Lesson 1: Online Learning Communities & You

Overview

You have to start somewhere, why not start with what you already know. Remember KWLs? In this lesson, we want you to consider what you know about online learning communities as you engage with your classmates to explore the concept of "online learning community." By engaging in these discussions, you are:

  1. learning to use the tools you will be using as teachers in the near future,
  2. forming your own distinct impressions of what it is like to be an online learner,
  3. "priming" your brain to begin constructing your own understanding of what online learning community means and why it's so important for positive online learning experiences, and
  4. beginning to make sense of the necessary knowledge that is a prerequisite for the skills you will need to possess to successfully teach online.

 

Standards and Objectives

The SREB Standards for Quality Online Teaching inform our selection of learning objectives. In this lesson, we are addressing the following standards:

  • The teacher has experienced online learning from the perspective of a student.
  • The teacher has the prerequisite technology skills to teach online.
  • The teacher plans, designs and incorporates strategies to encourage active learning, interaction, participation and collaboration in the online environment.

To help you meet those standards, we must define a set of specific learning objectives. So, for this lesson, you will:

  • define online learning community in your own words using your own knowledge and experience,
  • explain why online learning communities are important for the learning process, and
  • explore what others have written about online learning communities.

 

Assignments

  1. Discussion assignment 1: Post a response. Approximately 15 minutes to complete. 5 points.
    • In WebCT Discussions, Topic: Online Learning Definitions, post your answers to the following using only the information or understanding you already possess:
      • What are online communities?
      • What are online learning communities?
      • How are online communities and online learning communities similar and different?
      • Why are each of them important?
      • What type of online communities and online learning communities do you belong to?
    • How the assignment is graded (5 points)
      • There are no right or wrong answers here. We're just exploring, as a learning community, our understanding of the concepts.
      • Your post should be a minimum of 200 words
      • Your post should answer the questions to the best of your ability. Theories and speculations welcome!
      • And, it goes without saying - this assignment should be posted on time (i.e. during the week assigned
  2. Discussion assignment 2: Reply to other learners Approximately 15 minutes to complete.
    • In WebCT Discussions, Topic: Online Learning Definitions, review the answers of at least two others and reply to them. Based on your experience and knowledge, your response should:
      • request clarification of all or part of the learner's answer and/or
      • add additional information to all or part of the learner's answer
    • How assignment is graded (5 points)
      • Again, there are no wrong or right answers here.
      • Reply to at least two learners using above criteria to obtain full credit.
  3. Reading assignment Approximately 1 hour to complete.

    The two book excerpts are located in your OTLO Orientation binder. If you do not have them, please let us know.

    • Draves, W. (2002). Teaching Online (2nd ed.). (pp. 125-134) River Falls: Lern.
    • Palloff, R. & Pratt, K. (2003). The virtual student. (pp. 15-28). San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
    • One of the following

 

You will use the information from the above reading to complete the next lesson. We recommend you start reading now so you can really take your time and think about what you read. :) Aren't we full of suggestions? LOL

 

Next step

Continue to Lesson 2 Online Community Concepts

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© 2006 Board of Regents of New Mexico State University

 


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