Online Learning: Faculty Tips

Our faculty friends at Mercy College were asked "Do you use any best practices techniques that you would recommend to other faculty?"

(http://www.mercy.edu/mercyonline/best_practices_report.htm)

Below is what they came up with:

frequent/constant instructor feedback and involvement

praise good work in public; express negative feedback in private

oversee discussions, but have students facilitate them

keep discussions on target and flowing

establish and adhere to deadlines

create and use an anonymous comments folder for student feedback

organize web pages and coursework for easy navigation

establish expectations at the beginning of the course

use small groups to enhance discussions

holding students responsible for higher-order thinking

encourage classmates to submit "suggested points of revision"

provide students with access to online resources

clearly stated classroom etiquette

use grading feature to send quiz and assignment grades with explanations and suggestions

create a separate discussion folder for each week/module

insist on clear and correct writing

keep course materials current; link become dated quickly

use interesting and current articles and provocative question to stimulate discussions

adapt to student needs

offer private responses to papers

give a discussion report card on student activity

have students post assignments in discussion area for all to comment

for each discussion, assign students to perform roles of starter, facilitator and summarizer while others participate in the discussion; student roles vary from discussion to discussion