5 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

OF ONLINE LEARNINGJILL PIPPIN, DEAN, DIVISION OF EXTENDED LEARNING

GREG KETCHAM, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF EXTENDED LEARNING

AGENDA

• Background

• 5 essential elements explained

• Resources

• Timeline for implementation

BACKGROUND

• Increasing need to ensure student engagement in online learning

• Increased focus on course quality in existing Oswego online programs

• “Net Native” generation’s expectations for interactivity and information on demand

• Production quality of MOOCs and leading edge online programs (2U, etc)

BACKGROUND

• Development of 5 essential elements with Provost and Dean’s Council

• Provost’s communication of the 5 essential elements to Faculty Assembly

5 ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS

• Online student orientation (video)

• Online instructor introduction ( “meet your instructor” video)

• Online course guided tour (“about this course” video)

• Online office hours

• Calendaring of assignments for mobile learning access

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS: STUDENT ORIENTATION

• Rationale: provide an Oswego focused student orientation to using Blackboard

• Action: replaces existing generic Blackboard orientation created by Open SUNY

• Benefits: provides an accurate, Oswego themed orientation to orient students to using Blackboard

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS: MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR

• Rationale: humanize online learning and minimalize transactional distance issues between students and faculty

• Action: create a short video with standard elements (examples: research interests; favorite elements of teaching; scholarly background; outside interests)

• Benefits: supports the concept of teaching presence (Garrison, 2007)

• Example:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhk8Wtgpb1w

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS: ABOUT THIS COURSE

• Rationale: explains the purpose of the course; discusses learning outcomes; alignment within a major

• Action: create a short video to explain what the course is about and who should take it

• Benefits: allows students to understand the intent of the course upfront

• Example:

http://www.ucdenver.edu/academics/CUOnline/OnlineCourses/CourseOverview/Pages/Online-Course-Videos.aspx

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS: ONLINE OFFICE HOURS

• Rationale: provide an opportunity to answer student questions and build a sense of community

• Action: offer workshops and job aid videos on Bb Collaborate; Google Hangouts

• Benefits: bridges transactional distance for students; provide an upfront opportunity to identify issues within the early part of the semester.

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS: M-LEARNING ASSIGNMENT CALENDAR

• Rationale: provide critical course information to students in a “just in time” manner via mobile apps (Blackboard Student)

• Action: develop workshops and job aids for faculty utilization of assignment due dates. Promote awareness of app to students.

• Benefits: reaching students where they are, on devices/apps they use

RESOURCES

• Academic videographer: search underway

• “one button studio” for video creation: planning for build in process

• Customized student orientation: in pre-planning stage

• Workshops for m-learning calendaring: in development

TIMELINE

• Videographer hire: mid-spring semester

• Production of instructor and course videos: beginning summer 2016

• Updated student orientation: late summer 2016

• Assignment calendar support: early summer 2016

QUESTIONS?

• Jill Pippin: jill.pippin@oswego.edu

• Greg Ketcham: greg.Ketcham@oswego.edu