Best Practices in Online Teaching

1. Best Practices in Online Teaching Workin’ it! Reconciling Theory with Practice to Create Optimum Online Learning Environments Eldonna L. May, Ph.D. October 2, 2010

2. Learning = Empowerment • Environment • Independent living • Diversity and divergence of ideas • Problem-solving • Self-advocacy • Opportunities

3. Motivate & Challenge Learners • Creative capacity and talents • Aesthetic sensitivity • Effective communication of ideas • (W)Holistic balance in life • Risk-taking = growth and development

4. Motivation theoryThree Approaches To Learning • Behavioral – Operant Conditioning/Social Learning Theory • Bandura • Knowles • Skinner • Cognitive – Mastery Learning & Achievement • Atkinson • Piaget • Stipek • Humanistic – Growth Motivation/Hierarchy of Needs • Maslow

5. Learning TheoryHow does learning Occur? • Behaviorism • Social Learning Theory • Cognitivism

6. Bloom’s TaxonomySix Degrees of Learning • Knowledge • Comprehension • Application • Analysis • Synthesis • Evaluation

7. Skinner: Behaviorism in the Classroom • Reinforcement occurs inconsistently and too long after a desired response has occurred. Positive behavior is not reinforced; negative behavior is punished. Therefore: • Reinforce positive behavior often • Shape, don’t punish, negative behavior • Trick: Focus on reinforcing learner successes, rather than punishing failures. Combine praise with constructive criticism.

8. Cognitive Theories and Constructivism • In cognitive theory, complex and individualized mental processes greatly influence individual learners. • A core belief of constructivism is that learners create their own knowledge by assigning meaning and context to the information presented.

9. Role(s) of an Online Instructor • Pedagogical • Social • Managerial • Technical • The combination of the above roles make you a “Facilitator” of the learning process.

10. the faculty profile • The Online Faculty Profile Sometimes, this profile is all students get other than content • Is That Enough?Is there more that can be shared? To what end? • A “Clickable” InstructorWhat do students want to know about you?Where will they look?Google?Facebook?Personal Website?What Can You Share?

11. tools and venues • lyrical approach • multi-disciplinary • Reframing • design solutions

12. Lyrical Approach • Friends, Peers, Colleagues, etc. • Look & Sound Familiar • Connections, Conversations • The Personality of You and Your Course • The lyrical approach, one that is iterative and multi-disciplinary, allows the framing and reframing of the problem until the design solutions emerge.

13. Set the Mood • What does “ambience” look like in • F2F classroom setting? • Online course site? Create similar visual stimuli in your course site that emulate a classroom setting. Web design is important! Make your course site entry point an appealing, welcoming virtual space. Vibrant, colorful, clear and easy to navigate to the various components of the site.

14. Online “presence “ and The digital footprint • A larger footprint is like a well-used, comfortable home. It says, “I have lived here and am familiar with my surroundings.”A smaller footprint is like one of those homes that is so clean you are afraid to sit on the couch. Or, it looks as if you are inexperienced and new to this digital world.

15. Workin’ it!Course Components • Essential Elements in Online Courses • Learner Agreement • Orientation Package/Quiz • Syllabus • Inter-related Individual Assignments • Group Projects • Discussion Forums/Journals/Blogs • Assessment

16. Workin’ it!Keys to success • Provide Structure • Provide Incentives, Rewards & Reinforcement • Foster Creativity • Identify ideas that enhance learning • Integrate principles of teaching/learning into courses (social learning, mastery learning, feedback) • Promote expression of alternative views, ideas; critical thinking • Avoid “learner blame” • Keep expectations reasonable