EDUC 4150 10 Best Practices for Teaching Online

Pixabay (2017) - analytics, computer, hiring

Best practice 1            Be Present at the course site.

Example:                     Connect with students at the beginning of the course (Skype, What’s app, phone). Give students several ways to contact you. Be present by checking daily, contributing to forums and let students know when I am away (holidays, family emergencies, etc.). Have students write 6 words that describe what they believe they will accomplish by the end of the course.

Best practice 2            Create a supportive online course community

Example:                     Create activities to promote student to student dialogue. Create an assignment with leading questions that requires students to contribute (post and reply) to a forum.

Best practice 3            Develop a set of expectations for your learners and yourself as to how you will communicate and how much time students should be working on the course each week.

Example:                     Set a schedule that outlines the time it takes for an average student to complete the course. Give students a “Plan A and Plan B” for contacting me if they have an issue. Post the schedule on the course.

Best practice 4            Use a variety of large groups, small group, and individual work experiences.

Example:                     Have at least 1 of the following in each course. Individual assignments, reflective journal. Small group, scenario based learning, have students respond to emergencies (online scenario) and working in small groups, problem solve collaboratively. Large group, have students create presentations on different equipment on a train, however, they must figure out who will present first and how it all fits together.

Best practice 5            Use synchronous and asynchronous activities.

Example:                     The projects listed in Best Practice 4 is synchronous. However, self-study, reflective work and some assignments would be asynchronous.

Best practice 6            Ask for informal feedback early in the term.

Example:                     Ask students to complete informal feedback at week the end of each week. Change what can be changed and acknowledge what cannot be changed. This will let students know they are listened to.

Best practice 7            Prepare discussion posts that invite responses, questions, discussions, and reflections.

Example:                     I would post stories that involved common work place procedures, problems and interactions with customers. I would then prompt students to use online forums to discuss, ask questions of each other. I would encourage students to source the policies and procedures and answer their peer questions.

Best practice 8            Search out and use content resources that are available in digital format.

Example:                     Policies, procedures, manuals and other supporting material would be made available to students in digital format. They would be able to study in any location.

Best practice 9            Combine core concepts learning with customized and personalized learning.

Example:                     A large part of my training is scenario based learning. I would make the content digital. Create scenario’s that have core concepts infused with problems. Students could then discus, or write short essays or work in groups to solve the problems.

Best practice 10          Plan a good closing and wrap activity for the course.

Example:                     How far have we come? At the end of the course, each student can reflect on what they thought they would learn and what they actually learnt. Then they would write “how far they have come” on an online “white board” where all students in the course could reflect on each other’s learning.

From The Online Teaching Survival Guide 2nd Edition, Boetcher & Conrad (2016), Simple and Practical Pedagogical Tips, pg 44-57

Online Learning Readiness Student Self-Assessment

Vicki Williams created an Online Learning Readiness Student Self-Assessment. It can be found on The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's web site. The questionnaire asks the participant many questions which vary from students computer abilities, awareness of their personal learning as well as having the proper computer. The Self-Assessment states:

"Before enrolling in an online course, you should first assess your readiness for stepping into      the online learning environment. Your answers to the following questions will help you determine what you need to do to succeed at online learning. Post-survey feedback will also provide you with information on what you can expect from an online course." (Williams 2010)

Want to take the Self-Assessment?

Snail Discussion

Pixabay & Christine Goldsmith 2018

EDUC 4150 Q & A - The Power of Belief

Pixabay

• What are the challenges for you as an online student?

A majority of courses I have taken have been face to face or blended learning. I am currently facing two challenges as an online student. (1) I am a procrastinator who does well with specific direction from an instructor. Without specific deadlines during a 3-month course, I find it difficult to motivate myself to complete assignments. (2) Work / sick balance combined with not wanting to negatively affect students created problems with the time I set aside to complete assignments. I became sick mid way during a 7-week course. Due to circumstances beyond my control I was the only person in the company available to teach the course. It affected my study time. I would go home and sleep instead of study.

• How are you going to deal with these challenges?

Challenge (1) has been mitigated / dealt by having a motivating conversation with my instructor. By the end of our discussion, I was given a specific deadline to complete course material. This deadline motivated me! I have studied 2 hours each night since the conversation. In the future, I will need to set specific goals at the beginning of the course to help me achieve specific deadlines. What I learned with challenge (2) is I need to contact my instructors when I encounter problems that could affect my ability to complete a course.

• What has been your most important learning to date?

I have been reluctant to utilize technology for work and in my personal life. I believed that due to being raised without electricity and computers, I was a luddite and computers, blogging, the internet and even eLearning was all beyond my abilities. I was introduced to Carol Dweck’s Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset in the Provincial Instructor Diploma Program (PIDP). Carol Dweck found

"Effort is key for students’ achievement, but it’s not the only thing. Students need to try new strategies and seek input from others when they’re stuck. They need this repertoire of approaches—not just sheer effort—to learn and improve (Dweck, 2015)" 

Based on her writing, I chose to challenge my beliefs. My most important learning to date has been about how humans have the ability to change their beliefs. For me, it was a gradual and sometimes painful experience. However, there was success in the end, by spending time learning the basics of computers, the internet and our work place LMS. In 2016 it took 20 hours to create a blog. Unlike my preconceived idea that a blog was a waste of time, this blog became a creative outlet that gave me the venue to express my passion. I no longer believe I am a luddite and now find myself wanting to explore technology!

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The Power of Belief

The way we understand our intelligence and abilities deeply impacts our success.

Works Cited

Dweck, C. (2015). Carol Dweck Revisits the "Growth Mindset" (Vol. 35). Education Week.

This Piece of Paper Could Save Your Life

I have spent a large part of January 2018 ticking off boxes on a checklist. This checklist is an instructor resource I created to ensure crucial steps are not missed when preparing for our 7 week class. At the end of 7 weeks, students have learned all the necessary skills on how to drive trains, trouble shoot equipment faults on trains and respond to train specific emergencies. To prepare for this course, the list is 4 pages long. It was inspired by a mentor, Norm who would often say "A course starts weeks before you meet your students. Imagine showing up and you don't have a train to teach your students to drive?"

In this Tedx UBCO talk, Paramedic Andrew Mills explains how attempting to multitask can kill, and how delegation and team management can save time and lives. All it takes? Taking time to slow things down and utilizing checklists. 

We show this video with our students and prompt a classroom discussions. Covering the spirit and intent of the Tedx UBCO talk which is slowing down and utilizing the lists we provide for them. 

This Monday morning did not start off well for two reasons. (1) I am not a morning person and a 6:30 a.m. start is difficult. (2) After making a cup of coffee, I checked my emails and then reached for my list, the list that has everything on it. It was gone! It was not on the desk where I had left it on Friday! 

If I had taken a moment and "slowed things down" and followed the advice from the video, I would have noticed my checklist had slipped off my desk and was lying between my desk and plant. Instead I spent 15 minutes trying to retrace Friday's steps. In the end, it was found, but had I "slowed things down" I would not have lost those 15 minutes...

Suck it up Sunshine vs. Educating Students about Critical Incident Stress

"Suck it up sunshine, if you can't handle what you just saw, then this isn't the job for you"

It's December 1996 and I'm sitting in the ambulance having just responded to a call that was emotionally and physically challenging. I was a new paramedic and my partner had been in the industry for 20 years. I remember the scene clearly, the location, smells, sounds, the patient and my gut reaction. I didn't eat a certain type of food for 8 years after that call... I had wanted to discuss the call with my co-worker but he did not want to discuss anything. 

20 years in emergency response has given me a collection of calls that have affected me. Some have changed my appetite, affected my sleep patterns, social behaviour and are most likely responsible for the way I view the world. 

Above Cartoon by Paul Combs, 2015

My daughter was 5 when it became necessary for a friend to teach her how to ride a bike. Flashbacks from a 10 year old call had made it unsafe for me to teach her. It was this incident that inspired me to look at the influence emergency response had on me. I started counselling for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

20 years ago it wasn't often that I heard the term Critical Incident Stress (CIS). Fast forward 2 decades and now it's commonly discussed with co-workers. I am part of a CIS management team and respond to co-workers who have been exposed to traumatic incidents.

CIS if gone undiagnosed can lead to PTSD.

Historically, emergency response courses primarily focused on hard skills. These days, courses are being adapted to include CIS awareness. Employers are seeing the benefits of CIS management teams that respond to employees who have been exposed to traumatic incidents. CIS debriefings are designed for the victims of trauma. 

There are many online courses an instructor can take to learn about CIS. One course, which is offered by the JIBC, is a 14 day Critical Incident Stress Management Certificate Program. In the description of the course, the JIBC states,

the certificate will be of specific interest to front line responders such as crisis intervention workers, victim services workers, firefighters, paramedics, and law enforcement personnel.

I believe they should also include the category "instructors in these professions."

As instructors we introduce students to new concepts. When we expose students to the benefits of CIS debriefings, I believe we create a platform for discussion. If an instructor has knowledge of the subject matter, then students can be guided through discussions to debunk the "stigma" attached CIS. The ultimate goal is for students to become aware of the effects, and learn how to recognise the effects and how to reduce the possibility of CIS leading to PTSD.

It is a win, win situation!

Canine Support Center

Read this today, I couldn't help posting it!