Bad Online Instruction, how it taught me to be a better online instructor

1. Bad Online Instruction, how it taught me to be a better online instructor Fred Hills Richard Leslie McLennan Community College

2. Introduction • Background • Online courses fastest growing sector on campus • Student attrition rates high in online classes (35%+) • Growing interest in student learning outcomes (SLO) • Most research focuses on positive, little on the negative factors and their impact on SLOs • Why the topic? • What are the negative aspects of online instructions • What are the differences in faculty and students on these factors • What impact do these have on student learning

3. Quick Survey • How many teach online? • How many taken online courses? • What is your worst online course experience as a student? • What is your best online course experience as a student? • What impact did either have on your online teaching experience?

4. Our Study Action Research using Qualitative Methodology: • Typological study of Student Feedback • Student feedback on seven semesters of Student Evaluations of Online courses (1060+ comments) • Survey of Online Faculty (25% Response) • How many courses taken online • How many course taught online • Negative and positive experiences online • Impact on their instruction • Panel Discussion with Faculty • Experiences from learning and teaching online • Impact of negative experiences on online course development

5. Our Findings • 6 major themes emerged • Instructor Feedback • Course Organization • Instruction/Guidance • Addressing Learning Styles • Interpersonal Communication in the Course • Technology

6. Similarities and Differences in Perspectives on Bad Online Practice

7. Instructor Feedback“I never got an answer to almost 3/4's of my e-mails. We (all the students) needed more help and the instructor never replied. Need teacher response in a timely fashion, and need teacher response period!” • Few or no replies to questions • Lack of communications on assignments • Little or no feedback on grading • Little or no instructor presence in online forums

8. Course Organization”This class lacked any structure” • Confusing or conflicting due dates • Where do I start? • Calendar? • Timeline? • Confusing Course Navigation • Non functional links • Blocked links • Wrong links • Confusing or no structure • Lack of logic in the layout of the course • Wrong textbook and/or materials • Outdated textbook and/or materials

9. Instruction/Guidance”…what’s covered in the instruction was not always what was asked in the exams.” • Non communicated course expectations • Lack of clarity • Lack of direction • Lack of thoroughness • Concerns with testing • Testing did not match objectives • Too many assessments • Timing of assessments

10. Addressing Learning Styles“…course needs different types or styles of activities” • Correspondence course – did not engage different learning styles • Tried to force Teacher Centric in a Learner Centric environment • Passive text based course – only mode of delivery • Limited or no use of video/voice medias • Lack of variety in course work/projects/assignments

11. Interpersonal Communication in the Course“…need a more approachable instructor, with logical explanations that are NOT intent to make the student feel dumb or like a screw up.” • Student did not connect with the class • Incorrect or misunderstood tone • Mismatched teams/groups • No discussion forums or student ties • Rude communication “…the instructor showed 'disdain' by the wording of replies to e-mails. If I e-mail someone - I am going to take a few seconds extra to be courteous online”

12. Technology“I tried to access the presentations from three different computers and was unable to get them to play” • Inaccessible technology • Skill level required to high for student • CMS failings/limitations • Non functional Chats/Discussion Boards/Tools • Multimedia for multimedia sake

13. Impact on Students • Student overwhelmed or underwhelmed • Student gives up and drops out • Student fails to engage the material • Student loses interest in the topic • Student loses interest in education

14. Impact on Instruction“The online course I took completely informed me on the creation of my first online course” • Integrate feedback loops • Establish expectations on communications • Frequency • Means • Response time • Ensure quick feedback and turn around on assignments and grading • Give step-by-step instructions for assignments • Provide examples or models of the finished assignments • Keep courses up-to-date • Ensure consistency and ease of navigation

15. Impact on Instruction“My goal is to make my courses better than the ones I took” • Provide student the flexibility and access to work ahead • Include variety of learning techniques • Embed extra point opportunities in the notes and reading assignments. • Put effort into designinglearning around student learning styles • Use collaborative assignments • Take into consideration those who use dial up • Focus on pedagogy before technology • Use newest inventions only if they contribute to learning • Deploy media appropriately in the course – in support of learning objectives

16. Recommendations • Seek student feedback throughout the course and adjust accordingly • Recognize technology is a means and not an end • Better select and prepare instructors for online teaching • Provide online experience to online instructors • Do not “rest on your laurels”: regularly reassess your own delivery • NEXT STEP: Quantify impact of negative factors on student retention

17. Contact Information Fred Hills Program Director CIS & Multimedia fhills@mclennan.edu Richard Leslie Instructional Designer Center for Instructional Design rleslie@mclennan.edu