Periodic Fable

Wednesday, 23 July 2008

The importance of tutor / e-moderator presence

For an elearning course led by a tutor to be effective, the tutor presence is one of the most important elements. Showing good e-moderating practice the tutor must:
login regularly
model good online behaviour
be seen to be present
post encouraging messages for students
respond to student queries as quickly as possible
always sign postings and use people's names
respond to emails but try to keep learning points within the forum
The immediacy of the online environment leads students to expect an instant response. It's a good idea as an online tutor or e-moderator to set expectations at the beginning of a course - e.g., that you will normally respond within 24 hours, or whatever interval is relevant to your course.

One of the most useful tools for the teacher is a subscription, such as that offered by Moodle, so that you know whenever a student has posted to your forums (and with Moodle, the content they have posted). This enables you to plan your visits to the course space. If everything is quiet, for example students are working on their own projects or are between e-tivities, then visits do not have to be as often.

Comments from students emphasise the point of tutor presence and encouragement being vital, and appreciated, especially in the early stages of developing the group.

Typical student comments include:
"Tutor support has been pretty immediate and I have found that very encouraging."
"The comments from the tutor have been helpful and encouraging and have prompted reflection."
"[The tutor] has been really prompt and supportive in replying."
Encouraging responses don't have to be long and complicated. The simple can work well. Here are some examples from my courses (which would all be signed with my name):
"Well done, Martin and Louise - keep going. Thank you for your thoughtful postings."
"We'll be looking at this issue of XXXXX in Week 3 Thank you for bringing up the subject."
"That's a very interesting point you made, Karen. What would it look like in practice do you think? Does anyone else have any further ideas?"
Labels: e-learning, e-moderating, elearning, online tutoring

posted by Helen Whitehead 10:06 AM

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Friday, 23 May 2008

Places available on eModerating and Online Tutoring course (online)

5 weeks - online - in Moodle
Starts 4th June 2008
contact helen@reachfurther.com

I am running an eModerating and Online Tutoring course in partnership with Park Lane College in Leeds. This is an introductory course for those starting to or planning to teach online in HE, FE or even in schools. The format - 5 weeks online in Moodle - is based on successful courses I have run in the past with local, national and international participants and builds on my work with Professor Gilly Salmon at Leicester University. I'm delighted to be able to offer the course to teachers and tutors inside and outside the college as I know that a mix of participants from different institutions will, as in my previous courses, form a lively and mutually supportive community.

Although it's in Moodle, the skills taught are generic and not VLE-specific. Moodle is very easy to use :) Ł295 plus VAT

More information at http://reachfurther.com/?page_id=82

Contact me for more details helen@reachfurther.com

Labels: courses, e-facilitation, e-moderating, emoderating, Moodle, online learning, online tutor, online tutoring, VLE

posted by Helen Whitehead 2:18 PM

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Saturday, 4 August 2007

E-books on online community

Useful resources, especially for beginners

Otis Online Tutoring e-Book

NCSL's e-learning facilitation toolkit and 70,000 heads are better than one
Labels: e-learning, e-moderating, e-moderation, e-moderator, ebook, elearning, emoderating, online communities, online community, online learning, online tutor, online tutoring

posted by Helen Whitehead 5:53 PM

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Sunday, 8 July 2007

Ground rules for online courses

In my e-moderating courses recently we have been discussing whether or not ground rules are necessary to manage student expectations.

I'm a great believer in groundrules: I think people like to know where they stand, and if expectations are made clear at the beginning, then it is easier to manage complaints or disagreements at a later date.

Here's an example:

Students are expected to:
have the basic technical requirements to access the course (tech requirements re type of computers, operating system and software are given in advance and are as wide as is possible, but if the system doesn't work on Vista, for example, that is made clear before people sign up)

commit themselves to doing the work required for the course within the timeframe specified

give feedback to at least two other members of the class (...in each e-tivity - or this expectation can be made clear in each e-tivity)

take an active part in the online discussion board at least three times per week

participate in evaluation and feedback schemes where required

hand in assignments on time. Late assignments will be accepted only at the discretion of the tutor and only in exceptional circumstances.

abide by our code of conduct (see below)
Students can expect tutors to:

log on to the discussion boards several times a week and be regularly available by email or chat

respond to queries and posts within a stated time (usually 2 working days)

provide course material on time

set each assignment at least a week before its due date

provide quality course materials which fulfil the stated aims for each course (OK so that one's a bit woolly!)
Copyright statement

Students are expected to be aware of the restrictions of copyright and not to breach the copyright of any other student, writer of printed materials, or source on the web. All posted materials remain the copyright of the person posting. Material posted on the discussion boards must not be quoted outside the course without prior permission from the originator.

The teaching environment is private to students and writing posted within your course is available ONLY to students and tutors of that course. It does not constitute publication nor will the material be available on the web permanently.

Example Code of Conduct

This one was developed by the trAce Online Writing Centre community:

trAce exists to connect writers and readers around the world in real and
virtual space. As a professional and social online community, as well as a
learning environment, for writers, readers and other artists, and in support of
its purpose, the trAce Online Writing Centre has adopted three general governing
principles:

1. Principle of Tolerance

We are people of many nationalities, ages, cultures and artistic persuasions. We ask that everyone act with respect for others and recognize that effort may be necessary to avoid misunderstandings rising out of our differences.

2. Principle of Artistic and Intellectual Freedom

We are committed to:
a) supporting artistic practice across its entire range
b) recognising such practice as a basic means of expression
c) regarding as fundamental our protection and promotion of the artistic and intellectual freedom of the artists with whom we work.

3. Principle of Responsible Behaviour

We share not only a common sector of cyberspace but also resources, which are provided through real-life support, effort and funding and which are finite. Responsible behaviour is defined as that which conforms to netiquette standards and which does not interfere in the access and use of trAce resources.
The above principles were drafted by a representative group of trAce
users in May 2000 and are supported by the organisation as a whole.
Labels: copyright, e-facilitation, e-moderating, online community, online courses, online tutor, online tutoring, student expectations

posted by Helen Whitehead 2:00 PM

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