February, 2006

Online Classroom - February, 2006 - Full Issue
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I’m Considering Teaching Online; What Questions Should I Ask?
By Carol Bormann Young, Metropolitan State University; Nancy Johnson, Capella University; and Ken Hess, Metropolitan State University
If we had been asked if we were prepared to teach online before teaching our first online courses, the answer would have been a naïve “Yes.” We had attended several training sessions and thought that we were ready! In retrospect, after teaching more than 30 sections of online courses over the past five years, we agree that the answer should have been a definite “Maybe!”

Tips from the Pros
If you’re looking to make the time you spend in your online course more efficient, look no further than that extra monitor that’s gathering dust in the corner or your office or in the IT shop across campus.

Online Teaching Fundamentals: Assessing Whether Learners Can DO (Learning Assessments, Part 2)
By Patti Shank, PhD, CPT
Many of the criticisms of education come from the fact that much instruction isn’t designed so learners can DO. For example, it’s not good enough to design math instruction so learners can do the problems at the back of each chapter. They need to be able to calculate discounts, determine the implications of different interest rates, and so on, in the real world. And instructors need to assess if learners can DO, which commonly involves designing real or realistic performance assessments.

Teaching Online With Errol: Want to Motivate Your Students? Just Go Through the Back Door!
By Errol Craig Sull, M.A.
We as educators, of course, are looking for students to take an immediate interest in what we are teaching; we want students to absorb what we teach and have our efforts last far beyond a final grade. One “tool” we have to help this along, which I mentioned in last month’s column, is being enthusiastic—when the students know you are excited about a subject, they become more involved. You can’t be a cheerleader every moment, but you can present your course so that the material becomes understandable and real. Once this happens, students will suddenly take notice because they have discovered that the subject of your course very much talks to and about them.

Threaded Discussion: ‘Lifeblood’ of Online Math Courses
Threaded discussions are the “lifeblood” of Kathleen Offenholley’s online math courses. They help build a sense of community, encourage higher-order thinking, and provide opportunities for peer collaboration.