Online Resource: http://web.ebscohost.com.cucproxy.cuchicago.edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?hid=107&sid=53aebf14-5824-495d-971a-01049e9d4f57%40sessionmgr114&vid=7
This week’s reading covered the responsibilities of an online facilitator and how they can effectively move learning to an online format. Palloff and Pratt stress that teachers must make learning student centered and help lead students through the content instead of presenting it to them (2007). The instructor’s job is to manage the class by setting norms, encouraging social presence, and making sure students understand the technology they are required to use. The student’s role is to participate in the construction of knowledge through collaboration and inquiry (Palloff & Pratt, 2007).
Palloff and Pratt also discuss the specifics of running an online course such as creating objectives for students’ learning, choosing readings, deciding when to let students make choices, as well as coming up with discussion topics and assignments (2007). The last component that the authors discuss was setting up the location where the learning will happen. This largely will be determined by software or websites the teacher decides to use. The choice should be based on what the facilitator needs in terms of flexibility, discussions, ability to share data/sources, and overall whether or not it will be easily accessible to all students. The class’s community is what will ultimately bring the class to life with its collaboration, discussion, and social presence (Palloff & Pratt, 2007).
We also read a survey that was given to a group of administrators to collect data on “the nature of online learning in K-12 schools and establish base data for more extensive future studies” (Picciano & Seaman , 2007, pg. 20) The results of the survey provided information on why online courses would be provided by an institution, what the specific challenges were for facilitating an online course, who are providing these opportunities, and how participants felt about the programs they participated in. Picciano and Seaman also report that there has been, and will continue to be growth in the online learning field (2007). It was also interesting to note the plight of rural school districts not being able to provide as many options for their students and so those districts have been turning to online education to help supplement for their students.
I also read an online article titled Student Success in Online K-12 Education which states that “many virtual schools exist to expand access to high quality or rigorous
curricula, serving rural areas and special learner groups such as gifted or at-risk students” (Ronsisvalle & Watkins, 2005, pg.115). They also mention that the internet is used both as an educational and social tool to create environments where students learn, collaborate, interact, and construct the knowledge to function in a job or as a citizen (Ronsisvalle & Watkins, 2005). They go on to add that students must have certain attributes such as motivation, self discipline, and self awareness to be successful in the online format. Ronsisvalle and Watkins stress that online community building through collaboration and discussion are essential to not only the success of the student, but to the course as a whole (2005). Getting oriented to the program and the class including its structure and technology is also important. The authors recommend preparation, monitoring, and follow up training to make sure students and staff feel confident in the technologies they are being asked to use (2005).
All three sources are in agreement when they address why the online format is being used, how important creating community is, and under what conditions the online class will flourish. The last article by Ronsisvalle and Watkins touches primarily on what makes students successful in the online format, and their findings agree that students must have certain attributes to participate successfully, community must be built and maintained, and that students and teachers must be capable of using the format with ease. I thought it was interesting to note that students who have participated in the online format previously are much more likely to be successful in a new class. The authors pointed out that the rates of success in online classes went up dramatically over the course of a few years because the students were familiar with the format and therefore more prepared to succeed in an online class (Ronsisvalle & Watkins, 2005).
References
Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2007). Building online learning communities: effective strategies for the
virtual classroom. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Picciano A. G., Seaman J. (2007). K-12 online learning: a survey of U.S. school district
12_Online_Learning.pdf
Ronsisvalle, T., & Watkins, R. . (2005). Student success in online k-12 education.
Quarterly Review of Distance Education, 6(2), Retrieved from
=107&sid=53aebf14-5824-495d-971a-01049e9d4f57%40sessionmgr114&vid=7
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