End of Part 1 - Facilitating Online Learning

The course began with an overview of concepts discussed in the first class for this certificate program.  We submitted a initial blog.  Technical difficulties prevented us from submitting an audio blog in Blackboard collaborate.  The concept of facilitation was explained and we found out that in this course unlike the last course, we would be facilitating.  Facilitation includes keeping up with discussion posts and responding when necessary as well as facilitating a synchronous session using Blackboard collaborate.  It is a dual role because the facilitator must also complete the course work as a student.


The discussion for Lesson 1 asked: When you consider teaching online vs. teaching in traditional, face-to-face classes, what do you see as the similarities and differences? Based on the readings for this unit and your experience from the first Certificate course, what, if any, differences do you think exist in the competencies/skills required for online teaching vs face-to-face?

My answer: One important difference between the two methods is the limited ability to recognize tone when corresponding via the internet.  In person, you have the assistance of facial expressions, volume, body language, etc.  Online instruction forces you to sharpen your senses when communicating with students.  In face to face instruction, an instructor can see if a student isn't feeling well or doesn't seem like themselves.  This can be achieved online once the instructor has gotten to know the communication styles of each student in their class. 

Another difference is the use of asynchronous instruction in online teaching.  Students are given a deadline to respond to discussions or submit assignments.  Everyone does not have to be in the same location at the same time to benefit from the class.  Interactions are delayed.  Instructors have to be constantly available to meet the needs of students throughout the week.

The second learning module of the course went deeper into facilitation practices and expectations.  I enjoyed the article Speaking in Voices: Effective Techniques for Keeping Web Discussions Running Smoothly.  The article gave great insight into how facilitators can enhance the quality of online discussions. This week also emphasized the importance of creating a thriving online learning community.

In the third learning module, we discussed the ever changing roles of instructors and the competencies needed to facilitate.  The articles went in depth giving examples of how to navigate online facilitation by staying current and keeping abreast of changes in the online enviornment.

One discussion question for this week asked students to find an active link to a website that offers faculty support for online instructors.  Here is the text from my discussion post:

The site I chose is a blog from The Spark, the official blog for Harvard University's Extension School.  I think the site offers realistic suggestions for beginning online students.  It is also a current blog that is updated frequently so information is not outdated.  The posts show different points of view and demonstrates a understanding that every online student is different and has different needs.

To view the link above, please press ctrl and click the word site or go to http://harvardextension.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/3-tips-for-online-students/

Stay tuned for the end of Part 2...

End of Part 2 - Facilitating Online Teaching

The second part of Facilitating Online Learning has taught me numerous new concepts including: the pedagogical role, alternatives to online lectures, how to start an online newspaper, implementing social media into online lectures, interesting ice breakers, methods for managing a course, tips for gathering helpful resources, navigating the managerial role and finally understanding the technical role.  

The pedagogical role is different in online instruction, however the intended outcome is the same. In both online and on ground instruction, the overall goal is for students to retain and apply pertinent information long after the class has ended.  Long online lectures have been found ineffective because it requires students to read several pages of text on their computers.  Some alternatives to long online lectures are: audio and video lectures (my personal favorite), text books, web articles, and chat to name a few. 

Social media continues to play an important role in the online facilitating process.  Students and instructors can follow trending topics, exchange ideas, give feedback at conferences, and provide resources for other students and instructors in class.  Social media has the breadth to reach a large number of people interested in the same topic.  Using social media as an instructor will allow me to stay up to date on information that will interest my students and continue to educate me.  The ice breaker lecture that followed social media was very interesting to me.  The ice breaker I selected for the assignment was to have my students go to www.Walmart.com and select five items that best describes them and to explain why they chose that item.  I found this icebreaker because one of my classmates posted a weblink to a site that listed several ice breaker activities.  This is a great example of how peers can help each other through the discussion board and sharing information.  I think my icebreaker will be very interesting when I have the opportunity to implement it.

We also learned how important online instructors are as managers.  Much of the managing takes place before the course begins.  By ensuring the syllabus is updated and correct, assignments and calendars have the right information and the links are working we are working to ensure there is less confusion when our class begins.  During my first facilitation our group discussed asynchronous discussions when the classmates are in different time zones.  The suggestion was made that the instructor can set discussion times to accommodate both time zones and students can select when they want to participate.  Part of the managerial process when teaching in different time zones is to let students know when assignments, discussion posts, etc. are due by including the time zone in the due date.  Finally, we talked about the technology involved in online instruction.  Since facilitating involves operating a course that has been pre-designed it requires a different technical skill set than instructors who have to build a course from scratch.  As I researched CMS (course management systems) online, I found that there are several dozen to chose from.  Although the University selects which CMS to use, I found a helpful link that allows instructors and students to compare up to ten CMS at a time.  CMS comparison on this site allows new and experienced instructors to see what other CMS has to offer in case the University they teach at makes a change.  In addition to understanding what CMS are available, we must be able to troubleshoot problems that occur within the site.  We are expected to have a basic knowledge of the course management system.  If we do not show interest in the functionality of our course, student morale will be low.  Networking with peers who teach online can be helpful because they may be able to share information that your IT department doesn't.

Overall, the information I'm learning in the course through the learning modules and peer links is invaluable.  Since I have never taught online, I think it would be nice if there was an opportunity for students to log in to a training account to set up classes as a real life facilitator would.  Stay tuned for the next step in my journey...

Facilitating Again

Post your reflections regarding your experience as an online facilitator. In your blog, address the synchronous and asynchronous experiences separately. Consider your expectations and fears. How did you prepare? Did you apply a different technique as the week progressed? Was it successful? Were you surprised by anything, pleasantly or otherwise? Has this experience changed your perspective on facilitation? And so on. 

My second experience facilitating was much different from the first.  For starters, I didn't facilitate the asynchronous sessions the first time and I had a partner to present with for the synchronous session. Having previous facilitation experience helped me to understand what to expect.  It didn't prepare me for what actually happened.

Asynchronous
This time I interacted with my peers in the asynchronous sessions and gained some insight into who they are and how they plan to facilitate their online courses.  I found it challenging to go through every thread of every conversation looking for responses to my posts or places to post. Sometimes there's just nothing to say.  I enjoyed reading all of the ice breaker topics my fellow future facilitators will use.  Some were really imaginative and others I've seen in previous classes. 

Synchronous
My live session was challenging because I didn't have a room created.  That means when I logged into the system there wasn't a virtual classroom waiting for me.  The date of my live session was different from the previous sessions which threw my instructor off.  She has to set up the room and give me administrator privileges to show my PowerPoint presentation to the class. We all went into a temporary room on the site and discussed our options.  Initially I wanted to reschedule because the instructor wasn't online to grade my presentation.  We weren't able to record the live session for her to hear later without administrative privileges.  My classmates weren't that quick to give up.  We brainstormed about using Blackboard instant messenger, Skype and eventually agreed to use the temporary chat room for voice and our course email to distribute the presentation.  I was fine with this idea but I didn't have time to remove my notes from each page. 

After I emailed everyone the presentation, things went great.  We had a really interesting discussion on the use of Facebook in classroom settings.  As a self appointed Facebook addict, I took great pleasure in answering the numerous questions regarding Facebook privacy.  It seems the class was under the impression that Facebook settings were not changeable.  We spent quite a bit of time on this topic at the end but they were involved throughout the entire presentation.  I opened with an ice breaker asking everyone to type the room or place they were in during the facilitation.  

Overall, I thought the session went well.  I will have to record a session for others to hear but it won't be as interesting as the one I conducted live.   

What to expect when you're facilitating

I have mixed expectations for facilitating a week in the course.  It is helpful to have the content available for review.  I'm also glad that we will be selecting which learning unit we will facilitate based on our comfort level.  Hopefully my classmates will be engaged and interested in the material presented.  My style is more relaxed so I'd like my facilitation session to have time for those in attendance to ask questions or make comments.  Although my style is relaxed, the material presented will be valid and up to date.  

Some concerns I have include: being able to fill the entire 30 minute time requirement and searching for supporting resources outside of the course material to present.  I've gotten better at searching the internet for resources but I still struggle with finding articles that can be validated but aren't too scholarly.  Overall, with proper preparation, I think I'll do fine.

Facilitating the discussion board doesn't seem too difficult although it will require more interaction with the discussion board participants than normal.  I wish there was a "facilitator limited view" that we can use during our week so we'll see what the software looks like from an instructors point of view.  That would be helpful to understand how things look from the other side of the screen.  The discussion board can also drive itself it people are engaging in discussions on their own.  


Overall, I believe the facilitation week will go well if I read the learning materials and prepare properly.


Kris



 

Portfolio Submission

As this course comes to an end, I reflect on everything I’ve learned over the summer.  Many of the learning objectives I was introduced to in the first course were studied in depth in the facilitation course.  I won’t rewrite my previous posts that explain what I learned in the first two parts but I will briefly touch on the key learnings I’ve taken away from the course overall.

I was introduced to Wimba in the first course but now I feel comfortable with both Wimba and Blackboard Collaborate.  After facilitating two weeks of material and listening to five other presentations, I understand how to use the system.  More importantly, I understand how to troubleshoot with students having difficulties and how to assist them throughout their presentations.  The ice breaker exercise is something that I will incorporate as soon as I have a class to facilitate.  My ice breaker involves having my students go to ww.walmart.com and find three items that best describe who they are.  This stood out to me because it is different from other ice breakers I’ve participated in and allows students to be creative.  Participating in the live sessions also gave me a firm understanding of the difference between synchronous and non-synchronous communication.  

In order to be an effective online instructor, I must engage students in a meaningful way that stimulates them to learn the material I present.  The learning objectives which focused on engaging students and encouraging them to participate in a substantive manner gave me the tools to express the course and student expectations.  Managing a course is much different than taking the same course.  Therefore, the management process for the instructor begins before the course begins.  Prior to the first class, the syllabus, calendar, orientation page, announcements, and links are just a few things the instructor needs to ensure are working properly.  Once class begins the instructor is responsible for the management of discussion topics activities, grading and student feedback, using the CMS tracking tools to monitor and update grades, etc.  In addition to the managerial responsibilities, we are responsible for the technical aspects of the course.  Facilitators do not necessarily design the course they are teaching.  Although design requires much more technical involvement than facilitation, facilitators are still expected to keep links updated, understand the CMS, use search engines, and create and edit HTML documents. 

Lessons 8-10 were the last learning units for this course. 

These final learning units focused on assessment strategies, ethics and problem solving as an online instructor.  We studied summative versus formative assessments.  Assessments are an important part of online instruction.  Students need to know how they will be assessed and what material will be covered. A summative assessment is used periodically to understand what students know.  An end of chapter test is an example.  Formative assessments are used to understand how a student is doing in time for changes to be made in instruction.  The assessment should align with the course goals and learning objectives being taught at the present time.  When there is an assignment that is unique or difficult to grade a rubric is helpful.  Rubrics allow instructors to set guidelines for how the assignment will graded.  Regardless of the assessment used, it is important to provide feedback in a timely manner.  Late feedback can give instruction to students too late for them to make necessary changes in the class.  It also makes students less likely to put an effort into fixing assignments that have passed.

 Lesson 9 focused on the diversity and ethics involved in online teaching.  When I initially thought of diversity I thought of American minorities.  I didn’t consider the International students that used English as a second language or the time zone issues that could arise.  These are important challenges for an online instructor to understand so that consideration can be made when scheduling due dates for assignments, synchronous sessions and group formation.  Students from a different country should not be penalized for their location.  Something I had considered because of my advertising experience is how things are translated between cultures.  What is funny here may be insulting or inappropriate somewhere else.  It can also be difficult to understand examples when you are unfamiliar with the culture.  As an instructor you will be expected to adapt to the changing climate.  It may be helpful (if you teach a course known to attract International students) to have guidelines established in your syllabus to counter some of the challenges you can foresee.  

The second part of lesson 9 focused on ethics.  Every profession has an ethical code that governs them.  On ground instructors are expected to understand the following terms: acceptable use, privacy, licensing, piracy, copyright, fair use, plagiarism and ownership.  These terms should also govern the online teaching space.  Students are held to the same standard online as they are in person.  Many programs can spot text that has been plagiarized and once an instructor is familiar with a student’s writing style, they should be able to find inconsistencies in a student’s work.  Instructors must also be careful not to blur the lines of professionalism by having a personal relationship with a student outside of the classroom.  

 The class was introduced to a paper titled, “Ethical Principles in University Teaching”.  The principles that stood out to me the most were numbers one and eight.  The first principle focuses on content competence.  It states “A university teacher maintains a high level of subject matter knowledge and ensures that course content is current, accurate, representative, and appropriate to the position of the course within the student's program of studies. This principle means that a teacher is responsible for maintaining (or acquiring) subject matter competence not only in areas of personal interest but in all areas relevant to course goals or objectives.” 

The next principle that stood out to me was number eight, Valid Assessment of Students which states, “Given the importance of assessment of student performance in university teaching and in students' lives and careers, instructors are responsible for taking adequate steps to ensure that assessment of students is valid, open, fair, and congruent with course objectives. This principle means that the teacher is aware of research (including personal or self-reflective research) on the advantages and disadvantages of alternative methods of assessment, and based on this knowledge, the teacher selects assessment techniques.”  These principles stood out to me because I don’t believe an online instructor can be effective without incorporating them into their profession.  

Lesson 10

In the final week of the course we were challenged with real life scenarios that arise in online teaching.  It was helpful to see how my classmates would handle the situations.  Many of the suggestions were in line with what I would do, but there were many helpful suggestions that I saved in my notes as a resource.

Group Work

I worked with a group to complete the resource guide for new online teachers.  The experience showed me one of the challenges associated with online group work.  Often there are so many places to connect, it can be confusing.  I started the class posting to our group discussion in Blackboard.  The conversation moved to an email thread and later to a wiki page.  Knowing where to go to find the next conversation presented a challenge.  I contributed to the project by editing the work that was already there, adding substantial information to the "checklists' for the new online instructor and I wrote an introduction to the guide.  When the project was completed, I saw very little of my work included.  The group didn't see the completed project until it was submitted and apparently the project we were working on in Wiki was not used.  It appears that an earlier version was used.  Below is an example of how the resource guide was laid out:
Facilitator’s Checklist – Before the Course

• Fully learn your course management system from the instructor and student perspective
• Review course, including readings, and discussion questions – do they still flow, are they still relevant?
• Test the course navigation
• Double check all the spelling or grammatical errors in the course
• Check to make sure all of your links work and are active and that the links open in a separate window (mark the box) Remove broken links and replace with an alternate link on the subject.

Prepare syllabus:

• Include rubrics for activities, group projects and discussion boards
• Make sure all phone numbers and contact information is changed
• Include due dates for major course work
• Establish when discussion threads are due
• Post the rules of netiquette and behavior expectations at the start of the class

• Make sure grade book works for assignment grading
• Do you have access to students in the class and their information
• Develop a welcoming home page
• Develop - Online Learning Environment & Technical Skills Survey
• Create Cyber Cafe & Ice Breaker Blog
• Create an "Ice Breaker" activity
• Review notes taken during last class and implement any recommended changes
• Prepare yourself by setting up a consistent schedule of when you will attend to course
• Create a "Welcome Letter" to students.

Develop an orientation or announcement page

• Course expectations & instructor roles
• Provide instructor email and phone number contacts
• Advise on use of course questions and course email
• Group project and process
• Extra credit opportunities

Individual Work

The example of my individual work I selected is the paper I was assigned to talk about how I'd use social media in an online teaching .  

Social Media Summary

The social media tools I’ve found to be the most useful are Facebook, twitter and diggo.  I’m personally familiar with the first two and I’ve started to use the third on a regular basis since learning about it in this class.  All have capabilities that will enhance the online learning experience for students.  They also allow students to keep course information as a reference long after the class ends. I did not select the social media page as something I’d use in my course because I don’t see the same benefits for students that the other methods possess (convenience, connectivity, and interactivity).  I’d like to incorporate social media tools that will be efficient and easy to navigate.  Facebook, Twitter and Diggo offer the tools I believe will benefit my students the most. 

Facebook

The interactivity of Facebook gives a personal and convenient way to connect with peers.  It can be downloaded to most phones for quick access to the class group.  Students also have the convenience of responding to discussions from a mobile device, receiving real-time notifications of responses to posts or new posts and sharing websites with the group for resources.  Students can see the faces of their classmates every time they interact.  This creates a greater sense of community because they are able to put a face with a name in every interaction. 

I would use the Facebook group feature to create a closed or private group for the class.  Facebook is a popular social media site that is compatible with most websites.  The Facebook share button commonly found on websites will allow other members of the group to share information from the website with the group for review.  Voting thumbs up or “like” gives other group members a simple and quick way to communicate their thoughts.  Groups working on projects will benefit from the ease of communication and interactivity associated with this tool.  Participation can be measured by the number of posts group members individually contribute to the project. 

Twitter

Twitter is another popular social media tool that can be used effectively in the online classroom.  Asking students to follow a person in the advertising/public relations field can give them deeper insight into the industry and can be a great networking opportunity.  Students would be expected to follow someone in their field and interact with the person they’re following at least once.  It would be the student’s responsibility to identify a good time to ask a question or respond to a post for the person they’re following.  Once the assignment is complete, students will be asked to provide feedback on how the interaction turned out. Additionally, I will ask if they had to do it over again, would they chose to follow the person again or select someone else. 

Diigo

Diigo is the newest social bookmarking tool I’ve been exposed to.  It allows students to bookmark web pages that can be assessed from any computer.  Text on the page can also be highlighted for easy reference.  The sticky notes allow the user to type and save notes on the page.  Once everything has been completed on the page, the user can share it publicly or save it privately.  I would use Diigo in my course to have students submit “Going Deeper” assignments they find online.  They can point out the text that stands out to them and add notes if they desire.  One downside to Diggo is that pdf files cannot be highlighted. 

Overall, I believe all of these social tools can be used effectively in an online learning environment.  They allow students to interact with each other outside of the CMS and expose them to educational uses for social media they may not have thought of before.  Students will have access to many of the activities after they no longer have access to the CMS.  This will allow them the opportunity to refer to the information when they need it in the future.  Some of these methods will enhance community building efforts by allowing students to have a constant visual of the person they’re interacting with.  If used correctly, my students will benefit from their experiences with these social tools in online learning.

Facilitation Reflective Blog

Post your reflections regarding your experience as an online facilitator. In your blog, address the synchronous and asynchronous experiences separately. Consider your expectations and fears. How did you prepare? Did you apply a different technique as the week progressed? Was it successful? Were you surprised by anything, pleasantly or otherwise? Has this experience changed your perspective on facilitation? And so on. 


Prior to facilitating my first session, I hadn't attended any live sessions for this class.  In the previous course, I attended a live Wimba session.  For this course, I had only listened to sessions after they had taken place.  Week 7 came pretty quick but I had a great partner in Cherron Byrd-Smith.  We worked together and prepared for our joint facilitation.  It wasn't until the day of the facilitation that we found out that we could not cover both weeks at the same time.  Since we had no time to redo our presentation, we proceeded with the facilitation and everything went well.

I began the facilitation 

The weeks were broken up by spring break and our instructor asked if anyone wanted to facilitate week 2 for extra credit.  I volunteered.  
I facilitated the two weeks in unit 7 of the course which dealt with understanding course management systems and navigating the technological aspects in creating and facilitating online courses. 

Facilitating Online Teaching - End of Part 2

The second part of Facilitating Online Learning has taught me numerous new concepts including: the pedagogical role, alternatives to online lectures, how to start an online newspaper, implementing social media into online lectures, interesting ice breakers, methods for managing a course, tips for gathering helpful resources, navigating the managerial role and finally understanding the technical role.  

The pedagogical role is different in online instruction, however the intended outcome is the same. In both online and on ground instruction, the overall goal is for students to retain and apply pertinent information long after the class has ended.  Long online lectures have been found ineffective because it requires students to read several pages of text on their computers.  Some alternatives to long online lectures are: audio and video lectures (my personal favorite), text books, web articles, and chat to name a few. 

Social media continues to play an important role in the online facilitating process.  Students and instructors can follow trending topics, exchange ideas, give feedback at conferences, and provide resources for other students and instructors in class.  Social media has the breadth to reach a large number of people interested in the same topic.  Using social media as an instructor will allow me to stay up to date on information that will interest my students and continue to educate me.  The ice breaker lecture that followed social media was very interesting to me.  The ice breaker I selected for the assignment was to have my students go to www.Walmart.com and select five items that best describes them and to explain why they chose that item.  I found this icebreaker because one of my classmates posted a weblink to a site that listed several ice breaker activities.  This is a great example of how peers can help each other through the discussion board and sharing information.  I think my icebreaker will be very interesting when I have the opportunity to implement it.

We also learned how important online instructors are as managers.  Much of the managing takes place before the course begins.  By ensuring the syllabus is updated and correct, assignments and calendars have the right information and the links are working we are working to ensure there is less confusion when our class begins.  During my first facilitation our group discussed asynchronous discussions when the classmates are in different time zones.  The suggestion was made that the instructor can set discussion times to accommodate both time zones and students can select when they want to participate.  Part of the managerial process when teaching in different time zones is to let students know when assignments, discussion posts, etc. are due by including the time zone in the due date.  Finally, we talked about the technology involved in online instruction.  Since facilitating involves operating a course that has been pre-designed it requires a different technical skill set than instructors who have to build a course from scratch.  As I researched CMS (course management systems) online, I found that there are several dozen to chose from.  Although the University selects which CMS to use, I found a helpful link that allows instructors and students to compare up to ten CMS at a time.  CMS comparison on this site allows new and experienced instructors to see what other CMS has to offer in case the University they teach at makes a change.  In addition to understanding what CMS are available, we must be able to troubleshoot problems that occur within the site.  We are expected to have a basic knowledge of the course management system.  If we do not show interest in the functionality of our course, student morale will be low.  Networking with peers who teach online can be helpful because they may be able to share information that your IT department doesn't.

Overall, the information I'm learning in the course through the learning modules and peer links is invaluable.  Since I have never taught online, I think it would be nice if there was an opportunity for students to log in to a training account to set up classes as a real life facilitator would.  Stay tuned for the next step in my journey...