1 / 15

HOW TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN A SUCCESSFUL ONLINE EXPERIENCE

HOW TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN A SUCCESSFUL ONLINE EXPERIENCE. Presented by: Mrs. Karen Watson, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Senior Certified Bb Vista Trainer, Certified Bb Vista Administrator

zeki
Download Presentation

HOW TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN A SUCCESSFUL ONLINE EXPERIENCE

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. HOW TO ASSIST STUDENTS IN A SUCCESSFUL ONLINE EXPERIENCE Presented by: Mrs. Karen Watson, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Senior Certified Bb Vista Trainer, Certified Bb Vista Administrator Dr. Anna Holloway, Interim Dean of Graduate Studies and Extended Education, Coordinator of Online Instruction, Professor of English

  2. Before Registration • Require completion of an online orientation to the course management system being used for online instruction • Recommend that students complete the SORT self test • Require attendance at a general Vista (CMS) orientation prior to registration • Require students to have instructor approval before enrolling in a totally online course • Encourage use of standard template for courses

  3. Pros and Cons • Pros: • Enlightens students as to the expectations and rigors of online learning • Familiarizes the student with how the course management system looks and how to maneuver through it • Provides an opportunity to share helpful tips in time management as well as an introduction to the CMS • Provides the student and instructor an opportunity to meet so that the instructor can explain his/her expectations/requirements • Standard template = easier navigation, more success

  4. Cons • Too many obstacles might discourage students from attempting an online class • Too much paperwork to manage • Some students might decide against attempting an online class because they were discouraged by the SORT test • Difficult to find persons willing to lead the orientation • Difficult to document completion of the online orientation • Faculty feel restricted by standardization

  5. First Week of Classes • Require one face to face meeting of the class at the end of the drop/add period • Require completion of course orientation materials within the first two weeks of class • Include self-introductions to create sense of belonging to a group • Provide a mentor/advisor to assist students having difficulty with time management • Provide technical support to students

  6. Pros and Cons • Pros • Students have a chance to hear first hand the expectations of the instructor. • Students learn to use the tools required in the course. • Students have a person they can contact if they are having difficulty managing the time requirements of an online course. • Students know who to contact with technical difficulties. • Students may begin to contact each other for support.

  7. Cons • How to notify students of the face-to-face meeting • What to do about students who are allowed to register after drop/add • How to connect the students with their mentor • Campus network problems are difficult to diagnose. • New technical problems occur. • Off-site conversations between students (e.g. telephone or personal email) can detract from involvement with actual class mechanisms for participation.

  8. During the Semester Instructor: Encourage threaded Discussions and model appropriate response Respond and grade all materials in a timely manner Use “sandwich” for criticisms (positive-negative-positive) Make personal contact with students via telephone Send encouraging emails

  9. Send reminders to students who miss a deadline • Require participation in Discussion and score discussion postings in a timely manner • Encourage the use of Chat, including IM • Have mentor check on students who are not participating

  10. Pros and Cons • Pros • Students learn from each other. • Students can keep up with their progress in the course and can make necessary adjustment. • Students feel a connection to a real person.

  11. Students know that the instructor cares about their success. • Students see how to correctly participate in discussion and how they will be scored. • Students have a chance to get immediate answers to questions. • Students are less likely to get too far behind to catch up.

  12. Cons • It takes time to read, respond, and grade all the posts in a good discussion thread. • Students do not always give their phone numbers. • Chat features do not always work as expected. • Students do not always contact the mentor when they are in trouble. • Mentors have a difficult time locating the student. • IM takes students away from the LMS.

  13. Sharing Strategies What has helped you improve retention and student success?

  14. Thank you for spending this time with us. • Mrs. Karen Watson • Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia • watsonk@fvsu.edu • Dr. Anna Holloway • Fort Valley State University, Fort Valley, Georgia • hollowaa@fvsu.edu

  15. Resources used Retention manual for eCore™ created by West Georgia College & State University eCore™ Fact book VAT-L Listserv responses, University System of Georgia Fort Valley State University faculty feedback

More Related