Creating Successful Online Learning Environments Interactions VCC workshop March 2009 Tannis Morgan

Course interactions are… Formal (assessed) Semi-formal (formative) informal

Formal (assessed)

Semi-formal (formative)

informal

Brainstorm all the types of student-student and student-instructor interactions that might take place in a course

Brainstorm all the types of student-student and student-instructor interactions that might take place in a course

Interaction Spaces In online you create spaces for the interactions related to activities (formal), the semi-formal, and to some extent the informal The spaces can be asynchronous (discussion forums, voice boards) or synchronous (live classrooms, text chat).

In online you create spaces for the interactions related to activities (formal), the semi-formal, and to some extent the informal

The spaces can be asynchronous (discussion forums, voice boards) or synchronous (live classrooms, text chat).

Creating interaction spaces Interaction spaces are important for: Setting the stage—making the instructor seem ‘real’ Creating community—making students feel less isolated Providing feedback Just-in-time communication Other thoughts?

Interaction spaces are important for:

Setting the stage—making the instructor seem ‘real’

Creating community—making students feel less isolated

Providing feedback

Just-in-time communication

Other thoughts?

Interaction spaces discussion forums email “ live” classrooms telephone Chat Announcements tool Weblog Skype

discussion forums

email

“ live” classrooms

telephone

Chat

Announcements tool

Weblog

Skype

Instructor presence Expectations--once a week is probably not enough More instructor presence = higher student satisfaction and evaluation of the course More instructor presence = increased tolerance of ‘gaps’ or less-than-ideal design Presence goes beyond content

Expectations--once a week is probably not enough

More instructor presence = higher student satisfaction and evaluation of the course

More instructor presence = increased tolerance of ‘gaps’ or less-than-ideal design

Presence goes beyond content

Thanks! Revisit the presentation and resources at: http://testingcentre.wordpress.com

Revisit the presentation and resources at: http://testingcentre.wordpress.com