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Course Developers
 Encourage Student Participation
Equally important to the role of the instructor in online education is the role of student
communication. If students share information by performing group activities and posting assignments,
learning is facilitated in a two-fold method. First, the student is independently rehearsing and
restructuring the knowledge while they develop opinions and create their post. Second, the student is
gaining exposure to other students' evaluations of the materials when participating.
To insure that your CourseSite provides ample opportunities for student participation,
collaboration, and reflection consider incorporating the following:
- Weekly Discussion Questions or Problem Sets. Require each student to post one answer to the assignment and also to reply/comment on at least one other students answer.
- Group Assignments. Divide students into small groups and assign a collaborative project, paper, or presentation.
- Online Journals. Require students to keep an online journal of their learning experiences and reflect on both the content and online experience. Make this available for all students to view.
- Online Fieldtrips. Provide the opportunities/assignments for students to perform research online, visit related sites, and report experiences to the rest of the class.
- Online Guest Speakers. Arrange for a subject matter expert to answer student questions in a chat or discussion board.
- Open Forum. Provide a chat or open discussion area for students to communicate without the constraints of an assignment. This will promote friendly relationships.
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Is Online 4 U?
Q: What's so great about online courses?
A: Online courses have made it easier for people to work fulltime and go to school. An online class usually allows you to do your coursework when you have time, so you aren't stuck trying to figure out how to make your work schedule mesh with your school schedule. Online courses also allow you to take almost any classes you want, because you aren't restricted to the schools in your geographic area.
Q: What's the downside?
A: While online courses allow maximum flexibility, they can eliminate most person-to-person contact. Most of your communication with your professor and fellow students will be online, through email and live chats. You'll miss out on the dynamics of learning in a classroom and interacting live with other people.
Q: What's the benefit of going to college the traditional way?
A: The "real life" college experience is about much more than traditional classroom learning. For young adults, college can involve living independently for the first time, meeting new people, and learning to manage your schedule while making choices on your own. Real life college also offers numerous clubs, sports, social events, and community service activities that online courses can't provide.
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