eLearning Frenzy

Venetian H
Tuesday 7/12 @ 1-1:50pm

Jody Lester, Associate Professor
Boise State University

Connect students with course and the online environment
Week Zero: Do not assume students will already know how to learn online.  Welcome them to the experience.  Create a warm, supportive environment where they can learn.

• Direct them to Blackboard Help Documentation for students
• Send an introductory e-mail through blackboard before class begins.
• Include a short 5 minute or less video introduction that introduces you and the class, setting a positive tone.
• Let students know when the course will open (first day of class) and when their first assignment will be posted/due.

Make the course site easy to navigate:

• Keep the navigation elements simple
• Use sub-header and divider elements to visually organize the course menu items
• Use a course banner

Establish predictable patterns: For the student, an established pattern of course activities allows for planning and management of other non-course activities around their online activities.  For the instructor, establishing and communicating a course schedule and pattern of work serves to define the boundaries between the online class and the rest of life.

• Clearly label content areas, folders and identify the reasons for assignments
• Provide a checklist for each assignment so that students can clearly identify whether they have completed all the required work (rubric)

Connect the instructor to the students and students to the instructor
Create a “we are in this together” atmosphere:

• Thank students for questions/suggestions, empower them to help improve the online experience in the course (maybe a survey)
• Acknowledge that life happens and consider awarding one “late pass” over the semester.
• Include “what’s in it for me” information in the introductory e-mail.

Get to know students individually and recognize them individually:

• Have students post about themselves in discussion board/blog posts/introductory activity.
• Post personal feedback to each student after their introduction.
• Create a “goes by” interesting tidbits column in the gradebook
• Keep notes that help you remember each learner’s interests, experience.
• Construct answer keys/feedback documents that use student answers
• Name Names: publicly praise exemplary work.  Send personal e-mails, recognizing great work or offering support
• Sort the “last access” column in the gradebook and send out “I see you working” or “I wonder what’s up” emails
• One on one communication – individual feedback
• Sort using ascending and descending feature in Bb Gradebook to send out “I bet you didn’t earn the grade you expected” or “Way to go!” e-mails.
• Use the “grade questions” option in the gradebook – grade and create feedback/answer key
• Use “grade history” option to re-use common statements
• Keep a record of individual contacts-column in the gradebook

Let students get to know you

• Set the tone with your personal intro
•  Use video – let them see you
• Keep it real-we are fallible.  Don’t spend hours re-recording videos if there are minor errors.
• Post interesting info about your University and your community.

Connect students to other students:

• Form small groups to build a sense of community
• Have a clear purpose for group projects
• Use group tools such as file share, collaborate, email, discussion board
• Be creative – journal club or group meetings using collaborate

Connect students to the content:

• Really think about how the Bb assignment and test tools can be used and about how assignments can be modified when used with high enrollment courses.
• Have Bb grade when possible but consider using at least one instructor graded item for each assignment.
• Create relevant assignments (focus on learning, not superficial (busy work) activities: Strive to create effective and efficient teaching and learning experiences.
• Create rubrics for assignments – student can then use rubric as checklist to ensure that assignment is complete and in some cases determine their grade.
• Don’t reinvent the wheel, link to quality resources.  Encourage students to send you links to sites/material they found helpful.
• Re-use where possible.  Use the “copy” options to copy assignments from one course to another
• Teach students (video or screen capture) how to see if their assignment was received and how they can view feedback.
• Post video instructions for various assignments to increase engagement – discuss the previous week, discuss the current assignment and include tips for success.
• Streamline feedback – use audio/video feedback group answer keys, encourage personal responsibility for checking grades.  Set and publish thresholds for receiving individual feedback.  Use feedback templates.
• Use the feedback sections in tests to provide feedback – consider including occasional extra credit points
• Change it up but don’t add several new things at once – remember predictable patterns help
• Save examples of excellent student work from a previous semester (get their permission to use) so students can see what the assignment might look like.

Take Notes: Over the semester, note what worked well, what needs changes and identify “time drains”; plan ways for dealing with these.  Refining course management should be a continual work in progress.