This semester was of great interest and importance to me as a new student, fairly seasoned—two semesters—in distance learning, so I
became personally involved in the supports provided, to me, as well as others new to online learning. Student supports in the distance learning and teaching environment is a must (click here for more). Some courses gave a syllabus, assignment(s), and instructions, which sounds like enough to “autonomously” work through what we as students interpreted to be the requirements. In a face-to-face class this would not always be the case, and should not be the situation in an online course. Brindley, Walti, & Zawacki-Richter (2004), supported my beliefs, and helped me to put together my synopsis of what should be in an autonomous learning environment, and could be possible. These are reflected in OMDE 607, 608, and 620 in my artifacts when I developed course plans, management plans, evaluated learning management systems, and my favorite, creating a course design in Webtycho.
Brindley, et al. (2004), provided excellent overviews of the major challenges encountered by online learners, which I have also found helpful in my personal studies, and shared in my face-to-face courses. Students or new practitioners were exposed to various approaches for providing effective learner support, but what the literature has not offered me is a way to help learners who are struggling with course work, i.e., personal situations and life outside of the “class.” In the conventional learning environment (F2F), the instructor can reach out to students, see/ sense when students are having issues needing to be addressed--technology has not bridged this divide. My goal is to find the mechanism to support students where they are... in the virtual classroom. Enjoy the resources provided
became personally involved in the supports provided, to me, as well as others new to online learning. Student supports in the distance learning and teaching environment is a must (click here for more). Some courses gave a syllabus, assignment(s), and instructions, which sounds like enough to “autonomously” work through what we as students interpreted to be the requirements. In a face-to-face class this would not always be the case, and should not be the situation in an online course. Brindley, Walti, & Zawacki-Richter (2004), supported my beliefs, and helped me to put together my synopsis of what should be in an autonomous learning environment, and could be possible. These are reflected in OMDE 607, 608, and 620 in my artifacts when I developed course plans, management plans, evaluated learning management systems, and my favorite, creating a course design in Webtycho.
Brindley, et al. (2004), provided excellent overviews of the major challenges encountered by online learners, which I have also found helpful in my personal studies, and shared in my face-to-face courses. Students or new practitioners were exposed to various approaches for providing effective learner support, but what the literature has not offered me is a way to help learners who are struggling with course work, i.e., personal situations and life outside of the “class.” In the conventional learning environment (F2F), the instructor can reach out to students, see/ sense when students are having issues needing to be addressed--technology has not bridged this divide. My goal is to find the mechanism to support students where they are... in the virtual classroom. Enjoy the resources provided