Every student handles the transition from traditional to online instruction differently. Whether the shift comes naturally or takes a bit of adjustment, strategies exist that each online instructor can implement to promote the growth of intellectual thought online.
Many educators feel that the online education environment is ideal for promoting thinking and fostering intellectual development. In fact, numerous supporters believe that online education is able to bring even the most reticent eLearners around to educational success.
Read the rest of this entry »
In the corporate world, best practices provide the guidance needed to keep a company running smoothly. They supply the guidance necessary to maintain shareholder and client security and to ensure success for everyone involved. Best practices in online learning serve a similar purpose. By creating and adhering to pre-determined rules, goals and missions, institutions of higher learning can develop the best possible environment for education.
Read the rest of this entry »
“The instructor sets the tone for the whole class, so we need to get them to a good comfort level,” explained Victoria Alexander of The Learning House, Inc. (www.learninghouse.com). Easier said than done. This fall, thousands of students worldwide will embark upon an eLearning adventure for the first time. However, many forget that their teachers did, too.
Leading any kind of course is an exciting and rewarding job. Yet, the shift for teachers from a known environment – face-to-face classrooms – to an unseen, new medium online can be intimidating.
Read the rest of this entry »
Since many of the adult education, evening college degree completion program faculty and continuing education instructors are not on our campuses as full time faculty, they can pose administrative dilemmas for deans or directors of such programs. It takes an intentional program of training to keep these invaluable instructors in the current flow of program philosophy, technological updates and pedagogical research.
Read the rest of this entry »
Written and Submitted by Dr. Jim Jones
The online educational process continues to present challenges to both professors and students. Some of the latest research points towards student inclusion and communication in the online process. This, of course, is meant to enhance the educational experience for the student. Yet you also see some institutions have moved completely away from any form of didactic learning to a straightforward, no-frills approach to online learning. Some institutions may require active participation in chat rooms and discussion boards while others require no involvement in either format. It is safe to say that every institution has its own philosophy and/or values related to these issues, but each perspective is not without some degree of controversy.
Read the rest of this entry »
There are many new teachers who failed badly in conducting interesting and effective lessons, because they lacked an effective teaching strategy. Being a teacher can be a very challenging and enriching career for a lot of people. To many people who aspire to be one, it may seem to be a simple and easy task to achieve.
However, being a teacher who is able to conduct effective teaching lessons is definitely not an easy task to achieve. This is mainly because it’s very difficult to capture the full attention of the students throughout the whole day. For a typical student, the time to concentrate fully can only last up to two hours. This means that schools are spending more efforts to employ teachers who can engage their students in interesting lessons and helping their teachers to learn effective teaching strategies.
Read the rest of this entry »
View Presentation - http://breeze.elearnportal.com/p19777600/
Introduction
Many students know how to prepare for a traditional, face-to-face class. Are the needs for an online class so different? Let’s take a closer look at how the needs for a traditional class differ from an online class:
Traditional Class Needs
Online Class Needs
Course schedule
- Find the class location
- Textbook
- Paper, pens, highlighter…etc
- Computer
- Software for class work (e.g. writing papers)
Read the rest of this entry »
After you log into the LMS, you will see a button on the left hand navigation bar called, “Instructor Training.”
Click on this button to access our on-demand training modules. These modules provide important information about how to use the LMS. Please take a few minutes to view these modules. Here are some of the most important ones:
Course Management, Level 1
A comprehensive look at the most commonly used instructor functions in the LMS.
Text File Formats
How to save a text file in Rich Text Format (RTF).
Browser Settings
How to set your Browser Settings.
Learning House, Inc. (www.learninghouse.com) consistently hears from clients that one great hurdle to launching an online education program is familiarizing professors with a new learning medium. At home in the traditional classroom, some skilled educators find the shift to teaching in a virtual realm intimidating. To assist its clients, Learning House has offered training and support to those teachers.
Read the rest of this entry »
Chat sessions during an online class are wonderful for many reasons. They help build community within the class. One of the advantages of online learning is that it often creates a more diverse student body. During chat sessions, students and professors have the benefit of being exposed to the thoughts and experiences of students from all over the country. Chat sessions can also fulfill the need that many students have for connection to their fellow students and professors. Chatting makes students feel that they are a part of the institution and that their courses are more like a traditional class. However, chat sessions can be a challenge to manage. Students love to chat away about everything from their jobs to their pets. Here are some simple ideas for better managing chat sessions and keeping topics focused.
Read the rest of this entry »
