July 2005

Online Classroom - July 2005 - Full Issue
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Humanizing the Online Classroom
Course designers and instructors need to make a conscious effort to humanize their online courses because many of the elements that create human connections in the face-to-face environment—body language, eye contact, and tone—are absent online, says Dick Carpenter, assistant professor in the College of Education at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Tips from the Pros - Manage Communication to Reduce Instructor Workload
When Joseph Cavanaugh, associate professor of economics at Wright State University in Ohio, began teaching online six years ago, he found, as expected, that creating a high-quality online course was time intensive. But he did not expect teaching the course to take as much time as it did. Subsequently, he began looking at ways to reduce the time burden of online teaching.

Discussion Forum: The Heart of the Online Course
Asynchronous online discussion plays a key role in humanizing online courses. Asking provocative questions is an important part of getting students to participate in discussions, but the right questions alone are not always enough to create a truly connected class.

Handling a High-Enrollment Hybrid Course
Margaret Sheppard, research assistant in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at Iowa State University, learned early on that she needed to develop a system to manage her high-enrollment hybrid course.

Incorporating Online Discussion Groups into an Adult Accelerated Course to Facilitate Student Interaction
By Eric K. Cooper, Ph.D.
Many instructors use group work in their courses. I especially like to use group work for adults as it helps to draw upon their varied experiences. Unfortunately, adding group work to accelerated adult programs creates additional challenges. Less face-to-face contact, a characteristic of many accelerated courses, can lead to added pressure to cover course content. Adding outside group-related assignments could be perceived as undermining the adult-friendly nature of accelerated programs and lead to student resistance, especially for those students with full-time careers, families, and long commutes to and from class. A possible alternative to face-to-face group work is the use of online discussion groups.

Faculty Learning Community Brings Together Diverse Group to Discuss Asynchronous Communication
No matter how long you’ve taught, there is always something you can learn from colleagues. This is the concept behind Kent State University’s faculty learning communities (FLCs). Currently, KSU offers 13 FLCs, one of which focuses solely on asynchronous communication. This online learning-and-teaching FLC uses a combination of face-to-face meetings and Web-based activities to create an environment in which members can consult with each other to improve their online or Web-supported courses.