Standards of Good Practice Standards of Good Practice For Teaching OnlineFor Teaching Online

Christina SaxChristina Sax

University of Maryland University CollegeUniversity of Maryland University College

Instructional ModelsInstructional Models

Transmission of informationTransmission of information traditional view of educationtraditional view of education classroom based educationclassroom based education

Mentoring of studentsMentoring of students

Creation of a learning communityCreation of a learning community

What should I do . . .What should I do . . .

to insure student learning & success . . .to insure student learning & success . . . to make the process go smoothly . . .to make the process go smoothly . . . to manage the class effectively . . . to manage the class effectively . . .

… … in the absence of face-to-face contactin the absence of face-to-face contact with students?with students?

What should I do . . .What should I do . . .

… … to be a really successful, dynamic, to be a really successful, dynamic, and creative online instructor and inspire and creative online instructor and inspire my students … my students … withoutwithout spending spending allall my my time online and time online and withoutwithout losing my losing my sanitysanity in the process?in the process?

More Questions ...More Questions ...

How much time should I expect to spend How much time should I expect to spend online?online?

How often should faculty members How often should faculty members communicate with students?communicate with students?

How quickly should faculty members How quickly should faculty members respond to student questions/work?respond to student questions/work?

And More Questions . . .And More Questions . . .

How often should students interact with How often should students interact with instructor and/or each other?instructor and/or each other?

How much time should students spend How much time should students spend on course work?on course work?

What kinds of activities should students What kinds of activities should students engage in? engage in?

And Still More Questions ?And Still More Questions ?

Seven Principles of Good PracticeSeven Principles of Good Practice

Chickering & GamsonChickering & GamsonJune 1987June 1987

7 Principles for Good Practice in 7 Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate EducationUndergraduate Education

The Seven PrinciplesThe Seven Principles

1. Encourage student-faculty contact and1. Encourage student-faculty contact and

interactioninteraction

2. Encourage cooperation among students2. Encourage cooperation among students

3. Encourage active learning3. Encourage active learning

4. Give prompt feedback4. Give prompt feedback

The Seven PrinciplesThe Seven Principles

5. Emphasize time on task5. Emphasize time on task

6. Communicate high expectations6. Communicate high expectations

7. Respect diverse talents and ways of7. Respect diverse talents and ways of

learninglearning

Two Additional PrinciplesTwo Additional Principles

8. Let students know what to expect - 8. Let students know what to expect - fromfrom you you and in the and in the coursecourse

9. Make 9. Make effectiveeffective use of the technology use of the technology

How to do I Put Best Practices How to do I Put Best Practices into Action?into Action?

1. Encourage student-faculty 1. Encourage student-faculty contact contact

Use e-mail for announcements, news, Use e-mail for announcements, news, updates, reminders, etc.updates, reminders, etc.

Encourage student questions, inquiries, Encourage student questions, inquiries, feedback, inputfeedback, input

Refer to students by nameRefer to students by name Hold virtual office hoursHold virtual office hours Instructor input into discussionsInstructor input into discussions

2. Encourage cooperation2. Encourage cooperation among students among students

Activities that promote cooperationActivities that promote cooperation• team learningteam learning• asynchronous problem solvingasynchronous problem solving• group projects, presentations, debatesgroup projects, presentations, debates• peer reviewspeer reviews• chats chats

Students exchange phone numbers and Students exchange phone numbers and email addressesemail addresses

3. Encourage active learning3. Encourage active learning

Learning is not a spectator sportLearning is not a spectator sport

Pose questions that foster thinking and Pose questions that foster thinking and problem solvingproblem solving

Interrupted Discussion methodInterrupted Discussion method

““Each one teach one”Each one teach one”

3. Encourage active learning3. Encourage active learning

Students provide and critique URLsStudents provide and critique URLs

Students design/create Web pagesStudents design/create Web pages

Students develop knowledge artifacts and Students develop knowledge artifacts and concept mapsconcept maps

Encourage opinions as well as factsEncourage opinions as well as facts

4. Give prompt feedback4. Give prompt feedback

Hold virtual office hoursHold virtual office hours

Return graded work in one weekReturn graded work in one week

Post grades regularlyPost grades regularly

Acknowledge all student questionsAcknowledge all student questions

5. Emphasize time on task5. Emphasize time on task

Let student know time-on-task is Let student know time-on-task is important to successimportant to success

Award points for all work Award points for all work Require discussion participationRequire discussion participation Provide specific learning objectives for Provide specific learning objectives for

each uniteach unit Use assignments that allow students Use assignments that allow students

to apply learningto apply learning

6. Communicate high 6. Communicate high expectations expectations

Course goals and objectives in Course goals and objectives in SyllabusSyllabus

Post examples of excellent, average, Post examples of excellent, average, and poor workand poor work

Model through exampleModel through example

6. Communicate high 6. Communicate high expectations expectations

Make Make youryour expectations of expectations of studentsstudents clear with respect to:clear with respect to: facts, concepts, critical thinking, analysis, facts, concepts, critical thinking, analysis,

writing, format, quantitative reasoning, writing, format, quantitative reasoning, internet usage, frequency of check-ins, internet usage, frequency of check-ins, frequency of interactionfrequency of interaction

7. Respect diverse talents and 7. Respect diverse talents and ways of learning ways of learning

Recognize that online classes are not Recognize that online classes are not the preferred environment for somethe preferred environment for some

Allow options for demonstrating student Allow options for demonstrating student achievementachievement

Recognize, respect and reward creativityRecognize, respect and reward creativity

7. Respect diverse talents and 7. Respect diverse talents and ways of learning ways of learning

Be sensitive to possible cultural Be sensitive to possible cultural differencesdifferences

Understand and appreciate the distant Understand and appreciate the distant learner’s lifestylelearner’s lifestyle

8. Let students know what to8. Let students know what to expect - from the instructor expect - from the instructor

Response time from instructorResponse time from instructor

Lecture, support, mentor, facilitator?Lecture, support, mentor, facilitator? What replaces seat time/contact hours of What replaces seat time/contact hours of

the face-to-face class?the face-to-face class?

8. Let students know what to8. Let students know what to expect - in the course expect - in the course

Total amount of time per weekTotal amount of time per week

Interactive vs. independentInteractive vs. independent

RigorRigor

Schedule and due datesSchedule and due dates

9. Make effective use of9. Make effective use of technology technology

Does your discipline have specific Does your discipline have specific requirements? requirements?

What technologies/materials are available in What technologies/materials are available in your discipline? your discipline?

What technology/materials are available to What technology/materials are available to your students?your students?

9. Make effective use of the9. Make effective use of the technology technology

Is it an effective means of content Is it an effective means of content delivery and instruction?delivery and instruction?

Where are your students located?Where are your students located?

Is Online Teaching Really That Is Online Teaching Really That Different?Different?

student-faculty interactionstudent-faculty interaction student-student cooperationstudent-student cooperation active learningactive learning prompt feedbackprompt feedback time on tasktime on task high expectationshigh expectations diversitydiversity communicationcommunication effective use of materialseffective use of materials

Future Questions, Comments, Future Questions, Comments, Suggestions, Ideas ….Suggestions, Ideas ….

Chris SaxChris SaxUMUCUMUC301-985-7625301-985-7625csax@umuc.educsax@umuc.edu

““Teaching Science Online” Discussion Teaching Science Online” Discussion Group - www.mdfaconline.org/ Group - www.mdfaconline.org/ mdfaconline/facfellows.htmlmdfaconline/facfellows.html