Comparing Apples to Oranges:
challenges & tips �for veteran teachers �new to online classrooms
GROUP ORANGE:
Julia Denne�Mahmoud Ali
Alexandra Laletina�Megwen Loveless
Make your online classroom bear fruit!
You have started transitioning to online teaching and are proud of your efforts, but you feel overwhelmed by some common pitfalls.
This presentation aims to help new online instructors troubleshoot some common challenges related to the following topics:
Orange is the new Marlene
Orange the Online Oracle, aka “Billie,” �will share some tips to help keep you on track...
Course Design and Development
Challenge: You do not know where to start!
Analyze the context in which you will offer online instruction.
...Make decisions on course format, expectations, schedule, platform and technical support/training needed.
...Design your instructional materials, communication tools and assessment procedures
Challenge: How to prepare myself and my students?
Be an online learner yourself first, look for resources on the internet or join a course such as TTLO!
...Train your students on how to use technology and provide them with tutorial videos on the course functions and tools.
Challenge: How to make sure my online course works properly?
Take the course first!
...Revise, revise, and revise!
...Add and/or delete as you see fit!
...Repeat the process till you are satisfied with your course.
...Launch it!
Creating Online Community
Challenge: How can I help to break the ice?
Ask a simple, safe, straightforward question about students:
…What is your favorite study place?
…What is your favorite fruit?
...What is your favorite online technology?
Ask the second question:
...What is your learning goal for the course?
Challenge: How can I get my students prepared? The class starts in a week, and students have no idea what to do?
Start communication with students early and email your course syllabus in advance
....Create a video orientation of the classroom
....Create instructions for self-introductions for students through VoiceThread that include an ice-breaking activity: Do you prefer oranges or peaches?
...Make the first class welcome announcement
Challenge: How can I manage my time and still eat oranges? The teacher is overwhelmed, Help!!
Limit emailing to certain time slots
...Have course content ready at the start of your course
....Create question & answer forum where students are encouraged to ask questions about course content, course interface, assessments, and oranges
...Share responsibility with students: reward them with oranges for finding answers, solving problems, and helping each other
Challenge: How will they know I’m a person (not an orange)? Students are panicking, “Where is our teacher?”
Be present at your course and check in at regular and predictable intervals:
...Establish digital office hours through video conferencing
...Clarify when and how you will answer students’ online forum questions, emails, and IMs
...Produce time-released announcements
Challenge: How can I help students create a community? Students don’t know each other!!
Convert your digital platform into a social platform
...Create a safe place for students to chat informally - Cafe Orange!
...Encourage students to create personal avatars or photos
...Assign small group projects
Final Advice: Building a better community for people rather than oranges
“The instructor should remember that there are real people attached to the words on the screen.” (“Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom: The Realities of Online Teaching” by R. M. Paloff & K. Pratt, 2001)
Students should consider that, Too.
Assessment & Feedback
Challenge: How can I keep up with the grading?
Use assessment as a learning tool for your students:� … have students regularly do self-assessments and reflections � … utilize peer assessment � … quick turn-around often beats in-depth analysis�
Challenge: How can I create “cheat-proof” tests?
Test for critical thinking, not for memorization: � … realize that online tests can be interpreted as open-book � … follow Bloom’s taxonomy and emphasize analysis� … randomize questions � … use large question banks�
Challenge: Do I have to use multiple-choice?
Utilize the tools at your disposal: � … Ask for training to learn more about assessment � possibilities in your LMS � … link to other digital technologies available online� … think outside of the box (students might learn � more from projects than other testing strategies)
Life Cycle of an Online Course
Your course will blossom and bloom �if you continue the iterative process of reviewing and revising
Orange you feeling ready???
Thanks, Billie!