Robin Kay UOIT Faculty of Education

Overview  My Background  Your Background  Ideas & Strategies for Online Learning  Resources

My Background  Faculty of Education  UOIT – 5 years  Taught High School 8 years  Community College for 5 years  Most of my courses are hybrid

How many years have you taught online courses? A. Just started B. 1 year C. 2 years D. 3+ years

What subjects do you teach online? A. Math B. English C. Science D. Social Sciences E. Languages F. Technology G. Other

How confident are you using computers? A. Not at all confident B. Somewhat confident C. Confident D. Very Confident

How would you compare online to face-to-face courses? A. Online is better for student learning B. Online & FTF are about the same for student learning C. FTF is better for student learning

Online Courses Communication Organization Learning Starting Out

Idea S1 – Learning Agreement  Have students agree to a set of rules you expect them to follow  Makes expectations clear from the start Check in at least once per week Post a message on the discussion board 2-3 times per week Complete weekly quiz Respond to s within 24 hours  You can set this up online (Zoomerang, Survey Monkey, )

Would you use Learning Agreements with your students? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea S2 – Building Community  Build community at the beginning is linked to more successful online courses  Chairs: Describe the perfect chair for you while working online for this courseperfect chair  Animals: If I were any animal, what would I be?  Bucket List: What are the “important” things you have to do before you are 90 years old  Vanity License: Design your own license plate

Would you use “Building Community” activities? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea O1– Weekly Study Schedule WeekReading Materials TasksContent 1Chapters 1-2 Read course profile Join your discussion group Get to know course web site Introduction to course + Operating Systems 2Chapters 3-4 Complete review quiz 1 Check helpful links Make 2 discussion group entries Process concepts + IPC threads 3Chapter 5 Complete review quiz 2 Submit one page summary Make 2 discussion group entries

Would you use a Study Schedule? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea 02–Graphic Organizers  Helps students focus on concepts  Some examples Concept Maps H-Chart or Venn Diagram H-Chart Sorting concepts Frames Semantic Feature Analysis Frayer Model Other examples

Would you use Graphic Organizers? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea 03–Web Page Scavenger Hunt  Set up key questions students have to answer from your course web page  Have organizer for them to fill in key areas of your site  Have online quiz to test that they know where key information and tools are

Would you use a Web Page Scavenger Hunt? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea C1 – Anonymous Feedback Forms  Set up weekly or bi-weekly feedback from students  Use - Free, fast, anonymoushttp:// QuestionResponse What questions came up this week that require further help? Is the pace of the course too slow, just right, or too fast? Please explain. What was the main them of this week? What activity was most useful this week?

Would you use Anonymous Feedback forms? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea C2– Send Performance Tips  Send tips/reminders via or better yet text messaging  Keep them short and focused  Tips could be: Reminders about work to do Reminders to log on Helpful links Clarifications on concepts Changes in course materials or focus You tube clip links Humour How are you doing in the course

Would you use send Performance Tips using text messaging? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea C3– Virtual Office Hours  Virtual office hours (Facebook, Instant messaging, Skype)  Give students a chance to ask questions  Online Whiteboard might be helpful for explaining concepts

Would you use Virtual Office Hours? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea C4 –Rules for Collaboration  Develop module on teamwork (see Working in Teams for ideas)Working in Teams  Create team agreement that outlines how teams should work together Names of people on team Goal of the group How will workload be managed? Who is the leader? What other roles will there be? What will the leader do if there is a team problem?

Would you use Collaboration Rules and/or Team Agreements? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea C5 –Discussion Boards  Small groups of 4-6  Establish message protocols Keep it short Use emoticonsemoticons Check grammar and spelling Concise descriptive, subject line Think “value added”  Students can self-evaluate Did I thoughtfully respond to one question? Did I post at least 2 meaningful messages? Did I read other student messages?

Would you use some of the Discussion Board Ideas? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea L1 – Web-Based Learning Tools  Free, easy to use, focused, interactive tools  Collections Explore Learning – Math & Science Explore Learning Learn Alberta – All Subject Areas Learn Alberta NCTM Illuminations – Math NCTM Illuminations Interactive Websites – All Subject Areas Interactive Websites EDNA – All Subject Areas EDNA

Would you use Web-Based Learning Tools? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea L2 – Mini-Clips  Online explanations of concepts  Create with Jing (free) or CamtasiaJing  Sample Clip: Area of a RectangleArea of a Rectangle  Samples Collections Grade 9 - Applied Math (Full Set) ~ 120 clips Grade 9 - Applied Math (Full Set) Khan Academy - Grade 1 to University Khan Academy  Can use to explain assignments or other administrative tasks – Sample ClipSample Clip

Would you use Mini-Clips? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea L3 –Digital Story Telling  Sample story Sample story  Alternative method to communicate knowledge  Could be used to have students introduce themselves to an online class  Use Windows Movie Maker or Photo Story  Post on You Tube or Teacher Tube

Would you use Digital Story Telling? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea L4 – the Authour  After reading a chapter or article, learners can formulate questions to ask the authour  May work more for English and Social Sciences

Would you “ ing the Author” as a teaching strategy? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea L5 –WebQuests  Samples at WebQuest.OrgWebQuest.Org  Can be done individually or in groups

Would you use a WebQuest? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea L6 –Wikis  Wikipedia Wikipedia  Wikispaces - Free Wikispaces - Free  Students can use them on group assignments  Work from individuals can be posted and edited in a common area

Would you use Wikis? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Idea L7– Learning Games for Review  Developed Using Study Mate by Respondus Flash Cards Pick a Letter Fill in the Blank Matching Crosswords

Would you use “Learning Games”? A. No B. Maybe C. Yes D. I already do E. I don’t understand this idea

Resources The Online Learning Idea Book – by Patti Shank e-learning – by Ruth Clark & Richard Mayer The New Virtual Classroom – by Ruth Clark & Ann Kwinn

Research  I am interested in providing training and guidance for the teaching of online courses in exchange for getting feedback from teachers & students  Dr. Robin Kay ext