Dee and Michael,
I’ve been teaching in a hybrid International Executive MBA program for many
years. The courses typically begin with a few live sessions during the
students’ 2-week “residential” period. Then we have 6 months of
asynchronous online sessions. I love the online sessions; they proceed to
deeper levels than is possible in the limited time of a live class. My
sessions last for four days, and most students add about one posting per
day. In this program, I have taught introductory financial accounting,
introductory cost accounting, and management control systems. I use
slightly different types of assignments and questions in the introductory
courses versus the strictly case-based MCS course. Like Michael, my
students prepare with readings and group assignments.
A few years ago, I tried a similar approach for a couple of weeks in a live
evening MBA program. Although the students told me that they preferred live
sessions, I found that the quality of the discussion was quite high—same as
in my IXMBA courses.
For me, the key to active and high-quality discussions is setting up
separate threads for different topics. I ask questions to start each
thread, and then add comments as needed to prompt consideration of
additional issues. The only downside for me is the time; I spent much more
time on an online session than on an equivalent live session.
Susan
From: For college professors globally, to dialogue about course design.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Thomas Michael Power
Sent: Monday, June 21, 2010 7:03 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: RE : Designing Better Learning Experiences: Updates on Website +
Question
Hi Dee,
Yes, indeed. I started teaching online using a combination of a basic
website and a virtual classroom about 10 years ago. Rather early on in
online learning, I realized that developing a full-blown website was
prohibitively time-consuming and simply an exercise in futility since
updating it in a timely fashion became a virtual impossibility. I also
realized that teaching online asynchronously was... well, boring. I missed
the spontaneous debating, the back 'n forth, the warmth of verbal contact
that had mad eme become a university professor in the first place. So I
lessened my dependance on asynch and added the synch classroom and have
never looked back. I now teach graduate courses only and I get the chance to
work with highly-motivated students from across the country and even
overseas. They are all present and accounted for, every Tuesday afternoon
from 4:30 to 7:30 PM with a 20-minute break in the middle, just like
on-campus. Students tell me that the much-vaunted 24/7 online course ends up
being 0/0 since, for some reason or another, they say they never seem to get
around to doing the work required in an online course. They say they feel
isolated and unmotivated.
In a nutshell, I try to run my seminar just as I would on campus. Students
do have some individual work to do before class - reading - but they tend to
do it because they also have a team assignment that requires they do it. The
peer commitment seems to make it all work in that they come to class
prepared to debate, discuss and examine concepts and principles embedded in
the readings and discussed within their teams, in either synch or asynch
mode.
I've added some references below for your perusal.
Michael
@@@@@@@@
Dr. Michael Power
Professor & Programs Director - Educational Technology
Faculty of Education - Université Laval
Founder of <http://www.bold-research.org> www.bold-research.org Research
Network
Director of Research <http://www.CNIE-RCIE.ca> www.CNIE-RCIE.ca
Deputy Director (Education) <http://geoeduc3d.scg.ulaval.ca/>
http://geoeduc3d.scg.ulaval.ca/
Member of the Board of Directors <http://www.cirta.org> www.cirta.org
Office 1174
2320 rue des Bibliothèques
Université Laval
Quebec City (Québec) G1V 0A6
CANADA
Phone : (418) 656-2131 #5467
Fax: (418) 656-2905
Email: <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]
Website (FR/ENG) : <http://www.fse.ulaval.ca/Michael.Power>
http://www.fse.ulaval.ca/Michael.Power
Major article (ENG): <http://jolt.merlot.org/vol4no4/power_1208.htm>
http://jolt.merlot.org/vol4no4/power_1208.htm
New article (ENG): <http://www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/649>
http://www.jofde.ca/index.php/jde/article/view/649
2008 book (FR): <http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120138>
http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120138
2009 book (ENG): <http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120161>
http://www.aupress.ca/index.php/books/120161 (09/09)
2010 talk (ENG): <http://cider.athabascau.ca/CIDERSessions/sessionarchive>
http://cider.athabascau.ca/CIDERSessions/sessionarchive
2010 talk (ENG) <http://edtechtalk.com/node/4722>
http://edtechtalk.com/node/4722
Professional site: <http://www.facebook.com> www.facebook.com (Thomas
Michael Power)
Instant messaging: <http://www.twitter.com> www.twitter.com
(drmichaelpower)
_____
De : Dee Fink [[log in to unmask]]
Date d'envoi : 21 juin 2010 21:09
À : [log in to unmask]
Cc : Thomas Michael Power
Objet : Designing Better Learning Experiences: Updates on Website + Question
Hi Everyone,
I just wanted to alert you that the page on "Design Forms & Tips" (under
"Resource Downloads") has been re-organized and several new items have been
added.
Question:
Does anyone have a "success story" they would like to share on the listserv?
Posting this would allow people to ask questions about how it works, and
what problems they had to overcome.
Michael Powers emailed me a month or two ago, about an online course which
he designed to include both synchronous and asynchronous activities that
seemed to be quite valuable.
Michael: Would you mind sharing that with people on the listserv?
We would love to also hear "success stories" from others as well!
Thanks, Dee
--
***********************
L. Dee Fink
234 Foreman Ave.
Norman, OK 73069
Phone/FAX: 405-364-6464
Email: [log in to unmask]
Website: www.finkconsulting.info
**National Project Director: Teaching & Curriculum Improvement (TCI)
Project
**Senior Associate, Dee Fink & Associates Consulting Services
**Author of: Creating Significant Learning Experiences
**Former President of the POD Network in Higher Education (2004-2005)