Colleagues,
TCC has new procedures for teaching online courses.
One new item is that training is required for all faculty teaching online for the first time. Additionally, any courses taught for the first time in 3 years require approval.
For more detailed information see the updated distance learning site: http://www.tcc.edu/students/DTLS/faculty/
Please share your views on the procedures and training for online courses. What would you like to see, and how would you like online quality assurance implemented?
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10 comments:
I know of one faculty member who is having trouble making the time to take the training course in his already-hectic schedule. Just how intensive and time consuming is this course? I'd hate to think that it may be so overwhelming as to prohibit those with busy schedules from completing the process.
A good online course is front-end loaded, and preparing to teach an online course is also very intensive and time consuming. Thus, if a faculty member finds himself unable to find time to take a training course, I question his ability to find the time to prepare a quality course.
Having said that, I'm not sure I agree that the current training course is in fact the best ticket to becoming an online teacher.
I took the summer course and felt that the unintended lessons were concerning. In terms of providing feedback in a timely and helpful manner, the course did not follow the best practices it was espousing. There were lots of opportunities to explore new technologies and cement the pedagogical foundations, but feedback/grading of only 3 of 15 assignments occurred before the course disappeared from Blackboard. Without that feedback, I feel uncertain as to whether I applied the new technologies in a sound manner or not.
I think the mentoring model the math department uses at the Norfolk Campus would be a much better process to consider as a way to ensure academic quality and rigor.
I took the training this semester, Fall 2008, and found it to be depressing. It made me realize that I wouldn't want to take an online course. I was instructed to go to the websites for Camtasia, and the like, and learn, on my own, how to operate the software and present a demonstration. I needed hands-on training.
I didn't learn how to use chat, create groups, and other features of Blackboard. I don't really know anything about a number of features on Blackboard. Were not covered in this course.
Much of the work we did was not graded.
Keep in mind that not all online courses are like the one you took. Some instructors are quite hands-on, even offering a few "how to" days at the beginning of the semester to get the students acquainted with the technology. As for learning the Bb features, TCC has many ways of learning them. Bb itself has tutorials; we have workshops on all four campuses; and we have Bb experts who are always an e-mail away.
Yes, there are some major issues with online teaching. I'm still not sold on the fact that it can be an adequate substitute for face-to-face classes myself, especially when the technology can be cumbersome. That said, though, I urge you not to throw out the baby with the bath water ... at least not yet.
:)
The comments above are address the inadequate training that faculty are receiving at the new training session that faculty new to online teaching need to take before offering an online class. Their comments seem to echo those of other faculty members that completed the training. I haven't attend a blackboard training in over five years, simple because it was an absolute waste of my time and I haven't heard anything recently that would change my opinion. I was hoping the new training would change that, but it doesn't seem to be the case. I think it's time TCC reevaluates the way we develop and deliver training to teaching faculty. The survey that went out recently concerning training asked about schedules, so more people could attend. The survey didn't question what we thought about the quality of the training. Sometimes you need to ask the hard questions. Give us something worth going to and we'll make the time.
I haven't attended any blackboard training sessions in the last five years either. I have received individual help from individuals, but there are only one or two people who I will ask for help. Most of the trainers don't train very well, or they focus on only beginners. I agree with the previous comments that it is time for TCC to reevaluate the way we develop and deliver training to teaching faculty, especially for blackboard.
I think the instructor should have the opportunity to demonstrate the necessary proficiency to teach online and not be required to take the training course.
I see that the student evaluation form for online classes is different from the form for classroom courses. What's more the online form makes assumptions about appropriate methodolgies for teaching online -- no offense, but who are the people making these decisions and what special knowledge do they bring to the issue. I think the faculty should afforded the opportunity to participate in the creation of such documents beyond the usual suspects.
I'll just go ahead and respond to my previous post about the student evals. Okay, I should have written that there is a phrase on the form directed solely at online....
In regard to the item," My instructor encourages questions/discussion or maintains and participates in online discussion," it is NOT a good item because it is based on the assumption that the instructor should encourage discussion as a pedagogical goal. (Slashes are never good.)
How much discussion that is to take place is the decision of the instructor. What the instructor does with the Discussion Board function of Bb is her choice. For an online course the question might be, "Did the instructor create a forum for discussion?" But even that question may go too far. I would settle for that kind of question.
Imagine one of the people who composed the question approaching one of her colleagues and saying, I think you should be encouraging more discussion. What might be the response? There is a certain arrogance to it....
There must be balance: the faculty member should be required to fulfill her professional responsibilities, but there should be no undue interference in the way she teaches her courses. (We can dispute the meaning of "undue.") Online enthusiasts simply assume that the Discussion Board is a kind of substitute for the classroom. Maybe it is. Maybe not....
I see the same survey from last fall went out again this week. I will say I've been to one of Mr. Harlow's training sessions and these are a huge improvement to the sessions held by Yanyan and her group of faculty trainers. if you have not taken a class with him, I'd highly recommend taking one from him. I hope they offer a strong summer training program, so I can get prepared before the fall semester starts.
I too have heard the stories about the top class. My understanding is Williams is no longer teaching the class, because he did such a horrible job. I've heard from my contacts at the VCCS you can take the tOP class from any VCCS school, not just TCC.
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