Tag: elearning

EDUC 4151: Starting a new course

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It has been a little while since I took the first course in the eLearning Instruction Certificate. However, I have been applying the skills and tools I learned. Here are some of the ways I have been re-purposing existing educational material and learning activities online.

1. Developed a blend of asynchronous and synchronous activities (discussion forums, live video, games).

2. Include more videos and recordings.

3. Reduce and/or transform static documents (pdfs, word) by using whiteboards, games, moodle lessons.

4. Make projects more flexible. Provide different opportunities for project delivery. For example, options to write an essay, create a video, or develop a website. 

5. Use blogs or portfolio site to store and review material. Students can show their research and reflection on an ongoing blog or portfolio site. 

elearning vs. f2f reflection

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What are the challenges for you as an online student?

Some of the challenges for me as an online student is maintaining motivation and time management. I find that seeing all of the course content can be a bit overwhelming at first. The other challenge is not being able to ask questions immediately about assignments etc. I also find it hard to decide which discussion comment to engage with – there are so many!

How are you going to deal with these challenges?

I’ve created a schedule/outline of my goal completion dates for each module. I also went through all of the assignments and printed off hard copies so I can refer to them and start planning for each one. In terms of asking questions, I’ve been asking peers, or looking through the forums, and course material for the answer. So far it has been successful! For my discussion responses I’ve decided to be selective and select a few to read and one or two to respond to so I don’t get overwhelmed by all the content.

What has been your most important learning to date?

My most important learning to date is learning about effective ways to interact with students online and immerse them into the course content. It has also been to reflect on the barriers that may restrict students access to online courses and thinking about how they can be made more accessible for everybody (no matter what class, race, or age).