The course I have selected to review is History 191. A course that I taught this past winter term, and one that I have taught before several years ago. Although it doesn’t exactly fit with the questions noted for this blog post, I actually went through my old outline (from 2010) and then reviewed the differences in assignments, outcomes and approaches. This comparison between the two versions of the course reflects my real-life experience and changes in my teaching practice over a several years. In the earlier version of this course I was teaching it as a distance course (audio lectures) with multiple campus joining in at specific times. Students were assigned activities that were to build on the reading comprehension of articles and textbook, but also with presentation and bonus points for active participation and engagement (with other students and discussion). The course objectives didn’t change but my methods of instruction did since I had a much larger class, of 55 while in previous years it was a class of 10-14. However I did also have two teaching assistants which helped me immensely in identifying strengths in course structure and online methods such as the chat function that I normally shied away from. These TAs were equally critical to the success of the students and the stated learning outcomes. I understand the concept of the SOLO taxonomy, but as distance instructors we can offer students enhanced learning activities and should challenge ourselves to do so. As one who I do not subscribed to the idea that in person and in real time is better form of instruction, but it is perhaps easier to generate a sense of belong to a CoI, which I think is central to students success.
In my discipline of history rote memory and exam recall is less important than articulation of historical trends and concepts. However, this pandemic has stretched instructors to be informed and expert users of online methods, upending all the assumptions many had of online verses (face to face) as the only method of instruction. I have great hopes that, if given the freedom and resources, most faculty will be able to integrate a more blended approach to course creation and adaptions.
2 replies on “OTL 101 #3”
I appreciate your observations about cultivating a CoI in the context of online learning, Maureen. This is forefront for me, too. How to productively and practically generate a meaningful and respectful community of learners, especially in the continuous enrolment context…
I appreciate your acknowledgement about rote memory and exam recall as that was my previous discipline and learning tactics. Reading how your methods of instruction changed was powerful as I believe that hones in on creating CoI