By Peter Jeschofnig, PhD, Founder of IEDSE: Institute for Excellence in Distance Science Education and Co-Author of “Teaching Lab Science Courses Online”
No matter how carefully we design the content of a new online science course, once we start teaching and getting student feedback, we learn that students often need extra help and additional clarification with certain course concepts and assignments. After teaching a course once, it becomes obvious where we need to incorporate supplemental materials to create a much improved subsequent offering. Among the many improvements made should be instructional video clips snatched from the plethora of multi-media teaching tools available online.
Most instructors use short video clips in face-to-face classes to get a discussion started, explain an especially difficult concept, show a hazardous demonstration, or share a fun experience. The idea of enriching a class with videos is even more essential in the online learning environment.
Online classes should start with a personal instructor and course introduction video. This gives the students a unique connection and means to establish rapport with the instructor plus can help enhance and clarify the course content, structure, and expectations. The instructor’s willingness to share his/her image and enthusiasm for the subject greatly enhances students excitement about what they will be learning and sets the stage for the robust class discussions that are at the heart of online learning. (more…)
Filed under: edtech, online, science education | Tagged: Annenberg Media, distance education, edtech, elearning, elearning tools, engaging online students, highered science, iTunes University, Khan Academy, MIT Open courseware, Open Yale courses, science elearning, science videos, TeacherTube, TED, UC Berkeley webcasts, Videos, Vimeo, YouTube | 5 Comments »
How can instructors help struggling students who need tutoring and more assistance than the course time allows? For students willing to put in the extra time and energy to genuinely grasp difficult concepts, there are many new websites that can effectively serve in a self-guided tutoring role. These sites provide students with visual and interactive aids that may drive their understanding better than traditional textual explanations. They also provide instructors with easy access to a history of the students’ activities and progress.
