| Best Practices Suggested by Mercy Online Faculty |  | |
| If you grade on quality, what criteria do you use to assess it? | ||
 | writing, ability to express knowledge, understanding | |
| substantiated research, support of expressed views | |
| substantive remarks | |
| knowledge | |
| understanding, insight, critical thinking | |
| relevance | |
| originality | |
| enhancing discussions | |
Do you use any best practices techniques that you would recommend to other faculty?
| frequent/constant instructor feedback and involvement |
| praise good work in public; express negative feedback in private |
| oversee discussions, but have students facilitate them |
| keep discussions on target and flowing |
| establish and adhere to deadlines |
| create and use an anonymous comments folder for student feedback |
| organize web pages and coursework for easy navigation |
| establish expectations at the beginning of the course |
| use small groups to enhance discussions |
| holding students responsible for higher-order thinking |
| encourage classmates to submit "suggested points of revision" |
| provide students with access to online resources |
| clearly stated classroom etiquette |
| use grading feature to send quiz and assignment grades with explanations and suggestions |
| create a separate discussion folder for each week/module |
| insist on clear and correct writing |
| keep course materials current; link become dated quickly |
| use interesting and current articles and provocative question to stimulate discussions |
| adapt to student needs |
| offer private responses to papers |
| give a discussion report card on student activity |
| have students post assignments in discussion area for all to comment |
| for each discussion, assign students to perform roles of starter, facilitator and summarizer while others participate in the discussion; student roles vary from discussion to discussion |
How do you judge whether your course has been successful? | |
| student interest and frequent participation in discussions |
| student feedback |
| critical thinking as a result of discussions |
| results of testing, assignments |
| ask students if course met objectives in outline |
| discussion of quality questions posted and responses to same |
| when assignments reflect course objectives |
| quality of work submitted |
| students satisfaction of work posted in assigned portfolios |
| success in completing the course |
| 2/3 of students meet participation requirements |
| student response in meeting deadlines |
| query students on how course could be improved at end of course |
| Compare online and on-campus teaching methods | |
| Make greater efforts online to communicate clearly |
| In both, expectations of student curriculum-based participation is becoming more obvious |
| More dynamic online since it is more difficult to add appropriate emotion and dialogue without chancing misinterpretation |
| Focus on one aspect of communicating information at a time in class while delivering information from many different directions at once online |
| Greater relating of course content to actual societal issues online than in class |
| "Live" examples (guests, videos, group discussions) are not given online as they are in class |
| Promote greater interaction in discussions online than onsite |
| Approach onsite class as an "entity" and online with a more one-on-one approach |
| "Break-up" of activities to avoid monotony and allow a "mental break" in class is not necessary online |
| Although "labor-heavy," greater one-on-one interaction online than in class |
| Tendency to "embellish and take chances more" in class than online |
| Requirement of participation works online, not onsite |
| Onsite requires paper responses vs. online where responses are placed in discussion |
| Greater promotion of student-to-student interaction online |
| Onsite one can "wing" a class through body language; online requires constant feedback and more attention to the written word |
| Inability to "break in" on discussions and raise questions or provide comments "on the spot" online as onsite |
| More creativity required in communicating and making connections online |
| Online allows continuous feedback from day one allowing greater knowledge as to whether students misunderstood or missed important information unlike in class |
