I have had the best time getting to know all of you and how you teach online. I can honestly say that each of you bring something new, unique and engaging to your online classes and I would like for each of you to share your perspectives in online education. So the big question for this month is...
"How is teaching online different from teaching onsite?" What makes this experience at NUVHS different?
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I think that one difference is that even though we have many students in our NUVHS classes, the interaction is similar to one on one teaching. It is having the best of both worlds in that you can have class discussions with many students yet communicate and teach individuals according to their learning needs. With traditional classes at brick and mortar schools growing larger, it is difficult to maintain that one on one aspect of teaching. I think the hybrid setting of group/individual learning is what makes online classes unique.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points, Jimmy! In terms of online, do you think this kind of course delivery works better asynchronously or do you think it would be better to have kids move through the materials "lock step?" What is the benefit to working with students individually?
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of feedback do you get from the kids?
When you say lock step, do you mean that all students in a course would work on the same assignments at the same time? i.e. everyone completes unit 1 assignment 1 during this week? If so, I think that would have it's advantages in that the teacher could focus on one assignment and students could have more collegial discussions since all would be on or near the same place.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, allowing students the freedom to work on assignments in the order and speed they wish, gives nice flexibility to the program. It allows students of different abilities to progress at their own pace. One of the centerpieces of online education is flexibility and this type of delivery certainly provides for such flexibility.
The students seem to enjoy the flexibiltiy and mobility within the courses. I have had some extremely talented students lately who have powered through the course and finished early. This has allowed them to continue or speeed up their programs at their brick and mortar schools. For these types, flexibility was definitely a plus.
p.s. Do you have a costume for Diesel yet?
One thing that has surprised me about online teaching is how quickly I have learned to 'know' my students. I thought it would seem more distant and anonymous, but I can see the students' personalities, learning styles, attitudes about the subject matter and learning in general flowing out of their emails, messages, and requests. It is an unexpected joy.
ReplyDeleteI like being able to give each student attention, which I can since I don't have to respond to all of them within a 45 minute period. I can spend days on a question with one student who loves the 'dialogue', and I can send a quick answer to a student who just wants that.
Another plus is that a student can think about a thought provoking question for as long as he or she needs to, without feeling pressured to find a quick answer.
I think my favorite aspect of teaching online has to be the absense of "politics!" I strongly disliked dealing with teachers who weren't there for the students or who cared more about making sure they had a specific amount of minutes for lunch break than doing what was best for the kids. I have had more administrative support online than I ever had in a traditional school, and that is saying a lot considering I've only met the administration a couple times!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the students go, I love to get the perspectives of students from all over the world! I also like the fact that I can better taylor my teaching styles to the individual needs of my students.
I do need to work more on encouraging more "conversations" between the students as well as myself. I tend to interact more with the students who make the effort to interact with me. Whereas, in the traditional school setting, I would have great discussions with my students almost on a daily basis.
LOL! No costume for Diesel this year--he's too big! He's 57lbs--I couldn't find anything to fit him, though I think he would have made a really cute bumble bee! I am determined to find Diesel a Santa suit though!
ReplyDeleteWhat about Rico? What did you dress him up as?
As for online..I totally agree and the kids seem to say the same thing as well--they love the flexibility. So far from what I have seen anyway, I think giving the kids flexibility also has something to do with their creativity as well.
Good point about kids having the time to think about their answers--do you think that helps with their overall achievement?
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about conversations with the students. I'm working on some options. I think we will have Class Live Pro in all of our classes next semester--so that might be an idea. :o)
ReplyDeleteI love having students from all over the world, too--those different perspectives are so meaningful!
Teaching online is different than teaching onsite because many old fashioned barriers are removed. There is no bell looming to ring in 56 minutes, no people walking in or out of the room, and no "politics" from other students, teachers and administrators. The students joined the online educational community to learn, not only socialize. I think online allows for many opportunities and to me, education is all about opportunities!
ReplyDeleteI think the NUVHS experience is different because of the resources that NUVHS provides to the students. From the library to tutors, NUVHS really goes above and beyond to ensure that all students have the resources and support to make their online learning experience a success.
No costume for Rico either. We were looking for a hot dog bun costume that would have gone perfectly with his physique, but we couldn't find one small enough. Diesel would make a great Santa Claus, if he only knew what was in store for him lol.
ReplyDeleteOn a business note, I just finished the professional development course on ECollege. Even though I have been working with it for a while, I did learn a few things. I would like to take the course on Class Live. Do you think I should wait until it is available in our courses so that I don't forget what I have learned?
I plan on using Class Live as an office hour type of meeting where students can ask live questions. This should be a useful tool in making connections with students.
I like the absence of bells, too. I always felt rushed. Now, I get to take my time and really give a good lecture and whatnot.
ReplyDeleteHot dog bun--too funny! I would have loved to have seen that! LOL! I'll look into Class Live training. I have a meeting with SPL tomorrow--late morning. I'll send an email out about the days and times.
ReplyDeleteI've been using Class Live this semester and it's working out pretty well.I usually hold office hours for about an hour every other week. The rest of the communication is through emails and videos and whatnot. I'm starting to create more and more enhanced power points with my narration--just a summary of the unit content and I think it is working out well...hope the students like it anyway! :o)