How to Build Coalescence in an Online Course

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How to Build Coalescence in an Online Course

• Presented by
• Dr. Rose Kuceyeski
• Professor, CIS/OAD
• Owens Community College
• Toledo, OH

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While the term "distance" may have a negative
connotation, some literature suggests a more
accurate descriptor is "connected" learning
(Matthews, 1999).
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My main focus has been on ways to engage
students, to build coalescence, and to minimize
paper in the course. This truly is a paperless
course.
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Chat
Virtual Teams
Q A Thread
Discussion Board
Coalescence
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Getting Acquainted

• Create sessions through the DB or Listserv
• Student Webpages - available throughout the
  entire semester for the students to review
• Students e-mail short paragraph to facilitator

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Use the Discussion Board as the communication
portal. Students can then help one another as
they would in the traditional class.
Discussion Board
Discussion Board
Discussion Board
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Discussion Board Cont.

• Post weekly topics to the DB based on assignments
• Use guest speakers
• Require students to reply to the facilitators
  posted topic
• Require students to reply to at least one other
  students reply - Simply stating I agree with
  Sue is an unacceptable reply

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Q A Thread

• Advocate its use as a timesaving feature for
  everyone
• Besides the facilitator monitoring this thread,
  students are also required to monitor this thread

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Q A DB Thread Text

• This is the thread you should all use when you
  have any questions about the course. Then, I can
  assist you along with other classmates. Make
  sure you change the subject line to describe your
  question.

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Although we are dealing with technology, the
human factor is still very important. We need
people to function properly. Don't we?
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Virtual Teams

• There are three main purposes to forming Virtual
  Teams
• .to create a buddy/support system
• .to use in completing Virtual Team projects
• .to prepare you for participating in teams in the
  corporate culture (competition in business today
  has created a desire and need for teams,
  Instructional Strategies, Vol.. 16 (1). March,
  2000)
• to create "student connectedness

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Success of VT

• Provide suggestions on conducting teams
• appoint a facilitator
• determine a timeline for everyone to share their
  findings
• subdivide the project into tasks that are
  identifiable

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Success of VT Cont.

• State some successful team habits
• open-mindedness
• openly and immediately deal with conflict

• Discuss social loafing
• the tendency for individuals to expend less
  effort when working collectively than when
  working individually

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Chat

• Maintain open office chat times for general QA
• Require participation and preparation in at least
  ? sessions
• pre-determined topics announced in advance
• required readings, handouts
• structured questions
• not a free for all

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Another Way to Connect with Students

• Provide constant feedback

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My Comments

• To assure that students know the facilitator
  reads their DB responses, post an analysis of
  their combined responses under a thread My
  Comments
• Highlight specific students responses each week

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E-mail

• Minimize e-mail whenever possible
• If you have a need to contact me confidentially,
  then email me
• Require students to use a subject line that will
  automatically send the e-mail to a specific
  course folder for organizational purposes

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Comparison of CIS131 Delivery Methods Fall 99
00 Percent Averages
85
84
78
75
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Final Exam Comparisons
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Final Grade Comparisons
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Role of the Facilitator

• Engage students
• accommodating differences in learning styles
• Be responsive to students needs

• Be flexible
• Provide well-organized course materials
• Syllabus
• Assignments
• FAQ
• Handouts

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Commitment
Communication
Organization
Planning
Successful Facilitating
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Use DL Links

• http//www.luthersem.edu/library/distanle.htm
• http//www.kimsoft.com/dista.htm
• http//www.uidaho.edu/evo/dist1.html
• http//www.filename.com/wbt/
• http//www.uwex.edu/disted/index.html
• http//www.ed.psu.edu/acsde/
• http//www.uwex.edu/disted/conf/