Management+Guidelines

Based on my experience with the KSU ITEC program I have formed opinions on what works best in an online learning environment. I hope to follow a few guiding principles when managing a class. I will follow a structured format for the class assignments. To help myself remember what I found successful, I have recorded my perceptions here.

Guiding Principles

 * Remember that most of these people have commitments outside the course. They are most likely not full time students. Structure the course so all who want to, can be successful.
 * Provide a mix of synchronous and asynchronous discussions.
 * Even though many dislike it, include at least one collaboration project - it's real life!
 * Encourage people to be themselves - allow their personalities to shine through.
 * Structure the course so that the assignments are meaningful - no busy work allowed!

Don't forget that you like:

 * collaboration with other students best when a team agreement was required.
 * peer review of your work ~ it really helps to have someone else offer their input.
 * discussion topics that were ended/locked after a period of time - that pet peeve of late posts on discussions that never closed made you crazy!
 * large projects that were broken down into phases/steps so you could determine you were on the right track and not in left field.
 * assignment instructions that were easy to locate on the CMS - easiest when the instructions are included when you click on "assignment" tab.
 * a weekly folder of what was happening that week - it breaks things up and allows you to look ahead.

Don't forget that you do not like:

 * the Palace. Choose a synchronous venue that is easy and friendly.
 * assignments without clear written instructions - nebulous is not good.
 * courses without textbooks ~ unless you can provide top notch electronic material, assign a book.

I plan to include the following in online classes I might teach using a CMS:

 * Weekly announcements to highlight what's coming - these are a helpful tool since they are designed to pop-up and grab attention.
 * Home (Content) page with folders for each week of the course. Each folder will contain:
 * the week's assignments with grading rubrics
 * related reading links
 * discussions for the week.
 * Home (Content) page will also contain a folder with
 * course syllabus
 * communication policy
 * technology needs
 * FAQ
 * expectations statement ~ this statement will outline my policy for late assignments, poor participation in discussions, and general lack of effort