Momenta Learning

A blog on topics related to Elearning, online education, and instructional design.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Best teacher and worst teacher (week 0)

I guess I will have to talk about my graduate work experience. My best teacher in graduate school was on a class called colloidal science. My worst teacher in the same setting was my instructor on a class called Separation processes in chemical engineering.
I think the most memorable moments in that colloidal science class was the fact that the class was conducted in a very informal matter. By informal I mean that the subject of the day was mostly presented by the instructor but he will devote the rest of the class asking us questions about the material and how to apply what we just learned. The course did have a structure and we were handed out a syllabus at the beginning of the semester. He always started the class with a picture or video that would convey the subject of the day. This facilitated the learning process because we saw a real world application of what we learned today.
Based on this, I have elaborated a list for four DOs:
  1. Use external resources that help students understand the subject being exposed,
  2. Ask questions to students, call on them and ask for their opinion so that you can assess how much they know,
  3. Conduct the class in a way that students feel relaxed in your class,
  4. Prepare a final project that requires student collaboration and encourages discussion.
What I think are four DON'Ts
  1. Be too rigid in class just because you have a Ph.D. and you look down on your students,
  2. You talk must of the time, make students participate,
  3. Present only text material with no media that helps understand concepts,
  4. Rely too much on an assistant to keep in touch with students.
I am planning on using these two lists when I design online courses by developing material that is engaging by adding activities where the students are asked to comment on something or make an analysis on the subject being presented. I also plan on treating students as colleagues and not as pupils, conveying that respect during the live interactions planned for these courses. Even though it is difficult to create that "human touch" in an online environment, something that is easy to accomplish in a classroom, I will set up discussion forums, chat sessions, and live video sessions that include personalized messages so that the student would not feel as another number in the enrollment.

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