Online Mentoring: Observe a Class as a Student

1. Online Mentoring:Observe a Class as a Student • Start the semester before teaching your first online class • If possible have co-instructor privileges to see assignments submitted by other students

2. Faculty Observer Responsibilities • Participate in class discussions • Do assignments • Do the “library” research expected of the rest of the class • Follow deadlines

3. Observation: Bureaucracy • A number of students don’t appear in the class until the second (or third) week • Late arrivals affect an online class more than traditional classes

4. Observer Solution: Bureaucracy • Build in extra time; especially during the first two weeks of class • Assume you will lose the first week • Don’t cover content material the first week • The goal of the first week(s) is to have the students acclimate to the online environment

6. Observation: Level of Computer Literacy • Students had difficulty attaching files • Students had difficulty including pictures and text • Students lost assignments because they didn’t use multiple windows • Students had difficulty logging into the SLN system

7. Observer Solution: Add Computer Basics • Use step by step screen captures to show computer basics such as running multiple applications • Provide detailed log-in instructions • Display SLN Help Desk information in a prominent location

10. Observation: Roadmap • Students became lost in the the module organization • Students didn’t understand what was due to be completed by a particular date • Students didn’t understand that each week they had to complete several different types of activities

11. Observer Solution: Roadmap Consistencies • Provide a consistent module organization throughout the course • Always have the same elements occur in each module • Follow a consistent day of the week pattern for each module’s completion

12. Observation: Reading Patterns • Students don’t tend to read more than one or two screens of information • Students have difficulty following instructions • Students have difficulty following text sequences

13. Observer Solutions: Reading Problems • “Chunk” large presentations into smaller bits • Use PowerPoint for instruction where students need to follow a logical sequence • Specifically instruct students to print out text you have written in a more lengthy document

16. Observation: Assignment Expectations • Perception that online means easy; not a lot of time commitment • Tendency to minimize assignment and discussion responses • Tendency to write in short “check off” style when more thoughtful responses are required

17. Observer Solutions: Explicit Expectations • Make assignment expectations very explicit • Let student know when you expect them to research and not just give their own opinion in response • Use the first assignment/discussion grade to insure they are aware their response was deficient

20. Observation: Discussion Participation • Discussions tend to start slowly • The level of participation increases as the deadline approaches • One or two students tend to lead the discussion • Some students tune out completely from the discussion

21. Observer Solutions: Grading and Deadlines • Students must be forced to start participating early in the module • State that credit will not be given for all discussion participation occurring on the last day of the module • Count each module participation • It is very important to immediately give grade feedback on discussions

22. Observer Solutions: Monitor • Watch the discussion to make sure your “leaders” are on track • Intervene as quickly as possible if your discussion goes off-track • Add extra items, such as issues or references to other articles to keep your “leaders” interested

23. Faculty Observer Benefits • Observe online class flow • Observe student level of interaction • Observe online behavior • Observe problematic technology areas

24. Veteran Faculty Benefits • Observer gives guidance when instructions are confusing • Observer can serve as assignment guinea pig • Observer gives pedagogical feedback of what worked and what didn’t work online