Transcript Teaching Online: Making It Work

Teaching Online: Making It
Work
METRO Webinar
April 2, 2008
Kate Todd
Types of Online Learning
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Self-study online tutorial
Instructor-led synchronous instruction
Instructor-led asynchronous instruction
Blended learning
Case Study
Asynchronous
 Instructor-led
 Library Instruction
 Undergraduate course
 Fall 2007
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Instructional Design Theories
Cognitive Science
 Discovery Learning
 Game Theory
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Technologies used
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Blackboard features
 Quizzes: Randomize questions and multiple
choice answers
 Assignment/Gradebook
 Date restrictions for viewing items
 Present documents (Word and PowerPoint)
 Links to relevant web sites
 Discussion Board
 Embedded Flash and Video presentations
Course Objectives
1.
Libraries:
2.
Plagiarism:
3.
Scholarly Publications: Distinguish between popular
4.
Online Resources:
5.
Citation:
Describe the role of libraries in the collection and
dissemination of distributed knowledge throughout our culture.
Explain the meaning of plagiarism and its
significance in the academic environment.
and scholarly publications and understand their use in developing
collective intelligence.
Locate periodicals and books by using
the online resources of the Manhattanville Library.
Practice methods of keeping track of useful published
materials, including creating bibliographic citations in MLA format.
Course Organization
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5 units, 2 weeks each
Something due every Friday at 6pm
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First week: quiz on background material (“Open book”
and taken multiple times)
Second week: activity that demonstrated practical
application
Quizzes and activities “disappeared” from
Blackboard after due date
Final project:
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Annotated bibliography
Or presentation about new library web site
Five Units
Unit 1: The Internet
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Cognitive theory indicates should start with what
learners know
My assumption: all students know and use the
Internet already
Unit resources included information on search
engines, evaluating web sites and Internet
hoaxes
Next slides show examples of Quiz questions
and feedback
Quiz 1 questions
Quiz 1 answers
Unit 1: Assignment
Homework activity: find six web sites that answer
these question and provide the URLs:
• What is plagiarism?
• Why is plagiarism important in an academic
community?
• What are the consequences of plagiarism?
• How can you recognize plagiarism?
• Does Manhattanville College have a policy on
plagiarism?
• How can you avoid plagiarism?
Unit 2: The Library
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Because this was an online course, I wanted
them to make at least one trip to the Library
Unit resources included new Library web page,
Wikipedia on history of libraries plus introduction
to primary sources and scholarly journals
Discovery learning: students construct own
meaning based on current experience or needs
Unit 2: Assignment
Homework activity:
• Each student was sent a question by e-mail
• Students instructed to go to Library and ask a
librarian to help them answer the question
• Student had to provide name of librarian plus
picture of location or written description
Unit 2: Questions
Some sample questions sent to students:
• Do you have a microfilm reader in the Library?
• Is there a place where I can view videos in the
Library?
• Where is the Educational Resource Center?
• How can I get to Stack Level 5?
• Can you direct me to the book with this call number:
LB2369 .H37 2002 ?
Pictures are available on Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edukatetodd/
Unit 3: Periodical Searching
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Calling it “Invisible Web” adds an element of
mystery to increase interest
Unit resources include YouTube videos, Flash
tutorial on Boolean operators, more on Primary
Sources and Scholarly Journals
Unit 3: Assignment
Homework activity had multiple steps:
1. Create a RefWorks Account
2. Select four articles from ProQuest Direct using the following searchs:
• plagiarism
• download AND students
• internet OR world wide web
• invisible web NOT spiders
3. Export the article citations to RefWorks
4. Use RefWorks to create a bibliography in MLA format
5. Save the list as a Word document (.doc)
6. Submit the Word document through Blackboard
Unit 3: Student tactics
Detailed instruction sheets were provided for each
step of assignment
Game Theory suggests that students understand
multiple-level structure of gaming
In an e-mail, I suggested that students approach
this activity as a game, where what was learned
on one level would be needed for the next level
Unit 4: Citation and Annotations
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Begin focus on preparation of final project:
Annotated Bibliography or Introduction to Library
web page
Unit resources included PowerPoint and Word
documents on annotation writing and links to
citation formatting
Work submitted showed divergence of skilled
students from those with less preparation
Unit 4: Assignment
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Two choices:
1. Use EBSCOhost to find scholarly article on
final project topic and prepare an annotation
2. Take a screenshot of web page, incorporate
in Word document and use MLA format for
caption
Students could do both assignments and get
extra credit
Unit 5: Finding books
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This is often first unit in LIS courses
I present this as last unit because
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Books are the least useful items for college students
As an online course, focusing on Library website and
online resources
Unit resources included reading call numbers,
locating books in stacks, using NetLibrary and
Inter-Library Loan
Key elements of interaction
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Feedback to students on every assignment
(another principle of game theory)
Individualized responses to students about
resources for final project (similar to reference
desk interactions)
My belief that many things can be found when
needed, if students know what is out there
What did students learn?
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Students reported most useful:
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How to use databases
What is/how to prepare annotated bibliography
Navigate library web page/library tutorials
RefWorks
In addition to course objectives, students
learned:
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How to navigate/interact with Blackboard
Time management/self-discipline
Problems with online format
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Students are not always in control of their e-mail
Students report that because they did not need
to go to class, they forgot assignments
Students complained that it took time to get
answers/help from professor
Some students just did not complete complex
assignments
Discussion groups were marginal
Effectiveness of online format
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Advanced students who are held back by
classroom pace, can move faster
Commuter students who have difficulty attending
class can complete work
Self-motivated students can do work on their
own schedule
Poor students who may need additional attention
do not hold up other classmates
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