I would love to start a discussion of online classes in this post (so I must remember to turn on comments).
So, I just finished my second online class. Despite being someone who studies online groups and who has been on email since ((gulp)) 1984, I have not wanted to teach online. Why? Because I think the teacher and students lose the informal social interactions that are least 50% of what students get out of the courses they take.
Nonetheless, I decided to teach an online course in the spring, mainly because it would allow me to teach one in the summer. I am pragmatic; I have three children. I need the summer salary and the face-to-face classes are having problems getting student enrollment.
So, I have been pleasantly surprised at the whole experience.
First, my students have scored WAY HIGHER (for the most part) on their assignments in the online class than the FtF class. Like 5 to 7 points higher on tests I’ve been using for years. Why?? ACTIVE LEARNING. I don’t lecture. The kids have to read the book. I have a few “lessons” in which I walk/coach the students through some tough topics using written text, but they have to do the work themselves. Even the final paper, in which many students in the FtF do not get how to do it, the online class ROCKED IT. I’m going to have to start grading harder and/or giving harder assignments to keep my overall grade distribution from going up—because the students are actually learning more!!
The second surprising thing is that my classes *do* have more social interactions than I thought they would. This summer in particular, about half the classes has posted in our “Howdy Do” forums. YES, I am a big geek and I have a discussion forum called “Howdy Do” where each week folks can post what they are doing. YES I AM A GEEK AND I KNOW THIS ALREADY.
In the spring, only a few folks posted. But this summer, over half the class has checked in to let us know what they are doing. I LOVE IT! I miss seeing my kidlets in class, so I actually really love hearing from them on this forum. And I know that because this is summer school, it’s more appropriate to post in the forum that you are checking in to class from the beach, or heading to the Grand Canyon with your family and finishing up the classwork in hotels on the road.
No, the social interactions are not the same online as FtF. Lots of research and experience support that. But having my students perform better AND working out better ways for us to get to know each other better during the class? That sort of rocks.
I would LOVE to hear what other folks do who teach online courses. Comments on this post, emails, tweets, Facebook messages. I’m open to it all. I’d love to learn what you do.
PS: And yes, I do know that one my characteristics (strengths or weaknesses, I do not know) is that my online interactions are pretty dadgum similar to my FtF interactions. Whatever the textual version of waving one’s hands around and walking across the classroom while talking, I do that in my writing. At least, I think I do. You may not. But now I am pensively reflecting with my eyes looking up and toward the left. Soooo….. Um, yeah.
TELL ME WHAT YOU DO!!!