TLT MOOCow Planning: Teaching Online for Beginners for Very Smart Dummies

The TLT learning community is planning a MOOC or MOOCow,  Teaching Online for Beginners for Very Smart Dummies , October 4 - November 15, 2013. You can join the planning in a number of ways.

• Participate in up-coming "Fishbowl" planning sessions: 
• Wednesday, August 7, 3pm ET
• Wednesday, August 14, 3pm ET 
• Wednesday, September 11
• Register   tlt.gs/login

• Contribute to the planning document

Below are my notes from the last meeting. A small group is meeting on Wed, July 31st at 10:00 AM ET to work on the outcomes.  Join us if interested, tlt.gs/login

Create unique sections that can stand alone and tie together.

Possible learning outcomes for the MOOC:

• Establish comfort level with technology
• Experience learning in an online environment
• Develop or enhance some basic online teaching skills
• Become adept at using tool and strategies to make a first course more successful.
• Help great face to face teachers become great online teachers addressing attitudes and providing simple tools.
• Prepare face to face teachers to transition to online teaching by giving them experiences with useful tools and strategies.
• Increase confidence and comfort with online teaching.
• Learner to leader.

Community. How to establish your own voice as a teacher so you can help students establish their own voice as well.  Trust.  Establish community outside the LMS shell. Community is key to retention and learning.  Comfort and trust with communicating online. Model community building in the MOOC.  Tools for class community building.  Intro of self (Use JING), ice breakers ( What is your strangest hobby? A Game. Map your location. One word describing how you feel about OL teaching), open-ended questions. Playing with technology – the classic sandbox.

Intro of self (Use JING). Elements of a good introduction. A few examples. Ask each person to create a 30 second video introduction. Include why taking the class and learning goals.

Instructor Presence.  How to be real in an online environment.  The importance of voice. Getting comfortable creating audio files and chatting in webinars. Establish voice.  A video intro of each section. Add your picture to your LMS profile.

Dealing with technology malfunctions. Brainstorm how to handle difficulties related to technology that could arise. Use the discussion board to create a community and to problem solve technical issues. Post a problem and have participants develop responses.

Miscellaneous:

• Communication.  How to ask questions that will stimulate conversation
• How to let go of having control.  Students learn from each other.
• Establishing trust with new faculty.
• Changes in slide format: live versus OL where more text is needed.
• Motivating students. Asynchronous nature and impact on discussion flow

Consider a pre-assessment to find out level of comfort and experience with technology. Identify your fears about teaching online

Develop a pre-session to “test the production path” or offer time for people to come early or stay late, drop in, open mic sessions. The purpose would be to get participants familiar with the technology being used in the MOOC such as: Adobe Connect features, Audio set-up wizard,  using a microphone, Google Community, Google site. (drop box, synchronizing calendars)

Offer private coaching with a mentor.