Online Course Design: Is the Conversation Over? Kelly Hinson, Gatson College

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference Who? What? Why? Hello! I am Kelly Hinson, an instructor with Gaston College in the Information Technology Department. We are here today to share online design reflections and encouragement for each other. Online Design is near to my heart because I find delivering content online intriguing. How is the best way to teach and reach my students? What works and why? What doesn’t work and why? Can you compare course to course? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference I’m there! Starting last spring, I felt like I had hit a brick wall with my courses. I was doing everything asked of me for online: SAIL. I followed all the online standards at my school. I have organized and “full” online courses. But I felt like I was missing something. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

But the results say what? As part of SAIL my fall CIS 110 courses are statistically evaluated using the final exam. Learning outcomes are compare seated vs online. For our five learning outcomes, online students either out perform or are equal to seated students. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference CIS 110 at Gaston College Retention Rate Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Retention Rate Fall 2013 Retention Rate Fall 2014 Online WAVE Section 69.09% 79.25% 76.79% 77.33% Seated, Traditional Sections 84.01% 82.53% 88.75% 77.61% Difference -14.92% -3.28% -11.96% -0.27% Here are our retention rates over the last four years: online vs seated. As you can see our online retention rate was worse but has now somewhat equal to seated classes. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference CIS 110 at Gaston College Failure Rate Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Failure Rate Fall 2013 Failure Rate Fall 2014 Online WAVE Section 7.89% 16.67% 25.58% 6.90% Seated, Traditional Sections 14.93% 16.43% 14.12% 10.95% Difference -7.03% 0.24% 11.46% -4.05% This is the failure rate of online vs seated. As you can see, the failure rate in our seated classes is greater than online for last year, but the two years before that were worse for online. Some of the reasons for the better failure rate is that we are encouraged to drop students who can’t pass the class. This procedure helps with financial aid. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference What more? This lead me to ask myself, is there any more that can be done online. Have I done my best for me? for my students? for my college? Have I reached the limit of online? This lead me to several research articles on student views of online courses vs instructor views vs institution views. I have been stuck in the institution requirements and what I think works, but I did not have any good student views except that my courses were very organized and easy to follow. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Online Design: Institutions vs. Instructors vs. Students What are the competing views of institutions and instructors and students? Don’t we all want the same thing? I think we all want student success, but our perceptions of what is needed online might differ. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference Five Areas Technology Preparedness Managing the Learning Environment Asking for Help Communication Online Presence During my research, I came across about 5 areas where the students perception and the instructors perception differed. These differences (while they might not have prevented student success) may have caused unneeded frustrations. My eyes were opened to some ideas that might make my courses even better, but this would require more work on my end. I would like you to join me on my journey into these areas to see what we can improved together. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Technology Preparedness So what does it mean to have “technology preparedness”? How does your institution handle technology preparedness? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Thoughts on Technology Preparedness Instructor Student Students should be able to create a document and attach a file. Students should have working Internet at home. Students should know what a browser it and know how to change it. We use computers all the time so we know how to do everything. We don’t need a LMS orientation because we can find things for ourselves. We don’t need cutting edge. We need it to work. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

How are you helping students with technology preparedness? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference Learning Management Responsibility Motivation 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Thoughts on Responsibility Instructor Student Students need good time management. Students should complete assignments on time without reminders. Students need to figure out what is important for themselves. Students need to ask questions when they don’t understand. Students need good time management. Login to the course frequently. Self-discipline is needed. Create a schedule for yourself. Expect instructors to guide them through learning the material. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Thoughts on Motivation Instructor Student Must put their own effort into studying. Must be self-motivated. I don’t need to do anything to encourage motivation. I only need to provide some ungraded practice tests. Must take the initiative Need help staying motivated. Need captivating materials in the course. Would like a personal connection. Need to know why this material is relevant? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference How do you motivate your online students? Is this important for an instructor? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference Asking for Help! 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Thoughts on Asking for Help Instructor Student Students must communicate questions or problems. Don’t wait until the last minute. Sometimes you just need to make your best guess. Don’t know how or the best way to do this online. Give me an example of how to ask a question. Fewer questions if more examples for assignments. Tell me exactly what you want. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

How are you helping your students ask for help? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Communication and Feedback 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Thoughts on Communication Instructor Student Instructors can take up to 48 hours to respond. and don’t need to on the weekends. Students, don’t wait until the last minute. Read the assignment ahead to see if you understand. Very important. Email mainly used. Students want responses within 24 hrs. if not more frequently. Deadlines are coming and I need help! I must do homework on the weekends because I work, so I need you on the weekends. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference Thoughts on Feedback Student Instructor Only provide an individual grade with comments for the class as a whole. I don’t have time to respond individually to every student. I tell students that they might not hear from me all semester. Written feedback on assignments. Need comments on discussion board posts. I don’t want to do all that work and not hear from you! 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

How are you with student communication and feedback? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference Online Presence 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Thoughts on Online Presence Instructor Student I only have time to manage the course. I like text-booked based courses because they are like my seated classes. Videos are a problem for me. Use varied and engaging ways to deliver material. Be online frequently. Actively teach. We like multi-media. Really like instructor videos. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

How do you fulfill your online presence? 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference An Institution’s Role Distance Learning Orientations Course Skill based Student role expectations Before the semester or registration? Mandatory? Professional Development for Online Teachers Vetting Online Courses for Content and Organization Instructor’s must have office hours during the week, but not every day (according to students) 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

My Wall is Starting to Crumble 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference Review: Five Areas Technology Preparedness Managing the Learning Environment Asking for Help Communication Online Presence During my research, I came across about 5 areas where the students perception and the instructors perception differed. These differences (while they might not have prevented student success) may have caused unneeded frustrations. My eyes were opened to some ideas that might make my courses even better, but this would require more work on my end. I would like you to join me on my journey into these areas to see what we can improved together. 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Where do you see yourself? Making a Difference? Keep the conversation going! 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Research Articles Consulted What Online Students Want Compared to What Institutions Expect http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/summer172/baili e172.html What Do We Expect? A Special Report for Education http://www.sas.com/govedu/edu/special_report.pdf What do Unsuccessful Online Students want us to know? http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1011376.pdf 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference

Research Articles Consulted Risk Ambiguity in Online Courses http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/publications/role-ambiguity-in- online-courses.html Advice for Online Learning Educators https://www.ctdlc.org/ResourceDocs/evaluation/WhatStudents WantToTell.pdf What do Students (Really) Want in an Online Course? https://onlinelearninginsights.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/wha t-do-students-really-want-in-an-online-course/ Five Things Students want Their Teachers to Know about Online Learning http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2011/11/five- things-students-want-their.html 2015 Cengage Learning Computing Conference