In an effort to obtain as much insight and knowledge from an online course, understanding at least the fundamentals of the available technology is necessary. As a student, a great deal of time can be lost when the focus is set on learning the technology needed to perform a lesson, as oppose to focusing on the lesson itself.With this program, I was impressed and thankful that I was given a pre-enrollment test on my ability to maneuver through the system. It gave me insight on the necessary technology used for general access, and gave me confidence prior to the start of classes.As indicated by Watson, "Introducing an online component to an educational environment can offer many benefits to teachers and students. However success often relies on how appropriate teh chosen technology is for the context in which it is intended, and how well it is integrated into the learning process".
Online courses can bring about an inital anxiety for students, so it's important to relieve some of the anxiety with clear concise assignments and program structure. Structure consistency throughout a course by the instructor helps in achieving the outcome that they are looking for from course participants.The instructor's should ensure that the curricula is specific, measureable, actionable, relevant, and timed appropriately.
Instructors should work to ensure that participants are comfortable in the online environment, with their peers as well as the instructor. A positive level of comfort will increase student engagement and participation. It's also important for online instructors to adhere to a strong sense of ethics when working with students online.
References:
Watson, K. "Consideration for Choosing Technology"
http://www.scrib.com/
http://www.id.bcit.ca/
Learning Resources Unit, Burnaby BC.
http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/teachtip.htm#ethics
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