Facilitator Roles-Part 2

Learning Objectives for Unit 5: After completing this unit I should have been able to do the following.

1. Discuss a variety of pedagogical models.
2. Select a pedagogical model that will work with your specific teaching environment.
3. Evaluate teaching strategies relative to instructional objectives.
4. Synthesize material to create a personal vision of your pedagogical role.
5 Use HTML to format text.

I have to discuss a bit more about my experience in this unit. I was able to discuss a variety of pedagogical models and select a pedagogical model that will work for me and my teaching environment. This unit helped me realize that having a common basis for discussion will make our class engage in discussion because without this there is no class. Many times experimenting will eventually help us become better facilitators, but while this helps the facilitators I can't help feel that students will suffer the consequences. It is true that by evaluating teaching strategies that are relative to the instructional objectives we help ease the process of our students. I also realize that we must use material that is engaging and interesting to our students. It was interesting to learn about engaging my students in a discussion by presenting them with a common assignment. The students will have the opportunity to discuss a common topic and feel a sense of belonging to a class.

Learning Objectives for this Unit 6: After completing this unit I was able to do the following:

1. Discuss the impact of community on learning outcomes, retention rates, and student satisfaction.
2. Determine the role that community will play in a specific course.
3. Evaluate a teaching assignment and select appropriate ice breaker and initial facilitation strategies to encourage the development of a learning community during the initial week of a course.
4. Develop facilitation strategies to enhance the ongoing maintenance of community from the beginning to the end of a course.
5. Use HTML code to insert links and images in a web page.

I must admit that this was my favorite unit because I learned about many important things. It is so true that many individuals who have never taken an online course have mental pictures of learning in isolation. This information was taken from our unit. The primary reason for both students and teachers for NOT taking an online course is their fear of missing out on the social interaction that face to face classes bring. What they don't realize is that meaningful relationships can occur in the online learning community. It was wonderful to read about all these important topics. We must create a sense of community with our online students, this will help with our retention rates and ultimately their satisfaction. The sense of belonging to an online community makes the class more fun for us as the facilitators and for our students. The ice breaker gives the students the encouragement to get involved and have fun. This of course should be done at the first week of the course. Being able to develop great facilitation strategies to enhance the ongoing maintenance of our community from the beginning to the end of a course really helps everyone stay more connected and engaged while learning. The only concern I have with these units is that I know about HTML but don't quite understand everything about it. Overall great unit.

Learning Objectives for this Unit 7: After completing this unit I was able to do the following.

1. Identify the course elements that should be developed/updated prior to the start of an online class.
2. Evaluate an existing course relative to the the degree to which it makes important course management components available to students at the beginning of a course.
3. Specify body attributes in HTML programs and align text.

This was a very informative unit. Learning to identify the course elements that should be developed/updated prior to the start of an online class is crucial for any online facilitator. Being able to manage courses in the online environment is key to student satisfaction. By doing this learning experience, learning outcomes, and effective facilitation happen without problems. As future facilitators lets remember that poor course management results in increased one-on-one interactions with students and the facilitation process becomes exceeding stressful. Setting the stage for the course before the first student logs in, is crucial for the ultimate results. It becomes so much easier to manage a course once it begins if you take the time to set it up before it starts.

Learning Objectives for this Unit 8: After completing this unit I was able to do the following:

1. Apply management techniques to address the communication processes of the class in an effective and efficient manner.
2. Save time and improve student feedback in grading activities.
3. Address the need to modify course content in an effective and efficient manner.
4. Identify course content changes for to address during normal course maintenance and update processes.
5. Use HTML codes to create ordered and unordered lists.

This unit was very interesting for me also because everything it talked about was nothing but the truth. I looked forward to teaching my online course and this was fun until the actual rocky learning experience for both students and myself. Apparently I did not hold a grade card and the students signed up excited and motivated to learn Spanish since it was free. As the days went by and some of the students were not logging in to do their assignments or engage in the discussion forum I began to realize how difficult it really was to engage them. I had missed the opportunity to use an ice breaker because I launched this pilot program before getting to the unit that talks about implementing a sense of community by using an ice breaker. This unit talks about managing the ongoing learning activities of the online course. Any online course should flow smoothly from one activity to the next, with students actively engaged, and the learning community continuing to grow. This helps nurture the learning process in a wonderful way. Our experience should be a rewarding one, not a stressful one. This experience should be both professionally and personally satisfying the way our readings said. Just remember that this doesn't just happen, careful planning up front and then equally careful attention to the day-to-day activity in the course from the moment the first student logs in until the last grade is recorded at the end. This information was given to us from our readings for this unit. Learning how to effectively and efficiently facilitate an online course takes experience. Let's remember that good management will help us become better facilitators. Let's not get discouraged because after all we are all here to learn about being the best facilitators we can be.

Unit 9: The technical role was my week as the facilitator and let me just say that everything seem to run smoothly until I came home and my computer was not working. I began to panic and then a thought-I have to improvise. Nothing in this world is ever going to go our way and my one motto if you can't do it one way find another way. In my life I really have lived by this because life is unpredictable. Well, I picked up the phone and dialed my professor and I asked her if I can call in to meet the rest in the Horizon Live Classroom. She said it was a great idea and gave me the number to dial. Of course everything seemed alright, but I could not see who was talking and there was a lot of echoes in the background. I kept interrupting some of the students and kept apologizing for doing so, but overall everyone seem to understand my situation. I felt everyone was so eager to speak that we did not mind at all how everything turned out. I just got my computer fixed after 6 long days. I can't believe this but without my computer I am LOST!!!!

For all of you who helped me out during my facilitation week, I say thank you.

Josie