Posts Tagged ‘online discussion groups’
January 29 - Ideas for Active Online Learning
By: Rob Kelly in Asynchronous Learning and Trends, Online Education
Heidi Beezley, instructional technologist at Georgia Perimeter College, strives to instill online courses with active learning, “providing opportunities for students to meaningfully talk and listen, write, read, and reflect on the content, ideas, issues, and concerns of an academic subject” (as defined by Meyers and Jones). To this she adds: “interact[ing] with realia, manipulatives, simulations,
January 15 - Managing High-Enrollment Online Courses
By: Rob Kelly in Online Education
Online instructors are being asked to accommodate an increasing number of students in their courses. The challenge is to manage the workload associated with these high-enrollment courses. Susan Fein, eLearning consultant/instructional designer at Washington State University, offered some advice on how to do this.
September 6 - Tips for Overcoming Online Discussion Board Challenges
By: Errol Craig Sull in Online Education
Discussion boards are often viewed as the heart of online courses, and for good reason: the students can interact with one another 24/7, sharing, debating, and offering ideas, insights, suggestions, and information that stimulate the learning process. Yet challenges do happen in discussion, and these can be formidable. Left alone, they can quickly limit the effectiveness of any discussion and create problems throughout the online course.
August 13 - Improve Participation to Enhance Learning in Online Courses
By: Mary Bart in Online Seminars
Online courses have their benefits, but increased student participation usually isn’t often one of them. Without the physical space of a classroom, how do you create an environment for meaningful discussion? Learn how to enhance the student experience by using six concrete strategies to boost participation, deepen learning, and increase student satisfaction with online courses.
June 14 - Tips from the Pros: Reducing Instructor Workload in Discussion Forums
By: Rob Kelly in Online Education
Keith Restine, associate director of distance education, and Allison Peterson, senior instructional designer, both at Texas Woman’s University, offer the following tips for reducing instructor workload in discussion forums: You don’t have to be an active participant in every discussion. Let students know that although you will monitor all discussions, you may not be an
June 7 - Group Work, Discussion Strategies to Manage Online Instructor Workload
By: Rob Kelly in Online Education
Shrinking budgets and increasing enrollments are putting online instructors in the position of teaching larger classes. Accommodating more students means rethinking how you teach your courses. Otherwise your workload can quickly become overwhelming.
April 30 - Critical Friends: A Novel Approach to Improving Peer and Instructor Feedback
By: Debbi Leialoha, Ph.D., Shelly Leialoha, Ph.D., & Sherry-Leialoha-Waipa, Ph.D. in Educational Assessment
We appreciated reading Dr. Weimer’s article “Getting students to act on our feedback” (March 5, 2012). The solution proposed of asking students to identify three ways to improve their assignment based on instructor feedback is a great idea. We would like to offer a further solution that addresses students’ incorporating instructor feedback.
January 18 - How Many Faculty Discussion Posts Each Week? A Simply Delicious Answer
By: Cheryl Hayek, EdD in Online Education
One of the most frequently asked questions from veteran and novice online faculty alike is, “How many weekly discussion posts should I contribute?” The reality is that there is an intricate balancing act to achieve the coveted “guide on the side” role in discussion forum facilitation.
September 30 - Fostering Collaborative Critical Thinking through Online Group Quizzes
By: Rob Kelly in Online Education
Looking for a way to get your students to collaborate and think critically? Consider group quizzes, a technique that Ida Jones uses in her business law courses at California State University, Fresno.
September 16 - Fostering Collaboration in the Online Classroom
By: Rob Kelly in Online Education
Glenda Hernandez Baca, professor/coordinator of teacher education at Montgomery College, Takoma Park Campus, encourages the use of collaborative learning throughout online courses. In an interview with Online Classroom, she offered the following ideas for facilitating collaborative learning in group projects and in threaded discussions:
