A Checklist for Facilitating Online Courses

By Mary Bart

There are two common assumptions about teaching online that can sink even the most well-meaning neophyte. One is that “teaching is teaching” regardless of whether it’s face-to-face or online and there’s no reason to deviate from the proven principles that work so well in the traditional classroom. The second assumption is that teaching online is all about the technology, and if you design your course properly, it pretty much runs itself.

Of course both assumptions are false, but where does that leave online instructors looking for guidance on the right way to teach an online course? A new research-based tool developed at Humboldt State University can help. Assessing Online Facilitation (AOF) can serve as a valuable guide to best practices in online teaching. It lists the four main roles of an online facilitator – pedagogical, managerial, social, and technical – and the associated tasks of each role. These tasks also are broken down according to when they should be done – before the course begins, during the first week of class, throughout the course, and during the last week of class.

Do you let your students get limited access to your course before it officially begins? Do you use ice breakers in your class? Do you invite peer review? Do you use rubrics? Hopefully you’ve answered ‘yes’ to most, if not all, of these questions because that’s what’s recommended. Learn more about online teaching best practices with a copy of Beyond Course Design: Planning for Successful Facilitation. Order a copy of this seminar now »

In the recent online seminar Beyond Course Design: Planning for Successful Facilitation, two of the AOF’s developers, Joan Van Duzer, an instructional technologist at Humboldt State University, and Carole Robinson, instructional media producer for Pasadena City College, discussed many of the tasks outlined in the AOF. Some of the items in the checklist include:

Before the Course Begins:

• Pedagogical – Review past course evaluations to determine if enhancements for instructional strategies are required.
• Managerial – Send informational message including how to login, what materials are needed and how to get them, and who to contact for technical assistance.
• Technical – Update hyperlinks to remove dead or broken links.

During the First Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Create an ice breaker activity related to a course key objective or concept.
• Managerial – Contact missing students to encourage their participation.
• Technical – Assist students with login/access difficulties.
• Social – Provide a personal and welcoming introduction to develop a personal presence.

Throughout the Course:

• Pedagogical – Summarize discussions.
• Managerial – Update the online grade book promptly after assignment due dates.
• Technical – Model competency with course management system delivery tools.
• Social – Organize collaborative projects to achieve strong social interaction.

During the Final Week of Class:

• Pedagogical – Provide feedback on final project.
• Managerial – Provide general information concerning the nature and format of the final assessment(s).
• Social – Send an email with a closing personal message to students.

The AOF is available for download from here. The Facilitation Activity Record, an optional companion document to the AOF, which provides spaces for facilitators to make notes of what worked and what didn’t work when facilitating a course, and to flag issues that should be addressed before the course is offered again, can be downloaded here.

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FEATURED PRODUCT

Beyond Course Design: Planning for Successful Facilitation

If you would like an introduction into the best practices of online teaching, this seminar is a good place to start. You’ll get an in-depth look at the Assessing Online Facilitation (AOF) tool and how it addresses each vital role that an effective online facilitator must play. It’s a guide for instructors seeking to better understand the paradigm shift between teaching face-to-face and teaching online. It can be used as a self-evaluation tool to determine strengths and areas for improvement. And, it provides a framework for peer assessment of online instructors.

You will learn:

• The different roles of an online facilitator: pedagogical, social, managerial, and technical.
• Specific techniques that improve online teaching effectiveness.
• The value of a Facilitation Activity Record in structuring successful repeated facilitation.
• How to guide peer evaluation of facilitator performance in the online classroom.

Order a copy of this seminar complete with transcript and valuable handouts »

UPCOMING ONLINE SEMINARS

Organizing Blended Courses for Optimal Student Engagement

Blended courses help alleviate overcrowded classrooms without compromising the academic rigor of a course. In fact, blended courses can actually increase student engagement and improve learning outcomes!

Join Dr. Ike Shibley of Penn State on March 10 for a closer look at how faculty members can best integrate blended learning practices into their courses. Dr. Shibley will present the specific strategies he recommends using with students before class meetings, during class time, and after class is over.

This online video seminar will cover:

• Effective blended techniques before, during and after class
• Using clickers to create a more active classroom
• Ways to reach higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy with clicker questions
• How to write quiz questions that encourage students to rehearse material
• Best methods to increase engagement through blended course design
• How blended learning makes assessment easier

Register your entire team for $259 »

Engaging Students with Synchronous Methods in Online Courses

While it’s true that one of the key benefits to online learning is the anytime/anywhere convenience, some students still crave more personal interaction. This seminar will show you how to incorporate synchronous elements into online course design and take student engagement to the next level.

Register today! You’ll get everything you need to more effectively engage your online students, including valuable checklists and worksheets for taking that next step.

Train your entire team for just $239 »

Discover Best Practices in Online Teaching

Chances are you’ve spent considerable time and effort revising coursework for better compatibility with distance learning. But, have you done the same with the way you facilitate your courses?

Fortunately, experts on the leading-edge of online instruction have developed a new tool to help with planning, self-assessment, and peer evaluation. Learn how  this tool can help you with a copy of Beyond Course Design: Planning for Successful Facilitation, for practical advice grounded in theory and practice.

Order a copy now »

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Article Topics

	Asynchronous Learning and Trends
	Educational Assessment
	Effective Classroom Management
	Effective Teaching Strategies
	Curriculum Development
	Instructional Design
	Faculty Development
	Faculty Evaluation
	Learning Styles
	Distance Learning
	Online Education
	Philosophy of Teaching
	Learning Communities
	Teaching and Learning
	Trends in Higher Education
	Teaching Careers
	Community College
	Academic Leadership

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