It is important to have a clear and concise syllabus. The syllabus must be dynamic in which if there is a change then make the change and let students know immediately. Students come from different backgrounds so as a teacher it is very important to be detailed in creating an online class.
Scaffolding can help students learn in an online course.
Making sure that learning is scaffolded and keeps students engaged. Online and Classroom.
I have learned that is important to have a dynamic syllabus that students have access to. Also that scaffolding instruction is important to help students build their knowledge by using previous knowledge and instruction.
The sense of community is something that is easy to get in the F2F world and I didn't prepare for it with the recent situation.
I need to think a little harder on getting this going..
Sometimes it takes some trial and error to see how the learning community works most effectively. It can be changed and altered as necessary.
Building an online community with alternating the receiver(s) of information is important to create an online community.
The use of a dynamic syllabus, good communicaiton, and the 8 tasks of scaffolding are all VERY important pieces to a good and solid online course.
Best communication practices and methods must be clearly described in the class syllabus.
Creating a dynamic syllabus is of utmost importance. I like that it could be updated as you go.
I found the eight tasks of scaffolding in the online learning environment interesting. Some are easily crossed-over from in-person classroom instruction but others are more challenging to recreate in Google Classroom. As I plan the last few lessons of emergency e-learning for my students, I will be more mindful of these tasks: reduce uncertainty and disappointment and create momentum.
I will definitely take away the 'Scaffolding Learning" style away from this module.
I learned today the importance of scaffolding student learning.
Scaffolding is important to build on prior knowledge. STudents learn best when they have a base to grow from and are given help along the way in the form of scaffolding. I will work to scaffold content for students as they are learning.
Overall, I though this was a very well done module. Using a dynamic syllabus is certainly a good way to do things in an online class environemnt. However, this modules makes a point about obtaining student feedback that I have issues with: "An instructor may periodiclly obtain student feedback by asking three simple questions: 1) What should we stop doing? 2) What should we start doing? 3) What should we continue doing in this course? These questions give students the opportunity to provide feedback..."
I'm a big fan of student input and feedback and in some circumstances (like testing a new course module or introducting a new program of some type), some of these types of questions would timely / appropriate and the student feedback should be carefully examined. However, in my opinion, the online professor / teacher / instructor (particularly for an online course) should be a qualified subject matter expert on what they are teaching. We're paying them a salary to make good decisions on what needs to be taught and what does not need to be taught / what does not belong in the program or module. As stated so elloquently in this module: "...it is the role of the instructor to keep the students on the right path regarding what they are learning and how they connect the learning pieces". Trying to make a course or a program too student centric by asking the students what we should stop / start / continue doing in a prrogram or module loses it's value because the students are here to learn from us - the professor / instructor / teacher and that professional should be on top of their game, making sure the course content and what is going on in the classroom (or online) is highly valuable and a productive / good use of everyone's time.
I did like the section titled Scaffolding Student Learning. This section has the best, clearest definition of scaffolding I have ever read. I have read these overblown definitions and papers about scaffolding written by so called "leaders" in the education who are nothing more than overpaid consultants trying to justify their high dollar consulting fees. Here, student scaffolding is laid out clearly, precisely and in an easy to read, easy to understand, clear format. Well done!
Communication is key. Instructions must be written in a way that clarifies exactly what the expectations are. The syllabus cannot be a static entity but instead dynamic changing with the needs of the students. Communication with all groups is important and should be assesed regularly.
Good communication is the key to online learning. As teachers, we much participate in dicussions. Give credit to the students when the discussions are going in the right direction. If I find a student is not participating in the discussions, I may have to give the students an alias so they feel free to communicate. Encouraging collaboration with other students is also a great way to communicate with online classes. Scaffolding is also important in making sure it is student lead.
It's critical to set the students up for success you must follow a strict set of guidelines and be organized for them.
Scaffolding is an important component in building upon previous learning.
