A comparison of techniques to get your online class off the ground.
For many teachers, especially the ones who prefer the "old ways," creating an online course may seem like a project that will inevitably end up on DIY Disasters. Students won't engage...discussions and projects become lifeless....and the course load for the teacher is more than the students! BUT, these are fears we must face and overcome. I enjoyed reading these chapters on online course start-up, because it helped alleviate the thought,
"Where do I even begin?"
So, if you are having trouble like I was, here's a great video to help you become inspired.
Daphne Koller, Co-founder of Coursera
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Inspired? Let's get started:
Choosing the best method to get started can be as versatile as our courses themselves. Comparing the two texts we are reading is proof of that. Both offer sound advice and tools/tips for starting up an online course, but who is the advice actually meant for?
As you can see, our texts are highly contrasting in many areas; however, one of the most important ideas is front and foremost for both texts: Have a PRESENCE online.
As I read up on Boettcher's Survival Guide, I felt that the tips were more for the novice, not the tech savvy. The authors make many valid points, such as going slow and starting small, but many people who are embarking on online courses are further along than the basics.
On the other hand, Kostina encourages people to jump in, guns blazing. In The Golden Climate of Distance Learning, my head began to swim with all of the tips and examples for startup.
Here is a little organizer that sums up the two main strategies from our texts. The Online Teaching Survival Guide strategies are on the left, The Golden Climate in Distance Learning on the right.
As you can see, our texts are highly contrasting in many areas; however, one of the most important ideas is front and foremost for both texts: Have a PRESENCE online.
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So, with all of this in mind, I think it's necessary that we all take a moment to reflect:
What is best for you?
In your replies, answer the questions below, and take the first steps to starting your online class:
Who do you want to be online?
What is your ideal teaching self?
What would you like learners to say about you as a teacher?
How are you going to be that person, right from the beginning?
What is your ideal learner?
How are you going to help your learner become that person?
