Oh wow. I just have so many thoughts running through my head about how to improve my online Spanish courses. I am frustrated because my students are not embracing the desire to learn another language. (What, they don't love the language as much as I do?) What it feels like they want is a quick in/quick out online class where they don't have to do a whole lot of application. I listened to students last semester as they were incredibly frustrated with the amount of work required on a weekly basis. I had always heard that in an undergraduate college course, a student should expect to spend 2-3 hours outside of class for every credit hour the class is worth. So for my 4-credit class, it shouldn't be unreasonable to spend 8-12 hours per week. And that isn't even including th 4 hours that would also normally be spent in classtime for a face-to-face offering. I started thinking that maybe this time frame was no longer accurate and that perhaps the model had changed. However, I am following a great blog by an online teacher, who re-quoted that exactly: 2-3 hours outside of class for every credit hour.
No, I am feeling validated about the amount of time my course requires for students. I have done my research. Reading that blog was a great find, and I've also polled a couple of the other professors at one of my schools and a fellow adjunct online teacher with my other school. It simply takes a lot of time to learn a language, there really is no way around it. But my goal now is to make sure I continue to offer the best online course I possibly can, with 2 semesters of experience now going to be under my belt.
I did have students voluntarily complete surveys near mid-term, so I can continue improving the course for next term. I have gotten some really good feedback from them that is helping drive my ideas for the future. I currently do not offer a discussion board assignment, well, at least not one that is required. I do offer an extra credit assignment in the form of a discussion board, and honestly, those are my favorite things to grade. But with Spanish, it is a little hard to create an additional assignment that won't eat up a bunch more of their time. Maybe for my level 2 classes, but level 1 would be difficult. One idea I have is to require students to pose weekly questions about course content, and then also go back in and respond to their classmates.
I also ideally want to incorporate more actual verbal communication, if that is even possible. Logistically, it would be a nightmare for me to grade any more than what they already do. But I want to re-vamp my oral assessments, making them more communicative in nature instead of just reading words and sentences from a page. Then, ideally, the grade for this would be more for understanding and less for grammatical correctness. I think I can save the grammar for the other requirements in the class.
These are the main ideas I have in reference to improvements in the classes. But I do have a few more brewing as well!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Friday, February 12, 2010
Online it is!
Well, I think I've made the final decision to NOT return to the full-time world of education. Instead, I will keep doing what I'm doing: online Spanish classes. We have yet to make this verbal between us at home, but this is what both of us are really leaning towards. I am very excited, because I feel like I'm the closest to "professional contentment" that I've ever had. The only thing that could make it better is some commitment from my schools that they will hire me each and every semester. However, that is not how adjuncts work. But, as I watch the posts on Linked In, and probe deeper into websites when I see schools needing adjunct Spanish instructors, also reading that Govenor Heineman is wanting to look into Nebraska virtual high schools... I feel that there will be a lot of opportunity.
Currently, I have nothing scheduled for summer, so that could be a tough few months if nothing comes about. I am waiting to hear from Iowa Western about what they have for me. I believe Northern is passing me up for the summer classes. So it's nice I'm making a decent amount now, because the majority of that needs to go into savings to live off of, but to also upgrade vehicles. I have various leads for fall. I should have my 101 at Northern, and I really hope that opens up 2 sections as it has both last semester and this one.
I'm doing some networking, which is sort of strange for me because I've never needed to do that before. Yet I am finding it kind of fun! With the Director of Extended Studies at Northern leaving, I am keeping good with him and let him know to keep me in mind at his future university. Also, my text book reps... duh! It just came to me tonight that they maybe good folks who know about opportunities out there.
I guess it is a little stressful not knowing when income will head our direction, or how much from one month to the next. But we've made it work for a period of time on just one salary before, I know we can do it again if we have to. I just am too happy doing what I'm doing, and have the flexibility to work when I want to work... it was just hard to not jump on this chance. Although I feel I have some egg on my face after all but verbally committing to Westside, and now essentially taking that back, I felt it was important to make the best possible decision for our family. I feel good that we have done just that!
Currently, I have nothing scheduled for summer, so that could be a tough few months if nothing comes about. I am waiting to hear from Iowa Western about what they have for me. I believe Northern is passing me up for the summer classes. So it's nice I'm making a decent amount now, because the majority of that needs to go into savings to live off of, but to also upgrade vehicles. I have various leads for fall. I should have my 101 at Northern, and I really hope that opens up 2 sections as it has both last semester and this one.
I'm doing some networking, which is sort of strange for me because I've never needed to do that before. Yet I am finding it kind of fun! With the Director of Extended Studies at Northern leaving, I am keeping good with him and let him know to keep me in mind at his future university. Also, my text book reps... duh! It just came to me tonight that they maybe good folks who know about opportunities out there.
I guess it is a little stressful not knowing when income will head our direction, or how much from one month to the next. But we've made it work for a period of time on just one salary before, I know we can do it again if we have to. I just am too happy doing what I'm doing, and have the flexibility to work when I want to work... it was just hard to not jump on this chance. Although I feel I have some egg on my face after all but verbally committing to Westside, and now essentially taking that back, I felt it was important to make the best possible decision for our family. I feel good that we have done just that!
Friday, February 5, 2010
How can technology improve the learning relationship between teacher and student?
Krista's answer:
Technology provides a relevant environment for the 21st Century learner. The student has the opportunity to actively engage in his own learning. The teacher in a virtual classroom provides the objectives, content, communication and adjustments while figuratively stepping aside to allow the learner to take charge for himself. This fosters a sense of confidence, self-reliance and empowerment in the student. Therefore, the student/teacher relationship is strengthened, due to the individualization of instruction that is possible in an online learning environment.
Krista's answer:
Technology provides a relevant environment for the 21st Century learner. The student has the opportunity to actively engage in his own learning. The teacher in a virtual classroom provides the objectives, content, communication and adjustments while figuratively stepping aside to allow the learner to take charge for himself. This fosters a sense of confidence, self-reliance and empowerment in the student. Therefore, the student/teacher relationship is strengthened, due to the individualization of instruction that is possible in an online learning environment.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Teach online from home or back to the brick-and-mortar classroom fulltime? Hmmm...
Would I prefer...
Would I prefer...
- stable year-round income, or having to pine each term for jobs?
- improved benefits and retirement plan, or keeping our current benefits and creating a budget to save for retirement, investments, and dental/vision appointments?
- to have to work my ass off in all aspects of my life, or maintain a more leisurely pace? (Sadly, this one holds a lot of weight. I'm not proud of it, but I am easily frustrated by small stresses, and often find myself wanting to simplify, simplify, simplify. Full-time would not be simplifying!)
- to view work as most important in a given day or to view my family as top priority?
- to handle students and their parents through conferences, emails and phone calls or just handle students?
- to become a part of a team where I participate to support interdisciplinary efforts, overall school improvement, setting and attaining standards, and aligning curriculum, or just do what I can to teach 6 chapters of Spanish as best I can via internet?
- to have my yearly calendar set for me, or make my own decisions on appointments and vacations?
- paid tuition assistance to advance professionally or instead having to access the Bank of Croghan?
This is actually a pretty hard decision for me, not made any easier by the fact that I've already been in contact with the principal from Westside High School. As far as she knows, my intention is to return to Westside already next fall. But how do I tell her that maybe I need one more year (at least) before returning to a full-time secondary position? The field of online education is only growing. Watching Linked In job postings, also other Technology in Education sites, I wouldn't be surprised if some pretty decent salaried positions opened up where I could work right from my own computer. It is an exciting time for me, as I watch the world of online education exploding in popularity among both teachers and students. Time will tell, and blogging about it hasn't seemed to make the decision any easier to make.
Friday, January 29, 2010
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