Interaction

Give Feedback: Provide ongoing feedback to students and clear policies on when/how you will be available. Students need the reassurance of an available real person on the other end of their computers.

 

Use the Threaded Discussions: In the threads, provide motivation, support, and feedback for discussions - thank students, summarize responses, bring the discussion back on track, but allow students to discuss amongst themselves.

Encourage student-to-student interaction: Provide opportunities for student-to-student interaction, which can be just as valuable as teacher-to-student interaction and can save you time and work.

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Engage Learners

Tap learners' knowledge: Create activities where students integrate new ideas with existing knowledge. Provide them a frame of reference within the online environment.

Empower students: Make students responsible for summarizing the week's discussion, taking the lead of a discussion, or teaching others a concept. This approach will empower them and save you time.

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Use Student-Centered Techniques

Assign group projects: Assign group projects and small group discussions. Have students role-play, act out simulations, or engage in mock trials and debates.

Use peer-review: Use peer-review for projects or papers. Students can assist each other before grading, motivating them to display their work publicly and receive feedback from more than just one person.

Involve learners:Involve students in their learning, remember the adage that students remember only 10% of what they read or see, but 80% of what they do and 90% of what they teach others.

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Motivate Students Online

Require class participation: Make class participation a weighty part of student grades. Use the Threaded Discussions as you "in-class" time.

Give positive feedback: Use the Web to help motivate students. Send them on virtual vacations or send virtual greetings or gold stars for outstanding work.

Engage "silent" students: There will be some-reach out to them with private email/ phone messages of concern. It's easier for students to drop out in this environment.

Acknowledge "netiquette": Words can be interpreted very differently online. Make sure you explain your feelings with cues like, "I feel very strongly about this," or "I'm confused by your answer. Is this what you mean?"

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Design with Appropriate Use of Technology

Achieve balance between presentation and content: Good courses have multimedia and strong use of technology, but don't overdo it.

Use technology appropriately: You want students to spend their time learning the course content, not tinkering with new technology.

Establish a time framework: Design your units within some time framework. Students then know what to expect and can get into a weekly routine.

Personalize: Little touches make a huge difference in how a student views the learning environment. Your "voice" will come through.

Incorporate student feedback: Consider student feedback in redesigning parts of your course-a perfectly normal process in online course development.

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Preparation

Learn the technology: Get you computer literacy and knowledge of the system up to speed well in advance of the course start date.

Allow enough time: Plan on taking longer to design the structure of an online course. More time spent in design up front will lessen course "maintenance time".

Use students' perspective: Go through course "from a student's perspective" before class starts -- make sure what is expected of students is clearly stated. Don't forget to include when and how to submit course work.

Check accuracy: Check out all links, dates, etc. before students do. They'll let you know otherwise.

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Courtesy of Real Education, 1999