April 2004

Full issue in PDF format

Online Process-Oriented Group Projects
Many students fear group work, and the prospect of working with classmates at a distance adds more uncertainty and apprehension. Nevertheless, group work in the online classroom can encourage active participation and teach the same group processes that many will encounter in the workplace. The following is how one online instructor uses group work in her courses.

Tips from the Pros
Designing and Facilitating Online Communication Effective communication is essential for keeping online learners engaged and on track. When we think of communication we usually consider interaction in threaded discussions and e-mail — both of which are examples of communication techniques in an online course — however, a substantial portion of the communication in an online course is accomplished through the course itself — through the course content and various administrative course elements that describe policies, procedures, and expectations.

Varied Online Learning Opportunities Improves Student Interaction, Interest
How can we make the online environment work for most learners? This is the question Helen R. Stiff-Williams asks as she develops her online courses. One area she focuses on is interactivity. “We know from research that people like interaction, but how do we get higher levels of interaction? Throughout each course, I try to see how many different ways I can get people interacting with the content, the instructor, and each other. That ratchets up the quality of the courses.”

Fostering Student Collaboration and Fun in a Virtual Learning Environment: ‘Hogan’s Helpful Hints‘
By Kerry F. Hogan
Whether you are new to teaching online or a cyberspace veteran, developing a repertoire of fresh and innovative instructional strategies to leverage student interaction is a difficult task. I’ve been fortunate enough to have taught in the high school, technical college, and university environments employing a variety of technologies such as HTML editors like FrontPage, course management systems like Blackboard, electronic message boards like WebBoard, chatting software, ITV systems, etc. I’ve experienced my share of success and failures attempting to integrate technology into instruction. Regardless of the web authoring and communication tools you have at your disposal, I invite you to consider adopting some the following tips and tricks I use to foster online collaboration and fun in the teaching and learning process. I hope you find some of them helpful.

Reducing the Online Instructor’s Administrative Burden
Effective online course management begins in the development phase. There are things you can do up front that will minimize the amount of time you spend on redundant administrative tasks when the course is in session, allowing you to focus more on content and improving your courses, says Dayle Yeager, professor of industrial engineering and technology at Texas A&M University-Commerce.

Defining and Evaluating E-Learning
Online learning or e-learning can mean very different things to different people, from the radio/television broadcast model to the multimedia computer-based, highly interactive model. And the implications of the various e-learning models are very different.