Struggling Online Learners
The concern among administrators and instructors regarding isolation and lack of engagement between student and instructor in online courses continues to grow as educational institutions continue to set up online departments and courses. On-campus courses offer advantages in the area of interaction in the form of a face-to-face setting; however, online courses pose challenges: feedback between students and instructors is often left to random emails or comments on assignments. What would you do as an online instructor to change the image of online learning?
Catina,
I personally try to connect with my students on a regular basis (at least once a week) but more importantly I try to establish a sense of community between my students and get them interaction with each other on a regular basis. I have found that it is as important if not more important to get students to interact with one another as the instructor to student interactions.
Herbert Brown III
Hi Catina
As an online instructor I try to focus on the work and set a bond among the student to learn and give examples. Showing daily activities that they are facing in life to show that online is easier to learn from other that may have had experience in that field. A positive is that one can learn at there pace when online learning which is a great thing when balancing life.
Catina,
"On-campus courses offer advantages in the area of interaction in the form of a face-to-face setting"
While this is true one must consider that the majority of online learners due so because it affords them flexibility and the ability to manage their schooling, their job, and family obligations. Thus, in the minds of many the online environment is superior to the traditional classroom.
Jeanean,
I would suggest that much of the literature shows that online learning is just as effective as on-ground learning from an academic perspective. I would be interested to hear more about why you feel it is superior to on-ground learning environments.
Herbert Brown III
How I would change the image of online learning.....by initiating "hybrid classes" where the student receives instruction in traditional classroom and in on-line classes.
Robin,
Hybrid classes are growing in popularity. Many faculty that in the past would never consider online instruction are now embracing hybrid learning to optimize the best of both environments to create the best learning space for their students.
Herbert Brown III
I know that we’re in the age of embracing the “adaptive learning theory.†My question is, are there any unique techniques that can be utilized to assist those students that are struggling, as well as, getting them to embrace the concept and become successful in the adaptive learning environment?
Jeanine,
Part of that flexibility has to do with geographic location. I was traveling between 3 continents during my online studies, so the hybrid would not have been beneficial to me.
I believe a hybrid method is effective, as I have utilized this and it proved to be very successful. The students and I met three times during the term, once in the very beginning, the midterm mark and the week before the end of the term. That allowed us to have a face to face and personalize the interaction we had online. This could also be achieved using skype or some type of facetime to introduce everyone and the instructor and make the interaction more personal.
