An online course is NOT simply a traditional face-to-face course replicated on a computer screen.
An online course is still based on course goals and learning outcomes. However, a key difference is that students do not need to rely on face-to-face interaction to learn content. This also means that computer communication and feedback are highly important and should be structured accordingly. Together, we can design great courses but ultimately it is you, the teacher, who breathes life into the educational process with your energy, experience, and knowledge.
Here are some strategies that work well in the asynchronous classroom and can lead to greater faculty and student satisfaction with online learning.
INSTRUCTOR PRESENCE AND COMMUNICATION
Establishing instructor presence is essential to successful online teaching. Instructors can accomplish this in a combination of ways:
- Create a shared classroom space by using the Canvas online environment as the starting point for all student activities, communications, and sources of information.
- Harness the power of announcements and send out regular reminders so that students may plan to complete all coursework.
- Make it clear to the students how to contact you best and when, either by e-mail or phone. As an example for students, you should respond to all inquiries within 48 hours.
- Monitor student progress and proactively engage students through flexibility and responsiveness to student needs, revising due dates and submission modality as needed. Explain the purpose of the changes you make to your students.
- If you have students who are falling behind and not completing work, reach out to them individually to establish contact. You can message individual students using the gradebook in Canvas.
- For any concerns regarding student progress, quality of work, lack of responsiveness to email alerts or participation in activities, contact us for assistance.
- Create a roadmap for your students guiding them on how they can succeed in your class.
STUDENT PARTICIPATION
In the online classroom, students can face feelings of isolation and detachment. To that end, participation should be encouraged and must be an important component of a student’s grade.
- Use discussion boards in your course to prompt discussion by posting stimulating, open-ended questions with no single correct answers along with instructions for both replying to the prompt and replying to other students’ posts.
- Define and share with students a clear set of guidelines for communicating in the online environment. See the CGS Netiquette.
- Facilitate discussions without dominating the thread and encourage interaction among your students.
- Introduce additional supplemental readings or other resources that are germane to the discussion.
- Summarize questions received outside of the LMS (e.g., email) that have general relevance to the class and post the summary – without identifying the source of the question(s) and a response in the Course Q&A Forum.
FEEDBACK AND ASSESSMENT
In the asynchronous classroom, we teach by providing feedback to our students. It is, therefore, important to:
- Use multiple forms of assessment, rather than considering only a few graded assignments. A good practice is to use activities such as discussions or collaborative work to evaluate student learning.
- Set clear expectations for all assignments by giving useful and meaningful feedback on the first major assignment. Continue this practice for all assignments that follow.
- Include in your feedback opportunities for improvement and learning while also validating effort and understanding.
- Provide regular feedback on each student’s progress in class.
- Utilize the grading rubrics provided within Canvas (if no custom grading rubrics are used) for the specific course and assignment. Using grading rubrics saves you time.
- Require students to submit assignments only through the Canvas portal. If a student cannot submit an assignment via Canvas and submits it by email instead, attach the student's submission to the grade book when assigning a grade.
- Use the Canvas grade book so students are aware of their progress in the course.
- Grade all course assessment activities in a timely manner (within a week of the assignment's due date), being cognizant that earlier grading and the associated feedback is always in the best interest of the student.
- Remind and encourage students to complete the OMET teaching survey when it becomes available on their Canvas page during the last weeks of the semester. We improve our teaching through the feedback students provide.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Online classes give students the opportunity to be in charge of their learning, and with that come responsibilities and the greater need for academic integrity.
- Discuss the importance of owning one’s learning and the perils of cheating in the classroom.
- Offer strategies, advice, and resources to guide students in the learning process.
- Monitor student adherence to the statement of student responsibilities and submit a referral for any violations in accordance with the academic integrity code of the school and department.