Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference October 23, 2009 Teaching Strategies for Online Health Care Courses Rose Miller Professor of Nursing, CSM
Nov 29, 2014
Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference October 23, 2009
Teaching Strategies for Online Health Care Courses
Rose Miller
Professor of Nursing, CSM
Challenges when Teaching Online
• Two ends of the spectrum– Generation Y students – computers in
the delivery room and in the bassinet when child is born – “Communication technology is their middle name”
– Traditional older student – never did anything with computers and afraid to even touch the computer
Teaching Strategies for Both Groups
• Need to stay on the cutting edge of communication technology to keep the Gen Y students engaged
BUT
• Need to keep it simply enough you don’t scare the traditional student away
Challenges when Teaching Online • A student myth, taking an online class will be a
“walk in the park, EASY!!!”
• Squash this thought immediately while still in the drop and add period!!
• Syllabus is the key to “enlightening” the student about the realities of YOUR online class
• Must have weekly activities to keep the students engaged
Format for Online Courses
• Keep it simple• If you teach more then one online
course – use the same format • Use the college’s online orientation
program• Use as many learning styles as
possible • Use audio or visual recordings
Audio Recordings
• Must have a log of recording to comply with ADA regulations
• What items may be audio recorded?– Explanation of how the course grade is earned– Layout of the course– Any special tips for studying or learning
course content
When to use Online Components
Discussion Board vs Assignment Drop box
• Factual question for Assignment Drop Box
• Thought provoking questions (reflections) – DB
• Factual questions with an application component, such as giving examples to support an answer – DB
Pros & Cons of Discussion Board
• Pros– Active engagement – Students must respond
to a number of classmates’ postings
– Shy student can relay thoughts easier
– Everyone has a “voice” on the topic
– Easy to record grades
• Cons– Can get cumbersome
with large groups of students
– Must manage grading system
– Takes longer to grade– Must open e-mail to
send feedback
Pros and Cons of E-mail
• Pros– Can communicate with
each student or a large group of students
– Can limit who gets the e-mail
– Will have a record (unless you delete -NEVER DELETE!)
• Cons– Grading assignments
through e-mail - must get out of e-mail and go to the grade book
– May forget to record grades
– What you say is in writing!!!! (Could be a pro also)
Pros & Cons of Assignment Drop Box
• Pros – Private – only
instructor sees– Can give feedback
without going to e-mail
– Student can submit large file
– Can record grades quickly and easily
• Cons– Other students are
not able to see – Usually have
attachments– Instructor may not
be able to open attachment
Pros and Cons of Chat
• Pros– Students can meet
at one time– It is live and
recorded– Decreases traveling
if a hybrid web class
• Cons– Cumbersome with
large groups– Must have rules of
engagement & ENFORCE
– Needs to be synchronize
– Must be a good typist!!
Teaching Strategies
• Learning Activities for each chapter or module
• Calendar – in syllabus AND on Learning Module page (webCT calendar also)
• At a Glance Assignment section on Learning Module page
Teaching Strategies (con’t)
• Exam information section on Learning Module page
• How to succeed section on Learning Module page or in syllabus
• Clarify what is to be turned in for a grade and what is there to help them learn
Teaching Strategies (con’t)
• You tube clips
• Publisher sites and CDs with books have quizzes, games and active learning exercises
• Require student to log into the course at least three times a week (tracking tool useful)
Teaching Strategies (con’t)
• Case studies
• Power points or class notes
• Study guides or workbooks
• Muddiest Point and Current Issues topic on Discussion Board
Evaluation Strategies
• Quizzes/Exams – Chapter quizzes much better at keeping
the student engaged then several big exams
• Learning activities with EACH chapter or module
Evaluation Strategies (con’t)
• Learning activities may be: – A thought provoking question/reflection
to post to the discussion board– Discussion questions with required
responses to other students’ postings
*Readings from the book
*End of chapter questions
*Current event related to topic of the wk.
Evaluation Strategies (con’t)
• Examples of weekly activities:– Select five words from a chapter,
breakdown, define and tell a story using the words
– Define ageism and give three examples
– See the handouts for more examples of weekly learning activities
Evaluation Strategies (con’t)
• Research papers
• TV/Movie paper to reinforce learned content
• Reflections on a topic or guided questions
Evaluation Strategies (con’t)
• Patient teaching plans using the Nursing Process for Pharmacology course
• Writing “pulling it all together” papers at the end of the course
In Summary
• It is best to have the students do at least one activity each week
• The activity should related to everyday life events if possible
• Require the student to log into the course at least three times per week
Any questions?
Enjoy the rest of the conference!