Tips for Effective Online Facilitation

Discussion board activities can serve a variety of purposes and help meet instructional objectives. Discussion topics and prompts should always relate to the course topic and involve reflection into a deeper layer of thinking beyond the surface level. In short, the key to managing a quality discussion forum where learning takes place is a fine art that will benefit from the application of the following suggested best practices for course facilitation:


1. Help your students to feel comfortable with you by creating a warm, friendly and personalized tone during the first week of class. Share some personal information with students about your background. Let them see what you look and sound like through a welcoming introduction video where you introduce yourself. Show sincere interest in who your students are and where they have been.

2. Offer discussion prompts that are creative, unique and engaging to encourage real interest in participation. Suggest that students use best practices such as sharing a personal story related to their line of work, asking open-ended questions, or sharing a related link or quote that relates to the topic.

3. Let your students carry the discussion as much as possible. If the conversation starts to wane or grow stagnant, use clever redirection methods to get it moving again by jumping in with a follow-up prompt. Always bring your focus back to the student and encourage them to think critically.

4. Always offer formative feedback at the end of each module of each student's discussion participation. Show them what they did right and what impressed you. Encourage them to take the discussion further next time and remind them to use a best practice for participating in discussions. Use gentle but productive suggestions in areas where they may improve over time.

5. Encourage students to participate in reflective activities such as journaling, blogging or filling out a reflection report about their learning experience each week. Reflection on discussion after it has ended will help to solidify any of the important lessons the student should take away from the experience. Teach your students how to apply what they have learned from building community to their academic or professional careers through analytical and critical reflection.

Final Thoughts on Assessment for e-Learning

3 Highlights of the Course:

1. Learning how to use a blog. It was much much easier than I ever dreamed, so now I will use it regularly and for different reasons.
    
2. Having Maggie as an instructor. Just sayin’, I really enjoyed getting to know her in an earlier course in the program, so this was equally as fun. She’s one smart lady!
    
3. Learning how to write/create a rubric. I really didn’t know much about them even though I had seen them time and time again in my classes. It wasn’t nearly as simple as I had imagined, trying to figure out how to word things and what to put in each cube.

 

2 Things I Can Do Now:

1. I know how to make a concept map on Popplet or Bubble.US. Years ago, I used mind-mapping free online software and it was a nightmare. The new Ipad concept maps are wonderful, easy to learn and full of fabulous opportunity for graphics.
    
2. I can write FAR better objectives now that the instructor gave direct feedback and offered that online objective-making tool that helps you create them using the ABDC method.

 

1 Farewell Message of Gratitude:

My farewell messages is that I wish everybody luck in their online teaching adventures and hope that you all are hired or paid very well eventually to teach online courses. And, I look forward to seeing some of you in the next class, as I have never worked with a more educated and experienced group before this course.

Final Discourse Analysis Discussion

Looking back at an online discussion early in the Assessment for e-Learning course, I was surprised to read my words. It seems that as courses progress, I tend to change my discourse when I know the students more and become more detailed. I would definitely say that I am the Donald Trump type, as I always want to jump right into talking about a topic or issue and get to the point. And, I have so many ideas, insights and interpretations on a topic such as that one about the SAMR ladder that I always feel I am editing/cutting/editing my words. I am certainly the speaker in a group and enjoy being front and center with my discourse in a leader position instead of in a quiet, passive or follower position.

Qualities of my own discourse:

Intricate ideas

Clear

In-depth

Explanatory

Friendly

Visual details

Specifics

For teaching online in the future, some tones and elements that I may wish to alter in order to be more approachable include shorter and to the point, open and inviting and light on details. I am so used to writing fiction as a novelist that I feel always an urge to give details from all angles like describing a scene or setting. I would like to invite my students to speak more as I step back and don’t over-speak to them, while letting them fill in some of their own blanks. After all, it is a learning environment and too much speaking or 'telling' doesn't allow students room to explore the mystery or gaps on their own.

Final Reflection on Assessment in E-Learning's Final Project

Please take a moment to read my insights about creating my final project for this course:

1. Creating just another website or Weebly to host the project seems redundant or repetitive to the website e-portfolio and also course toolbox we were to do. I wanted to host my project on a full webpage with a web-layout but thought that some variety was in order. Instead, I chose to use a Blog to host my project as an experiment. Did it work? Different, but challenging, and yes!

2. The assessment toolbox feels more to me like it should be qualified as something different than the final project. The final project, to me, feels a sampling of work from the course all put together to showcase what has been accomplished. A toolbox, for me, feels more like a listing of resources to immediately click without having to read too much.

3. Using a blog for a final-project hosting site is somewhat unusual. I originally was going to use a Weebly, but thought that was too standard (been there, done that). I then started doing a Google Doc, and everything was laying out nicely just like a fancy Word document in a linear fashion. I decided that if I am going to do it in a linear layout anyway, that I may as well use a blog site to host it online where people will have more convenient access. The linear design is different, but still doable for something creative and ‘off the wall’.

Two insights about my Goals from the Beginning of the Course:

 

1. Within the layers of the SAMR ladder, my original goal was to be fully at the top level of redefinition where most or all lessons/activities are centered around higher-order thinking skills. I realized then that it isn’t so easy to always do this with studying literature, and that I would have to learn new ways to guide students into activities that explore connections of texts and deeper meanings beyond just the entertainment value of reading the books. I wanted more application-related creative projects, as I am a very creative person. I do feel that I came up with quite a few creative projects in the development of my children’s literature class through this course.

2. I originally fell between augmentation and redefinition as the norm for me. For teaching literature online, I haven’t had many opportunities to develop lessons or activities that fall under the redefinition layer prior to this course. I now create activities, assessments and discussions that provide more engagement and freedom to tie in learning with a creative project and offers a personalized approach tailored toward the students. I now know to use higher-order thinking skills when creating lessons and assessment, which was not held in my awareness prior to this course.

One question that I still have about Assessment in E-Learning:

 

1.      With the new ‘modern’ focus on formative assessment that is student-centered in online classrooms, is there even room anymore to offer summative assessment (like inn the old days) with quizzes, mid-terms and final exams? Should they be avoided all together?

 

 

Applying Rubrics to Online Learning Assessments

Recommended Assessment Technique 1:

The article Using Rubrics to Promote Thinking and Learning states that instructional rubrics provide students with more informative feedback about their strengths and areas that need some improvement in a way that a traditional assessment cannot do (Andrade, 2000). The purpose of using rubrics isn’t just to give students structure to live up to, but to teach and support course objectives at the same time. In my own online course development, I tend to allow students wiggle room for creativity with their activities or projects. My original requirements were not as specifically outlined as a rubric would be that also supports course goals. Now, I intend to use rubrics that guide students in further applying synthesis, creativity and responsibility skills as they prepare their assessment projects at a higher degree of productivity.

Recommended Assessment Technique 2:

After examing the article Cybercoaching Model Explained, I was reminded that it is important to understand and distinguish between formative and summative assessment, with formative assessment intended to adjust the instruction and learning in response to the student’s performance while summative is mainly to evaluate student mastery (Peterson, 2005). When reviewing these comparisons to the application and use of rubrics for assessment, clarity in the form of assessment and the purpose it serves is of utmost importance. If the assessment is merely summative in the form of a multiple choice test, no rubric is necessary. A mere grading scale would suffice, as there is no creation or performance other than passive selection. For my own online course creation, I have chosen to center my assessments  on formative models where accompanying rubrics support the objectives and teach new skills to students as they practice them.

Three things that I will adjust in my courses to reflect lessons learned from reading:

1. I will rarely, if every again, use traditional summative assessments.

2. Rubrics will be used for individual projects that involve design, creation or writing. Discussion postings and journal writings will have guidelines posted in the syllabus.

3. My awareness will remain focused on each block in my rubrics designed to directly or indirectly promote learning at the exemplary level.

Two insights I have about pre-course surveys and rubrics:

1. Using a precourse survey is optional, yet a very good tool if the course is only partly developed. Feedback from students that comes from a precourse survey can be used to design assignments, activities or assessments later in the course.

2. Try to apply some variety to your rubrics. It’s ok for some to be simple, short and sweet with others as long, detailed and specific to expectation. Not all rubrics are the same.

One question that I still have for the course is this:

What would be an average or standard amount of rubrics to include in a course? With a longer 16-week course there will be many assignments, activities and assessments. Would each one need a separate rubric and how much is overkill?

 

Resources:

Andrade, Heidi G. (February 2000). Using Rubrics to Promote Thinking and Learning. Educational Leadership. Volume 57, Number 5.

Petersen, Naomi. J. (February 25, 2005). Cybercoaching: Rubrics, Feedback, and Metacognition, Oh my! From the E.C. Moore Symposium “Putting Student Learning First.” Retrieved from https://www2.uwstout.edu/content/profdev/assessonline762/PDF_files/Cybercoaching_paper.pdf

 

 

Bloom's Taxonomy in Online Education

I would like to share several valuable reflections and observations from learning about Bloom’s Taxonomy this week:

1. Bloom’s Taxonomy can be used for creating assessments. Previously, I thought that it was only used when creating objectives.

2. Simply comprehending or understanding material does not count for much value from a Bloom’s standpoint. You have to take what you comprehend and apply it to something.

3. The quality of student learning is shallow at best if you don’t move into the higher-order thinking or bigger parts of the Bloom’s pyramid. In a way, students are deprived of learning.

Two insights I have about using Bloom’s Taxonomy:

1. I would like to share my question and opinion on using the very “writing” or “to write” as an action, as a Bloom’s action verb. If an assignment requires writing an analysis paper, is the writing considered the higher-level verb? To me, writing seems passive and is just an activity and not a verb that qualifies for Bloom’s structure. Yet, I have seen people claim that it does count. Passive writing can occur where no learning takes place.

2. There is a difference between relating knowledge learned when making a presentation such as PowerPoint or a Prezi, and actually learning something. Meaning, it is easy to make a visual presentation of text and slides to show a viewer, but how to we know the student has learned something beyond how to use the technology to make it? Students must make connections to materials in their presentations, visually demonstrating patterns through analysis, interpretation and classifying what they share.

One question that I still have about Bloom’s Taxonomy:

1.      When it comes to using Bloom’s Taxonomy for higher-level thinking and choosing or designing assessments, how much of an assessment should be based on the higher parts of the pyramid such as the analyzing, creating or synthesizing, and beyond just the comprehension and understanding?

 

Working on Teams in an Online Setting

Entering the end of week 4 in our Assessments in e-Learning graduate course, I would like to share three of my reflections and observations from that material explored:

1. I learned how to make a Weebly. Simple, but significant. I am a tech geek. Whereas I have built websites using more complicated software, I never knew about Weebly until now.

2. I learned what the jigsaw method for collaborative team assessment means. Another term and method I was unfamiliar with. I now believe that all online courses should utilize at least one jigsaw activity as a requirement for completion.

3. Regarding assessment, I learned that projects can function in this role as more beneficial than something like an analysis paper or midterm exam. A project, be it done alone or on a team, applies the use of skills learned through the creativity process. Learning takes place when creativity happens, as the imagination (right brain) works symbiotically with the rationale logic (left brain) and new pathways are formed. Learning at its best.

 

Two insights I have about working on teams in an online college setting:

1. Working with teams on collaborative projects can be challenging. You never know who you will get on your team and most likely it is somebody you don’t know. A small amount of trust is necessary. You have to assume that these are all working adults who are paying hard-earned money for their courses. They wouldn’t be in the course if they didn’t plan on doing the work. They may not respond as quick as you’d like, yet in the end you must trust they will get it done.

2. Learning via collaborate team projects is a great way to practice William Horton’s Absorb-Do-Connect method for enacting course objectives. Whatever the material presented is about (absorb), the students get to work on a team and practice (do) hands-on activities of whatever the focus of the content. As they are working on this project, this ‘do’, they are also connecting. It is the connection that helps open portals to different parts of the mind where patterns are seen, analysis happens and the ‘absorb’ content comes to life through direct action.

One suggestion I have for working on teams in an online setting:

My advice for working on teams in an online setting would be to put all of your focus on communication. The majority of problems that occur on teams ties back to communication issues. Team members don’t receive emails, don’t respond promptly to emails or don’t write very long emails compared to others sometimes. I suggest that a team leader make a schedule at the beginning of the project with due dates for each step along the way during the project. Every member can receive a copy of it and see clearly what the expectations are. With a clear step-by-step schedule even for the small things, it removes some of the pressure of wondering if a team member will respond or do their share. Communication is what it’s all about.