face-to-face. My reasoning for disagreement is the time it takes to "spell out" each assignment, discussion, examination, interactive learning exercise, etc. In face-to-face environments the instructor has the opportunity to explain in person what would have taken time to type or write online.
Joseph,
Details are very needed in the online classroom. If we want to have the students understand the first time around, then the details must there.
Shelly Crider
I do not agree. I actually find myself dedicating more time in developing an online course because of lack of F2F interaction.
Kimberly,
You certainly do have to be more detailed in every single page you complete.
Shelly Crider
This is really hard to say! I have develop both face-to-face courses and online courses and it is safe to say that both are a substantial project and require a lot of time. Both require significant reflection about what and how to teach. When I write a face-to-face lecture it often takes a good chunk of time. Designing a module for an online course takes at least the same amount of time though. This is particularly true if you intend to record and embed video in the course. I think that the online courses take longer to develop and implement given that everything needs to be put into the computer.
Best,
Brian Stout
They say "no plan survives the battlefield", but I think time spent in preparation shows in the quality of a course. Students can tell, and it affects how they approach a course and how much effort they put in. If the course is weak and the instructor unprepared, they don't put as much effort in and it shows in the final result.
Brian,
Agreed! Both take time if you want a good class!
Shelly Crider
Pat,
Students can definitely tell, and the instructor will as well!
Shelly Crider
I think they are about the same IF you have live sessions with the online class. As long as this is the case, you go ahead with your regular lectures. I have live, synchronous sessions with all of my online classes. The lectures are recorded, so they can be viewed asynchronously, but I encourage students to attend live if at all possible.
If you have to record your class sessions ahead of time, then class prep will take longer.
Glenda,
Students enjoy the live lectures online. This gives them the feel of a real instructor at hand.
Shelly Crider
I would disagree with this statement as one needs to prepare for classroom engagement through the use of videos and additional materials. While a traditional classroom allows the instructor to pick up on cues from the class, this is not as easy with an online class. The instructor needs to have a arsenal of tools including PowerPoints, guest lecturers, exercises, etc to keep student engaged and participatory.
