Week 15: A Final Practicum Reflection

Image Credit: J. McPeek

Well... we are at the end of the practicum and I have spent a lot of time working through the course I designed and implemented for this practicum. I must say, it has been way more helpful than I thought.

When I chose to teach this Microbiology course for this practicum assignment, I thought "what will I actually gain from this experience since I have taught online for years". I actually gained a lot. What I did not realize at the beginning (and last semester when I was planning my practicum experience with the program coordinator) was how much I would gain from just the reflective process. Actually having to take the time every single week to reflect on what my students were doing, what I was doing, and what I needed to work on really helped me see some areas that I need to improve and/or "firm up" in the course. The reflective process was way more helpful than I could have ever imagined.

Reflection in an Online Course is like seeing the Full Iceberg for the First Time
Image Credit: @PCWallArt

What I will say, at least for me, is that this was not a easy process. Not only did I fully set up and design the course before the semester started, I also taught a total of 60 students and reflected on the process throughout the term. The design of the course is time consuming. Some colleges and universities have master courses and pass the "course shell" for other instructors to teach the course. While my institution is moving in that direction, currently it is the responsibility of the faculty teaching the online course to design the course and then teach it. While I have taught online Microbiology for about 4 years now, the design before the semester starts still takes no less than 30 hours before the class even begins. So, much of my breaks (summer and holiday) are spent improving resources, setting up the modules, redesigning student activities, and making general improvement based on previous feedback. I almost feel like that could have been the practicum in and of itself. But, that would not have really helped me develop as an online instructor. So, teaching 60 (now 57) students in a semester and reflecting on it really was an added benefit to this experience. Even though this was not my first experience, it was almost like a first experience with regard to all the reflection I did.

As I reflect on what this process was like, I can only think of an iceberg. Before, when I taught these online courses I reflected on my experience and tried to always make my courses better. But, having to set aside time every week to really think about what I was doing made me realize the online course is like the iceberg in the image above. We really only see a small slice of the issues on the surface. The reflective process allows you to dig deeper (or dive deeper) to see all that is there and all that is needed. I feel like taking the time each week to look back and reflect allowed me to see things I might normally miss. I has been eye opening.

So, in keeping with the iceberg metaphor, this is what I found under the surface when I dove deep into the waters...

Beginning the Course...

Image Credit: @hillononlineacademy 

The course did not actually begin until two weeks into this practicum because our online courses are 14 weeks instead of the traditional 16 week course. I believe this worked well for me because I was able to reflect on the design process and to lay out a plan for the practicum at the beginning before the course started. Not only was I able to reflect on the process, I was able to make notes about the process and see where I needed improvements. The one area I discovered that needed improvement was the course orientation. While I did not reflect on that in an early reflection (I wanted to save that until now), I noticed that I need to build up my orientation to my course. We are required to give an orientation quiz at the beginning. As I was going through the orientation and the quiz, I realized I need to focus the questions of my quiz more on my policies and expectations instead of the college policies and expectations. Because students are required to take the quiz to stay in the course, it will force the student to become more aware of the course policies... even if they like to skip reading the syllabus and other information.

I think starting this summer (the next time I teach the course) I will be improving my orientation quiz so that it includes more expectations of my course. An example of this is the Voice Thread posting. With the graded Voicethread design, I cannot grade the post without the student hitting the blue "submit assignment" button. This means that a student can complete the posts, but I cannot grade it. Although I provide a video explanation, a step-by-step diagram, and announcements on how to do this, students still miss clicking that button. Perhaps if I dedicate a question on the orientation quiz, it will ensure students are getting that little detail. While there are other examples I can give, this is one that is minor in detail, but takes a long time to explain and to "regrade" when the student fixes the issue. I think it will help save me and the student time in the end.

While I already include information on the quiz about not accepting late work, I think I want to change up the questions to make sure students must "write out" the policy (in their own words) instead of answering a true/false question about it. I think it will help students realize the importance
of the policy instead of glossing over it in the orientation.

The Modules

Learning Outcomes for Module 7
Image Credit: P. Williams

Another aspect that I evaluated and reflected on in the course was the structure of the modules and the connections of the material to the learning outcomes. So, on top of designing the course, teaching the course, and managing the course day-to-day was my goal to better connect my learning outcomes. This was something that took me a lot of time. While I completed that task I set for myself, in doing it, I discovered more ways to link outcomes to assignments and how to make more of the learning outcomes "tiered". I do not think I would have seen the need for these new ideas if I had not taken on the goal in the first place. Linking each module to specific learning outcomes really helped me identify other areas that can benefit from learning outcome connections. I am very thankful that I stuck through that "extra" goal and finished it because I now have new ideas for other areas of my course with regard to learning outcomes. Sometimes I think that a lot of teaching online is centered around "playing" with ideas in order to come up with more ideas. It sounds weird to say that, but I feel like you have to tackle one idea in order to come up with more.

I also restructured the modules, as I mentioned in my Week 14 reflection, to have a lighter load in

Module Navigation Bar
Image Credit: P. Williams 

module 1 and module 7. While I am not sure if the students will realize this was a change from previous semesters, I do think that is has been well received so far. We just entered the last module this week and I have already received thoughtful messages from some students thanking me for only have one chapter in module 7. That makes me very happy and I am so glad that that seems to be working for my students. Students do not take have to take the final all on the same day, they have a total of two weeks to take it. So, I will not be able to see all the student scores by the time this practicum ends, but those that have taken it already (only about 5 students so far) have done really well. I am not sure if that is due to the fact that top students tend to work ahead and do things early so the grades are higher by default or if it is due to the structure of the module. I can only speculate.

Other things that I learned from various parts of this practicum and reflective process was things I need to add to the modules based on student feedback. Students reported they wanted more videos, but I am not totally sure what they mean by this. I already have personal videos, lectures by me, lectures by others, short animations, and mp3 files of mini lectures to listen to in the car or at home. So, I think I am going to try and add a few more personally made short summary videos to help students. I hope this helps the students and gives them what they need. 

Practicum Wrap Up

Now that I am typing up this last post and reflecting on the entire term and all the weekly reflections I posted, I realize just how much I learned throughout this program (Online Teaching and Instructional Design) and how much I have learned throughout my years of teaching online. This program has given me many new tools as well as confidence in using tools I was hesitant to use. In the course I taught for this practicum, I used a variety of tools to help with instruction (Camtasia, Voice Thread, Late Nite Labs, Wordle, ToonDoo, and others). Hopefully this helped students connect with me and the material in the course. I know that this program gave me a lot of information to move forward with and not all of it could be used and applied in this one practicum, but I have gained a lot of information to take with me. I am excited to see how my courses develop as I continue to make improvements. 

Image Credit: @webneel

Reflecting back, I still cannot believe all I accomplished in this practicum and in the OTID program. While a lot of it I do every semester, I think the reflective process gave me time to really see what all I actually do. From creating videos and media, to search and evaluating resources, providing individualized and differentiated instruction, making personal contact, creating announcements, and grading (oh the grading). So many things were accomplished and there is no way for me to express all that I completed throughout the semester. The biggest thing I will take from this practicum is that reflection really helps me see what I am doing and what I need to do. I realize that when teaching, I get into the grind of the everyday and do not spend enough time reflecting on what I am doing for my students and finding ways to get them what they need. I think the reflective process really helped me see what I am doing right and what I need to do as I take steps forward. I think I will make sure to include a reflective process at least once a month to make sure I am providing all I can for my students. I am now sold on the importance of reflection. The key is to make a habit out of it. It is not helpful to skip reflections or miss parts of the reflective process. There were times this semester when I was sick or tired and really wanted to just skip the reflective part, but still pushed on. I think this is important and I need to take that with me. I must always keep reflecting... even if I am busy, tired, or sick. Just do it and in the end, my students will have a better experience. That is what all of this is for... my students. 

Now my journey takes me to a different program and further learning... but I will use the knowledge I gain from this practicum and the OTID program for as long as I teach (and even beyond). I am so glad I chose to start this program. It has improved my instruction and hopefully the experience for all my students. 

Now... on to graduation. haha ;)

Week 14: Ending Module 6

Image Credit: N. Stohlman 

Wow... I am writing a post for week 14 of this practicum. I cannot believe there is only one last reflection post I need to make after this one. Time flies so fast and I had to go back and look at some of my earlier reflections just to get a since of where I am. Hopefully that is a normal feeling.

So far, in this online microbiology course, we are in Module 6, week 2. This translates to the 12th week of the semester. This week has been pretty standard with regards to instruction. My students just had a short break for the Easter Holiday and returned on Tuesday to continue forward. I think it was a much needed break for some and catch-up time for others.

What am I Doing This Week? Mentally Preparing for the Finals!!!

Image Credit: @OdasseyOnline

This week is pretty standard with the exception that the final exam is coming. We are preparing for the big exam and the culminating experience for the students in the class. It is important that the students work through module 6 and module 7 at a steady pace, because the end comes so quickly. I think this is the most stressful time for instructors and students. So, some of my time this week has been to start "mentally preparing" students for the final. I have an announcement going up on Friday (after this blog is published) about expectations of the final exam and what the students need to do to prepare for it. The final exam is housed in module 7, but I like to start getting the students prepared during module 6. I find this helps most students, but I will acknowledge it does stress some students out. I find it hard to balance between preparing and scaring.

In this online course, students have one main final and a lab practical (the culminating experience). So, basically, it is two big tests in the last module. I try and help the students out by not presenting too much new material. In the past, I had three chapters of new material plus the finals. I have worked it out this semester to have only one chapter of new material. Students seems to like this. But... I am not sure that they realize that I cut it down from previous semesters.. they just know it is less chapters to learn than the previous modules in the course. They are very happy about that.

The downside to having less new material is that earlier modules have more material in them. This can still be frustrating to some students. Haveing 4-5 chapters every two weeks can be frustrating. I had to make a choice. I cannot cut material from the course, I can only arrange it. So, I choose to weight the material heavier in module 2-6 and lighten the load in modules 1 and 7. I lightened module one to help the students ease in to the course and lightened module 7 to ease in to the final. I am looking forward to seeing if this helps students on the final exams in the class. Unfortunately, this practicum will be over before my students take the final and finish the course, so, I will not be able to report the results in this practicum.

I will be making more frequent announcements from this Friday on to the end of the course. They vary from encouragement to strict statements about deadlines and policies. I try to balance out the range of announcements, but I find it is essential to discuss both with the students. The more "harsh" announcements are about the structure, timing, and proctoring aspects of the final. While the students have lots or written instructions in the course, the syllabus, and on the orientation quiz, I still like to make sure the instructions are very clear. As you know, I have a no late work policy in the course. Even so, I reiterate that there is no acceptable reason to miss the final exam. I make it clear that sickness and technology issues are no excuse and encourage the students to take the exam as early as possible to avoid any last minute issues. Most students take that warning and get it done several days early, but some risk it and start taking the test with minutes to spare. I think it is important to constantly remind students the steps and procedures they need to take and be aware of as the final approaches. I know my words sound harsh, but I have learned that more heartache occurs if it is not presented, in detail, ahead of time.

What Else am I doing? Finishing My Extra Goal!!!

Update to Module 7 Learning Outcomes
Image Credit: P. Williams

So, for this practicum, I chose to setup and teach this online microbiology course. I actually have two courses that started with a total of 60 students. I am happy to say that I still have 57 of them at this point in time. The drop deadline has passed, so that number should stay the same. On top of that, I wanted to challenge myself even more and add some course revisions. As you know from previous reflections that task was to better integrate the learning outcomes into each module. I finally finished that task this week and I am so thrilled. I will be writing about that accomplishment in the last reflection next week, but I will say, I am so happy and proud of myself. I really pushed and challenged myself to put in lots of time and effort into this practicum and use it to better the courses I teach... and... I feel like I have really done that.

Other Things Going On

Module 6 Voice Thread Discussion
Image Credit: P. Williams 

As always, the general day-to-day tasks need to be completed. There is no getting behind on those tasks. Responding to 57 students (once was 60) on a day-to-day basis is challenging. There is no way to get behind. So, I am constantly making posts, checking in on students, and working to make sure the students have everything they need. 

Another big aspect is responding to students in the discussion forums (using VoiceThread). That is a daily job. It is not only responding, it is also getting in to make sure that student comments are being monitored as well. Students  can choose to respond in a variety of formats as long as one posts is audio or video recorded. I have students that do all three methods. I also have a lot a students who prefer to respond by typing. This is fine as long as the students make one of their posts with audio or video. As you can see in the image, there is over 1 hour and 40 minutes... and we still have a few days left in the module. This takes a lot of time to listen / read through and to respond to as well. So, this task alone takes a lot of time. 

Examples of Some Announcements Posted for Students
Image Credit: P. Williams 

Other aspects of the course is making sure to keep students informed and just letting them know I am there for them. I also like to post announcements about all the stuff going on around campus (even through some of our students are not near campus). I like to make sure students know that there are free events and activities for them to do around campus if they would like to be involved. This week is Spring Fling and there are lots of free food and activities for students. I like to make sure they are aware of these fun things. Sometimes students do not check their email and this just gives another point of contact to get information out there to students.

Wrap Up

So... that is a little about what is going on throughout this week. It is a very busy and stressful time during the semester and it is all about keeping up (and a little ahead) so that students feel supported. I spend a lot of time just trying to make sure my presence is known and that everything I do is in support of the student. As we make our way into Sunday this week, students will be approaching the last module and heading into the final exam. 

Next week will be my last post for this practicum... hopefully... I can provide a good wrap up to all my work this term and where I hope to go from here. 

Now... on to week 15... 

Week 13: Hanging in There

Image Credit: @englishOSAca 

It is week 13 of this practicum and week 11 of my 14 week online course. It is that time of the semester when both students and instructors are just hanging on. I have always found this time of the semester the hardest to push through, both as a student and as an instructor. Everyone is tired and many have worked really hard. A lot of times, instructors fear to let their students know that they are tired and just pushing through. I feel like some instructors want to keep those feelings from students. I have never understood that sentiment.

I think it is important to let students know that everyone gets tired and everyone gets burned out. I like to let students know it is okay to reach that point because, in reality, it happens in work and in school. Too often, I think students feel teaching is an easy job and that only they get tired.  I want students to see that being tired and struggling is a part of life. I also want to set the example of what you do when you are tired and just hanging in. When I tell my students, "Yes, I am exhausted and just hanging in there" and I show them that I push through and get everything done ahead of time, it sets a standard and an example for students to push through as well. I think it helps them realize that pushing through is also a learning process.

What Do I Do?

I know this sounds like a basic thing, but it takes a lot of work and energy to push through when we are tired and need a break. The first thing I do is let students know that it happens to everyone, including me. I have students message me to tell me thanks for sharing how I feel about something because it makes them realize that their feelings are normal. I never realized how important this was until I encouraged students to open up to me. I then realized that students want to know that a lot of people feel the same way. So, once I tell students how I feel, I like to send them encouraging messages. I like to point out to each student what they are doing well and how I can see their hard work paying off. When a particular students stands out, I send them a message letting them know I can see their hard work and that I appreciate it. 

Image Credit: M. Yost

I also will message students that seem to be struggling or slowing down (compared to the beginning of the term). I like to let these students know that we are almost finished and to hang in there. This seems to give some students that extra burst on energy to push forward. It also provides an open door for students to tell me their struggles. I find that when I contact students, I get a flood of emotions from students in return. They open up to me about personal issues and other struggles they are experiencing. I find this an opportunity to help guide them and offer any advice or support I can. I did not really know how helpful it would be until I just starting doing it. 

On top of that, I post general announcements with encouragement and support. I always make sure to thank my students for their hard work and dedication to the course. I find that students tend to respond well to that type of encouragement. Now... one problem I have is getting all the students to read each announcement, but that is another issue entirely. I also like, as you have seen in previous blogs, to post comics, images, well wishes, and other positive messages in the course. For example, The Easter holiday is this weekend and students will be greeted with an announcement to wish them fun times with family and friends during the short break. During this time, I encourage students to take a break from the course for at least a day and spend time with family/friends or just get some much needed rest. I also let them know that I will be doing the same thing. I let each student know it is okay to take a day or two to not even think about this course at all. It is a time of no worries. I think students appreciate this. I actually had one student message me in a previous term to thank me for encouraging them to take a break. The student said that they felt better know that I did not have an expectation for them to be thinking about the course all the time. I think it is important to let students know that this is okay and that this is something even I, the instructor, do in the very same course. 

Wrap Up

While I think some of the things I mentioned in the above blog seems very simple, I believe it is something that took me a long time to learn to incorporate in my courses. The longer I have taught, the more comfortable I get in doing these small things in my courses. Also, I have seen one of our instructors in the OTID program do something a little similar (at least with regards to being open about needing time and breaks). In some of our virtual class meetings, one instructor is very open to let us know when they are tired and just "pushing through". This encouraged me to continue to do this and continue to find ways to connect with students. When I see other instructors do certain things, it then encourages me to either try it or improve it. I think that is the beauty of this program in OTID... not only are we learning things to use... we are seeing it modeled in some of our courses. I think it is wonderful. 

While I know my blog post seems very simple, all of these things take a lot of time, practice, and even a push to get it all done. It is an aspect of online teaching that I did not realize is needed until I dived into the world on teaching online.

Also, a large portion of my week was spent doing the general daily tasks that always needs to be completed. This week is the beginning of a new module and that always means a lot of grading. I succesfully made it through all the grading for Module 5 work and posted all the information in annoucenemtns needed for Module 6. I also completed Module 7's update of learning outcomes. That was a huge task this term and I am so happy it is completed. Like I have said before... online teaching is a never ending job. You really have to work hard to stay ahead of the game.

Now... on to week 14...

Week 12: Midterm Feedback

Image Credit: @gearedusa

Wow... week 12 is going by fast. This week I will be sharing some of the feedback I have received from my mid-term survey that I sent out to my students. It is an informal survey and is developed by me to give me some insight on what is helping or not helping students in the course. While this is not an official survey and is made in google forms, I think it provides me a lot of insight into student needs in my courses. Also, students will continue to respond to this survey for a few weeks, so I still expect more feedback from students.

Why Do I Do This?

There are many reasons I do this. The OTID program actually showed the importance of doing these. While it was not part of one of our classes, our program coordinator sends one of these surveys around midterm to get student feedback. When I first got one, I thought it was amazing. So, I started implementing them in my online courses. So, I got the idea from courses I have taken because I thought it was so helpful.

Image Credit: @impactCEE

I also think they are very informative. I find that they really give me feedback I would not otherwise receive. The students are able to tell me what helps them or what needs improvement during the semester and I can use that feedback to have positive changes while I still have the students in my course.

The standard course evaluations that schools give at the end of the term are just not as helpful. First, the questions usually to not elicit responses that are helpful to my instruction. For example, one question on the formal survey is.. "Would you recommend this instructor to other students?". I find this question is not very helpful. What can I actually take from that information. The answer is "yes" or "no". I usually get all "yes" responses with an occasional "no" every other year or so. But... that does not tell me anything really. I have no clue how to take that information and translate it into making improvements for instruction. Many questions in these surveys are like the one above. They seem like a popularity contest instead of providing useful feedback. Also, the surveys are given at the end of the term. Any issues the students do have are not reported to me until after the course ends. This means I cannot help the students during the time they need help. This is frustrating.

There is a lot of research supporting a mid-term feedback survey. While I do not plan on writing a supporting paper on this... as this is not the point of this practicum... I did want to mention that there is research out there that demonstrates many positives of offering this type of survey. The positives range from improving student learning during the semester, improving student learning in the long term, creating a better connection and relationship between the instructor and student, and so on.
So, I think it is important to offer students a chance to give feedback by asking questions that can give me real insight into how to really improve instruction and help students succeed. So, I developed a survey that can give me feedback to help.

Image Credit: @atomiclearning 

It is a very basic survey where I just ask some straight forward questions. A couple of these questions include...

1) What aspects of this course have been helpful to your learning and success?

2) What aspects of this course have been not so helpful to your learning and success?

3) Do you have any suggestions on things I (the instructor) can do to improve the course and your experience in the course?

They are mostly open-ended questions that ask the student to give me an open and honest response. The students can choose to answer the survey or not and can provide as much or little feedback that they want.

What Did I Learn? 

@johnnyfit

While this is an unofficial, informal survey, I have gathered some important feedback from my students who choose to respond. I like that a lot of the feedback can be addressed immediately, but there is always feedback that cannot be changed easily or even at all. No matter what the feedback, it really keeps me thinking and working toward better ways to improve instruction for students.

Feedback on Technology

When looking for trends in the feedback, I have noticed students seem to struggle with and are frustrated with technology. I fully understand this. I know that when asked to use new technology in courses, which are high stress anyway, it can create some frustration. I need to find more ways to help guide the students through the technology. I already provide written instructions and video instructions and demonstrations. I am trying to figure out what else I can add to the course/modules in order to help them troubleshoot and understand the technology better. Perhaps making some info-graphics instead of the typical instructions. Although, then I run into ADA issues with info-graphics. It is hard for me to gauge all of what is needed to help student navigate some of the technology stuff.

Feedback on Resources

The second common thing that was reported is that the students would like to have more videos. This actually surprises me. I have video lectures, short videos, animations, study videos, etc. I also pulled the data and noticed that some of the videos are infrequently watched. So, I am wondering to what extent students want more videos. Maybe they want more short videos on sub-topics. I have already identified that as a future goal. So, maybe I should make more short videos concentrating on individual topics instead of entire lectures.

Some Positives

There was also a lot of positive feedback, including feedback on my quick grading and feedback and a lot of comments on how fast I am at responding to messages/emails and grading assessments. That makes me feel good because I do really work hard at ensuring I answer students questions and provide fast, but quality feedback.

Hopefully I will continue to get responses and can update the information in next week's blog. Now... on to week 13.