Now that I am coming up to the final stages in my online teaching certification, I can say that the design course has been most difficult of all the courses.
Thus far in the designing aspect of the course the paper writing has been the most difficult. There are certain issues that I have encountered which caused a few minor mistakes that I was able to get help with. As each week passes I feel very confident in what I am doing. I learn more as each week passes.
This program has been a goal of mine for years prior to actually beginning the program. Once I began I realized how much the program has to offer. Also my experience with the course and its instructors and online community has been very rewarding. This process has been an easy journey until I came to designing online. This portion of the course had been difficult and stressful.
What I found a struggle in this course is the communication process, more so than the design aspect of this course. Since I have never experienced these types of problems in the online program, this has been very difficult for me.
Also I found life has its ways of interfering with the learning process. Too many instances this semester have made things a little more difficult than the norm. I feel it has caused me to lose track and focus at that given moment. So I ask myself what is a teacher to do in this instance.
This is a question I ask myself today, "What will I do to keep my student on track after they have had to cope with a serious life situation?" As I journey through this program in order to achieve a certification in online teaching I question my experience and situations and consider how I might help my students in overcoming this trial in their lives and accomplish completing the course as they had intended.
I think it is my job as an online instructor to give hope to the student and an organized outline: "What to do from this point." I would hate for my student to have the burden of life’s situations and the uncertain outcome of the course looming the student. I have learned more than just carrying out an online course it terms of facilitating, designing and what have you, but most importantly the students.
That being said, after taking this course and almost half way through; there are issues that I now think about with my future online learners. Understanding the complications of communicating effectively online and the likability of miscommunication can cause much conflict with the student and their ability to learn in an online environment. Although many have had great experiences with online learning there are those who do not like the lack of f2f interaction do to miscommunicaiton problems while in an online course.
Whether it be student student interaction or facilitator student interaction.
I think that this is a very touchy subject that needs to be addressed early on in each course f2f & online. I do believe that an online course is more likely to come across miscommunication in the virtual world. Considering the lack of f2f interaction which offers body language and eye to eye contact in contrast (online) which have no visible cues?
Look at this note I found and how communication can be misconstrued.
Click here to view Miscommunication letter
I understand how communication can be lost in translation while communicating though virtual reality, this topic is familiar to me. I recently wrote a paper on e-mail miscommunication; are the word we are sending really what we mean, or lost in translation?
The communication process in the virtual world is a concern that cannot be overlooked. Lack of body language and eye contact can at times leave interpretation up in the air. It is true that the message may be clear, but sometimes that message looks much clearer to the sender rather than the receiver; and this is where the message might become lost in translation. Some might be insulted by this intention or suggestion but the truth is this happens to even the most knowledgeable in this matter (virtual communication) and have had their own personal run in with miscommunication through virtual messages.
Avoid Email Miscommunication
http://www.spring.org.uk/2007/10/avoid-email-miscommunication.php
Here is an example: Improving Communication in an Online Course: http://www.brighthub.com/education/online-learning/articles/47459.aspx
Avoiding Online Miscommunication Avoiding Online Miscommunication By Melinda Roberts Tyler I will never forget the note I received at the end of one of my first semesters teaching ...
Teaching and Learning Online: Communication, Community and Assessment. Chapter 3: Teaching and Learning Challenges.
http://www.umass.edu/cft/publications/Teaching_and_Learning_Online_Handbook.pdf
This is a really nice link on interaction in online learning and communication. Interactions http://www.trenton.k12.nj.us/columbus/library/Interactions.htm gives some tips on what to think about while communicating.
Some Links I found valuable in understanding communication and online communities as well as miscommunication in the virtual enviornment. (online learners):
In Conclusion:
All in all, not only has this course taught me the value of an online community and to appreciate the help of my peers through feedback and inquiry, but also brought to mind my own journey through teaching online and the situations I will encounter as I teach in this virtual environment.
Design is something that will be forever changing while facilitating an online course, so it will be very fast passed and forward in terms of technology. This is something I look forward to and want go above and beyond what there is to offer in terms of technology for my students.
As I began my undergrad studies after a long break I realized how behind I was in terms of technology. I promised myself that this was going to be no obstacle and that I was going to keep moving forward and understanding technology for all that it had to offer. And I will.........
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