If you walked into a library and there was no system, no method to the madness of a couple thousand books, that would considerably hinder their usefulness. At best you would have to spend hours, if not days, looking for what you need and you may miss out on the best sources in the end. … Continue reading A Good Online Class: Organized Content
Category: The Five Elements of a Good Online Class
Over the years I have taken more than thirty online courses of varying types and there have most certainly been some good ones, bad ones, and a myriad in-between. As a student, those experiences helped me learn what to look for and how to define what in general what makes a good course versus a bad one.
A good online course should have. . .
– clear expectations
– a consistent schedule
– flexibility
– organized content
– reliable and prompt communication
Here you will find a series of posts on what I consider to be the five elements of a good online course.
A Good Online Course: Flexibility
I once took a class where the instructor would allow us to work up to four weeks ahead at a time and allowed us to submit that work at any time up to the due date. The assignments primarily consisted of online quizzes, papers and PowerPoint presentations. I would pick a Sunday and spend the … Continue reading A Good Online Course: Flexibility
A Good Online Course: Consistent Schedule
In a traditional face-to-face class, assignments are almost always due at the beginning of a class period. For example, if you have class on MWF from 9:30AM - 10:20AM your assignments will almost always be due on one of those days at 9:30AM. Or, perhaps 11:59PM the night before. A good online class should function … Continue reading A Good Online Course: Consistent Schedule
A Good Online Course: Clear Expectations
Clear Expectations: Regardless of the platform, courses of all kinds are filled with expectations from all sides. The university, instructor and student all have expectations of one another and when these expectations are not clear, and therefore more difficult to meet, nobody is happy. Speaking specifically from a student’s perspective, a good course outlines assignments and objectives … Continue reading A Good Online Course: Clear Expectations
Class On-The-Go 