Walk A Mile In Their Shoes Learn To Teach Online By Taking An Online Course

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Walk A Mile In Their Shoes Learn To Teach Online
By Taking An Online Course

• Annette Boyer Kimberly Hillyard

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Westmoreland CountyCommunity College

• Classes offered online since 1999
• Spring 2007
• 199 online courses (17.9 of all courses)
• 2,291 enrolled in online courses (38.9 of
  student population)
• 4,092 online course enrollments
• Programs that can be completed 100 online
• 5 AAS (60 credits)
• 2 Diploma (30 credits)
• 5 Certificates (18 credits)

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Online Instructors

• 198 Instructors trained to teach online
• 154 are active (taught in last year)
• 27 completed online training between March 1,
  2006 and February 28, 2007

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Why Train Online?

• Experience online course from student perspective
• Course navigation
• Assignments
• Assessments
• Communication
• Increase training opportunities
• Limited number of face-to-face sessions
• Many instructors live some distance from campus

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Goals

• Familiarize instructors with the Blackboard
  Course Management System
• Cover pedagogical techniques specific to the
  online learning environment
• Review college policies affecting online students
  and courses

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Advantages

• Practical
• Provides structure
• Consistency
• Quality
• Flexibility
• Eliminates those not suited for online instruction

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Blackboard Resource Shell

• Contains support materials for current Bb
  instructors
• Contains training for new Bb instructors
• Instructors are enrolled as students in this
  course

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General Overview Training

• 11 Units
• Each Unit
• Content
• Assignment
• Quiz
• Builds on previous unit
• All content is multi-purpose

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Mental Hurdles For Trainees

• Computer ability or perceived lack thereof
• Online environment
• Cheating Issue

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Upon Enrollment in Training

• Materials Sent to New Trainee
• Memo where and how to login
• WCCC Bb Manual
• Ryan Tansey article, recent graduate of
  University of Puget Sound
• Bb Document on Educational Benefits of Online
  Learning

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1st Three Units

• Ease trainee into online environment
• Explore blackboard
• Text reading
• Explore specific related website
• Retrieve documents
• Simple tasks
• Announcement
• Contact information
• Post to a Discussion Board

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Assistance During After The Training

• Email
• Phone
• One on one face to face time

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Training Units

• Unit 01 Parts of the Course Shell
• Unit 02 Control Panel, Announcements, Faculty
  Profile
• Unit 03 Course Design Online Lectures
• Unit 04 Managing the Course Menu
• Unit 05 Adding Content
• Unit 06 The Gradebook
• Unit 07 Assignment Feature
• Unit 08 Assessments
• Unit 09 Communication
• Unit 10 Groups
• Unit 11 Wrapping Up

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Sample Units

• wccc.blackboard.com

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An important part of this training process was to
experience an online course from a student's
perspective.
Based upon 28 responses
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I am prepared to teach my first online course.
(Answer only if you will be teaching online.)
Based upon 28 responses
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The assignments were constructive.
Based upon 28 responses
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The format of the online training course was
complicated.
Based upon 28 responses
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The material covered was very specific and
targeted to get me up and running with Blackboard.
Based upon 28 responses
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The materials provided (notes and information in
the WCCC Blackboard Resources for Faculty) were
relevant to the training.
Based upon 28 responses
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Going into this training, I was most concerned
about _________________. This course helped or
did not help me with this concern.

• (everything) - I came into Blackboard not knowing
  anything about it.  I had never even taken an
  online course, so it was all new to me.  I now
  feel like I have a good understanding of it and
  am ready to aplly sic it.
• I was most concerned with the length of time
  necessary to create a quality online course. I
  still have those concerns.
• ...online communication with and between
  students.  This course helped to explain the
  different options and how to utilize them.
• I was focusing most on my ability to communicate
  with the student.  How will they know what the
  expectations are?  What if they have questions? 
  How will they communicate with each other?  This
  has helped me with those concerns. 
• My computer experience is not in programming. I
  was concerned of that lack. However, because I
  have taken online classes successfully, I was
  comfortable with Online Blackboard Training. This
  course helped me realize that I can teach in this
  environment.
• Adding different types of learning options so
  that students would not get bored easily. As I
  learned through the course that I can use
  discussion threads, lecture notes, upload files,
  create groups, conduct a chat, etc..., I am no
  longer concerned about the students being bored.
• Organizing course materials so that students can
  access them with ease.
• My concerns were not as much with the course,
  but I suppose just like the students' concerns in
  that will I be self-motivated enough and find
  enough time to complete the assignments to the
  best of my ability.

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General Comments? Suggestions for improving this
training?

• The comprehensiveness of the training amazed me.
  The manual and training units will serve as a
  great reference when creating a course.  If an
  instructor was not at all familiar with
  Blackboard, they may find this a bit
  overwhelming. But even someone with just very
  basic BB knowledge should be able to follow the
  Training. The information divided into units
  made the material "do-able" in nice size chunks.
  The order made sense.
• I received the assistance that I needed when I
  called for help. Just the assessment portion of
  the training needs to be made a little more
  clearer. But the more I use it the more it will
  become more clearer to me in the use of the
  assessment portion of the online training.
• My interests are with short movie clips. How to
  place them blackboard for class and what formats
  work , etc.
• I enjoyed the training.  It gave me a full
  understanding of blackboard.  I knew if I had any
  questions I could get help.  Thank you for all
  the help.
• I think I've said it all above. I do really
  appreciate the staff's patience and willingness
  to work with me. I had some stupid questions
  along the way, but I never felt that way from the
  staff. They've been responsive and helpful. Thank
  you.
• Utilizing the various assessment tools was a good
  way to let the instructor have a student
  experience.
• The material is well organized, informative, and
  a good springboard to get started teaching
  online. I enjoyed the experience and look forward
  to the opportunity to use this knowledge.

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Questions?