Online Learning Discussion 5-23-08

Here are the notes and the audio from the online learning discussion on 5/23/08 for those of you who were unable to attend or who want to review.

Download Audio from the online learning discussion 5-23-08

Notes – Online Learning Discussion

1. From a site perspective, what are some of the barriers that students experience with online learning?

   • difficulty getting and remembering login in information
   • students need help and support getting started
   • it should be a requirement for students to complete CMPS 100 & CMPS 101
   • courses need to have more discussion and more interaction
   • students complain that they have difficulty contacting their instructors

2. What are your top three challenges?

   • students are drawn to the social element of the technology, but are reluctant to use it for academic work
   • it is difficult to keep in contact with students, students don’t receive e-mail messages or don’t access the site
   • students don’t have adequate computer skills – need cmps 100 & 101 first
   • inadequate access to computers & internet
   • tribes block necessary sites
   • we need to assess student access to a computer and to the Internet when advising students about online classes
   • students need to sign a contract at the beginning of a quarter that lays out expectations and requirements
   • mandate participation through points to get them started interacting and sharing
   • BOOKS!  Could we use more online open education resources in place of textbooks?

3. What kind of support do faculty and students need?

   • standardized documentation and materials (instructions, expectations)
   • forum for instructors to share information and techniques
   • there needs to be an online learning handbook for students (there actually is one, it’s just e-mailed and not mailed anymore)
   • students should be required to watch the introduction to Moodle tutorial
   • sites need to help their students get started in Moodle
   • students need tech support & help (students having trouble with compatibility using different versions of Office or other word processing programs)

4. What students are most/least effective?

   • students that are well prepared, professional, working people tend to be successful in any type of course
   • math, speach, science lab classes are difficult to teach online

5. How do we improve the quality of our courses?  What is the best way to evaluate and improve our courses?  What is the best way to do faculty training?

   • We need someone to do an evaluation and assess the courses
   • Instructors have difficulty carving out the time
   • Faculty want to be required to take a training course on teaching with Moodle (they have difficulty making time available, so need specific time set aside where they are required to participate) – We need to use the loan officer technique with faculty
   • There needs to be more training opportunities
   • Could we have our own mini-conference on e-learning where faculty share and present ideas?
   • Faculty need release time to develope course materials