Center for Online Courses

Tech Tips 

Tech Tips is where you can find resources, links, and real-life "war stories" from Consortium members. Tech Tips can be examples of technology utilization to enhance education, tutorials, case studies, tools for educators, or general information for professional development. If you have a tip you'd like to contribute, contact the Mid-ATTC at mid-attc@mindspring.com or 804-828-9910.

General Technology/Internet Resources
Faculty Tips:
Development and Delivery of Online Courses
Development and Delivery of Collaborative Video Conferencing Courses
Tools

General Technology/Internet Resources
Online/Ontime 2001
Mountain West ATTC's Self-Paced Internet Modules

Faculty Tips for Optimal Development and Delivery Of Instruction using New Communication Technologies

Online Course Development (Katherine Stevenson, Charlotte Chapman Mid-Atlantic ATTC)

• Optimally, online courses are developed by a collaborative team including: a content expert, an instructional designer/editor, a computer technician/information specialist, and a graphic designer
  • online courses are a conglomeration of instructional content and materials, instructional design, computer technology and graphic design (combines instructional and electronic communication technologies)
• Where traditional classroom courses focus on the live interaction between instructors and students, online courses focus on the virtual interaction between the text/computer interface and students
  • clear, precise, well-organized, and motivating writing and textual formatting take center stage
• Have a good editor edit your course content, especially if you are used to presenting the exact same material in the traditional classroom
  • you may unconsciously make conceptual leaps which motivate discussion in the classroom, where you receive instantaneous visual and auditory feedback from students, but are confusing to online readers
• A course website will consist of several linked pages
  • optimally, each page will contain no more than 2-3 major new ideas, or concepts
  • keep pages short with as little scrolling as possible
• Ease of site navigation must be carefully considered
  • students new to the course, and new to the technology will want to know where to go next once they get to the bottom of each page
  • once students are used to the course and the technology, they will want a clearly labeled menu available on each page to allow nonlinear freedom of movement through the course pages
  • simple, straightforward and consistent page design helps students feel they are always in the same "place" as they move from page to page--and makes it easy for them to move from page to page
• Realize you cannot cover the same amount of content as in a regular course, training event or article
• Review content and prioritize major learning goals then organize material around those goals
• Make realistic learning goals - about 4 per module seemed to work
• This is a content heavy medium so think of creative ways to organize the material i.e. graphs, charts, links, vary format so that students get a break
• Your written material looks very different on the website so be sure to review it carefully once it is on the site
• Decide how much time you want to spend interacting with students and then design assignments accordingly
• There is no way to monitor if students are really taking the course except through assignments, email and listserv interactions and the posttest
• Students seem to only participate on the forum if it is mandatory for passing the class
• Have a requirement for a percentage of questions that need to be completed on the posttest to be sure students are reading the material
• Don't assume students have computer skills - directions for taking the course need to be very explicit
• Check on students who have not submitted assignments halfway through the course as they may be doing the work but not submitting it correctly so that you receive it
• Having a class of students preview the course and meeting with them to discuss their experiences was very helpful.

Websites for further information on Online Course Development:
Stylus, Inc. Online Course Development
Developing a Course Webpage

Collaborative Teaching/Learning with Internet2 Videoconferencing (Laurie Rokutani, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA)

• Recognize that you are doing two things at once

  • Teaching and learning collaboratively
• Teaching and learning collaboratively in a new environment (a virtual, or staged "broadcast" space between 2 geographic locations)
• Initial preparation and development is time- and effort-intensive
  • everything takes 2-4 times longer, especially prep time when the technology is brand new to you
  • some colleges and universities allow course release time, but many don't
  • remember, there are 2 classrooms in two different geographical locations, coming together in 1 virtual space--plan for close coordination between sites and co-instructors
• Technical support is a must until you are familiar with all aspects of the hardware and software involved
• Class size makes a difference; although it may not be in your control
  • one optimal class meeting had a total of 14 students--7 in each of the two classrooms
  • recommendation is for no more than 10 at each site
• Spend some time during the first class period(s) explaining the new technology to your students, including its use, how it will affect the classroom process, and how it will affect communication
• Participation depends heavily on prompting by the instructor; at least initially
  • divide class presentation time between instructors in each location
  • train and rehearse instructors in modeling the participatory behaviors you want the students to emulate
    • talk into the microphone, holding it close, speak clearly and strongly, introducing yourself each time
    • ask and answer questions in an orderly manner
  • train and rehearse instructors in prompting participation with the camera--zooming in on the one speaker who has the floor, and panning the room at other times
• Develop interaction-intensive instruction
• Modify the way you move physically through the space in the classroom--minimize movement; walk slowly if you must, facing the camera
• A supplemental Course Information Website, or Course Information Files copied to your institution's server is a must
  • use this site or files for basic information dissemination, freeing class-time for more in-depth discussion and learning
    • Focus class sessions on process and integration of content, motivating students to bring their own creativity to the material, and encouraging them to apply content out in the "real world"
  • include handouts, notes, slides, graphics, and all other course materials
  • require your students to download or copy these materials and study them before each class period--advise them to bring these materials to class
  • set up a forum for students to discuss the technological aspects of the course (complaints, concerns, constructive criticism, and suggestions)
• Develop backup instructional plans in case the computer system breaks down
• Spend 15-30 minutes after each class to reflect, assess outcomes, and reevaluate delivery
• Remember, "the more sophisticated the technology, the more 'Murphy's Law' takes effect"
• Learn to be flexible and go with the flow--good humor works
• Always have extra batteries on hand!

(Tim Quiring, Southwestern Community College, NC)
Teaching tips for videoconferencing or "The 10 Best Kept Secrets of Videoconferencing count down"
10. Never apologize for the equipment not working. You're just the messenger (target).
9. Always have a phone number so that you can reach the other sites directly. Make sure someone is there to answer the phone or has the key to the room with the phone. Ha!
8. Getting to the room early means absolutely nothing. The technology will always breakdown just before you go on the air. Do not do this if you are obsessive compulsive.
7. Never do a videoconferencing class after 3:00 p.m. or on Fridays. The staff who can fix the technology are union.
6. If you can pat your head and rub your stomach at the same time, you will be able to push the right buttons at the right time.
5. Don't lie to yourself. The students at the other sites see you as a nonperson. There is nothing you can do to impress them. You are not "M TV". Feeling type people have a hard time with this. Get over it. Students will learn by observing. Concentrate on the students in your room. Do your best job with them.
4. You're not an entertainer, news reporter, actor, or sitcom. You're a teacher. The same students who get bored and complained in your conventional classroom are the same students who get bored and complained with videoconferencing.
3. You're a teacher, not a technician, sound person, camera person, or fiber-optic's professional. A dynamic teacher is one who is thrilled about what they teach and what they discover and not worried about the small stuff. The same students who turn on to your discipline in the conventional classroom are the same students who turn on to your topic in a videoconferencing class. Good students are those who want to be there and learn no matter what the conditions.
2. Always have hard copies sent ahead of time to all sites. It's not a matter of "if" something goes wrong, it is "when" something goes wrong. Life is a problem to be solved. When you figure this out videoconferencing comes easy. New high-tech equipment means you to have delays. 0h, just because your room is running well doesn't mean the other sites are.
1. Yes it is harder, time-consuming, anxiety producing, with same pay to teach than a conventional class. You have to find your own reasons that inspire you to use videoconferencing. "The president of the college wants you to" is a good reason.

Websites for further information on Videoconferencing:
Videoconferencing Atlas
Tips for Video Conferencing
Telecollaborative Project Centre
Teaching with Collaborative Activities and Small Groups
Collaborative Learning
Cooperative/Collaborative Learning
Collaborative Learning/Small Group Learning Page

Tools
Comparison of Online Course Delivery Software Products
Blackboard
Web Course In A Box
WebCT
Cyberclass

Mid-Atlantic ATTC Home

Mid-Atlantic Addiction Technology Transfer Center VCU Dept. of Psychiatry PO Box 980469 Richmond, VA 23298-0469 (804) 828-9910 (804) 828-4377 fax Email: mid-attc@mindspring.com http://www.mid-attc.org
The Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network Funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

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updated 4/9/04 mw