[ATTW-L] question about online courses

[Joseph Robertshaw]

 Hi there,
I see room here for a further distinction between the first and second
categories.

Fully online –* semi-synchronous;*

   - students and faculty participate from any location;
   - weekly synchronous schedule and some synchronous components like
   discussions,
   - but no live sessions


This structure differs from a fully self-paced model, in that, all of the
students are expected to receive and engage with the concepts and materials
at the same time. This also differs from the synchronous models that
require students to attend a class session remotely.  This is an
advantageous caveat for first generation students and working class
students as many have variable work schedules and cannot commit to a
regular class schedule and also keep their jobs. Canned lectures make it
possible for one student to engage the materials Tuesday morning and
another Wednesday evening but both are expected to participate in
discussions and activities by Friday. The week is asynchronous and highly
flexible but the pacing of the course is metered to the beat of the
semester/trimester/quarter.

There are also, of course, *Hybrid* courses as well in which a reduced
number of class meetings are scheduled. I tend to see these as the bridges
between projects in project based courses. Since the proportion of time
spent in the classroom is often far less that the portion spent outside
(25-50% in to 50-75% out) it is needful to class this framework with online
courses. Hybrids and onlines also require an additional skill set from the
instructor that is not needed in the traditional classroom. While Classroom
teaching requires something of a talent for live performance, both Hybrids
and Onlines are also more labor intensive that traditional classrooms
classes due to many factors, not the least of which is the heavy engagement
with technology. The analogy between theater and film is not a poor one in
this context except in the online course the actor is also the producer,
director, editor, promoter, and Key Grip.

I hope this adds to your considerations.
Best,



On Tue, Mar 17, 2020 at 3:43 PM McPherson, Dr. Cynthia <
mcpherson at tarleton.edu> wrote:

> Folks,
>
> We are reviewing how we offer online courses and would like to know what
> others are doing.
>
>
>
> Here are the variations we have noted so far:
>
> Fully online – asynchronous; students and faculty participate from any
> location; no synchronous scheduled sessions
>
> Fully online with synchronous scheduled sessions (via Zoom or other
> meeting software); students and faculty participate from any location
>
> Fully online with synchronous scheduled sessions (via Zoom or other
> meeting software); students participate from a campus location (students
> must be in a classroom on the main or a remote campus)
>
>
>
> I’d appreciate it if you would share how you present online courses.
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> CMc
>
>
>
> Cynthia McPherson, PhD
>
> Assistant Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in English
>
> Department of English and Languages
>
> Tarleton State University
>
> Box T-0300
>
> Stephenville, TX 76402
>
> 254.968.9036
>
> mcpherson at tarleton.edu
>
>
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