1. … with apologies to those who already know all this. Tips for Teaching On-Line How to Succeed With FRED Barriers to Student Learning in an On-Line Environment A Random Sampling of Disjointed Ideas

2. What Id like to do is share some facts, practices, tips, and fat opinions concerning the use of FRED that weve picked up over the years. If you have a comment, please make it.

3. Those who have been successful using FRED have generally needed to rethink and retool their courses and methodologies to suit the new teaching/learning medium. Most have learned by fire. Those who have been successful using FRED have generally needed to rethink and retool their courses and methodologies to suit the new teaching/learning medium. Most have learned by fire.

4. FRED is just another tool, and this we can almost guarantee: If you use the tools poorly, Youll have a bad semester Your students will have a bad class Student learning will suffer Everyone will blame FRED. FRED is just another tool, and this we can almost guarantee: If you use the tools poorly, Youll have a bad semester Your students will have a bad class Student learning will suffer Everyone will blame FRED.

5. Your success with FRED (or any other platform) is closely associated with your capabilities with the software, and your understanding of how to use it to support your teaching. Learn everything you can before going live, and dont use it at a level you dont understand. Your success with FRED (or any other platform) is closely associated with your capabilities with the software, and your understanding of how to use it to support your teaching. Learn everything you can before going live, and dont use it at a level you dont understand.

6. FRED doesnt actually do much. What it does is enable you, and your students, to do things… like communicate and share information. It helps if you have a clear vision of what you want to do Its only as good as the stuff you feed it Its best to prepare (scan, sample, type, record, edit) your stuff before you need it. FRED doesnt actually do much. What it does is enable you, and your students, to do things… like communicate and share information. It helps if you have a clear vision of what you want to do Its only as good as the stuff you feed it Its best to prepare (scan, sample, type, record, edit) your stuff before you need it.

7. your course area When you use choose to use FRED to deliver a course, we create the main course conference for you, and make it available to your students. Within that conference, you have permissions to construct an appropriate structure to contain the activities of your course. You decide what goes in it, what it looks like, and whos allowed in. Its personal. Within that conference, you have permissions to construct an appropriate structure to contain the activities of your course. You decide what goes in it, what it looks like, and whos allowed in. Its personal.

8. You should follow good presentation graphics rules: Dont put too much on any one screen Group similar objects together into containers Pay close attention to the window Views (split/no split, Icon or List view) Line up your icons Avoid too many levels Keep it as simple as possible You should follow good presentation graphics rules: Dont put too much on any one screen Group similar objects together into containers Pay close attention to the window Views (split/no split, Icon or List view) Line up your icons Avoid too many levels Keep it as simple as possible course structure

9. Its easy to overlook the visual appeal of your conference areas. I have no evidence to support it, but the I think the look matters. I think students appreciate your efforts to make your places attractive. Keep items aligned. Use the appropriate Views. Manage your windows. Protect your conferences. Pay attention to the details. Its easy to overlook the visual appeal of your conference areas. I have no evidence to support it, but the I think the look matters. I think students appreciate your efforts to make your places attractive. Keep items aligned. Use the appropriate Views. Manage your windows. Protect your conferences. Pay attention to the details. course structure

10. Just because your course structure and organization make sense to you, doesnt mean that its good … and it doesn't mean that it makes sense to your students. Ask them. Your information is no good if students cant find it. Just because your course structure and organization make sense to you, doesnt mean that its good … and it doesn't mean that it makes sense to your students. Ask them. Your information is no good if students cant find it.

11. Lets talk about Structure. A typical course structure will have areas for Content, and areas for Discussions. There will generally be areas for incoming assignments, Q and As, and Resource downloads. Lets talk about Structure. A typical course structure will have areas for Content, and areas for Discussions. There will generally be areas for incoming assignments, Q and As, and Resource downloads.

12. structure example 1:

13. structure example 2:

14. structure example 3:

15. structure example 4:

16. structure example 5:

17. structure example 6:

18. structure example 7:

19. structure elements Q and A forum Q and A archive Resources folder (ppt files, documents, links, spreadsheets, etc.) Group Chat Chat archive folder Submissions folder (places to post assignments) General Information folder (course outline, schedule, evaluation instruments) Group Calendar Place for your Content (organized by Module, or Week, or Assignment…)

20. Its important to remember the collaborative nature of FRED. You (and your students) need to get used to the idea of groupware and information sharing, and distance yourself from the idea (and limitations) of traditional e-mail. Its important to remember the collaborative nature of FRED. You (and your students) need to get used to the idea of groupware and information sharing, and distance yourself from the idea (and limitations) of traditional e-mail.

21. Someone said (and it wasnt me): bad teaching + technology = expensive bad teaching bad teaching + technology = expensive bad teaching

22. starting out Before you deliver a course on FRED, you should: Do your homework (review the Orientation materials, run through the Level 2 Workshop, etc.) Talk with FRED support people Decide specifically how you want to use it Review how others are using it Use FRED in a non-critical way to learn the basics Develop your escape plans… just in case Plan to start slow and easy and grow into it. Before you deliver a course on FRED, you should: Do your homework (review the Orientation materials, run through the Level 2 Workshop, etc.) Talk with FRED support people Decide specifically how you want to use it Review how others are using it Use FRED in a non-critical way to learn the basics Develop your escape plans… just in case Plan to start slow and easy and grow into it.

23. When using FRED in your class for the first time, start slow. Many of your students will be new to FRED, so give them simple tasks in the beginning. Dont presume all is well if you dont hear from them. You need to engage everyone. When using FRED in your class for the first time, start slow. Many of your students will be new to FRED, so give them simple tasks in the beginning. Dont presume all is well if you dont hear from them. You need to engage everyone.

24. It's not enough to simply instruct students to "have a discussion about such-and- such over in Conference X." On-line discussions need to be managed, directed, and promoted, and items need to be reinforced. Thats generally your responsibility. You need to ensure that great things happen in your discussion areas. It's not enough to simply instruct students to "have a discussion about such-and- such over in Conference X." On-line discussions need to be managed, directed, and promoted, and items need to be reinforced. Thats generally your responsibility. You need to ensure that great things happen in your discussion areas.

25. Once information is organized and posted in meaningful places, it is easily transferable (to other teachers, to other courses) and easily stored for future use or revision. Knowledge Management. Once information is organized and posted in meaningful places, it is easily transferable (to other teachers, to other courses) and easily stored for future use or revision. Knowledge Management.

26. Dont forget that the technological barriers that you experience may be the same barriers that your students face. For struggling students, this may be the nail in the coffin. Dont forget that the technological barriers that you experience may be the same barriers that your students face. For struggling students, this may be the nail in the coffin.

27. You really want to encourage the use of FRED? Use it yourself- modeling Promote the idea of student collaboration, and stress conferencing rather than private mail Make its use mandatory Show students where your stuff is Provide a proper orientation Stop handing out paper You really want to encourage the use of FRED? Use it yourself- modeling Promote the idea of student collaboration, and stress conferencing rather than private mail Make its use mandatory Show students where your stuff is Provide a proper orientation Stop handing out paper

28. Little things you can do: Consider giving marks for on- line participation Respect that its tough to read from a screen, so make things attractive Post the times that youll absolutely be on-line and available Dont overburden the users with slow connections Little things you can do: Consider giving marks for on- line participation Respect that its tough to read from a screen, so make things attractive Post the times that youll absolutely be on-line and available Dont overburden the users with slow connections

29. To help you manage the on-line course load, consider using the collaborative features of the system. Allow your students to help each other Post items that will promote class activity To help you manage the on-line course load, consider using the collaborative features of the system. Allow your students to help each other Post items that will promote class activity

30. Many use FRED in the classroom as a teaching tool, but this requires lots of hardware and all the headaches associated with it. Until such things are easier, you need to learn how to operate all the hardware- computers, projectors, teaching stations- and understand something about networks. Many use FRED in the classroom as a teaching tool, but this requires lots of hardware and all the headaches associated with it. Until such things are easier, you need to learn how to operate all the hardware- computers, projectors, teaching stations- and understand something about networks.

31. for long-time users of FRED: Sometimes we get trapped by our own success. Try not to become too complacent with either your knowledge of the system (its features and capabilities) or your current use of it. The system is an evolving one, and new features are added regularly. we learn from each other, and this shared knowledge- best practices, etc.- should help improve your use of FRED. The system is an evolving one, and new features are added regularly. we learn from each other, and this shared knowledge- best practices, etc.- should help improve your use of FRED.

32. Look at what others are doing on the system, and borrow good ideas Share best practices with each other Participate in the Faculty Club Encourage student feedback Learn new features Look at what others are doing on the system, and borrow good ideas Share best practices with each other Participate in the Faculty Club Encourage student feedback Learn new features continuous improvement The last word: Always consider that there may be better ways to use FRED, and discover them.

33. Andrew Connery Education Technology