Question for online instructors and students

What schools offer DL degrees that do not have a threaded discussion as part of the course work? I am teaching now and the threaded discussion is very time consuming. The school I am teaching for is not really relavant.

I know there are many online UoP student / instructors....what is it like?

 

I have taken online courses from UOP, Cerro Coso Community College and West Hills College. All three have required threaded discussions. From a student's perspective it really isn't a big deal. I view it the same as an instructor asking you to answer questions at the end of a chapter and then having an in-class discussion. From the teacher side, I could see where it would be very time consuming for grading participation.

My biggest complaint is the delay in the instructor responding to my question(s) so I can complete my assignment(s) timely.

My .02 cents worth!!

 

There is a big difference betweek online and external courses. Online courses are as you describe, with threaded discussions and online participation.

External courses, on the other hand, normally run in parallel with on campus courses and basically means that the student is not required to attend lectures but still required to submit assignments and write exams as regular students.

The University of London, Southern Queensland just to mention a few, follow the external model that basically requires external students to follow exactly the same traditional model but with the difference that they are not required to attend campus. Online, on the other hand, it is a new model that normally is designed for internet study with online discussion and sometimes online exams.

External study, basically means working independently without need to attend lectures. If you like this model. just look for school with external studies rather than online courses.

My USQ courses were external, running at the same time that on campus courses but with the difference that i was not required to attend lectures. I sent my assignments by regular mail and were sent back to me by regular mail, at the end of the course, I was required to write a final exam at an examination centre. No internet at all! but the emails that were exchange with the instructor.

 

Re: Re: Question for online instructors and students

I spend 2-3 hours a day reading and responding to the threaded section. I respond to everyone within 24 hours but my goal is 12 hours. Being a student also, I know how important a quick reponse is.

 

Randell,

What school do you teach?

Just curious!

 

Threaded discussions

I am currently teaching and I don't respond to each thread and/or student. I do read them, and if they are off-track I comment. I also comment at the end of each week's discussion.

I find that if I do respond too often or too much, it dampens the discussion between the students. My MBA professors had the same rule and didn't post unless asked a specific question.

I did greet each student at the beginning of the class during an intro post. I also send each student one email a week, responding to a post or their quiz score or something.

I do answer emails immediately, usually within 12 hours and try to be uber-responsive, because I hated professors that didn't answer questions in a timely manner.

Ann

 

UoP also has threaded discussions, it seems to be the norm for online courses. The best advice I can give is that you can't, and actually shouldn't, respond to every post in a threaded discussion.

There is the time factor, and also the fact that many discussions take a personal turn, where it would seem to the participants that the instructor was "butting-in" if they joined the discussion. That's a big reason why I keep my participation in the team sections to a minimum, so the team members can "be themselves", without fear of the instructor being "big brother".

 

That's exactly right.

Ann

 

At Southwestern College we do a lot of threaded discussions, but rarely does the instructor say anything in response.

 

I stay away from the personal conversations like...I have three kids also...my husband does not take out the garbage...etc.

Do you have a set number of times you post to the discussion section?

 

I took a few WebCT courses through Excelsior College. College Math required no discussion, nor did Computer Architecture or Project Management. The English course there however did have discussion as graded component. I like having the threaded discussion as a resource, however when it’s required the conversation seems forced and unnecessary. The courses that didn’t require discussion often just had the basic introduction and every couple of weeks or so there were questions asked by the students to the instructor/other students.