Phyllis Stith's Archive
Posted by Phyllis Stith on August 31st, 2008
Many students that are enrolled in online courses also work jobs outside of school. As a consequence, many work diligently to increase overall skills and abilities while enrolled so that they can have the necessary finances to survive tough, economic times. One alternative would be to look for outside sources that will provide the necessary training to accomplish this.
SkillPath is a provider of business services that promotes skill building and personal growth. As a result, they provide a wide range of training programs that can be utilized by students in the online learning environment. Their offerings include conferences, seminars workshops, as well as printed training materials. In addition, many online courses are also available.
The company’s offering’s include over 3,500 courses which students may be able to take advantage of. For example, training in Microsoft Office Suite may prove beneficial because most online courses suggest that students use these applications when submitting assignments. In like manner, they offer courses in time management strategies that may help students make better use of their time and to assist them with organizing schedules that are most often extremely busy.
The company also offers many certifications that may help student increase their disposable incomes while working towards a degree in higher education. As such, offerings in Human Resources, Management and Customer Service are just some of the many options available.
Lastly, individuals that are interested in earning extra income may apply to become an Independent Contractor with SkillPath. These individuals serve as trainers and are paid on a commission basis.
References:
http://www.skillpath.com/index.html
Posted by Phyllis Stith on August 23rd, 2008
Technological advances have resulted in an increase of online courses. As a result, students are often required to collaborate with other students in group related activities. However, this can be intimidating to some students who don’t believe their work is appreciated and may result in social loafing.
Social loafing occurs when some members of a particular group fail to contribute an equal amount of effort to the overall output of the group and is caused by several factors. For example, some students are naturally domineering and have a knack of taking on leadership responsibilities. As a result, student with less aggressive personalities will often do less out of fear of the dominant student(s). Thus, students enrolled in online environment should try to communicate in ways that encourage active participation from all members of the group.
On the other hand, there are some students that will shirk responsibility because they know that the other group members are willing and able to handle the tasks at hand. When this occurs, team members should immediately notify the individual that is not actively participating so that he or she is given a fair opportunity to provide viable input. If this methodology is non productive, the group may choose to notify the instructor about the deficiency so that the matter can be escalated diplomatically.
Finally, course developers should seek ways to develop educational technology that would give each member the opportunity to collaborate with other group members in effective ways through electronic tracking. In addition, instructors should encourage students to engage in group activity because it not only increases social skills, but also serves to enhance critical thinking skills as well because it gives students the ability to analyze the thoughts of others. Moreover, each student that is enrolled in online courses should contribute to group related activities in a consistent manner because it is an integral part of the course requirement.
Posted by Phyllis Stith on August 17th, 2008
I have just completed 2 full weeks of doctoral study at Capella University and I must say that I am overly impressed with the school’s level of organization across all levels. Although this is not my first experience with the online learning environment, I have discovered that Capella provides an effective and efficient program on all areas which satisfies my desire to have stress free occurrences.
I found the registration and enrollment process to be easily comprehendible because the school gives each student a “To Do” list in electronic format that allows them to track needed documentation that are mainly submitted online although transcripts from previous schools have to be faxed. Therefore, the student is always aware of any requirements that have been unfulfilled. In addition, each student is given an enrollment counselor who is readily available to walk students through the enrollment process and to answer any questions or concerns. Moreover, the school lists all of the financial aid forms online which does not require additional searches from outside sources. It is also important to note that it has proven to be very efficient in disbursing refunds because I received a direct deposit during the second week of class.
The school also has a mandatory orientation class (non-credited) that is structured in such a way as to help students maneuver through the online environment at Capella. As such, students are given tutorials on everything from course room functions to grading methodologies. Additionally, the orientation provides strategies for effective communication techniques that should be used in the online environment. The orientation is also self paced so that students can have the opportunity to review material as much as needed before taking the final assessment which will be used by the school to determine the student’s ability to succeed in the online learning environment.
Although the actual class did not start until August 4th, the course room was available to students on August 1st. This was very beneficial to me because it gave me the ability to get a jump start on my assignments. In addition, every assignment is clearly posted for every week of the quarter which means that I will be able to manage my time effectively in the weeks to come.
Finally, I have discovered that my first class is highly structured and consists of various types of learning activities to include: required textbook readings, streaming videos, threaded discussions and online journals. Thus, Capella offers a well rounded educational program and I earnestly look forward to continuing the journey towards the PhD with this institution.
For these reasons, I conclude that I have chosen an excellent school that is committed to promoting higher education.
Posted by Phyllis Stith on August 3rd, 2008
The online classroom can be intimidating to students who are not confident about course expectations. However, this type of learning environment has the ability to provide substantial educational benefits for students that are focused and committed to achieving progressive academic goals. Thus, students will enjoy learner success if the following measures are taken into consideration.
Understanding Course Expectations
Online instructors are required to develop courses that have outlined objectives posted in a clear and concise manner. As a result, students should thoroughly review course syllabi and corresponding material at the beginning of the course because important criteria that pertains to course expectations can be found in this information. In addition, online classes are structured in such a manner that students are involved in learning activities that are self-directed. For this reason, students are free to engage in learning processes at their own pace. However, students should be aware that they are expected to keep up with scheduled readings and assignments and must employ self assessments to ensure adequate comprehension of the learning material that has been presented. Thus, students are encouraged to keep an open line of communication with the instructor so that learning deficiencies can be quickly identified and improved upon.
Posted by Phyllis Stith on July 30th, 2008
Understanding Instructor Responsibility in the Online Learning Environment
Instructors in the online learning environment are faced with the same tasks as those that work in traditional brick and mortar institutions. However, there is also the added responsibility of facilitating online communication to ensure that discussions are both unbiased and lively, in addition to being educationally relevant.
Thus, the instructor is charged with developing pedagogical lesson plans that engage students in the critical thinking process through objectives that are both clear and concise. This is accomplished when the instructor facilitates discussions in ways that encourage active participation from students.
In addition, the instructor should remain objective when assessing student performance because personal biases can lead to unfair grading methodologies that hinder learning opportunities. In addition, the instructor must develop lessons and discussions that do no offend students that come from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Thus, sarcasm and other types of language that may be offensive should be avoided at all costs.
Instructors must also take the time to learn particular learning styles in order to meet the needs of the class and this can be accomplished when students are required to provide class introductions. Moreover, instructors must maintain a sense of flexibility because all students do not learn and comprehend at the same pace. However, the online learning environment is based upon the schedules that are developed by the learning institutions which means students must meet course requirements or receive incomplete grades if the situation warrants such a measure.
Finally, the online instructor must employ the use of effective classroom management skills at all times. This will serve to eliminate the potential for disarray which is not conducive to the learning environment. Thus, any behavior that is unsuitable for the classroom should be immediately addressed by the instructor and disciplinary actions should be taken on a case by case basis.
Posted by Phyllis Stith on July 30th, 2008
Students enrolled in online classes have the responsibility of managing their time effectively to ensure success in higher education. Adheringto the following measures will help students meet course requirements and deliverables:
Preparation
Students should make a checklist of needed textbooks and supplies before the start of class to avoid falling behind. They should alsolog into classes at the beginning of each week to preview the assignments and course related messages. In addition, a hardcopy of the scheduled assignments should be made (preferably in a planner) so that they can be completed in a timely fashion. Once a task is completed, it should be checked off. It is important to note that students should spend at least 2 to 3 hours per week on each assignment; additional time may be required to complete difficult tasks. And last but not least, non relevant Internet surfing and personal emailing should be avoided.
Avoid Distractions
Distractions can cause students to lose focus and noise control methods should be implemented as a means of prevention. As such, students should study in an environment that is conducive to learning and does not leave room for disturbances. In addition, cell phones and instant messaging should be kept at a minimum during study time because these tend cause students to move away from the study materials.
The Advantages of Down Time
There are times when students will have the potential to use down to their advantage such as when they are doing laundry, waiting on the bus, etc. As a consequence, this time should be spent doing things that are relevant to educational pursuits. For example, students may choose to log into their online class to set up the week’s study agenda when they wake up on Monday morning. In addition, the student may choose to read during bus rides or while doing laundry; all of these will serve to help the student make the most of their time.
Posted by Phyllis Stith on July 27th, 2008
The asynchronous learning environment is static in nature and such, instant communication does not occur because information is posted on message boards. Most of the communication that occurs in this type of format is done through threaded discussions which consist of general questions or topics that have been posted by the professor. In turn, students are expected to respond in writing for all class members to see. In addition, students may pose questions and concerns in the online learning environment although email is the preferred method for issues that may require one on one interaction. It is also important to note that professors may also post audio and video files that students can view during weekly assignments.
The students are also able to upload files for storage in the online learning environment which may include research papers and projects. In turn, the professor grades these assignments and discussions and posts the corresponding grades in a grade book that is located on the online course web page.
Thus, it is imperative that both professor and student use critical thinking skills that will serve to ensure that all discussions have a logical structure. Moreover, effective writing skills must also be utilized because all posts are highly visible. Most importantly, effective writing skills are required in all institutions of higher learning and proofreading and editing skills are imperative.
Posted by Phyllis Stith on July 27th, 2008
The online learning environment can be either static (asynchronous) or dynamic (synchronous). As a result, students should try both methods to see which format best fits their needs.
In synchronous classes, the professor is the facilitator of the online learning session and speaks to the class through live audio. In like manner, the facilitator is able to present visual lessons that can be easily seen by the students through their computer monitors.
There are two ways to communicate in the synchronous environment, live chat and text messaging. During chat, the facilitator and students are able to speak to the class through a microphone. However, it is important to note that most online classes have security mechanisms which make it impossible for more than one person to speak at a time. Moreover, the facilitator has the ability to either grant or deny permission to those who wish to speak during the session.
Most online classes also give students the ability to enter questions and comments through text messaging. Once a message is typed and entered, all of those present in the class are able to respond. Thus, the facilitator must use effective classroom management techniques so that these messages do not become distractive to the point of interfering with the lesson.
