Quality Online Courses
I have experienced what a difference in quality an interactive online course versus asynchronous discussion forums. I feel that the asynchronous discussions create a lack of interaction that can negatively affect students engagement level.
I took online classes that I felt left out from lack of interaction.
I will keep this in mind when designing my online classes.
Guy,
I like to use students names when I give my feedback......"nice job on your newsletter Guy!" something to that!!
Shelly Crider
I have taken online courses and felt left out too. however the class itself was set up to be very interactive and was a great class. I will remember these things when developing my new courses
Michael,
This could be true with more of an ethics topic, but some topics are very manageable.
Shelly Crider
I have never taught a class with asynchronous discussion forums, but I can see how they might be challenging to manage.
Suzie one good method you might try is building in follow up questions into the instructor area for classes you build. I have been on both the Instructional Design (ID) side of the house and instructor side and as the instructor it so much easier to facilitate a course when you have tools readily accessible from the beginning. When I first started teaching online back in 2004 you would eventually teach a course enough times to anticipate the questions and have good follow ups to keep the discussion moving. When I became an ID, I started adding some good discussion provoking questions to the instructor files of the courses I designed. I would get the subject matter expert to do a few more questions during the development. Instructors loved it - and it became a best practice.
So as instructor I preview the course and create myself a database of good follow up questions for when the discussions hit a low point.
Hope that helps!
Justice
Suzie ,
True....students do no see the benefit if nobody is talking directly to them, so they may put this particular task off.
Shelly Crider
