Tips for Student Success in an Online Course

- strategies and tips to improve student retention and success rates- what works, what doesn�’t work

Donald Girouarddonald.girouard@gov.mb.ca

http://dluspace.wikispaces.com/

Role of the Teacher

The role of the teacher in an online course can be summarized in 3 main areas.

1. pace the course2. assess and evaluate student

performance3. communicate with students,

administration, and parents

Role of the Student�• reading at grade level �• good attendance or online presence �• engaged in class activity �• reasonably self-directed to complete work �• submits work �• meets deadlines �• prepares for tests�• Readiness Quiz

http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/pretest.html

�….

�• WBC are different �– teachers should make it clear to students as to what it takes to be successful in �“their�” course

�• may help if students are scheduled during the day to work in their online courses

�• local support �– who and how?

Local Support provided by Site Facilitator

�• Help students become aware of the skills needed to be successful http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/dl/wbc/pretest.html

�• Help students with the technology involved:�– ensuring the computers at school have the proper configurations

and settings to access the Blackboard/WebCT �– ensure students have access to computers�– coordinating with the IT personnel to ensure network access and

filtering does not hamper access to Blackboard�– ensuring software, if any, is available for the student to use�– assisting the student with ICT skills, such as downloading and

opening attachments

�…..�• Provide or arrange for supervision of tests and exams�• Communicate relevant information to the teacher, for

example, lengthy absences, dropping out, etc�• Communicate with parents so that they are aware the

students are taking an online course�• Monitor student progress and performance ensuring they

do not fall behind�• Assist students in resolving any difficulties they may

encounter during the completion of a WBC course. �• Ensure the final mark is recorded in school�’s records

(administration system if any), EIS and in student�’s transcript/report cards

�• Provide students with on-going encouragement

Comparing a WBC with Face-to-Face Learning

�• Good teaching f2f is good teaching online.�• but the medium is different; it requires the

use of technology�• Students who want to learn, will learn, no

matter if the environment is a f2f class or a WBC

�• different strategies for engagement

Online Presence�• Student success has much to do with engagement�• Part of the engagement involves creating an Online

Presence�– teacher presence�– student presence �– social presence�– emotional presence�– social networking

�• Students move from passive mode in a f2f class to active modes of learning in an online class

�• Very much teacher directed and facilitated.�• Immediacy = responding quickly to emails, postings,

assignment submissions, etc

Swift Trust�• Before the course starts, contact the students

individually, phone or email. �• You have to gain the student�’s trust from the first day or

even before. �• Introduce yourself as the online teacher�• be warm and informal�• make students feel welcome and that you�’re looking

forward to �“seeing�” them when the course starts. �• You can also set some of the goals and expectations.

research from Bill Phillips of the University of Central Florida

Swift Trust Follow-up�• The first announcement is a follow-up to the �“swift trust�”

contact�• The stage is set and online presence is noticeable�• Tells students what to do first and what to expect�• Add a picture of you with a caption�• Add some a voice recording with a welcome message

Sale First Announcement

�• Welcome to Biology 30S Course!�• I am looking forward in communicating with

you and in helping you as much as possible.�• I will use the "Announcements" area of the

course to make class announcements - sort of like intercom announcements. Each day you login to the course, check the "Announcements".

�…First tasks:I would like you to do several things as soon as possible. No due date is mentioned because there may be somedelays for some of you at the beginning.1. Please contact me just to say "Hello". I want to hear from you as soon as possible. To get to the mail tool,click on "Mail" icon in the "Course Tools" and then click on "create message" in the mail window. To find my mail address, click on the "browse recipients" button and chose my name from the list. Any comments or questions are most welcome.

�…

2. Next, go to the Assignment tool found on the left menu and open up your first assignment. Read and follow the instructions to introduce yourself to the class.

3. Read the Syllabus. It will have information about this course, some rules to follow and how you will be evaluated.

�…

4. Now go to the Discussion tool and open the blog called �“What do cell phones have to do with Biology?.

This is a practice blog so that you become familiar using this tool.

5. It�’s time for your first quiz �– well this one is not worth marks; it�’s just for practice again. Use the Assessment tool on the left and open the quiz called �“Practice Test�”.

Homepage

�• Make this page inviting but not too crowded.

�• �“Meet the Teacher�” with icon

First Assignment

�• Social presence from the student�’s perspective .

�• Students introduce themselves, they can mention what school they are from, what are their hobbies, etc.

�• The student submissions are published so that online students get to know each other.

Roster or Class List

�• If enabled, the Roster is another area where students can fill a brief introduction

�• placeholder to add image of student�• Some caution advised about pictures:

�– AUP�– parent�’s permission�– local policies

Syllabus�• set the expectations for students�• tell student what they can expect from you

level of engagement and what happens if students don�’t participate

�• tell students how to succeed in your course�• list ICT skills needed�• set the rules of the road, e.g. student lounge area�• create or expand �“meet the teacher�”�• have the course outline�• indicate how the students will be evaluated�• describe any policies applicable to your course, e.g. AUP

Discussions and Blogs�• teacher jumps in at opportune times to engage

participation. �• teacher needs to read the postings on a daily

basis so that opportunities are not missed�• Use higher level questions and probing

techniques.�• Discussions �– more formal and displays thread

of responses.Blogs �– less formal and displays comments without threads.

�• If students are evaluated, give rubric

Sample Probing Questions�• Why do you think this is the case?�• What would have to change in order for�…?�• What�’s another way you might�…?�• What would it look like if�…?�• What do you think would happen if�…?�• How was�…different from�…?�• When have you done/experienced something like this

before?�• What might you see happening in your classroom if�…?�• How did you decide/determine/conclude�…?

source from http://www.smallschoolsproject.org/PDFS/questions_2003.pdf

Student Lounge

�• don�’t discourage it�’s use�• it allows for social networking�• replaces hallway talk�• needs monitoring

Sample mail for social presenceHi Guys and Gals:Just got home from a very hectic day, but I want to respond

to some of the postings before I fall asleep at the dinner table ;-) Joe asked: �“Do you have any ideas about - - - - -- - - - - Where I work, we tried - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -.

I have to agree with Gerry�’s very perceptive comment about the - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - .

What really frustrates me is that ---------------------. Does anyone else feel the same?

Well, that�’s all for now. Guess I�’ll have a little dinner and see what�’s on the tube.

CheersMister G.

Content Links

�• add links in key areas that brings students directly to a blog, quiz, assignment, etc

�• content links can be added on�– homepage�– calendar�– within or between lessons

�• add �“self-check�” pages

Sample lesson

Sample Self-check

Improve Rote Communication�• use emoticons on occasion for informal communications

�– or :-) �• add audio clips�• add video clips�• re-read what your write . . .look for subtle nuances�• don�’t try to be funny without a picture or other hint that it

is funny�• take several pictures of you with different expressions,

emotions and insert them where appropriate

Journals/Wikis/Facebook

�– PLE - Personal Learning Environments. �– �“what did you learn in the genetics module?�”�– can be made private between teacher and

student.�– Wikispaces or Facebook or other social media

can be used for PLE

Groups

�• Group Manager tool�• assignment or blog where groups work on

a project�• may include chat area

Surveys

�• create a short non-marking quiz�• one question is often sufficient�• �“What do you think about ____ when you

read Lesson 6 in the Genetics Module?�”�• checkpoints inserted in between lesson�• add content link to survey in calendar or

homepage

Synchronous Communication

�• Chat tools, online whiteboards, video�• Elluminate free vRoom, DimDim, Skype,

MSN, etc�• schedule regular live tutorials�• one-on-one help�• class meetings

�– what do you like about this online course?�– what would you have that�’s different?

Assessment

�• should be on-going and continuous�• communicate regularly with students�• no surprises�• think of best practices in assessment

Assessment Tips in Blackboard/WebCT

�• Threaded Discussions: excellent tool; it allows active participation

�• Blogs: less formal but works�• Journals: another excellent tool�• Assignment tool: allow students to take back

submission to re-do the work�• Assessment tool: quizzes, tests, exams are

available but how do you know students have done the work? Do not use quizzes and tests for the majority of the marks

�• Mail: allow late submissions via attachments

Summary�• read through the course and assignments before the

students do�• become comfortable with the technology and make sure

it works�• be aware of the ICT skills required�• good teaching f2f is good teaching online�• intentionally pace the course�• communicate often�• engage the students in learning

discussions, blogs, journals, chat, whiteboard sessions

�• expect spending a lot of time with emails, blogs, etc

�…..�• follow up quickly with students who do not participate�• know the local support systems of your students�• keep site facilitator(s) informed (remote schools)�• use announcements frequently to keep students

informed�• tell students how to succeed in your course�• learning is the focus, not the technology�• the content of the course is secondary

how the students are learning is more important�• create an online and emotional presence