Checking In

In the absence of anything specific to talk about, I thought I'd keep my hand in on this blog with just summarizing where I am with my two online courses this semester.

Instructional Design: We had the first class last week on Dimdim (and accessibility services created a transcript for it). This week was the first on Palace. Still having some difficulty keeping folks focused, especially on something like Needs Assessment, which seems pretty abstract and perhaps irrelevant to most. I haven't really worked out how and what to teach in that step. It's partly successful, but it could be much better. What I do need to do is redesign each part of the process. Hard to find the time for that. I am, however, finding a little time to do a demo project on the wiki, step-by-step. It is about the basics of the nautical rules of the road.


Instructional Applications of the Internet: This course always starts out seeming to be chaotic, but it really does seem like much of it has to overlap. It does work itself out, although neither the students nor I may be able to see it at first. Discussions and other things going well, but I'm discovering a lot of places that need more planning.

Improving My Teaching:  I'm working on two things for improvement this semester. I may have mentioned this in an earlier post. Doing better at discussions---that's going pretty well. I"m much more active and so far I'm keeping up with reading the posts. That's important since it is so discouraging when I get behind by hundreds of postings. I'm trying to add to discussions and answer specific questions, without taking them over completely. Using Vista better--mostly that has been to use the assignment tool and gradebook better. The other thing I should do is make learning modules. Maybe that will be next semester.

A new project

I keep telling myself (and others) that I try to work on one thing about my teaching every semester. Some semesters that's even true. The big one, of course, was with my feedback on assignments, especially using audio files. I have decided to try to work on two things this semester. That might be a mistake, since it is hard to keep track and concentrate on too much, but I'll try.

First, I will try to do better in reading nd responding to student discussion postings. I don't want to do what Cindy does, which is respond to every posting (and give it feedback and points as a posting, not jsut respond to the content). That seems like overkill to me, especially for graduate students. More self-servingly, I just don't want to spend the time and effort! But I do want to do better and be more systematic about it. First, I will try to be better about posting questions, but I will systematically rather than haphazardly, reduce that over the course of the semester. Second, I will at least read each posting. Third, I will respond to the content of many postings, if I have something useful to say. Finally, I will not go more than three weeks before giving points in any courses where I do give points for online discussions.

Second, I will make better use of Vista's features. I don't much like the system, but I can do much better on things such as using the assignments, gradebook, and calendar together. I'll work on that this semester. Next semester maybe I can use other things such as goals and learning modules.

One thing that I have learned a bit about this semester is adapting to the needs of a deaf student. I have had only a handful of students over the years who required accommodations, but this has been interesting. I was going to use Dimdim but it turns out that in this situation The Palace is very well adapted to her needs. I have had a few videos captioned, plus I will need to provide outlines of some audios that I made. Also, clearly, I cannot use audio feedback with her. It has forced me to think a bit about the course again. Always a good thing.

New Semester Approaching

I've been preparing for Spring semester. I sent out emails to those registered for Instructional Design and Instructional Applications of the Internet on Monday. Even two weeks before the beginning of the semester, I didn't beat everyone to the punch. I had already received some emails asking about textbooks and other issues. I told the ID class that I would be using Dimdim for orientation and maybe later, alternating with The Palace (an oldie but goody). I quickly received a return email from one class member who, it turns out, is deaf. Hmmm, Dimdiim won't work well there, without someone to transcribe what I say (the students say very little in Dimdim bu tthey do use the text chat). Looks like what I'll need to do is use Palace for most of the classes. That resolves any issues with her in the day to day communications. I will also send along a list of YouTube videos that I use now, which they will caption. I also have some audios that I made, so I will need to type out the same information. Finally, I can't use the audio feedback with her. This is one of the few times I have had a student who needed accommodation, so I'm learning a lot here. I do sort of wish there were a way that I could be informed as soon as a student signs up. It would have affected my initial email to the class.

Not much else interesting going on in preparing for classes. I keep meaning to go through the QM rubric to be sure that I am covering all the important factors. I wonder when I'll have the time.

Toward a new semester

Well, back to work tomorrow, at least part time. With just a couple of weeks before the start of the next semester, I need to send out the introductory emails very soon. Otherwise, I'll be answering individual messages from students getting antsy about the course. That turns out to be an essential part of online courses. It used to be that students expected to receive a syllabus and other instructions at the first class. It's no longer good enough. Mostly, though, I just wish I had the time, energy, etc. to redesign courses every semester or at least every year.