The Three R’s of Online Classes

Posted by Pamela Gustafson on February 14th, 2009

My online classes use different methods of communication utilizing all the read/write web has to offer. This includes “asynchronous” and “synchronous” communication.

Asynchronous communication includes email, posting on an online platform like Blackboard or Moodle, or posting on a blog or wiki the instructor created.

Synchronous communication is scheduled at a specific time and date, and students must schedule around the appointed time. These can be similar to chat programs and can include audio, or audio plus video.

Asynchronous classes are the most popular because participants learn at a time convenient for them, though there are still due dates, just like on site classes. Either way, both types of online learning allow you to be at home, even in your pajamas in the comfort of your home.

Moodle is the platform I use frequently as a student and now I am learning the platform from the perspective of a teacher. I am noticing that there is a lot more to the platform than what my college instructors used. Most of my classes were to read articles, respond to the articles and then reply to other classmates who also state their opinions or thoughts about the readings. Assessments were usually written papers instead of quizzes, although Moodle had the ability to create, implement, and grade quizzes. One of my classes was to learn to effectively assess my own students’ work (generally a product with a rubric, handed out beforehand) and to post it online, This required me to scan, which was tedious, but I enjoyed looking at the student work other teachers posted.

The program I was required to use most was called Elluminate. Most of us had microphones and earphones. The instructor had the ability to pass the microphone to whoever volunteered to speak. We could also raise a virtual hand through a simple hand icon. There was a white board that posted slides as the instructor spoke. Students had the ability to post a response on the white board. You could chat by typing, but those online students who didn’t use headphones and earphones quickly went out to buy them.

Video chat less common but my sister in Texas and I use Google Video chat to talk each week. At first it wasn’t easy. I have an Macintosh and from my end everything worked immediately. She has a PC and had to mess around with setup and downloading drivers. This poses a problem for video professors who may have to impose minimum computer requirements, which could leave some students behind.

Most of my classes were on demand with what I call the online Three Rs, reading, responding and replying. It worked for me.