When working with online students in discussion groups I find that the following six techniques to be helpful.
First, I refrain from placing more than eight or nine students in one group. Just as I would not place all students in a classroom in one group, I also divide enrolled online students into smaller groups. I suggest eight or nine as a maximum number as this is more manageable than working with a larger group. For example, my online classes, as a rule, have 28 students enrolled in each class. Tracking the threads of a discussion group with 28 students is not possible. My classroom discussion groups have four or five students, but as a rule a few online students will not participate and so it is not much of a discussion if the number start to fall for any one group. That is why I recommend eight or nine, to give a cushion, so to speak, to the numbers and to keep the discussion lively.
Second, I place students alphabetically in a group. I do not think it matters much to be more random than this. However, I do place students with the same last names in separate groups. I do not want a husband-wife to be in the same group. I just want to be sure they have different experiences.
Third, I find it useful to enter the groups as the instructor and post remarks right along with the students. This allows me to nudge conversations forward. I point out where students need more complete answers or when they are not actually answering the questions that were asked.
Fourth, I ask that an original posting from the students be made at least two days ahead of the final deadline. I always ask for at least two more responses to classmates, for a total of three postings. I never allow all three postings to be made on the same day. This keeps students from merely trying to gain the points and also encourages them to participate in a true discussion.
Fifth, I include a rubric that shows the students how they will be evaluated. This helps to standardize my grading and more importantly improves the dialogue.
Finally, I often will create two or even three different topics for discussion. This helps me as an instructor to see variety in the thinking of the students and also assures that students in different groups are not copying each other’s work.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Silencing those canaries Get, A Lot, and You
Ever since the day my seventh grade English teacher screamed at us not to ever use the word get in an essay I have very carefully tried to avoid doing so, along with got, getting, and gotten, of course. Now as an English Composition instructor myself I actually deduct points when my students use the words. With care I tell students that get is a weak verb and to use action verbs to move their readers.
My seventh grade teacher explained that to us many times and as I recall was doing so again before she erupted in anger at the end of the classroom period that day. I want to affirm that we seventh graders all really liked our teacher and to watch her grow angry at her desk over the use of get shocked us. She had never before been so angry with us. I also recall feeling very sorry for having committed the sin, and I think most of my fellow students in the class did as well.
To be sure, we were all relieved when the bell rang, signaling the end of the tirade and our chance to escape. Then, compounding the moment, our teacher shouted at us to, “Get out” of the room. Well, we were even more dumbfounded to hear the teacher use get in a sentence herself, and then a classmate pointed out to her, with the greatest respect, that she had just used the cursed word herself. This resulted with the teacher bowing her head down on her desk. Then the entire class jumped up and surrounded her desk. We cared about for our teacher. We all apologized to her and asked if she was okay. All I remember is that a hand weakly waved at us to signal that she was fine, as if she were surrendering, the hand moving back and forth like a white flag waving, and then we left.
The next class things seem to be back to normal, but I know for sure that I would try to avoid using that word. The drama of the day prior had left an impression on me.
As I said, now, as an English teacher myself, I take off points for the use of get in essays. I too have grown weary of seeing this word and its cousins. I also take off for using a lot and the second person. I do not go on rants. I do, though, see value in deducting points. Today I think of these words as my “canaries in the mine” and they help me to help students. Just as miners once listened for bird songs to know that dangerous gas was not building up in the mines they worked, my canaries sing to me when students use get as a weak verb, a lot when they need to present more detail, and the second person you when the essay’s tone is shifting. When I see the problems today, I also sense that students just were not listening to me yesterday. It amazes me with how quickly the problems disappear in the following essays assignments when students lose points in a previous one. My canaries are then silenced, honoring my seventh grade teacher as well.
My seventh grade teacher explained that to us many times and as I recall was doing so again before she erupted in anger at the end of the classroom period that day. I want to affirm that we seventh graders all really liked our teacher and to watch her grow angry at her desk over the use of get shocked us. She had never before been so angry with us. I also recall feeling very sorry for having committed the sin, and I think most of my fellow students in the class did as well.
To be sure, we were all relieved when the bell rang, signaling the end of the tirade and our chance to escape. Then, compounding the moment, our teacher shouted at us to, “Get out” of the room. Well, we were even more dumbfounded to hear the teacher use get in a sentence herself, and then a classmate pointed out to her, with the greatest respect, that she had just used the cursed word herself. This resulted with the teacher bowing her head down on her desk. Then the entire class jumped up and surrounded her desk. We cared about for our teacher. We all apologized to her and asked if she was okay. All I remember is that a hand weakly waved at us to signal that she was fine, as if she were surrendering, the hand moving back and forth like a white flag waving, and then we left.
The next class things seem to be back to normal, but I know for sure that I would try to avoid using that word. The drama of the day prior had left an impression on me.
As I said, now, as an English teacher myself, I take off points for the use of get in essays. I too have grown weary of seeing this word and its cousins. I also take off for using a lot and the second person. I do not go on rants. I do, though, see value in deducting points. Today I think of these words as my “canaries in the mine” and they help me to help students. Just as miners once listened for bird songs to know that dangerous gas was not building up in the mines they worked, my canaries sing to me when students use get as a weak verb, a lot when they need to present more detail, and the second person you when the essay’s tone is shifting. When I see the problems today, I also sense that students just were not listening to me yesterday. It amazes me with how quickly the problems disappear in the following essays assignments when students lose points in a previous one. My canaries are then silenced, honoring my seventh grade teacher as well.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
"Bread crumbs" lead students to better study habits
Depending upon your outlook, when students tell us they would like more study tips, we either see that as a good thing or a bad thing.
I have written before about how my courses use the Noel Levitz retention tool, the Noel Levitz College Student Inventory ™, to leverage what students tell us their needs are with content useful to them in the course. The majority of the students in my current Comp I online course say they would like help in finding good study tips. They told me this through the CSI, which was presented prior to the start of the semester.
Of course, we teachers pride ourselves on building study tips into our courses, and so it is easy at first to say the students just are not paying attention. I can easily take this attitude as the course is marked with what I call bread crumbs. That is, worksheets, practice quizzes, diagnostics, referrals to counselors, links to tutors, and so much more are clearly labeled. I even have the words “start here” to indicate that students should start with the lectures. How can the students possibly miss all of this? Well, some do. Plus, remember that the survey was done prior to the semester when students had not seen any of the study elements.
With that, I continue to build into the online courses I teach more bread crumbs to provide the help they crave. My latest effort was to create short study tips as announcements. I have created 10, focusing on tips for essays and critical thinking. I have cued the computer to release a new one every 10 days. In addition, I plan to provide a hyperlink within each study tip announcement that tells students where they can find more on the topic.
One of my key concerns is whether or not I am giving the students the exact study tip they seek. However, I also view these tips as entry points, so to speak, to a broader resource they can find, which is why I add the hyperlinks for more help. For example, I am moving them toward the tutors, the handbook, worksheets, and myself, following a study tip in the announcements.
I am including my list of 10 resources in this blog. Readers may use any of these, if they are so inclined. If you have good ones of your own, please share. I am grateful to others who have shared many of these ideas. Here are the tips I am now placing in the announcements:
Study Tip 1: SQ3R clarifies the reading
One approach to reading an assignment, even to review your own writing, is the SQ3R approach. This stands for Survey, Question, Read, Review, and Reflect. To expand, first Survey the essay. That is, scan it. Pay attention to sub-heads, if present, and look quickly for the main ideas in paragraphs. Then think of the Questions you have after scanning the essay. This will engage your mind to look for the answers. Then Read through the essay. Next, take time to Review what you have learned and whether or not your questions were answered. Finally, Reflect upon the meaning of the content. Then repeat the process. Sometimes the essay is better with the second read.
Study Tip 2: Include three things when writing a thesis
When writing a thesis, be sure you do three things: 1. make a claim, 2. explain why it true, and 3. show why it matters. Example: Children should not stay up late at night watching television (claim) because they need eight hours of sleep each night (why it is true), so that they will not be inattentive the next day in school (why it matters).
Study Tip 3: Organize thoughts before you start to write
One element that marks the difference between the novice writer and the experienced one is taking time to organize your thoughts. Just as a home builder would not construct a house without a blueprint, the writer needs to plan thoughts. Planning an essay can be in the form of an outline, a brainstorm, a list of ideas that need to be included, and so on. The point for the writer is to consider the ideas to be included within the essay prior to starting.
Study Tip 4: Essay structure key to success
Presenting ideas in a structure that helps the reader to comprehend the ideas is important for successful communication. One essay format, the five-paragraph structure, offers the reader a format for comprehending the writer’s ideas. The five-paragraph structure calls for, in this order, an introduction, a thesis within the first paragraph, at least three main body paragraphs that each has a main idea with supporting examples and explanations, and a conclusion that summarizes the lessons learned and/or makes a prediction about the future.
Study Tip 5: Conclusions summarize lessons learned make future predictions
A conclusion should add to the points the main body has made as the writer wraps up the essay. A good way to do so is to make a prediction about the future, given the points made in the main body. A writer may also comment upon the lessons learned, for example, how the case that was just made has changed him or her as a person. A conclusion must not present ideas that were not developed in the main body. In addition, the conclusion must connect to the thesis.
Study Tip 6: Avoid distractions when studying
Many students think they are good at multi-tasking and so they study with the television or music on in the background. The cell phone and text-messaging are also close at hand. Studies show that human beings really are not good at multi-tasking, that the examples presented really should be called what they are, distractions. Study in a quiet environment and your mind will be better able to focus on the material.
Study Tip 7: Make use of Online Tutors
The course offers opportunities for connecting with online tutors for questions involving math and English. Students are encouraged to make use of the tutors. Each student has 15 hours of time scheduled with tutors per year and very few students make use of this time. Having a person who is trained as a consultant is valuable. However, do not expect the tutor to do the work. The tutor’s role is to guide the student to individual success.
Study Tip 8: Paragraphs require explanation and example
When writing a paragraph, remember that your objective is to communicate your ideas that support the thesis to the reader. Because the reader cannot “read” your mind, but is limited to only the words on the page, you need to provide details beyond the main idea of the paragraph. It is important to support the main idea with examples and explanations. Therefore, a writer must be aware of what the reader needs to know to fully understand the message being delivered.
Study Tip 9: Critical thinking valued in communication
Instructors value the concept of critical thinking, but at the same time this can be very confusing as to what is wanted because it is seldom defined. To demonstrate you are thinking critically begin with any one of three processes: one, review the evidence and conclude what is truthful; two, consider a concept and apply it to a situation; or, three, show how you would solve a problem. Note that each of these approaches must be appropriately applied to the question being asked.
Study Tip 10: Creative thinking brings out the inventor
One creative thinking approach is to combine two ideas and make something new. For example, someone in the plastics industry once looked at the spoon and fork and made a new eating utensil, the spork, combining the spoon and fork into one utensil. To apply the creative thinking concept to your studies, consider how, for example, big ideas have changed history. In addition, consider how big ideas of today are changing the world. Finally, consider how the big ideas you have learned in one course can be applied to another.
I have written before about how my courses use the Noel Levitz retention tool, the Noel Levitz College Student Inventory ™, to leverage what students tell us their needs are with content useful to them in the course. The majority of the students in my current Comp I online course say they would like help in finding good study tips. They told me this through the CSI, which was presented prior to the start of the semester.
Of course, we teachers pride ourselves on building study tips into our courses, and so it is easy at first to say the students just are not paying attention. I can easily take this attitude as the course is marked with what I call bread crumbs. That is, worksheets, practice quizzes, diagnostics, referrals to counselors, links to tutors, and so much more are clearly labeled. I even have the words “start here” to indicate that students should start with the lectures. How can the students possibly miss all of this? Well, some do. Plus, remember that the survey was done prior to the semester when students had not seen any of the study elements.
With that, I continue to build into the online courses I teach more bread crumbs to provide the help they crave. My latest effort was to create short study tips as announcements. I have created 10, focusing on tips for essays and critical thinking. I have cued the computer to release a new one every 10 days. In addition, I plan to provide a hyperlink within each study tip announcement that tells students where they can find more on the topic.
One of my key concerns is whether or not I am giving the students the exact study tip they seek. However, I also view these tips as entry points, so to speak, to a broader resource they can find, which is why I add the hyperlinks for more help. For example, I am moving them toward the tutors, the handbook, worksheets, and myself, following a study tip in the announcements.
I am including my list of 10 resources in this blog. Readers may use any of these, if they are so inclined. If you have good ones of your own, please share. I am grateful to others who have shared many of these ideas. Here are the tips I am now placing in the announcements:
Study Tip 1: SQ3R clarifies the reading
One approach to reading an assignment, even to review your own writing, is the SQ3R approach. This stands for Survey, Question, Read, Review, and Reflect. To expand, first Survey the essay. That is, scan it. Pay attention to sub-heads, if present, and look quickly for the main ideas in paragraphs. Then think of the Questions you have after scanning the essay. This will engage your mind to look for the answers. Then Read through the essay. Next, take time to Review what you have learned and whether or not your questions were answered. Finally, Reflect upon the meaning of the content. Then repeat the process. Sometimes the essay is better with the second read.
Study Tip 2: Include three things when writing a thesis
When writing a thesis, be sure you do three things: 1. make a claim, 2. explain why it true, and 3. show why it matters. Example: Children should not stay up late at night watching television (claim) because they need eight hours of sleep each night (why it is true), so that they will not be inattentive the next day in school (why it matters).
Study Tip 3: Organize thoughts before you start to write
One element that marks the difference between the novice writer and the experienced one is taking time to organize your thoughts. Just as a home builder would not construct a house without a blueprint, the writer needs to plan thoughts. Planning an essay can be in the form of an outline, a brainstorm, a list of ideas that need to be included, and so on. The point for the writer is to consider the ideas to be included within the essay prior to starting.
Study Tip 4: Essay structure key to success
Presenting ideas in a structure that helps the reader to comprehend the ideas is important for successful communication. One essay format, the five-paragraph structure, offers the reader a format for comprehending the writer’s ideas. The five-paragraph structure calls for, in this order, an introduction, a thesis within the first paragraph, at least three main body paragraphs that each has a main idea with supporting examples and explanations, and a conclusion that summarizes the lessons learned and/or makes a prediction about the future.
Study Tip 5: Conclusions summarize lessons learned make future predictions
A conclusion should add to the points the main body has made as the writer wraps up the essay. A good way to do so is to make a prediction about the future, given the points made in the main body. A writer may also comment upon the lessons learned, for example, how the case that was just made has changed him or her as a person. A conclusion must not present ideas that were not developed in the main body. In addition, the conclusion must connect to the thesis.
Study Tip 6: Avoid distractions when studying
Many students think they are good at multi-tasking and so they study with the television or music on in the background. The cell phone and text-messaging are also close at hand. Studies show that human beings really are not good at multi-tasking, that the examples presented really should be called what they are, distractions. Study in a quiet environment and your mind will be better able to focus on the material.
Study Tip 7: Make use of Online Tutors
The course offers opportunities for connecting with online tutors for questions involving math and English. Students are encouraged to make use of the tutors. Each student has 15 hours of time scheduled with tutors per year and very few students make use of this time. Having a person who is trained as a consultant is valuable. However, do not expect the tutor to do the work. The tutor’s role is to guide the student to individual success.
Study Tip 8: Paragraphs require explanation and example
When writing a paragraph, remember that your objective is to communicate your ideas that support the thesis to the reader. Because the reader cannot “read” your mind, but is limited to only the words on the page, you need to provide details beyond the main idea of the paragraph. It is important to support the main idea with examples and explanations. Therefore, a writer must be aware of what the reader needs to know to fully understand the message being delivered.
Study Tip 9: Critical thinking valued in communication
Instructors value the concept of critical thinking, but at the same time this can be very confusing as to what is wanted because it is seldom defined. To demonstrate you are thinking critically begin with any one of three processes: one, review the evidence and conclude what is truthful; two, consider a concept and apply it to a situation; or, three, show how you would solve a problem. Note that each of these approaches must be appropriately applied to the question being asked.
Study Tip 10: Creative thinking brings out the inventor
One creative thinking approach is to combine two ideas and make something new. For example, someone in the plastics industry once looked at the spoon and fork and made a new eating utensil, the spork, combining the spoon and fork into one utensil. To apply the creative thinking concept to your studies, consider how, for example, big ideas have changed history. In addition, consider how big ideas of today are changing the world. Finally, consider how the big ideas you have learned in one course can be applied to another.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
A Tutor for Every Student
In any class of students, teachers know that not all are in the same place in terms of skill development. Thus, instructors often put up the Help Wanted sign and assign students to seek out tutors. However, I suggest thinking of tutors as working under a Help Offered and Accepted banner. That is, I make it a requirement for all students to work with tutors, not just for those who have identifiable problems. Since the help is offered, I require every student to take advantage of it.
Although students may grumble at first, the advantages far out-weigh the disadvantages, and eventually all students will see the wisdom of this requirement. I have made the requirement for the rough draft stage of any essay assignment in my college English composition classes for years. Because I do, I see stronger final essay drafts.
Another advantage is that someone other than the teacher is commenting upon the student work in the rough draft stage. Although we can focus on different things, direction on my part to the tutors helps. In addition, students also must start writing a few days ahead of the final deadline in order to interact with tutors, meaning procrastination is not an issue.
In addition, students gain confidence when someone who is trained to comment upon their essays does so. I also see fewer hand-offs of the rough drafts to family and friends. Too often the family member of friend, going too far in being helpful, writes all or a portion of the final draft, and this leads to complications for a student, such as failing the assignment and maybe even the course.
Here’s a word to the wise - be sure the students also submit what the tutors recommends to them to you. Also require the students to provide answers to questions that demonstrate the changes they have made in line with what the tutor has suggested. This feedback is very useful in engaging with the students. I add questions that demonstrate students have reflected upon the essay’s focus and have addressed technical and structural concerns as well. I also direct students to ask me to clarify issues that may still confuse them.
If you are in the classroom or a blended learning environment, perhaps your college offers tutorial help in a learning center. If so, invite tutors into the classroom to engage students while working through rough drafts. This helps students to advance as you observe. It also assures that the students interact with tutors.
To sum up, tutors are a great help but work for coordination with them and the students. In so doing, students receive excellent feedback, and learning outcomes improve.
Although students may grumble at first, the advantages far out-weigh the disadvantages, and eventually all students will see the wisdom of this requirement. I have made the requirement for the rough draft stage of any essay assignment in my college English composition classes for years. Because I do, I see stronger final essay drafts.
Another advantage is that someone other than the teacher is commenting upon the student work in the rough draft stage. Although we can focus on different things, direction on my part to the tutors helps. In addition, students also must start writing a few days ahead of the final deadline in order to interact with tutors, meaning procrastination is not an issue.
In addition, students gain confidence when someone who is trained to comment upon their essays does so. I also see fewer hand-offs of the rough drafts to family and friends. Too often the family member of friend, going too far in being helpful, writes all or a portion of the final draft, and this leads to complications for a student, such as failing the assignment and maybe even the course.
Here’s a word to the wise - be sure the students also submit what the tutors recommends to them to you. Also require the students to provide answers to questions that demonstrate the changes they have made in line with what the tutor has suggested. This feedback is very useful in engaging with the students. I add questions that demonstrate students have reflected upon the essay’s focus and have addressed technical and structural concerns as well. I also direct students to ask me to clarify issues that may still confuse them.
If you are in the classroom or a blended learning environment, perhaps your college offers tutorial help in a learning center. If so, invite tutors into the classroom to engage students while working through rough drafts. This helps students to advance as you observe. It also assures that the students interact with tutors.
To sum up, tutors are a great help but work for coordination with them and the students. In so doing, students receive excellent feedback, and learning outcomes improve.
Online Learners Want to Participate
A funny thing happened on the way to learning about my online students this fall. Through the application of the Noel Levitz College Student Inventory ™, I discovered that about half the class would like more opportunity to meet their fellow classmates. Plus, it is just not through discussions that they would like to meet each other but rather in-person, especially through student activities. I say “funny thing” because I had not suspected that so many online students would also want to meet classmates in person.
When students tell me themselves they would like to have opportunities to meet each other, then as an educator I need to respond. In addition, I think it is my responsibility to help the online learner embrace this part of the college experience, if for no other reason than the fact that most online learners are already paying student activity fees as part of their tuition that support the clubs’ very existence. This is also good for retention.
As I said, it seems ironical that an online college student would make such a request. After all, meeting people in person is less likely to happen when students are learning at home, isolated away from the college campus. However, they do. The reasons for learning at home, by the way, are many, and not all online students feel the same way, but invitations to participate in activities need to go out to those who do show an interest.
Acting upon this information, I had a conversation recently with a college student government adviser, encouraging him to make a special effort to engage the online learner. That’s because many of the online students who want an opportunity to participate in campus activities also ask how to become student government leaders, an activity that requires a high level of commitment. So, after talking with the adviser, I put that student request in the accomplished column. Now I am posting activity announcements for online learners. In addition, one of the transition to college counselors has collected calendars from the three colleges in the Eastern Iowa Community College District where students are served and these are now posted in the course.
At this time I see many online education communities moving toward building social communities. More and more, when students first sign on to their classes, they first see campus announcements. I also see private windows open where students can quickly see how they are doing in their classes. Thus, we educators not only can fulfill the students’ need to socialize but also leverage the requests into focusing the students upon their courses.
In conclusion, I think a few simple steps can be enough – a calendar, announcements, invitations, a list of campus clubs. That is, as online instructors we cannot sponsor our own bowling night, but we can connect the online learner to campus activities when events are scheduled. Maybe we will even want to join them ourselves.
When students tell me themselves they would like to have opportunities to meet each other, then as an educator I need to respond. In addition, I think it is my responsibility to help the online learner embrace this part of the college experience, if for no other reason than the fact that most online learners are already paying student activity fees as part of their tuition that support the clubs’ very existence. This is also good for retention.
As I said, it seems ironical that an online college student would make such a request. After all, meeting people in person is less likely to happen when students are learning at home, isolated away from the college campus. However, they do. The reasons for learning at home, by the way, are many, and not all online students feel the same way, but invitations to participate in activities need to go out to those who do show an interest.
Acting upon this information, I had a conversation recently with a college student government adviser, encouraging him to make a special effort to engage the online learner. That’s because many of the online students who want an opportunity to participate in campus activities also ask how to become student government leaders, an activity that requires a high level of commitment. So, after talking with the adviser, I put that student request in the accomplished column. Now I am posting activity announcements for online learners. In addition, one of the transition to college counselors has collected calendars from the three colleges in the Eastern Iowa Community College District where students are served and these are now posted in the course.
At this time I see many online education communities moving toward building social communities. More and more, when students first sign on to their classes, they first see campus announcements. I also see private windows open where students can quickly see how they are doing in their classes. Thus, we educators not only can fulfill the students’ need to socialize but also leverage the requests into focusing the students upon their courses.
In conclusion, I think a few simple steps can be enough – a calendar, announcements, invitations, a list of campus clubs. That is, as online instructors we cannot sponsor our own bowling night, but we can connect the online learner to campus activities when events are scheduled. Maybe we will even want to join them ourselves.
Formative v Summative Assessments for Online Learners
One of major differences in how quickly instructors can adapt learning for students is at the heart of the classroom vs. online learning debate.
In the classroom, instructors are able to respond more quickly, adapting lessons in progress. Of course, adapting lessons while the learning is in place is otherwise known as Formative Assessment. Score one for the classroom.
To compensate for Online Learners, the lesson plan must be effectively updated between semesters, or after lessons are completed. This, of course, is known as Summative Assessment. However, updating lessons plans between semesters helps the classroom learner as well, given the advantage of in-time lesson adaptation. Score another point for the classroom.
Even so, we can always improve the course for the online learner, as well as the classroom learner. For example, most recently I have seen too many students come into the live college classroom with little understanding of how to write a paragraph, one that meets academic standards. Without this knowledge not only are clarity and unity lost within the paragraph but also the entire essay structure falters. It is not unusual that up to one-third of the students – no matter what the learning environment – do not have college level writing skills for the paragraph and more. Score zero for all education.
In addressing this issue and others in the classroom, I have brought in tutors, have presented one-to-one and group activities, have focused on the issues in the students’ rough drafts, and have provided examples of paragraphs that do meet academic standards. Success varies.
With that being said, classroom students may also connect with online course material free of charge. This advantage is offered within the eCollege LMS system our college subscribes to, which is known as eCompanion. Score a point for all learners.
Nevertheless, online learners will generally make as much progress as the classroom student by the time the course ends. However, the advancement may be slower. How is this possible? The online student is required to send rough drafts to an online tutor and then interact with the instructor regarding questions that arise. Score a point for all learners as everyone is required to send drafts to online tutors. The online learner, though, must make more effort here with the tutor as the instructor is not as available.
In addition, my online English composition course now also provides a unit devoted to the structure of the essay (including paragraphing) and includes within the lectures commentary on how to build paragraphs specific to the essay assignments. This was built after so many students showed the need for a unit where the basics could be reviewed at anytime. Score another point for all students.
In conclusion, when a problem is seen, it is important to use a combined Formative and Summative Assessment approach, adjusting it not only for the individual students but also for the limitations of the learning environment. This helps all learners to score well.
In the classroom, instructors are able to respond more quickly, adapting lessons in progress. Of course, adapting lessons while the learning is in place is otherwise known as Formative Assessment. Score one for the classroom.
To compensate for Online Learners, the lesson plan must be effectively updated between semesters, or after lessons are completed. This, of course, is known as Summative Assessment. However, updating lessons plans between semesters helps the classroom learner as well, given the advantage of in-time lesson adaptation. Score another point for the classroom.
Even so, we can always improve the course for the online learner, as well as the classroom learner. For example, most recently I have seen too many students come into the live college classroom with little understanding of how to write a paragraph, one that meets academic standards. Without this knowledge not only are clarity and unity lost within the paragraph but also the entire essay structure falters. It is not unusual that up to one-third of the students – no matter what the learning environment – do not have college level writing skills for the paragraph and more. Score zero for all education.
In addressing this issue and others in the classroom, I have brought in tutors, have presented one-to-one and group activities, have focused on the issues in the students’ rough drafts, and have provided examples of paragraphs that do meet academic standards. Success varies.
With that being said, classroom students may also connect with online course material free of charge. This advantage is offered within the eCollege LMS system our college subscribes to, which is known as eCompanion. Score a point for all learners.
Nevertheless, online learners will generally make as much progress as the classroom student by the time the course ends. However, the advancement may be slower. How is this possible? The online student is required to send rough drafts to an online tutor and then interact with the instructor regarding questions that arise. Score a point for all learners as everyone is required to send drafts to online tutors. The online learner, though, must make more effort here with the tutor as the instructor is not as available.
In addition, my online English composition course now also provides a unit devoted to the structure of the essay (including paragraphing) and includes within the lectures commentary on how to build paragraphs specific to the essay assignments. This was built after so many students showed the need for a unit where the basics could be reviewed at anytime. Score another point for all students.
In conclusion, when a problem is seen, it is important to use a combined Formative and Summative Assessment approach, adjusting it not only for the individual students but also for the limitations of the learning environment. This helps all learners to score well.
Starting Students Early
As summer concludes, I am putting the finishing touches on an early start program for my fall 2012 Composition I online class. Officially, the class starts Aug. 27, but I opened portions of the course June 16, extending the class by 10 weeks. The concept is to give students an opportunity to orientate early to the class and online learning, if necessary, as well as to have an opportunity to write their first essay long before the class actually started.
With the focus on orientation, not each unit in the course was opened. Students were asked to review the Orientation lecture, the Introduction to the Course unit, and an Essay Structure unit. In addition, the students were asked to complete the College Student Inventory ™, a product of Noel Levitz that asks students to provide their own academic needs for success. Once the students completed the survey they were awarded 10 points and an opportunity to start the first essay assignment, one featuring narration. Finally, each student was asked to introduce himself or herself in a discussion group. Each unit, by the way, was designed with the help of Softchalk.
In addition, the course schedule and syllabus were emailed to students, and they were provided their counselor’s names and contact information. Concerns the CSI identified were addressed by me.
The number of students enrolled in the course is 28 and, as of Aug. 11, 18 have taken the CSI and earned the 10 points. With over two weeks before the official start of the semester, two students have completed the narration assignment, and six others are reviewing content included in the supporting lecture. Nineteen students have entered the course, and 15 have on average 15 hours of time in the course recorded. Eleven students have not yet started or responded to four email invitations or a voice message.
To date, the results are encouraging. I have already helped students address software and textbook issues, have discussed online learning concerns, and observe that it is possible for students to complete their coursework early or to have extended time that they themselves have earned when problems occur. Thus, two-thirds of the class has already earned points and have started the class long before it officially opens. I see this not only as a useful approach for online students but also one that could help classroom students to organize.
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