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SupportingStudents & Faculty

OnlineHeather G. Hartman, Ph.D.

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Online Structure

• Brenau University currently supports:• Nearly 400 students in online degree programs• Nearly 500 additional students taking online classes• Nearly 250 full-time and adjunct faculty at any one time

• Online Student Coordinator• Primary contact for online students• Primary contact for students using Learning

Management System

• Online Faculty Coordinator• Primary contact for online faculty• Primary contact for faculty using Learning Management

System

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Admin structure

• Various models house online in either the academic or administrative units, or both

At Brenau University:

• Faculty training and support is considered academic, oversight by the VP for Online Studies and the Vice President for Academic Services (VPAS)

• Student and enrollment issues are administration, oversight by the non-residential campus VP and the Executive Vice President (EVP).

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systems

• Support for faculty• Training required for all, regardless of

experience• Standard online course format• Participation tracking• Prompts

• Support for students• Orientation course site with modular exercises• Attendance requirement• Phone calls to check-in• Administrative withdrawal process• Prompts

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Faculty training

• Administration support is vital

• Mandatory successful completion prior to class start

• Coordination with department chairs and deans regarding scheduling new faculty

• Ongoing professional development – Online Summit

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Faculty classes

• “Blackboard Basics” Course (tools)• Self-paced tutorial with 20 modules

• Quizzes to evaluate knowledge• Development class site (sandbox) to demonstrate

mastery

• Online Facilitator Certification Course (methodology)• Use all tools• Collaboration focus• Content focuses on online facilitation and

andragogy

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Blackboard basics

20 modules are offered in the Bb Basics course:

1: Beginning – Online facilitation and Learning Management System (LMS)

2: Export/Import – Class site management

3: Control Panel – General map of where things are

4: Course Design – Weekly layout with agendas; Wednesday start

5: Announcements – Importance, posting, management

6: Introductions – Greeting class, icebreaker activities, tools available

7: Syllabus – Model syllabus, required language, differences for online

8: Groups – Why use groups? Setting up, management, tools

9: Folders/Items – Organizing the site for students, advantages

10: Communication – Tools available in the LMS

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Blackboard basics

Bb Basics modules continued:

11: Discussion – How to use the tool, writing critical thinking questions, management

12: Journals/Blogs – Why? How to use the tool, configuring, management

13: Wikis – Why? How to use the tool, configuring, management

14: Podcasts – Why? How to use the tool, using Audacity

15: External Links – How to post links, how links can be useful

16: Tests – Types of test questions, posting tests, grading tests

17: Grade Center – Must use, management, updating

18: Assignments – Why? How to use the tool, grading

19: Performance – Performance dashboard (last login, posts to DB, etc.)

20: Bb Scholar – Why? How to use the tool

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Development site

• Each faculty member is provided his or her own site

• Various exercises are required• Post an announcement• Post a banner• Set up the main course menu• Create and post a discussion question, etc.

• Sites are “graded” by Online Faculty Coordinator

• Professors must satisfactorily complete each assignment.

• Gives them a “sandbox” if they want to play/test/experiment.

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Standard format

All online class sites have same main course menu:• Announcements (standard course entry point)

• Discussion (one link to all forums)

• Syllabus (required to post syllabus here; also good for class schedule)

• Grades (link for student grades, required)

• Weeks 1-7 (agenda, handouts, reading assignments, quizzes, etc.)

• Resources (anything that might be used throughout course)

• Faculty (contact info, credentials, something personable)

• Groups (online if used)

• Extra tools (at the professor’s discretion, Blog, Wiki, etc.)

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Online facilitator

The Online Facilitator Certification (OFC) course:

• 4 Weeks, Online format

• Administrative withdrawal after first week

• Highly interactive, typical online class. Faculty gain:• Empathy for students with technology issues• Modeling good and poor facilitation, differing

styles• Healthy gauge of student/faculty workload

feasible• Value of participation, timely feedback, grading

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Online summit

• For continued professional development, Brenau has hosted an Online Summit for 6 years.

• At main campus, all faculty teaching online invited.

• Discuss “what we do” – teaching

• Hands-on workshops and technology demos

• Best practice presentations from faculty members

• Social time

• Door prizes and award

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Instructor stats

• Instructors’ course statistics are retrieved

• Faculty not meeting attendance requirement of students are referred to their academic dept chairs

• While they are not withdrawn, Online Studies can and has recommended that a faculty member not teach online due to poor performance

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Prompting faculty

• Faculty• 15-day email• Checklist for course site readiness• Audits of course sites• Administrative withdrawal: students in jeopardy

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Student orientation

• A class site similar to the instructor’s Bb Basics course should be constructed for students.

• Information about how online classes work should be available on the website, intranet, and within the Basics site for students.

• Advisors should conduct a review of technology systems for students. Make sure they have access.

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attendance

• Attendance and participation are different

• Students must “attend” online classes 5 of 7 days• Keeps them engaged with the material• Keeps them caught up on discussion• Assignments and questions are posted throughout

the week.• Advisory postings by professor are not missed.

• Students not attending during Week 1, withdrawn

• After Week 1, grades will likely suffer due to failure to attend.

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Phone calls

• Phone each student during the first week• Are you settled in your class?• Did you purchase your textbook?• Do you have any questions?

• Small staff? Use work study students to call

• Leave messages or refer questions to staff.

• Students appreciate personal touch.

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Administrative w/d

• First week of class is critical

• Course statistics are used to identify absentees

• Notify instructors of students in jeopardy

• Instructors have the final call; most familiar with participation and progress

• Registrar & Financial Aid offices notified to ensure official drop and adjustment of aid

• Letters and phone calls to students are made

• Every session, professor readmit students (tardy)

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Prompting students

• Students• Time to register• Classes start in 2 weeks• Phone calls checking in• Course evaluations are available, required for

online grade viewing

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Questions?