Facilitation course: End of part one

Firstly, it seems that the more one learns about the online medium, the smaller one feels. The amount of information and advice, along with new technology and new ways of running courses makes one feel like a tiny person unable to find comfort in a whopping chair.

Woops! Sometimes you are just going to wipe out!

This entry is to reflect on some key objectives and new learning that I experienced in January of the online teaching and learning course. Below I list some of the important ones for me, along with what I learned and need to learn more about. This is a reflection of what I have learned and a realization of the continued plight that I face to consider myself competent as an online instructor. Please note: these objectives (bolded) are copied out of the course syllabus for convenience.

Identify strategies to engage students in asynchronous discussion topics. We reviewed several great resources that teased out types of questions that extend students learning. Some were really great: Keys to succesful online facilitating and socratic questioning which gave detailed explanaitions of the types of questions to ask studetns to facilitate engagement in learning and the class
Develop effective responses to student posts to maintain and deepen student learning in asynchronous discussion topics.

Right back to those questions that clarify; probe assumptions; probe evidence, implications and consequences; differentiate between viewpoints/perspectives; and questions about the question.
Provide feedback for students in asynchronous discussion activities.

This I need to do more of in the week that I facilitate in (week 5). Generally I tend to selct material that I agree with or that extends me. Then I can conmfortbaly use socratic questioing to go a bit deeper.
Utilize synchronous conferencing tools to facilitate a 'live' classroom session.

Attended one class which was just great for building the class community. I spenta lot of time laughing! I fill facilitate a session this week.

Discuss the changing roles that instructors must address as they move from the real to the virtual classroom.

One resource was particularly good from my perspective as it spoke to the differences between conventional and contemporary teaching and all of the additional roles that teachers must develop in the online world.
Discuss the changing roles to which students must adjust to become successful in online courses.

Students need ot develop skills above those required in f2f learning including superior written communication; willingness to particpate and interact with peers, material and tutor; organizational and time management skills and a consistent approach to their work. they also need to develop some technological expertise.
Develop strategies for helping students successfully adjust to their new roles in the online environment.

This is achieved through an organized course with clear expectations; learning contracts and self education of the studenns about the skills they need to develop for themselves for success.
Access resources that will enable him/her to remain current in the field. Many were provided within the class by other students. I found google scholar most useful in locating journal articles and reliable pieces rather then many many web pages.
Use headings and horizontal rules to format HTML documents.

HTML is something that I am not so sure about. I use frontpage to create my code and alter web ct material. I am doing the tutorials, although obviously not carefully enough as I haven't go 100% yet!

Onwards with part 2 of the course...