Online training course - final week 1 lesson. Intro to online teaching, backwards course design, dos and don'ts for online teaching.

1. Week 1
Advantages & Challenges of Online
Teaching
Dos & Don’ts of Online Development
Designing Backwards

2. So you’re going to teach online...
If you’re new to online teaching, you
might be feeling a bit like this right
now:
It’s true, the online classroom is
different from a traditional one - but
there are many great reasons to
teach online.

3. Advantages to Teaching Online:
* Flexibility of time and space - you manage your
course; and students learn anytime, from
anywhere!
* Equity of interaction - all students are involved
- not just the most comfortable.
* Quality of response - students have time to
reflect before responding.

4. Advantages to Teaching Online:
* Customized learning - students can move
through materials at their own pace.
*Fewer distractions - no one can walk in and
interrupt your online class - and students aren’t
sidetracked by Facebook while you lecture.
*Archiving ability - students are easily able to
review course content, and instructors have
archive data for assessment.

5. * Durability of the course - the course can go on
despite time conflicts, illness, weather, and
other interruptions.
*Value of professional experience - as more
and more programs and courses are moving
online, experience with teaching online sets
you up for opportunities in the future.
Advantages to Teaching Online:

6. Challenges of teaching online:
*Converting a course to an online format
involves a steep learning curve and can be
time-consuming.
*Course activities are going on every hour of
the day and night, requiring consistent
“checking in.”
*Online teaching sometimes requires very
specific written instructions and lots of
reminders and emails.

7. Challenges of teaching online:
*Students must be self-starters to be
successful, and so must instructors as well.
*Online communication lacks body language,
gestures, and facial expressions to convey
meaning.

8. DOs
&
DON’Ts
for developing your online course

9. DO develop the WHOLE course before it starts:
* The course must be fully developed before
the start of the semester in order to check
technologies, compatibilities, and operations
beforehand.
*Students taking online courses want flexibility
to work ahead.
*Once the course is developed, you can spend
your teaching time implementing.

10. DON’T make your online course exactly the
same as your face-to-face course:
*Maintain the same goals & objectives, but delivery methods
and assignments should be adapted for the online
environment.
*Some resources may not be adaptable to an online course,
specifically videos and copyrighted materials.
*Your role will be different: facilitator instead of sage-on-the-
stage. Students become more active constructors of their
learning.

11. DO focus on active learning and collaboration!
*It may seem difficult to do group projects
online, but you can! Including collaborative
assignments and discussion will enrich the
online experience for you and your students.
*Moodle features such as forum, chat, and
groups can help facilitate active learning online.

12. DO consult the experts:
*Use an online course rubric to guide the
development of your class. (Links also posted
in Moodle.)
Cal State Chico Rubric for Online instruction
Quality Matters Rubric

13. DO work backwards:
*Backwards course design keeps you (& your
students) focused on the ultimate goal of the
course.
*It gives the course a unified feel, as all lessons
& assignments move toward the final objectives.

14. Doing Backwards Design:
*Start by defining the course goals and
objectives.
*Design the final project/exam/exercise that
aligns with the overarching course goal.
*Create other assignments for the course that
meet objectives leading to the final goal.

15. Doing backwards design, cont.:
*After assignments & activities are created,
situate them within the course outline.
*Add assessments to gauge student learning &
provide formative feedback.

16. *Think about the course goal for your online class: After
taking your course, how will students be different? Post
your course goal to Moodle forum #1.
*What activities & projects have been most successful in
traditional courses you’ve taught? How can they be
adapted to fit the course goal, and the online environment?
Post your thoughts to Moodle forum #2.
Forum Questions:

17. Moodle features for week 1:
*On Moodle, download the Week 1 Moodle
document and set up some navigational &
organizational tools for your course.

18. Notes & Citations:
*Image: Microsoft ClipArt
*Backwards course design information and slides adapted from Ross Peterson-Veatch, Course
Development Institute powerpoint presentation, May & June 2013. Used with permission.