While it has been said "Good Teaching is Good Teaching, whether face to face or online.", designing an effective online class can lay the foundation for successful online facilitation and learning.
Instructional design principles can be used to create lessons for online classes in abnormal psychology, history, art appreciation, ect. The basics of good design can be applied to almost any subject.
Many students may come to class with little or no experience. This class could be the student's first online class. This class could conceivably be their first college class, period.
Helping students stay on schedule, interested, and motivated can go a long way.
Incorporating motivational elements in your design, and stimulating student interest in the subject can offer students reasons to dedicate time and effort to learning.
While motivation and encouraging student interest can be offered to students through facilitation skills, such and encouraging feedback. Design issues can also influence motivation.
In the process of my first class design Abnormal Psychology Online , I have included case studies and supplemental videos to encourage interest and relevance to mental disorders.
According to Pintrich and DeGroot (1990), motivation depends on three variables:
Value -- Student question: Why should I spend the time and effort on this lesson?
Expectancy -- Student question: Can I achieve the objectives of this lesson?
Emotions -- Student question: How do I feel about myself and the work required in this lesson?
httpp://cvc3.coastline.edu/Telelearning2001Web/Default.htm
If we, as designers, remember... that when students consider information relevant or meaningful, they value the information and remember it more easily,.. our design will be more effective.
Design plans should include assessments throughout the course. Assessments determine if students are learning the material , and provide information on what they have mastered and what areas need further study.
Designing activities in class lessons to promote students staying on time with assignments and requirements can help new students stay on task. Journals, weekly quizzes and clear deadlines are just a few tools that can help the student stay current,and organized.
These activities also provide self assessment information to students. Nothing can be more disheartening and frustrating to a student than when they unclear of their progress, and confused on whether they are achieving the course objectives and goals. They begin to feel lost, and motivation and learning will diminish.
Supplemental resources regarding student motivation:
http://community.flexiblelearning.net.au/TEachingTrainingLearners/content/article_3340.htm
http://advancedacademics.blogspot.com/2007/04/keeping-students-motivated.html
No comments:
Post a Comment