E-Learning Newsletter

What were some of the benefits from your participation?

I learned about new elearning technologies, such as Camtasia and Voice Thread. I also appreciated the opportunity to work with a mentor, which helped me structure my PNT course so that it aligned with my course objectives.

What course(s) do you offer online? Are they PNET or FNET?

I've taught ENGL102, English Composition II: Introduction to Literature and BE112, Writing Workshop, as PNT courses.

Do you find that QCC students are typically prepared to take online courses?

Many are not, but the eLearning Institute helps us to recognize the challenges students might face with PNT or FNT courses and provides tools to make our courses more easily navigable for students.

Do you find that QCC students enjoy taking online courses?

I think that some of the older students with families or full-time jobs appreciate the flexibility. Some students, however, struggle with time management or access to technology when they are off campus.

What are the greatest difficulties in teaching an online course?

Students don't manage their time well. They see the online portion as being homework, not as being a required and necessary part of the course.

What are the greatest advantages in teaching an online course?

I like to use the online portion of my course to reinforce skills with interactive elearning tools, Blackboard quizzes, and discussion boards. This allows students to practice what they have learned in the face-to-face class.

What methods/strategies have you found to be useful in engaging students in PNET courses?

I try to make my Blackboard course shell interesting by inserting pictures and embedding videos in my activities and assignments. I also make sure that Blackboard is organized in the same way my syllabus is organized so that students can easily find what they are looking for instead of having to hunt around.

What would you say to a faculty member who was considering developing an online course?

• Don't make it too complicated.
• Avoid making a lot of subfolders.
• Have an entry point (a menu option that has an FAQ section, contact information, etc.)
• Don't leave it to “run” by itself; check in frequently.
• Develop assignments/activities that lend themselves to an online environment.

Has online teaching and the e-learning institute helped you with your traditional face-to-face classes?

I've always used a lot of elearning tools in my face-to-face classes, but where it's helped the most is when I realized that students are very willing to help and support each other in online spaces. This often translates to their interactions in the classroom as well.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience as an online instructor?

Initially, setting up and then teaching in an online course was more work than I anticipated, but as I learned what worked and what didn't, I've been better able to manage my time.

What were some of the benefits from your participation?

I think the most significant benefit was the opportunity to have a forum where you were exposed to various strategies and enhancement for teaching online courses. The institute was loaded with resources. I also enjoyed the way the institute was structured. Dedicating two weeks in the summer was a great way to immerse myself in understanding how to build an engaging and sustainable course.

Do you find that QCC students enjoy taking online courses?

I'm not sure that enjoy is the word that I would use! I think the level of engagement necessary to complete the course surprises many students. I believe there are some misconceptions about the ease and freedom of online courses. They obviously take a tremendous amount of discipline and focus, since much of the work requires students to manage and complete assignments on their own. When students have deficits in time management, they become glaring when they take online courses. However, there is a level of discipline and focus that students can eventually develop if they are successful in the course.

What are the greatest difficulties in teaching an online course?

Teaching online is a new pedagogical modality for many students. They do not have the experience; so many times, along with content, you are teaching them organization, time-management, and engagement skills. While you may teach components of these same skills in a face-to-face class, the way you teach them in an online course is different because the modality is different. Teaching these skills can take a lot of time, and some students might not understand how important they are to their success in the class until it is too late. An online course moves fast, and assessment is ongoing and continuous. Impressing that upon students is necessary, but oftentimes difficult.

What are the greatest advantages in teaching an online course?

In the same vein, when students take ownership of the new skills of time management and organization they learn in an online course, that is equally rewarding. There is a bit of satisfaction you gain in knowing that you are part of building new skills. Time management is essential to all of your academic and career endeavors. Also, teaching students how to respond and engage online content is important. Our increasingly digital society requires that students understand online etiquette and engagement. Knowing that you are contributing to this skill development in students is rewarding.

What methods/strategies have you found to be useful in engaging students in PNET courses?

I am a big fan of discussion boards. I think they are a great way to keep the conversation going after you have left the classroom. I use discussion boards as a way for students to communicate with each other. Especially at the beginning of the semester when students are just starting to meet and get to know one another. I also use discussion boards to assess students' understanding of concepts and theories. I often employ critical thinking questions through the discussion board as a way to understand how much or how little a student understands an idea we discussed in class. The more that they can write and engage the concept through the critical thinking question, the more secure I feel in their comprehension of the subject.

What would you say to a faculty member who was considering developing an online course?

I would tell them to go for it! The great thing about teaching a course at QCC is that there are resources for you to succeed and tons of examples that you can model your course after.

Has online teaching and the e-learning institute helped you with your traditional face-to-face classes?

Some of what I learned about assessment from the Quality Matters rubric has been helpful in my face-to-face classes. When rebuilding syllabi for courses or implementing new assignments, I often look at the QM rubric to ensure that the syllabus and assignments support the learner and encourage interaction. The QM rubric has been great at ensuring that I build courses that scaffold students' learning.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience as an online instructor?

It's been a very good experience thus far. I look forward to teaching more online courses.

Has online teaching and the e-learning institute helped you with your traditional face-to-face classes?

Some of what I learned about assessment from the Quality Matters rubric has been helpful in my face-to-face classes. When rebuilding syllabi for courses or implementing new assignments, I often look at the QM rubric to ensure that the syllabus and assignments support the learner and encourage interaction. The QM rubric has been great at ensuring that I build courses that scaffold students’ learning.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience as an online instructor?

It’s been a very good experience thus far. I look forward to teaching more online courses.