What is involved in designing effective online course?

Effective online courses begin even before the learners make their foray into the virtual classroom. The teacher should ensure that the class materials are active and free of typographical errors and broken links. As a student, nothing frustrates me more than spelling and grammatical errors in class material. I expect someone with an advanced degree to be able to proofread and correct any mistakes. At the very least, all material should pass a spell checker test. The other thing that frustrates me is broken links. I realize that material on the internet is constantly changing, but again, I would, as an instructor verify that each link posted leads to the intended material. If I would do it then I would expect those responsible for educating me would do the same. In short, the teacher should virtually take the class before teaching it. Well written material and working links are key in making a good first impression on the student when they arrive in class. It’s the equivalent to a clean classroom and well-constructed bulletin board when students arrive on the first day of school. As the saying goes, one never gets a second chance to make a good first impression.

Along those lines, an effective online class is both visually appealing and easily navigable. Upon logging on for the first time, the student should know which class they are taking and how to navigate their way through virtual classroom. There also should be more than one way provided to navigate to a specific area such that the student need not use the browser’s back button to get to where they want to be. The expanding navigation bar provided by Moodle represents a perfect example of this concept. Using this navigation bar allows the student to step backwards in the virtual classroom avoiding endless mouse clicks. Along these lines, examples and links should open in a separate browser window. Failure to do this forces the student into using the back button to return to the class.

 

Once the student’s check into the class, the next key ingredient for an effective online class is the professorial introduction. As stated in my posted discussion, I believe it is imperative that the instructor welcome the class with a video introduction rather than an audio or worse yet, a Voki greeting. Students should know who will be teaching them throughout the semester. A video greeting allows the students to visualize the instructor as they progress through the lessons. The instructor should use this greeting to engage the students and in turn encourage the students to engage with each other. Inter-student communication and relationships play a vital role in any successful online course. While most every course starts with the students introducing themselves, the instructor can help break the ice by adding a pointed question wholly unrelated to the course. This type of activity takes the student away from the classroom environment and puts them in a more personal space where their responses are more revealing. 

The role of the instructor comes to the fore as the class progresses. The instructor should be omnipresent throughout the semester. An effective online course is one in which the instructor responds to questions in a matter of hours and not days. Quite often, the learner simply needs clarification on a certain point. The instructor should be there to immediately provide that clarification. It is important to remember that adult learners are balancing life with school. They may only have an hour or two each day to devote to their studies. A late response by an instructor may result in that student missing an entire day’s worth of work, making it difficult to complete assignments in the allotted time. An effective instructor’s email should be tied to their cell phone. Responses need not be lengthy but they should be timely.

Lastly, of course, is the content of the class itself. Preparation and interaction mean nothing if the class does not both teach and challenge the students. When developing content, the instructor must strike a balance. Activities should present opportunities for the students to demonstrate what they have learned, while at the same time allowing them to apply their own creativity to the activity to make it their own. All too often, online instructors rely on the written word for student evaluation. To be sure, the ability to construct a well written paper is vitally important, but this should not be the only means of evaluation. Activities should be varied and enjoyable, encouraging the student to learn. 

In the last 10 years, technology has evolved to support 24/7 learning. Educators must take advantage of this opportunity. The most effective online classes make good use of this technology, providing their learners with invigoration and enlightening experiences. Educational Technology has become a necessity rather than a nicety. More and more society is turning to the internet for learning. The success of You Tube cannot be attributed to an overpopulation of cute kitten videos. People are using it as a tool to both transmit and receive knowledge. Distance education continues to grow. To sustain that growth, the courses for online learning must be both entertaining and effective.

 

Important Concepts

The central concept in any online course should be a supportive course environment. Every other concept should be used to buttress this precept. The primary caretakers of this environment are the engaged students and the instructor. As noted in the diagram, the instructor should be omnipresent. The course is available to students 24/7. The instructor, to the best of their ability, should be as well. Both these caretakers play a vital role in the success of the course. Without either, the course will fail. The roles each play in the success of the course is delineated by the colors on the concept map. The instructor designs and constructs the class. They provide the materials, set expectations via the syllabus and rubrics and ensure that the course is easy and intuitive to navigate. The content should be germane to the activities the students will be performing and should enable each student to meet the expectations. The role of the engaged student is that of a participant. If the instructor is the playground builder, the students are the children who play in the playground and use it to expand their horizons. They bring their individual creativity to the table and use it as they take part in both discussions and class activities. Additionally, about 4 weeks into the class, the instructor should solicit feedback, taking the pulse of the class in the process. This leaves enough time to implement any changes or improvements required. Metaphorically, I see the instructor and the students as silkworms, creating a cocoon for learning and thus allowing the students to grow and mature safely.