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Welcome back! As we continue our Online Education Success series,
in this episode of the Explorations Learning Network we'll chat about, Doing the Work.
Hi, I'm Avi Anderson and this
is the Explorations Learning Network
[music]
As we discussed in our two previous episodes, 'Managing Time' and 'Participation,'
fulfilling the work in an online class falls into two distinct categories, participation
and completing assignments.
Remember, participation is how you interact with the instructor and the other students
in the class.
These interactions can be activities as simple as chatrooms and discussion boards
or can be more involved and include video conferencing or virtual worlds.
However, there is more to taking an online course than just participating.
In most cases you'll have to complete assignments, sorry, and other activities that reinforce
the material being presented in the course.
There are a plethora of assignments and activities that occur in an online class.
Of course there are the traditional learning activities that include:
reading assignments, writing assignments, essays, quizzes, and exams.
However, there are also other types of activities that can make online learning more interesting
than a conventional class.
Things like interactive games, team learning, virtual learning exploration, drill and practice,
journaling and blogging, virtual labs, webquests, the list goes on and on.
Alright! let's break it down!
Online assignments typically fall into six different categories:
Assessments,
self-reflection,
research,
experimentation,
collaboration,
and presentations.
Let's take a closer look at the different types of assignments that you may encounter
in each of these categories.
Assessments, what most people would regard as tests, I know!
But don't freak out.
The cool thing about online tests is that they are designed to help you learn the material
not to test what you've memorized.
Many of the new forms of quizzes, exams, and other assessments in online classes use
what the makers of Acellus online learning system refer to as
'deficiency diagnostics.'
The quiz or exam that you take, searches for the gaps in your learning and then helps you
tackle those gaps.
For example, let's say you're taking an algebra class and you're learning about
quadratic equations.
The learning platform may give you a series of short quizzes that assess how well you
can solve a quadratic equation.
But based upon your answers, the software discovers that your skills with fractions
are not tip-top.
The software will then provide you with extra instruction to make sure
that you can manipulate fractions and solve quadratic equations.
The great thing about online assessments is that the quiz or exam is never the same.
This insures that you actually need to understand the subject in order to pass the test.
Don't worry though,
thanks to all the other activities available in online learning,
you'll know the material before it's time for you to take a test.
In order to get ready for a quiz or exam, you may need to complete a self-reflective
activity.
There are all kinds of self-reflective activities.
The most popular activities include journaling, blogging, and concept mapping.
These activities give you a chance to review what you know by discussing it with yourself
and in some cases such as blogging, sharing your thoughts with others.
Concept mapping or mind mapping is a great way to organize your thoughts.
Concept mapping can be as simple as drawing bubble ideas on paper
and connecting the associative bubbles.
You can also use some fantastic software such as MindManager or apps like Grafio
to create maps that help you organize projects, essays, and presentations.
Research assignments are currently the bulk of learning-activities students experience
in online classes.
But unlike traditional research, these online activities can be pretty-cool!
Research activities include reading-assignments, writing essays, critiquing articles,
studying case briefs, scavenger hunts, document analysis, interviews, literature reviews,
and webquests.
Research activities usually require you to hunt for information as well as report on
what you discovered in your research.
Remember to cite your sources anytime you present information that is not your own.
Some of the most fun and exciting online activities fall into the experimentation category.
These include: gaming, art projects, fieldwork, laboratory experiments,
puzzle-solving exercises, and simulations.
The great thing about experimentation activities is that they stimulate every learning mode
available,
visual learning, auditory learning, and kinesthetic learning even, which is touch-based learning.
No matter which mode is your dominant learning style,
you'll most likely benefit from online experimental activities.
In previous episodes we talked about how collaboration in online environments is made easier because
of the removal of limitations created by time and distance.
You can cooperate with other individuals at anytime from anywhere in the world.
Collaborative learning-activities include brainstorming sessions, group problem solving,
group reports,
peer editing, role playing, debates, and other activities.
Remember to always treat your other online learners with respect when working on collaborative
projects.
Finally, presentation assignments include the creation and sharing of your work.
Presentation assignments include activities such as art projects, case studies, design
projects,
oral reports, and portfolio presentations.
Software such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Apple Keynote, and Prezi are great ways to share
information using text,
graphics, and even video clips.
Holy Monkees Batman!
With all these activities there's no way that your elearning classes will EVER be boring.
So what are you waiting for? Get in there and do the work!
Until next time.
The Explorations Learning Network is a production of Clark College
and is sponsored through generous donations and the support of students
and faculty
Mark Gaither is our producer and director and this episode was sponsored by a
Department of Labor grant administered by the Washington State Workforce
Training and Education Coordinating Board
The Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board is a partnership of
labor, business, and government dedicated to helping Washington residents obtain
and succeed in family wage jobs while meeting employers needs for skilled
workers.
I'm Aviance Anderson for the Explorations Learning Network.
Advancing Learning for the Information Age.