tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41755847806435321422024-03-13T00:22:03.023-07:00Melly's DL Admin BlogAlmost daily musings on all things related to distance learning administration - training, hiring, marketing, evaluation, and beyondMelanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-81274677056244797002014-10-28T05:06:00.000-07:002014-10-28T05:07:29.216-07:00Meaningful Living and Learning in a Digital World in SAVANNAH - May 2015!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 1.5;">You are invited to engage in a meeting which explores one of the most important issues of our era - how to live and learn with technology in ways that add authentic value to our lives and to the world. As we embrace the conveniences of emerging technologies in the classroom and beyond, we will explore ways to employ them with a people-centered approach that includes balance, compassion, healthy living, mindfulness and relationships. The conference is sponsored by <a href="http://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla" style="color: #159ce0; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration</a> and the <a href="http://www.westga.edu/" style="color: #159ce0; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">University of West Georgia</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; line-height: 1.5;">The <a href="http://meaningful.mozello.com/call-for-proposals/" style="color: #159ce0; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">call for proposals</a> is now open. Please plan to join us for three days of inquiry and <i>peaceful</i> rejuvenation in a scholarly environment.</span></div>
Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-21547499167861609142014-09-16T05:19:00.000-07:002014-10-28T05:20:07.972-07:0065% of Students Have Opted Not to Buy a Textbook Due to Cost<a href="http://www.universitybusiness.com/article/college-textbook-forecast-radical-change-ahead">University Business reports</a> that the textbook industry is in for a dramatic change, with the average student spending $1200 per year on course materials. While the textbook industry shows signs of working hard to change their business model, our response at USG eCore has to team faculty to create online content, free to students. Appears to already be paying off in terms of student success.<br />Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-78798401217266588232011-06-18T08:40:00.000-07:002011-06-18T08:46:03.544-07:00My Right-Brained Report on State Approvals for DESo, my team and I spent 21 straight days in late May and June working on State Approvals for Distance Education (and we're not done, and of course, we have to revisit it constantly, depending on the state). I am so right-brained that I've awarded myself five diamond stars for keeping this organized, linear, and fully documented. This does not mean that it's been easy, or that there is any regulatory logic whatsoever to this whole mess. On June 15, I decided it was time to provide an update to my VPAA on our progress, and important next steps. I got a tiny bit creative and provided my update with an animated video created through xtranormal. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqy5biVnui0">Check it out</a>.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-18518016794437039812010-07-11T11:09:00.000-07:002010-07-11T11:30:27.962-07:008 Vital Pieces of Everyday Data for DL AdmininistratorsI always have these on hand since this information is pure gold. Some of these I review every day, and others I review weekly or monthly. But each is critical to ongoing online program evaluation and continuous improvement.<br /><br /><ol><li>Student Retention Rates (Course Completion)</li><li>Student Grade Performance, particularly as it compares to face-to-face counterpart courses.</li><li>Enrollment</li><li>Demographic Trends (is the population getting older, younger, etc.?)</li><li>Student Usage and Satisfaction with Support Services</li><li>Faculty Usage and Satisfaction with Faculty Support Services</li><li>Graduation and Year-to-Year Retention (do students who take some or all courses online graduate sooner?)</li><li>Student Withdrawals (why do some students not persist? is any of this related to the course, the instructor, or support services? are any of the causative factors within our control?)</li></ol>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-37706579478632614992010-07-11T10:43:00.000-07:002010-07-11T11:38:36.201-07:00The Service Approach to Helping Faculty with Online Course DesignThere are clearly several approaches to online course design, with varying opinions as to the resulting quality. Frequently, we see a simple approach that attempts to move elements of a traditional course to the online environment, with a typical course unit consisting of learning materials, related discussions, and some type of assessment (project, quiz or test). Instructional designers may take a different approach that often considers learning outcomes and assessments first, and then builds backwards upon these. So what happens when the instructional designer and the faculty do not agree on the approach? What if the instructional designer is certain that his or her approach is the surest way to enable the development of a high-quality course? I tend to err on the side of the faculty on this one. Ultimately, they must feel comfortable in teaching this course, must feel ownership in order to be fully engaged, and will learn best not from what they are "told," but by a process of trial-and-error. Our primary function in distance learning administration, above all others, is support. While our programs skyrocket as traditional programs remain flat, we must humble ourselves to remember to remain customer focused (students and faculty). We can guide faculty and inspire them and give them just-in-time training, but we can never tell them what they need. It would be like going to McDonald's and ordering a Big Mac, and the server telling you that you would be much better off with a salad instead. Now, I realize that this is completely contrary to what is considered many to be top-banana instructional design. In fact, Cathy Moore, who has one of the best instructional design blogs in the world, <a href="http://blog.cathy-moore.com/2009/10/how-to-steer-your-client-away-from-an-information-dump/">flat out warns</a> against becoming an "order taker" or letting online courses become an "information dump." Sure, this is ideal. But higher education is a different world both in terms of traditions (yes, some date back from centuries ago) and in governance.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-17965418705699376032010-06-11T11:44:00.000-07:002010-07-11T12:23:35.907-07:00The Second Thing That Has Come Out of Texas in the Last 10 Years That Makes No SenseUT Telecampus was a bright shining star in the world of quality, award-winning distance learning administration. Darcy Hardy was the one who taught many of us how to get it started way back when. So now they say that they did their work so well that their mission is complete. The only downfall visible to the rest of us is that it wasn't self-sustaining. Perhaps the mission needed to be updated and redefined, but am I the only one who is thinking that this makes absolutely no sense from a quality, economic (in the big picture), streamless student services, visibility, or common-sense viewpoint? Well, apparently not. Here's just a few tidbits of reaction from the blogosphere.<br /><br /><ul><li>" A service available at a larger campus might not be available at the smaller ones and they need the extra assistance. There is no discussion about the redundancy of effort in each campus having to reproduce each of these services on their own-with highly varying quality. What is the real cost of that redundancy? It will be buried in the campus ledgers." - <a href="http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/04/09/telecampus#Comments">Russ Poulin, WCET</a></li><li>"One has to wonder: "What's the <i>rest</i> of the story". Elimination of the Available University Fund (formerly the PUF fund, I suppose) moneys could have crippled the TeleCampus by 2012. No doubt, the AUF has been losing money like any other fund, especially as Texas oil fields have become depleted. However, a longer-term approach to reducing dependency on those funds could be approached in such a manner as to actually improve the performance of the TeleCampus and the System's smaller campuses." - <a href="http://http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/04/09/telecampus#Comments">Mary Lee, past TxDLA president</a></li><li>"Will the cost of marketing increase as each unit that markets their academic college scales up? Most likely, yes, unless you are the Business School and have your well-oiled marketing team in place, but if you are Liberal Arts, I doubt a true integrated marketing function exists. In the least, the stronger programs won't be there to underwrite the weaker programs. The richer will become richer and the weak weaker." - <a href="http://www.jimfongonline.com/2010/05/marketing-implications-of-university-of.html">Jim Fong, Education Marketer</a><br /></li></ul>There's a lot more speculation and comments out there. It's quite interesting that this early consortium is shutting down, while others are just building up and experiencing major growths. I'd love to see what lessons there are, if any, to be learned.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-89128575689700276372010-01-03T16:32:00.000-08:002010-01-03T17:06:26.804-08:00Flashback to 2000: Remember When They Thought it Was a Fad?It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since we breathed a sigh of relief when we escaped the would-be doom of Y2K. Around this same time, a significant number of technophobes also believed that online learning was just a passing fad. Not only has online learning flourished wildly in the last decade, but has grown up quite a bit as well. Here are some ways online learning has evolved in the last 10 years. Can you think of more?<br /><br /><ol><li>It's no longer seen as a trend.</li><li>There are fewer small Course Management Systems, and a few very Big, Ginormous Ones.</li><li>Other tech-based services (registration, testing systems, tutoring, live meeting spaces, data analytic tools, etc.) must integrate seamlessly with the Big, Ginormous Ones in order to be successful.</li><li>Students don't have to be trained to use computers before they can take online courses.</li><li>Only <span style="font-style: italic;">some</span> faculty have to be trained to use computers before they can teach online courses. :-)</li><li>It's not just for older, working folks and moms with little children anymore. Or for people living far, far away in the hills with only dirt roads and no traffic lights.<br /></li><li>It's still about convenience. But it's a lot about the money, particularly in the last year or so.<br /></li><li>It's fiercely competitive. It's no longer difficult to find affordability <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> quality <span style="font-style: italic;">and </span>strong support services. However, the proprietary institutions still generally seem to have a big edge on marketing.</li><li>It's a lot more social, particularly with increasing integration of Web 2.0 tools.<br /></li></ol>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-2079145408347375422009-10-18T18:42:00.000-07:002009-10-18T19:09:56.501-07:00Preparing Dozens of Faculty to Teach Online in a Month or LessThis scenario is not all that uncommon. Just when you've got your faculty development program zipping along nicely, you find out that you've got a huge, unexpected increase in online courses or programs next semester. Program growth is generally good news, but you cringe at the thought of all the 18-hour days it will take to get these faculty prepared for any resemblance to quality online teaching. First of all, ditch the idea of a series of face-to-face training sessions that focus on the course management system. It will be nearly impossible to get all faculty in attendance, and you probably won't have time for make-up sessions. The recipe for this scenario consists of three parts: a short online training course focusing mainly on the pedagogy; a peer mentoring system; and a just-in-time technical support system. The online training course should include some basic course management system information, but most faculty will pick some of this up by their participation in the course. The online training course should focus more on how faculty can make their courses successful for students, and will give the faculty a first-hand look at the student experience. In the peer mentoring component, faculty should be assigned to veteran online faculty who agree to allow them to visit their own courses and assist them with course design and pedagogical questions that arise. This will also free up administrator time to focus on other many other support issues that will arise in the short weeks leading up to the beginning of the "growth" semester or quarter. Lastly, several temporary employees or trained student assistants should be available for an expanded call center to enable these new faculty to get just-in-time assistance by phone or email during the weeks preceding the term as well as the first few weeks of the term.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-83028534041600399962009-09-30T09:01:00.000-07:002009-09-30T10:14:09.544-07:00Five Ways to Boost Online Faculty Morale This Month1. Positive Feedback. Send each faculty member a personalized email thanking them for their good work, and pointing out some of their strengths. Copy department chairs on exceptional ones. Remember to always be looking for them doing something right!<br />2. Enlist their Wisdom. Select a few top faculty and ask them what their top secret tip is for their online teaching success. Then take a digital camera and ask them to record a 20-30 second “spot” talking about this secret. Edit all these clips together into a 5 minute clip, and post to your faculty resource page.<br />3. Be an Extended Family. Be diligently aware of any personal issues going on in the lives of online faculty, particularly adjunct ones. Use tools such as FaceBook, group blogs, or email lists to virtually recognize birthdays, births of children/grandchildren, and coordinate offers for assistance if times are tough (illness, natural disasters, etc.).<br />4. Have a Contest. Contests are fun, educational, and build team spirit. Do these weekly or monthly on topics such as program or institution trivia and award small prizes (institutional t-shirts, recyclable grocery bags, small gift cards, etc.)<br />5. Offer a Mini-Conference. Faculty love to get presentations on their vitas, so develop a two-day mini-conference (online of course) where those who choose can present 30-minute webinars on relevant online teaching topics.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-68054199079742190372009-09-30T08:46:00.000-07:002009-09-30T08:57:27.154-07:00Getting AquaintedI think that the single biggest challenge that faculty and students face in an 100% online course is the feeling that they don't really know each other at all. This <em>can</em> be overcome, but it is very difficult, and requires an ongoing and creative effort by the instructor to reach the students. This part is not so bad for most instructors - but there's more. It also requires that the instructor show his or her <strong><em>vulnerability</em></strong> so that the students can view him or her as a real person. This all starts in the first week of the course in the getting-aquainted exercises. There are lots of get-to-know you exercises, but my very favorite of all time is called "100 Things About Me." This is simply where you make a list of random statements about yourself, some of which are quite personal, and then ask students to do the same. I have my own list that I created a few years ago, and try to keep somewhat updated. <a href="http://www.westga.edu/~melaniec/hundred/hundredthings.html">Check it out</a> and see if you don't feel like you know me a lot better.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-87881331734708045422009-08-08T07:49:00.000-07:002009-08-08T08:13:46.821-07:005 Things Not to Cut from Your DL BudgetI recently read Fred Miller's Educause article, <a href="http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/RationalizingITRationing10Ways/174551"><em>10 Ways to Cut Your IT Budget</em></a><em>. </em>While I have long argued that distance learning is not really an IT function, there were a couple of cuts that he suggested that I would apply to distance learning. First of all, he said to wait another year before getting new computers. This is a no-brainer but probably gets overlooked and can save gobs of money. Another tip was to negotiate prices with vendors. Just a couple of years ago, this would have probably not worked, but now everybody knows that frugality is expected and cool.<br />Now, what would I NOT cut from a DL budget?<br /><ol><li><em>Personnel.</em> No way, no how. As the economy helps to drive increasing DL enrollments, the entire system will fall apart without the support staff. It is quite likely that increased staffing would even provide an overall payoff in terms of even more enrollments.</li><li><em>Communication systems. </em>This includes advanced telephones, live helpdesk systems, etc. We have to be more efficient in supporting faculty and learners than ever before and premiere communication is money well spent.</li><li><em>Course management systems.</em> I suppose that some folks are thinking this is the best time to start looking at lower-cost home-grown systems and stop writing the mongo checks to you-know-who. Not me. The transition costs would be enormous in the short-run, and it's the short-run (hopefully) where we are all having our money woes.</li><li><em>Some travel.</em> Clearly, I'm cutting back on the number of trips and having a lot of meetings by phone or online technologies. But I would not cut out all travel because I know that much of it really provides cost-benefit. At our annual <a href="http://www.westga.edu/~distance/dla">DLA Conference</a>, for instance, I learn more in three days from my colleagues about marketing, faculty development, student support, etc. than I normally do in six months. DL is a notoriously busy field, and we absolutely have to invest a little money and immersive time for learning. I have to pick and choose these opportunities carefully. A conference with a registration fee of over $400 is less likely to happen this year.</li><li><em>Marketing. </em>This is probably one of the most important times for marketing online programs since the early 2000s.</li></ol>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-47036136077928644342009-07-07T20:25:00.000-07:002009-07-07T20:31:57.884-07:00Cats and Dogs in Online UniversitiesI just returned a few days ago from our annual DLA Conference where my colleague, Janice Hilyard of Darton College, received a well-deserved Wagner Award. In her acceptance speech, she spoke of how far advanced the marketing techniques of for-profit online institutions are as compared to traditional institutions. In her quest to learn more about their recruitment processes, she said she often asks for information in her dog's name. Then when phone calls come in asking for "Sadie Hilyard," she knows who they are from. So, beware, my cat may soon be requesting information from an institution near you.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-6449721224115866222009-04-09T05:14:00.001-07:002009-04-09T05:26:30.591-07:00When Online Universities FlounderRecently, some online initiatives in higher education have made the news, but not because of their success, but because of their failure to meet hopes and expectations. This week it was the Global Campus of the Universityof Illinois (<a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/content/education/chi-global-campus-05-apr05,0,7317347.story">story</a>). Why do some struggle to attract enrollments in spite of millions of dollars invested where others easily thrive? I think that one primary reason has to do with administrative structures. Too often, these structure are cumbersome and clunky, and try to fit key processes - such as course development and student support - into traditional frameworks. For online programs to meet their potential, programs must be set up in a way that allow for rapid decision making and response times to issues rather than waiting on faculty committees. Faculty must be involved in the course development process as content experts, but as invited or paid team members rather than the drivers of the process. This is a key reason why for-profit insitutions and two-year colleges seem to grow more quickly - even when their tuition is high. Other elements of success: developing a pool of qualified faculty ready for last-minute assignments, a self-sustaining budget, and a strong student support system.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-25793333839978242512009-02-22T18:46:00.000-08:002009-02-22T19:44:11.581-08:00Four Rules for Facebook Friendships with StudentsIt seems like just a mere year or so ago, I thought that never in a zillion years would I befriend any of my students on Facebook, for fear that I would seem like one of those middle-aged-people-in-denial who frequents bars for 20-somethings, or worse - simply "creepy." Now, even in my relatively sparse use of Facebook, I've been amazed, first-hand, at its sheer power and force at breaking down social barriers and building or rebuilding relationships (ex: my 7th-grade best friend whom I probably would have never happened to cross paths with again is now my Facebook friend, among others). Now, one of THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES in the online classroom is clearly building a sense of community, creating a personal environment, feeling truly connected, blah,blah, blah. So, with so many folks on Facebook (and over 1200 more have joined since I started writing this just a few minutes ag0), the question of whether or not to integrate it somehow with online teaching is no longer if - but when. To reduce my worries about privacy, appropriateness, etc., I've made myself a little list of Facebook rules.<br /><br /><ol><li>Be real, but not overly revealing. This means no heavy political banter, no off-color remarks, and a careful eye for embarassing photos from the long-ago past, posted by friends and "tagged" to me. Revealing too much is just like going to a company cocktail party and drinking too much and thus saying too much - except that on Facebook it might be there <em>forever</em>.</li><li>Make it useful and efficient. If I'm going to put some time into Facebook each week, I might as well multi-task. Use it for some virtual office hours and pre-exam study sessions.</li><li>Protect your privacy. Leave off the home address and make sure that Facebook settings are such that profiles, postings are not available to those beyond the "friend" list.</li><li>Make sure it's optional for students. Most students are going to be on Facebook. But some are not, and do not want to be - or maybe they are and they just don't want to be your "friend." They must feel no disadvantage whatsoever for this choice.</li></ol>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-15924456588750276232009-02-03T18:45:00.000-08:002009-02-03T19:10:19.046-08:00Advice from Students: How to Succeed in an Online ClassOne of my areas of passion is online retention - so I've talked to a lot of students (both informally and through research) in trying to see why some succeed where others fail. Interestingly, when talking to students who withdrew from online courses, I've realized that reasons were rarely related to instructor issues. More often than not, the students did not fully realize what taking an online course would be like. Their advice to other students:<br /><br /><ol><li>Understand that you will spend a lot of time on the computer.</li><li>Log in to your online course every day.</li><li>Expect to do a lot of reading - probably more than in a f2f course.</li><li>Know where to go for help, and don't hesitate to ask for it.</li><li>Get started on the course as soon as possible - log in on the very first day of class.</li><li>Don't wait until the due dates to post discussion assignments.</li></ol><p>I use these tips, and variations of them, in both online and f2f orientations for online students. Yes, they may seem quite elementary to those of us who teach, support or otherwise breathe online learning, but now I realize that we can't overestimate how critical it is for new online students to know what to expect <em>before</em> their courses start.</p>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-83312892794643358972009-01-27T13:18:00.000-08:002009-01-27T13:41:54.010-08:00A Hip, New Blackboard<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF6qDGXejFYKoor0cfnxrsBSTCqSPsuABY_HcNS7eKL_nKy855GHQXFdgkMIox-AvaJ6ThBtime4whu34UkqkhFFIGLrGjxlNSKkUDlQQkA6z-VXrf4aMmEwCOxPnt3DNUz4nKLSLxNI/s1600-h/bb_learn9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296091626568596274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 56px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDF6qDGXejFYKoor0cfnxrsBSTCqSPsuABY_HcNS7eKL_nKy855GHQXFdgkMIox-AvaJ6ThBtime4whu34UkqkhFFIGLrGjxlNSKkUDlQQkA6z-VXrf4aMmEwCOxPnt3DNUz4nKLSLxNI/s200/bb_learn9.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Today brought the long-awaited release of the much hyped <a href="http://blackboard.com/">Blackboard 9</a>. According to <a href="http://insidehighered.com/news/2009/01/27/blackboard">Inside Higher Ed</a>, early reviewers are impressed with its snazzier, cleaner look and easily-modified login pages. This version also allows those who loathe change to choose different looks instead, such as older versions of Blackboard and the clunky WebCT templates (these are starting to seem almost retro now). Also - cool changes in the interface itself, allowing course designers to click and drag elements around on the page. What I like most, though, is the integration with social tools, such as FaceBook - students can get reminders of test and assignment due dates at their favorite social sites without entering Blackboard. Blackboard 9 would probably be the most exciting new technology I've seen all week if my husband hadn't come home with a Wii Fit the other day.</div>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-85204448652308729782009-01-20T11:17:00.001-08:002009-01-20T11:21:47.133-08:00Fun Idea for Posting Instructor Photo in Online CourseA couple of weeks ago I mentioned the importance of instructors putting their photos in their online course. Now it's probably better to have it up there in the beginning of the course, but here's a neat idea that I've done before if you want to wait a couple of weeks into the course. Post four pictures - one of yourself and three of other people who look quite different from you. Let students guess, based on what they've gleaned from your interactions, which one is the real you. In my experience, only about 15 percent picked the real me, and it was a bit of a fun time for all. Fun is always good.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-43854421872491804052009-01-18T13:06:00.000-08:002009-01-18T13:17:33.233-08:00Why Didn't I Think of This?: Student Teachers in Virtual High SchoolThere's needs to be a new word like maybe <em>jealyspired</em> to describe how one feels when they read about something so good and so cool that they actually feel totally <em>inspired</em> but also <em>jealous</em> about not being <strong>The One</strong> to think of it. That's how I feel about what University of Central Florida and Florida Virtual High School are doing. <a href="http://news.ucf.edu/UCFnews/index?page=article&id=00240041040e40a1d011ebaca5f3e007d90&subject_id=0024004102975ad83011b2b83251c0c35://">UCF's student teachers </a>will spend seven weeks of their student teaching in the online classroom. The implications are really big on this one, and to be honest, this isn't the first time I've been jealyspired by UCF or FVHS.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-6053133519916015572009-01-18T12:50:00.000-08:002009-01-18T13:02:55.279-08:00The Watchful Proctor (Now Isn't That Redundant?)The other day I was asked how to keep students taking online tests in a proctored test site from opening other browsers and looking for the answers. Wait.....isn't that the point of the proctor? So maybe we need lock-down software in situations where there is no proctor, but if the proctor is a real, live person then he or she should clearly be able to tell whether or not a student is opening multiple browsers when taking an online test. This assumes, of course, that the proctor is really watching. That he or she is on premises and is paying attention to his or her proctorees. Of course we don't have guarantees of this watchfulness - but neither do we in the face-to-face classroom. The point (again) is that it's really no easier to cheat in front of a Dell computer in 2009 than it was on row 7 of the lecture hall in 1979.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-87656974232979356022009-01-06T15:55:00.000-08:002009-01-06T16:29:00.218-08:00Five Quick Ways to Get Better Online Teaching EvaluationsOne fear that instructors have is that their teaching evaluations, and thus their prospects for promotion and tenure, will head south when they start teaching online. Not the good south in the beaches-of-Miami way, but the ugly one. This fear is well-founded as we often hear depressing stories of once-loved classroom teaching stars bathed in criticism and contempt after their first online teaching foray. No need to despair - here's five small changes instructors can make to lead to happier evaluations.<br /><br /><ol><li>Always, always answer student emails within 24 hours. Just one slip, one late day, and your evaluation from that student will fall precisely 20 percent (this exact statistical calculation is based on my personal experience and occasional failure to follow this rule).</li><li>Speaking of rules, be a little more flexible about student deadlines and rules. Making exceptions, being understanding, and nice has its rewards. And smile when you make exceptions, even if nobody can see you.</li><li>Let them know you as a person, not just an information-dispenser/course guide. Tell them about your weekend, your seven cats, your allergy to corkscrew-shaped pasta, the musical Eiffel Tower bookends you bought for 50 percent off at Target yesterday, your obsession with <em>Newhart</em> reruns, whatever. Tell them something about you every week, and include pictures and audio sometimes. And be funny sometimes.</li><li>Do an informal formative evaluation midway through the term, and actually make some changes based on the results. Tell them the overall results of the evaluation and the changes you are making.</li><li>Increase the amount of personal feedback you are giving - go beyond the blanket stuff to the whole class. Yes, this one is actually not so quick. </li></ol>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-78539585524668897912009-01-01T18:01:00.000-08:002009-01-01T18:06:59.833-08:00Smile for the Camera if You're Teaching OnlineOkay, so I keep reviewing all these online courses for quality awards, and one of the easiest way to get two (of eighty-something required) points is for instructors to simply put their picture in their course. Now I've looked at about five in a row with no picture - not even pictures of the cat or dog or fish or iguana. Folks, we don't take online courses because we don't want to see what teachers look like. If I didn't want to see what my instructor looked like, I'd just go back to Ohio State and take one of those 8 am physics classes with 800 people in them and sit way, way in the back where I couldn't see - nor even really hear as my final grade reflected. So what's up with the lack of pictures? Do you really want your icon to be a gray sillhouette or a red X? Or do you only have a Polaroid and can't find any film? I admit, I don't like (loathe) having my picture made. Especially flash pictures because one or more eyes always winds up shut plus I always feel like I look old and fat (until I get the picture out a few years later and wish I still looked that way). You wouldn't believe how many shots it took just to get the one little profile. But anyway, online teachers and administrators, get your pictures up - in your class, on your blog, etc. In a couple of days, I'll share a really neat way to introduce your picture in an online class that's already started. You will <strong>like</strong> this idea.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-85592594093529392172008-12-31T14:18:00.000-08:002008-12-31T14:48:23.679-08:00My DLA Forecast for 2009<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z0KrK1Dcgn38EVpfGgymG0SQyUpxoHs4knXOksqdvaTrRMWpkr2qwvW5eqdanYZAd_N94u0hOi9KzUj6Ft51ya-oJXNXbGp5dW13OqfsUnlGc0vGgOCYsndPBGT7TCdFgFAjqg6YAnI/s1600-h/2009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286089581563336290" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-z0KrK1Dcgn38EVpfGgymG0SQyUpxoHs4knXOksqdvaTrRMWpkr2qwvW5eqdanYZAd_N94u0hOi9KzUj6Ft51ya-oJXNXbGp5dW13OqfsUnlGc0vGgOCYsndPBGT7TCdFgFAjqg6YAnI/s200/2009.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>As we say goodbye to an unforgettable year, here's what I think is in store for 2009, at least in the world of online learning:<br /><br /><ul><br /><br /><li>A greater emphasis on the <strong>financial benefits</strong> of distance learning. Higher ed administrators who were previously lukewarm about DL will work on number crunching to see exactly how online learning lowers the instructional cost per student. </li><br /><br /><li><strong>Organizational structures</strong> will continue to evolve with DL departments increasingly aligned with academics rather than IT groups.</li><br /><br /><li>eLearning will make its formal entrance into the mainstream with its appearance on the <strong>mission statements</strong> of more and more traditional institutions.</li><br /><br /><li>Dramatically increased use of <strong>social networking tools</strong> (like Facebook) in online learning - for both instruction and support. Facebook will "age" a bit as more and more faculty and over 30 folks hop on for DL purposes and then get a little addicted themselves.</li><br /><br /><li><strong>Less one-on-one support</strong> for faculty as resources get further stretched (more courses but little or no new staff). The bad news is we'll see more group training sessions, but the savvy administrators will develop better, easy-to-use (and locate) online tutorials as well as mentoring programs.</li><br /><br /><li>Big emphasis on <span style="color:#009900;"><strong>green</strong></span>. Although gas prices are lower, the Summer of '08 is not forgotten. Online learning provides the obvious answer here. We'll slowly see more telecommuting of DL faculty and staff as well. Lots and lots and lots more online meetings.</li><br /><br /><li>More <strong>streamlined approaches</strong> to quality, evaluation, and retention. More software entries such as that offered by <a href="http://melanieclay.blogspot.com/2008/10/data-mining-for-online-student.html">Starfish Retention Solutions</a> that will help us become accountable in a systematic way.</li><br /><br /><li>Increased development and marketing of online courses and programs to the <strong>Hispanic community</strong> as well as those who support this population, such as teachers and healthcare providers.</li></ul></div>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-89238828364156801842008-12-15T05:44:00.001-08:002008-12-15T06:22:04.544-08:00The Most Important DL Course Evaluation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOwVI_F14SwAsF9H1JIJNMPCmJQXplGVFGfoxVcUGVqEZXwZguR46fhh5-enWkEabJWsL_k2vnMuNDeLkNVWrAXL1cDijqSBjBgKbDCf3IkB72IqSIyrKOU7bW54o1hO0dpeudjm56OU/s1600-h/Fotolia_10892894_XS.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280021975501074306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 212px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOwVI_F14SwAsF9H1JIJNMPCmJQXplGVFGfoxVcUGVqEZXwZguR46fhh5-enWkEabJWsL_k2vnMuNDeLkNVWrAXL1cDijqSBjBgKbDCf3IkB72IqSIyrKOU7bW54o1hO0dpeudjm56OU/s320/Fotolia_10892894_XS.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The most important DL course evaluation - the one that ultimately affects many of the others - is the formative evaluation within the course. Yet, it's the one that so many people skip or just don't take very seriously. End-of-course, summative evaluations are swell for proving to department heads and accreditors how good or not-so-good an instructor or course are. But what good does it do for the students in the course? Even in an established course that's been working well, I like to do a <em>very simple</em> formative evaluation a week or so before the course mid-point. Usually, it's just an email or discussion board posting asking students to list three things they like most about the course, three things they like least, and what the instructor could do to improve. I really get some valuable information from these simple questions - but I follow-up with probing questions if any key responses are too vague. Every group of students is different. Students who liked group projects the term before hate them the next. (Okay, I admit most students don't like groupwork at all.) After I get the results, I post them for the students to see, and let them know what course changes I am going to make as a result of their feedback. You can bet that making a few changes, no matter how minor, will make your end-of-course evaluations higher. Not doing a formative evaluation is like serving soup that you didn't taste and season during the cooking (credit Bob Stakes metaphor). Where I need to improve is better record-keeping or logging of these informal, formative assessments.</div>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-53852393842510899512008-12-12T09:25:00.000-08:002008-12-12T09:38:38.809-08:00Avoiding DL Staff Burnout #1Always in the back of my mind, usually pretty well hidden from the people who work for me, is the big worry that their jobs will get to be just too much for them. There seems to be no stopping the demand for online learning (and the support that goes with it), but funding is at a standstill (or going backwards). So, what we called a full plate three years ago has changed its meaning as we keep stretching and stretching. My first tip (in a random series) for avoiding staff burnout is to simply to <strong>hire the right folks to begin with</strong>. This is not a laid-back, conflict-free, quiet field. It's not for those who want to work normal hours, know what to expect each day, and have minimal or average interaction with other people. DL support is for people who thrive on change and lots of action. It's for people who loathe boredom and shine with lots of creative energy. Hire these types, and even though they may show that they feel the pressure, they tend to bloom in circumstances where others crack.Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4175584780643532142.post-86139645212672366022008-12-02T05:54:00.000-08:002008-12-02T07:28:20.548-08:00Does the Recession Mean More or Less Online Enrollment?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdc2jhv2YtLNeRJ0TKR4vM5pnRqpMY8iaSb-vMSPx_1k4nk8DAOKYZ2uTQBIUk681NyT81LOeZ30JwskHypViIuP0qZhBUn6_X4hVkqOzBnFW86NVhA5e71PZzuTmtSvjBvQKLnJBpcQw/s1600-h/Fotolia_1319557_XS.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5275214950906495922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 227px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdc2jhv2YtLNeRJ0TKR4vM5pnRqpMY8iaSb-vMSPx_1k4nk8DAOKYZ2uTQBIUk681NyT81LOeZ30JwskHypViIuP0qZhBUn6_X4hVkqOzBnFW86NVhA5e71PZzuTmtSvjBvQKLnJBpcQw/s320/Fotolia_1319557_XS.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Yesterday, we were told in the US that we are officially in a recession (duh), and have been since last December. So what does this mean for online enrollments? On the one hand, students out of work or consumed by debt may not have enough money to afford classes. Then again, people who have lost their jobs may use the time on their hands to seek new degrees and careers. I think that online programs, particularly affordable ones at public institutions, will see a extra surge in enrollments because of the economy. Why? Online programs allow students to continue their jobs and save money on gas and other costs such as babysitting. <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/eLearnerscom-Survey-Economic-Crisis-Spikes/story.aspx?guid=%7BEE9CC288-614C-4AB6-BEFE-5A43247D8E2A%7D">Marketwatch reported today</a> that a survey of visitors to the website, eLearning.com, found that 44 percent wanted to take online courses to embark on a new career. On the downside, a third of the respondents were uncertain as to how they would pay for their education.</div>Melanie N. Clay, Ph.D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/04458751366643540215noreply@blogger.com1