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Group Two divides Best Practices into two sections. The first focuses on course management. The second on course content. Each is followed by suggestions for related strategies to use.
1) Course Management

-post syllabi and individual instructions indicating the important guidelines.
-make these materials available throughout the course.
at the beginnningbeginning of each
-provide periodic welcome messages (or videos) that give an overview the activities for the week (or a particular unit). These could also include changes made as a result of student feedback. A welcome message at the beginning of the course could offer a discussion of how to succeed in an online course.
-emphasize in postings the material to be covered, required activities, and a schedule indicating when those activities should be completed.
-use the "coffee shop" or "tech help" areas , and make it clear to students that they are invited to read and post items in these areas.
-create a midterm discussion forum such as "reflections on the course" as a place where suggestions could be offered.
before an exam)exam or project component due date) to ensure
-provide students with timely feedback on assignments. This can serve to keep them engaged and let them know where they stand in the course.
2) Course Content
and is accessableaccessible to the
Provide a vision that helps students see how different aspects of the course fit together.
"Chunk" content by topic (rather than only by date) and give clear directions regarding the material to be covered, the assignments, and the knowledge to be gained by students.
-provide varied tasks for students that best highlight the content. For example, course content may fit having students do a mind map, screen capture for individuals, a quiz, or a weekly discussion board. It is important, however, not to have too many tasks so that students are overwhelmed.
-present materials in multiple ways to cater to different learning styles: oral, text, and a visual, for example.
discussion board, webquests,web quests, etc. This every contributor and contribution essential.
-use exam questions that force students to show understanding rather than recognition. It is important to have a narrow time frame that prevents students from reading or consulting with others during an exam.
-invite students to share final projects, solutions or case study analyses using an appropriate technological tool (e.g. PowerPoint with Camtasia, Blog, etc.)

-engage students in a purposeful project (i.e., a case study) in which they link the different chunks of the course.
-require students to do a task at every step of the way.
-vary provide different-provide varied tasks for for individuals, a quiz, or
-present materials in multiple ways to cater to different learning styles: oral, text, and a visual, for example.
-have students play roles in discussion board, webquests, etc. This gives everyone ownership by making every contributor essential.

-post syllabi and individual instructions indicating the important guidelines.
-make these materials available throughout the course.
or exams.
-provide periodic welcome messages (or videos) that give an overview the activities for the week (or a particular unit). These could also include changes made as a result of student feedback. A welcome message at the beginning of the course could offer a discussion of how to succeed in an online course.
-emphasize in postings the material to be covered, required activities, and a schedule indicating when those activities should be completed.
-provide students with timely feedback on assignments. This can serve to keep them engaged and let them know where they stand in the course.
2) Course Content
Have a section of our 'handbook' on content. Here we would get into presenting a big vision firstIt is important that points the waycontent have coherence and is accessable to some purposeful projectthe students. In addition, instructors must manage exams and authentic meansassignments to get there - a problem that will workensure students have incentives to solve orlearn content. To accomplish this instructors should:
Provide a case study -somethingvision that all the chunks will link to untilhelps students see how different aspects of the final presentation, solution, analysis or whatever.course fit together.
"Chunk" content by topic rather(rather than only by datedate) and give clear directions.directions regarding the material to be covered, the assignments, and the knowledge to be gained by students.
Assume exams are open book/note and adjust methods to accommodate that assumption.
Strategies for accomplishing these goals:
-require-engage students in a purposeful project (i.e., a case study) in which they link the different chunks of the course.
-require students to of the wayway.
-vary theprovide different tasks (but not too many in a course) so, for students that best highlight the content. For example, we might have themcourse content may fit having students do a mind map, a screen capture for individuals, quiz, or a quiz, and every weekweekly discussion board. It would seemis important, however, not to mehave too many tasks so that one would choose whatever best highlights the content and make sure the students know these few tools in the beginning.are overwhelmed.
-present materials in multiple ways to cater to different learning styles: oral, text, and a visual, for example.
webquests, etc. They seem to giveThis gives everyone ownership rather than recognition, andrecognition. It is important to have a narrow time frame that meansprevents students won't be able to dofrom reading during the test or have consultationconsulting with others.others during an exam.
-invite students to share final projects, solutions or case study analyses using an appropriate technological tool (e.g. PowerPoint with Camtasia, Blog, etc.)
-provide a format for audience feedback.

Populate Your Best Practices on this pagePopulate Your Best Practices on this page
Group Two:
I've divided our thoughts about developing meaningful learning experiencesTwo divides Best Practices into two sections, onesections. The first focuses on course management and onemanagement. The second on course
1) Course Management
One thing that seemsIt is important in any course isfor the instructor to communicate torequirements and expectations of students from the beginning and throughout the duration ofcourse. In addition to the course the requirements and expectations the instructor has of students.
While we all do this on a course syllabus, online environment would seem to require that we also do the following:requires instructors should also:
Share guidelines on
-how much-The amount of time a on the course,
-howcourse.
-How often the should check in,
-which methods wein.
-Methods the instructor will use communicate with students and howstudents.
-How quickly theystudents can expect to individual questions,
-whichquestions.
-The methods theyof communication students should use to communicate with us(both for the instructor and with other students.
-whetherstudents).
-The responsibilities of students are supposedregarding their communications with others. These include content, the time period in which to manage orcommunicate, and how often students should respond to any communications or postings themselves, and if so, when, how, and how often?from others.
Offer students give feedback
-Ask students about what'swhat is working andin the course.
-Ask students about what needs improvement might alsoimprovement.
A good time for feedback could be useful, especially at the middle ofmidway point in the course's term.course.
Strategies for accomplishing these goals:
individual instructions regarding these questions or issuesindicating the important guidelines.
-make these throughout the coursecourse.
-offer up the course in one-week modules, so thatmodules. This allows the instructor to indicate at the beginningbeginnning of each week they know exactly what readings to do, what assignmentsstudents must then be completed, when to take the quiz, etc. Periodicaccomplish in terms of readings, viewing videos, written assignments, discussion posts, quizzes, or exams.
-provide periodic welcome messages or videos(or videos) that give an overview of a week's orthe activities for the week (or a particular unit's activities, requirements, and anyunit). These could also include changes made result of suggestions might be some methods by whichstudent feedback. A welcome message at the beginning of the course could offer a discussion of how to do this..succeed in an online course.
-emphasize in the postings not only the material that willto be covered but things such as a schedule, list ofcovered, required activitiesactivities, and where/howa schedule indicating when those activities canshould be completed, and an overview offering a discussion of how to succeed in an online course.completed.
-use the "coffee shop" or "tech help" areas , and make it clear to students that they are invited to read and post items in these areas.
-create a midterm discussion forum such as "reflections on the course" as a place where suggestions could be offered.
-check in frequently,frequently both to the individual discussions area and the public discussions areas,discussion areas. This is particularly important at significant times (before(i.e., before an exam, for instance),exam) to ensure and maintain communication between
-provide students with timely feedback on assignments. This can serve to keep them engaged and let them know where they stand in the course.
2) Course Content

-have students play roles in discussion board, webquests, etc. They seem to give everyone ownership by making every contributor essential.
-use exam questions that force students to show understanding rather than recognition, and have a time frame that means students won't be able to do reading during the test or have consultation with others.
-invite students to share final projects, solutions or case study analyses using an appropriate technological tool (e.g. PowerPoint with Camtasia, Blog, etc.)
-provide a format for audience feedback.

-have students play roles in discussion board, webquests, etc. They seem to give everyone ownership by making every contributor essential.
-use exam questions that force students to show understanding rather than recognition, and have a time frame that means students won't be able to do reading during the test or have consultation with others.
-provide a format for audience feedback.

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Populate Your Best Practices on this pagePopulate Your Best Practices on this page
Group Two:
I've divided our thoughts about developing meaningful learning experiences into two sections, one on course management and one on course content. Each is followed by suggestions for related strategies to use.
1) Course Management
One thing that seems important in any course is to communicate to students from the beginning and throughout the duration of the course the requirements and expectations the instructor has of students.