Characteristics of Quality Online Courses | Origin: EL101
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Designing and Developing Online Courses --> Characteristics of Quality Online Courses
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
Distance education has been around for years. Gradually developing new ways to teach information to our students
One take-a-way is to ensure there are various levels and types of interaction opportunities for students.
I found the statistics of schools offering online education to be interesting. The module also summarized components of learner-centered course design and intellectual interaction.
Quality online course are characterized by:
Structural integrity
Navigational Simplicity
Active Learner-Centered Learning
Intellectual Interaction
I plan to incorporate this by making sure my online lectures and platform design follow this checklist
The learning method pyramid was helpful. It lets me know the best method to introduce, reinforce, and practice new concepts.
Distance education has been going on for hundreds of years. We are seeing evolution of distance education, not the genesis.
Very liberating to have online courses specially self paced. Frees up a lot of time, lowers anxiety.
Building an online course use a structure that is effective for each learner that you may encounter.
I learned that quality online courses rely on clear organization, purposeful content design, and consistent communication. I plan to apply this by creating structured modules, using tools that directly support learning outcomes, and maintaining strong facilitator presence to keep students engaged.
I liked the history recap on the beginnings of online learning. I saw online learning evolve greatly over the years of time it took me to complete my Bachelor of Science degree. As technology and internet speeds increased, virtual inperson learning is now almost a standar.
I learned that multisensory experiences increase retention and learning levels in students.
I learned that students crave intellectual interaction from faculty and fellow students. Also, being able to be a contributor is important.
interactions need to be more than just clicking links and watching videos. We need to be more involved in the building of the courses.
Consistency is your friend. I want to make a class that students feel comfortable in, that they they do not get anxiety in looking for stuff, yet intrigued enough about that they want to discover.
Comment on Ann Williamson's post:
Ann,
We are constantly updating what we are delivering. Unfortunately, we will not reach every student. Students also have to be willing to engage; at what level do they want to engage?
Comment on Amanda Dolan's post: Amanda, yes, I agree with you. E-learning is more challenging as an instructor, but students who are focused will learn more from it than from a traditional classroom setting.
Comment on Justina Morales's post: I, too, earned my MBA and DBA learning online. Learning online was personal and offered a deeper, broader learning opportunity. Online learning gives you the chance to test your thoughts with peers without having someone tell you to be aware of corporate culture and values.
Know that if a student is having difficulties early in the course, you will want to work with them, or they will lag. One final point: some students may feel intimidated by others' education and experience. Let these students know that each of them has unique experiences that are valuable for learning.
Comment on james leopard's post: James, you are right. Make it easy for students to learn, "Trust and Verify."
