Lessons from the field:Lessons from the field:An analysis of online instructorsAn analysis of online instructors’’ lessons learned about teaching lessons learned about teaching onlineonline

Joni Dunlap Patrick LowenthalUniversity of Colorado Denver Boise State University

We created a list of We created a list of ““lessons learnedlessons learned””

about teaching online coursesabout teaching online courses so far… so far…

PatrickPatrick’’s #1: s #1: Feedback Feedback is is essentialessential

JoniJoni’’s #2: s #2: Don't under-estimate Don't under-estimate the power of fun, play, & the the power of fun, play, & the unexpectedunexpected

Started collecting “lessons” from colleagues at conferences...

9

Data collection

• CiTE 2011, Denver, CO

• CU Online Symposium 2011, Aurora, CO

• Colorado Learning & Teaching with Technology (COLTT) 2011, Boulder, CO

• ED-MEDIA 2012, Denver, CO

• EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) 2013, Denver, CO

10

Your lessons…

Now it’s your turn!

What are your lessons learned?

Go to http://tinyurl.com/LessonsLearnedELI2013

12

Google Doc

Analysis of “lessons learned”

• Shared preliminary themes with conference colleagues, modified based on feedback

• Review of results, seven themes emerged: 1. Preparation2. Student support3. Assessment and expectations4. Structure and presentation5. Engagement and activity6. Presence7. Personal impact

13

14

#1. Preparation• Be prepared up front to be flexible

(expect the unexpected, no matter how prepared you think you are)…

• Be well prepared.  Quality comes from advanced thoughtfulness.

• Have plans A, B, C... for all modalities

• Nothing beats preparation

• Technology fails. Have a back-up plan.

15

#1. Preparation• Be prepared up front to be flexible

(expect the unexpected, no matter how prepared you think you are)…

• Be well prepared.  Quality comes from advanced thoughtfulness.

• Have plans A, B, C... for all modalities

• Nothing beats preparation

• Technology fails. Have a back-up plan.

16

#1. Preparation• Be prepared up front to be flexible

(expect the unexpected, no matter how prepared you think you are)…

• Be well prepared.  Quality comes from advanced thoughtfulness.

• Have plans A, B, C... for all modalities

• Nothing beats preparation

• Technology fails. Have a back-up plan.

17

#1. Preparation• Be prepared up front to be flexible

(expect the unexpected, no matter how prepared you think you are)…

• Be well prepared.  Quality comes from advanced thoughtfulness.

• Have plans A, B, C... for all modalities

• Nothing beats preparation

• Technology fails. Have a back-up plan.

18

#1. Preparation• Be prepared up front to be flexible

(expect the unexpected, no matter how prepared you think you are)…

• Be well prepared.  Quality comes from advanced thoughtfulness.

• Have plans A, B, C... for all modalities

• Nothing beats preparation

• Technology fails. Have a back-up plan.

19

#2. Student Support

• Address all learning styles

• Champion the student voice

• Prompt and frequent feedback is a must

• Give students choices

• Make sure your students can’t get lost

• Account for cultural differences

20

#2. Student Support

• Address all learning styles

• Champion the student voice

• Prompt and frequent feedback is a must

• Give students choices

• Make sure your students can’t get lost

• Account for cultural differences

21

#2. Student Support

• Address all learning styles

• Champion the student voice

• Prompt and frequent feedback is a must

• Give students choices

• Make sure your students can’t get lost

• Account for cultural differences

22

#2. Student Support

• Address all learning styles

• Champion the student voice

• Prompt and frequent feedback is a must

• Give students choices

• Make sure your students can’t get lost

• Account for cultural differences

23

#2. Student Support

• Address all learning styles

• Champion the student voice

• Prompt and frequent feedback is a must

• Give students choices

• Make sure your students can’t get lost

• Account for cultural differences

24

#2. Student Support

• Address all learning styles

• Champion the student voice

• Prompt and frequent feedback is a must

• Give students choices

• Make sure your students can’t get lost

• Account for cultural differences

#3. Assessment & Expectations

• Have effective rubrics

• Grade frequently...if you don’t grade, they don’t do

• Model what you want from students

• Be more concrete and explicit with instructions

25

#3. Assessment & Expectations

• Have effective rubrics

• Grade frequently...if you don’t grade, they don’t do

• Model what you want from students

• Be more concrete and explicit with instructions

26

#3. Assessment & Expectations

• Have effective rubrics

• Grade frequently...if you don’t grade, they don’t do

• Model what you want from students

• Be more concrete and explicit with instructions

27

#3. Assessment & Expectations

• Have effective rubrics

• Grade frequently...if you don’t grade, they don’t do

• Model what you want from students

• Be more concrete and explicit with instructions

28

#4. Structure & Presentation

• Put information in digestible chunks

• Use guest lectures where appropriate

• Assign meaningful work

• Use technology intentionally

• Integrate visual components

• Be careful about “eye candy” for technology’s sake

• Know your technology and make it relevant to course objectives 2

9

#4. Structure & Presentation

• Put information in digestible chunks

• Use guest lectures where appropriate

• Assign meaningful work

• Use technology intentionally

• Integrate visual components

• Be careful about “eye candy” for technology’s sake

• Know your technology and make it relevant to course objectives 3

0

#4. Structure & Presentation

• Put information in digestible chunks

• Use guest lectures where appropriate

• Assign meaningful work

• Use technology intentionally

• Integrate visual components

• Be careful about “eye candy” for technology’s sake

• Know your technology and make it relevant to course objectives 3

1

#4. Structure & Presentation

• Put information in digestible chunks

• Use guest lectures where appropriate

• Assign meaningful work

• Use technology intentionally

• Integrate visual components

• Be careful about “eye candy” for technology’s sake

• Know your technology and make it relevant to course objectives 3

2

#4. Structure & Presentation

• Put information in digestible chunks

• Use guest lectures where appropriate

• Assign meaningful work

• Use technology intentionally

• Integrate visual components

• Be careful about “eye candy” for technology’s sake

• Know your technology and make it relevant to course objectives 3

3

#4. Structure & Presentation

• Put information in digestible chunks

• Use guest lectures where appropriate

• Assign meaningful work

• Use technology intentionally

• Integrate visual components

• Be careful about “eye candy” for technology’s sake

• Know your technology and make it relevant to course objectives 3

4

#4. Structure & Presentation

• Put information in digestible chunks

• Use guest lectures where appropriate

• Assign meaningful work

• Use technology intentionally

• Integrate visual components

• Be careful about “eye candy” for technology’s sake

• Know your technology and make it relevant to course objectives 3

5

#5. Engagement and activity

• You can never do too much to get students to engage

• Create opportunities for students to create community and solve their own problems

• Give students the opportunity to construct the learning

• Make a connection between student career needs and assignments

36

#5. Engagement and activity

• You can never do too much to get students to engage

• Create opportunities for students to create community and solve their own problems

• Give students the opportunity to construct the learning

• Make a connection between student career needs and assignments

37

#5. Engagement and activity

• You can never do too much to get students to engage

• Create opportunities for students to create community and solve their own problems

• Give students the opportunity to construct the learning

• Make a connection between student career needs and assignments

38

#5. Engagement and activity

• You can never do too much to get students to engage

• Create opportunities for students to create community and solve their own problems

• Give students the opportunity to construct the learning

• Make a connection between student career needs and assignments

39

#6. Social Presence• Know your audience

• Be accessible

• Be kind

• Have a sense of humor

• Use synchronous technologies

• Show your character...personality is a good thing

• Being present matters

• Create a sense of community

• Put faces with names 40

#6. Social Presence• Know your audience

• Be accessible

• Be kind

• Have a sense of humor

• Use synchronous technologies

• Show your character...personality is a good thing

• Being present matters

• Create a sense of community

• Put faces with names 41

#6. Social Presence• Know your audience

• Be accessible

• Be kind

• Have a sense of humor

• Use synchronous technologies

• Show your character...personality is a good thing

• Being present matters

• Create a sense of community

• Put faces with names 42

#6. Social Presence• Know your audience

• Be accessible

• Be kind

• Have a sense of humor

• Use synchronous technologies

• Show your character...personality is a good thing

• Being present matters

• Create a sense of community

• Put faces with names 43

#6. Social Presence• Know your audience

• Be accessible

• Be kind

• Have a sense of humor

• Use synchronous technologies

• Show your character...personality is a good thing

• Being present matters

• Create a sense of community

• Put faces with names 44

#6. Social Presence• Know your audience

• Be accessible

• Be kind

• Have a sense of humor

• Use synchronous technologies

• Show your character...personality is a good thing

• Being present matters

• Create a sense of community

• Put faces with names 45

#6. Social Presence• Know your audience

• Be accessible

• Be kind

• Have a sense of humor

• Use synchronous technologies

• Show your character...personality is a good thing

• Being present matters

• Create a sense of community

• Put faces with names 46

#6. Social Presence• Know your audience

• Be accessible

• Be kind

• Have a sense of humor

• Use synchronous technologies

• Show your character...personality is a good thing

• Being present matters

• Create a sense of community

• Put faces with names 47

#6. Social Presence• Know your audience

• Be accessible

• Be kind

• Have a sense of humor

• Use synchronous technologies

• Show your character...personality is a good thing

• Being present matters

• Create a sense of community

• Put faces with names 48

#7a. Personal Impact, on teaching

• The world is your audience

• I’ve learned how to use an iPad

• Online teaching isn’t about taking your face-to-face course materials & uploading them to a course!

• It’s important to teaching faculty how to teach online

• Use tools like the Quality Matters rubric when designing

• Mini-lectures are better lectures!49

#7a. Personal Impact, on teaching

• The world is your audience

• I’ve learned how to use an iPad

• Online teaching isn’t about taking your face-to-face course materials & uploading them to a course!

• It’s important to teaching faculty how to teach online

• Use tools like the Quality Matters rubric when designing

• Mini-lectures are better lectures!50

#7a. Personal Impact, on teaching

• The world is your audience

• I’ve learned how to use an iPad

• Online teaching isn’t about taking your face-to-face course materials & uploading them to a course!

• It’s important to teaching faculty how to teach online

• Use tools like the Quality Matters rubric when designing

• Mini-lectures are better lectures!51

#7a. Personal Impact, on teaching

• The world is your audience

• I’ve learned how to use an iPad

• Online teaching isn’t about taking your face-to-face course materials & uploading them to a course!

• It’s important to teaching faculty how to teach online

• Use tools like the Quality Matters rubric when designing

• Mini-lectures are better lectures!52

#7a. Personal Impact, on teaching

• The world is your audience

• I’ve learned how to use an iPad

• Online teaching isn’t about taking your face-to-face course materials & uploading them to a course!

• It’s important to teaching faculty how to teach online

• Use tools like the Quality Matters rubric when designing

• Mini-lectures are better lectures!53

#7a. Personal Impact, on teaching

• The world is your audience

• I’ve learned how to use an iPad

• Online teaching isn’t about taking your face-to-face course materials & uploading them to a course!

• It’s important to teaching faculty how to teach online

• Use tools like the Quality Matters rubric when designing

• Mini-lectures are better lectures!54

55

#7b. Personal Impact, on time

• Teaching online can be done anytime/anywhere, but it sure stinks to be teaching while on vacation

• Don’t underestimate the time commitment to teach online

56

#7b. Personal Impact, on time

• Teaching online can be done anytime/anywhere, but it sure stinks to be teaching while on vacation

• Don’t underestimate the time commitment to teach online

“Lessons learned” = recommendations

• What are your thoughts about the seven themes?

• What are your “lessons learned”?

• What would you add, is there a missing theme?

57

?

Contact Us

Joni Dunlap | joni.dunlap@ucdenver.eduPatrick Lowenthal | patricklowenthal@boisestate.edu