What’s new today is ancient history in six months ! Teach and Design Courses Online Relativity, MC Escher

There is nothing magical about courses offered online!  You have the skills, education and expertise  Just new terms and some new ways of doing the SAME business

Important Things to Remember 1. The Environment: Similarities 2. The Environment: Differences 3. Ways to Talk Online 4. Online Facilitation 5. Learning Communities 6. ePeers and eMentors

1/6 The Environment: Similarities

Who Builds these courses? PHYSICAL SCHOOL F2F Site Builders Architect General Contractors Specialized Trades eg: Carpenters Painters Electricians, and Plumbers. Construction Workers Inspectors to ensure code compliance F2F Course Builders Instructor Standards set by legislative body Instructional Designer Content/Subject Expert ONLINE SCHOOL Online Site Builders Programmer Web Designer Graphic Designer Server Administrator Server Host Site Manager Online Course Builders Instructional Designer Content/subject Expert Programmer Web Designer Graphic Designer Facilitator/Instructor Standards set by legislative body

Who Supports These Courses? PHYSICAL SCHOOL Administrative Support Members of the School/College or University Board Administration School Principal Classroom Maintenance Custodian Clerical Support Teacher Students ONLINE SCHOOL Administrative Support Site Owners Board of Directors President Site Manager Classroom Maintenance Instructional Designer Content/subject Expert Programmer Web Designer Server Administrator Facilitator/Instructor/Volunteer Moderator Participants

2/6 The Environment: Differences

The online world changes rapidly It is crazy making! Ability to work in a team is key

Continue Your Learning Continuing Education is key

Where’s it all going? Web 2.0 = a buzzword Refers to the second generation of services on the World Wide Web (always in flux) Premise is…..  Collaborate and share information online.  Combines a variety of applications and techniques such as social software, blogs, wikis, tags, podcasts to create learning environment  Social marketing/networking

Teaching Online: The Differences The People  Cultural shift (you teach in small spurts of time 7 days a week)  People work in teams (for survival) in courses and businesses  No one is the expert, everyone has skills, knowledge and expertise  Courses and site must be open 24/7 (it’s the culture!) The Online Environment  Many systems joined together eg: blogs, photos, wikis,  Open Source and freeware replacing proprietary systems

3/6 Ways To Talk Online

Talking Online? Asynchronous Communication = Talk in delayed time Synchronous Communication = Talk in real time

Asynchronous Communication A Learning Management system such as.. Moodle, desire2learn, to talk and manage the talk Freeware such as Yahoo Groups, Google groups, mailman to communicate Blogs, Wikis, etc. for group projects

Synchronous Chat programs  typed words  avatars  video, pictures  sound

Skype with video and sound And it’s free!

4/6 Online Facilitation

An Online facilitator is…. ~ Guide on the Side NOT Stage on the Stage ~

Role of the Emoderator  Technical  Intellectual  Organizational  Social

Online Facilitation You have to be there – things will fall apart

Time Management  Answer posts and s rapidily (an hour being frustrated is a long time online)  Work weekends  Check in 3 – 4 times a day: M – F.  Check in 2 x day on weekends  Work in teams  Use a variety of active learning strategies (appeal to different learning styles)

Active Learning Strategies MethodsMoodle ToolActivity Talk to each otherDiscussion forums, chat To plan group projects Group projects wiki, dialogue Web Quests, jig saw Personal reflectionsJournal (assignment), personal forums, blogs Review content or life online ContentResources, Book Activity Modules, sound, images, flash Accommodate different learning styles AssessmentQuizzes, poll, choice, online participation Automate it!

Good Course Design is…. ~ A good online facilitator can make a bad course sing ~

5/6 Learning Communities

Learning Communities are..  People work in teams  Places where people take, share and contribute information  One class or a series of interconnected activities  Vibrant, safe and intellectually stimulating I want to return!

 Technical Person  Manager  Members  Moderator Everyone active and contributing in the course = success! A learning community is MUCH MORE than tools – it’s the people!

Why Should I Care about learning communities?  Hallmark of a good course  Everyone is equal  People contribute and share information  Learners more responsible for their own learning  Healthy learning communities free the teacher to do other things

6/6 ePeers & eMentors

Interchangeable Roles is Key Live Online nervous Comfortable online Guide Others ePeers & eMentors

Knowplace Philosophy  Relationship first/information second  Ask – “What do you want to learn”  Guide on the side, not sage on the stage  I want to be here!  Give back to the community

What’s Important ?

Keys to Success  The Environment: Similarities  The Environment: Differences  Ways to Talk Online  Online Facilitation  Learning Communities

The Environment: Similarities? Just new ways of doing the same business. You know how to do this!

The Environment: Differences? Life Long Learning is Key

Ways to Talk Online? Be willing to try new tools

Ways to Talk Online? Be willing to try new tools

Online Facilitation? Guide on the side ~ Not ~ Sage on the stage

Learning Communities? The smart way to work online

Most Important? Mistakes are our friends ~ Relax and smile ~