What makes for a successful online class?

Durrington, Berryhill, and Swafford examine the qualities that make for a successful online class, suggesting that “Students demonstrate more positive attitudes and higher levels of performance when online classes are highly interactive (Durrington, Berryhill, & Swafford, 2006, p.1). And, they state that “distance learning can be as effective as traditional instruction when the technologies are appropriate for the instructional tasks, instructors provide timely feedback to students, and levels of student interactivity are high” (Durrington, Berryhill, & Swafford, 2006, p.1). In order for the learning environment to achieve high levels of interactivity, “the learning environment must be supportive, open, and respectful” (Durrington, Berryhill, & Swafford, 2006, p.1). To promote participation in asynchronous discussions, “guidelines for minimum contributions should be established” (Durrington, Berryhill, & Swafford, 2006, p.2). The authors also suggest a problem-based learning approach, “in which small groups are presented with a scenario based on real world problems, and each group develops informed solutions to the problem” (Durrington, Berryhill, & Swafford, 2006, p.2).

Siemens suggests a “curatorial” approach for instructors in an online environment, in which the exhibits put on display the content of the course, leading to active networked conversations and opportunity for students to dissect and experience material in different ways. The curator is not the sage on the stage or the guide on the side; the curator is an expert leading students to understanding. The curator engages in active dialogue with the students to create a rich interplay of ideas between the instructor and the student. The online classroom for Siemens acts as a centralized location for the course content, but the act of learning is decentralized across the larger network of available content.

Siemens’ concept of Curatorial Teaching seems designed for an academic environment in which the instructor facilitating the course is also the same instructor who designed the course. In my experience with proprietary higher education, the instructor facilitating the course is not the same subject matter expert who designs the exhibits and assignments in the course. Although, I do agree with Seimens’ description of the active role that must be played by the instructor facilitating the course. The instructor and instructional designers of online courses should take into consideration the suggestions of Siemens and Durrington, Berryhill, and Swafford; an online course needs to be interactive; the online instructor needs to provide regular feedback to the student; the assignments need to relate to real world situations that provide context for student learning and growing experience.

The online course design should also consider how to use common tools in the instructional process. For example, enabling students to use communication tools like WindowsLive, Elluminate, and Skype create opportunities for more effective collaborative student interactions. Email, instant messaging, and text messaging increase lines of communication between students and instructors. GoogleDocs is a wonderful tool for enabling students to compose and edit a collaborative student project. Blogs and wikis allow students to express themselves in an environment created and managed by the student.

Durrington, V. A., Berryhill, A., & Swafford, J. (2006). Strategies for enhancing student interactivity in an online environment. College Teaching, 54(1), 190-193.

Siemens, G. (2007). Curatorial learning. [Podcast]. Learn Online.Retrieved October 25, 2009, from http://learnonline.wordpress.com/2007/09/20/10-minute-lecture-george-siemens-curatorial-teaching/