Let's Talk! Getting the most out of the discussion
If you are the type of student who went to class just to be able to catch up on the news and you organized study groups so you and your classmates could talk over what was going on in class, then the discussion activities are for you!
Our course designers have posted questions they hope will launch discussions about the topics covered in the lessons or in the class.
If world events get worked into the discussion somehow, that's cool, too!
Most of the discussion questions ask about how you would apply what is being learned or your opinion on a topic. There are no right or wrong answers. It's a chance for you to reflect on how what you have learned applies to you. It makes the learning more personal.
Participating in the discussions also gives you a chance to share what you know or your own experiences with the subject matter. If you have an example from your own life, share it with your classmates. Sometimes an example you share may be just the thing a classmate needs to make the lesson content really click.
The instructors at Lifetime to Learn have been taught ways to help encourage discussion since we consider this a valuable way to learn. One technique that you can use is to end each post with a question. This will give others a chance to reflect and to participate and can open up new areas of discussion that may serve as a launching point for deeper learning and understanding.
What other value do you think discussions can bring to an online class?
Hi, Teacher! Meeting your online instructor
In my last column I talked about signing up for a class. Once you are signed up, what next? Typically a few days before the class starts you will receive an email from your instructor with instructions for accessing your course. If you don't hear from the instructor, be sure to contact ClassroomManager@interactiveonlineclssroom.com. The Classroom Manager will ensure you and your instructor get in contact.
I don't know about you, but my spam blocker seems to be confused - spam ends up in my inbox and my real mail goes to the spam folder.
Once you get into the online classroom, take a moment to introduce yourself to your instructor and your class. Your instructor will use the information in your introduction to get to know you and to help you get the most from the course. Your instructor can provide examples that you can relate to.
Your instructor is one of the keys to your success in your online learning experience. When you have questions or problems - about anything related to the class - ask! Your instructor will do their best to find an answer or help you work through your problem. Ask for advice or for more examples if you need it. Have a specific issue with a project? Your instructor can give you help from their experience.
It may feel like you are sitting there all alone, but your instructor is just a discussion post or an email away. You won't necessarily get an immediate response, but you will get a response.
When I first started learning online I hesitated to ask for help when I needed it. I felt like it was my responsibility to figure it out. I finally got so frustrated I just gave up. That afternoon I got an email from my instructor asking if I had any problems since I had not posted in a few days. I responded and admitted my frustration. She had a fix for my problem right away and I was off and running. That was about 10 classes ago. Now I just ask! Sometimes I get it figured out before I hear back, but I always get a response.
If you feel frustrated, lost, confused - just email your instructor or post a comment in the discussion boards in the classroom. My instructors have always been very supportive.
Yours will be, too. Just let them know what they can do to help you!
Things to do Online
I remember a commercial a few years ago about this guy who got a high speed Internet connection. He is sitting in front of the computer clicking on pages when the message appears: "You have reached the end of the Internet!"
It seems impossible, huh?
But if you have been on the Internet a while or even if you are new, you may be looking for some different ways to spend your time. We have a few courses that just may give you some ideas!
Getting Started with Blogging: There are many places out on the Internet where you can create a blog for free. In this course you will create a blog, write for your audience and learn to publicize your blog so that your blog can become one of the hot places to click. We'll even show you how you can earn some extra money from your blog.
Introduction to Genealogy - Building Your Own Family Tree: One of the great things about the Internet is that it provides an easy way to share information you have with others. Many people have created sites recording their family history. You may be a few clicks away from finding some long-lost relatives. Also check out
Tracing Your Civil War Ancestors.
Moving a Course from the classroom to cyberspace: If you teach, maybe you'd like to venture into the world of teaching online. This course will introduce you to an instructional design strategy that will make your online courses more effective for all kinds of learners. Also check out
Teaching Online Successfully.
Online Research Using Search Engines and Directories: Want to learn more about anything? There are vasts amount of information on the Internet if you just know where to look. This course will fill you in on tricks and tip for getting the most out of your searches. Also check out
Understanding the Search Engine and Online Directories.
RSS Basics: If you like to keep up with the latest news,
RSS news feeds can deliver the world's news to your desktop. Learn to create and use
RSS feeds.
If you find something else fun to do on the Internet, let us know! We are always looking for
new courses.
What have I done? How to find out if you have completed all your online course activities
If you are like most of our learners, at one point or another you wonder if you have completed all the activities in the course so far or possibly missed one or two. While there is no obvious way to see what has been completed there are a few places you can check.
To see which activities you have completed use the Activity block on the left side of the classroom screen. The Activity block has links to each of the activities in the course. To see if you have completed each of the quizzes, for example, click on the link for the Quizzes. There you will see a list of the available quizzes. Any that you have completed will have a grade assigned. The same is true for the Practices and Assignments.
The Activities links also provide a quick way for you to check due dates so that you don't miss any course deadlines.
If your instructor has configured the grades area, you may also be able to see what you have completed and what has been graded there. Since our courses are not graded, the grades area more than likely has not be configured.
Some of our students will keep a Word document or Excel file listing all the activities for the course and check them off after they have uploaded their project or received feedback from the instructor.
For the most definite answer, ask your instructor. He or she can run a report that shows which activities you have completed for each lesson. The report shows the date and time you completed the activity and the grade, if there is one assigned. This is the report the instructor uses to check your progress throughout the course and to complete the mastery reports that are turned into the schools.
If you are ever unsure of anything while you are learning online, just ask your instructor! Our instructors are there to help you in any way they can.
Show Me! Using the Demonstration Activity in Your Online Course
Did you take the
Learning Styles Inventory I mentioned in my
last post? If you did and you are are a Reflective, Sensing, Visual or Global Learner then the Demonstration Activity is one that can help you learn the content.
Reflective learners do better when they take a moment to formulate questions to answer or imagine ways they can use what they are learning. The demonstration shows one possible application or what will be covered and can lead to questions or provide a launching point to ideas about other ways to use the content.
Sensing Learners like to see how things can be applied to real-world situations. The demonstrations shows them what they are learning in action.
Visual Learners remember what they see better and a
demonstration of what will be covered is a good way to help them get a handle on what the content may be all about.
Global Learners like to see how all the details fit together. The demonstration incorporates many of the topics to be covered in the lesson and provides a good overview of the lesson.
If you happen to be more strongly Active, Intuitive, Verbal and Sequential, don't skip the demonstration just because it does not apply to you. Keep in mind that rarely is someone completely one learning style and the demonstration may help you make some of the content for the lesson click.
Although the demonstration is the first activity of the lesson, don't feel like you have to start there or only visit it when you are starting the lesson. It may more sense to you if you visit after you have read the content or while you are working the practice or assignment.
Sign me up! Registering for your online course
Great! You are ready to sign up for your online course!
Start by going to:
http://lifetimetolearn.com/courses.htmAlong the
left hand side of the page is a list of all the course that Lifetime to Learn offers. Find the one you want and click on it. This will take you to a page of information about the course. On the right side of the screen is a list of the dates the course is offered (once every four weeks). Click on the link for the course you want.
This will take you to the registration page. Fill in the requested information and choose how you want to pay.
If you choose to pay online with your credit card you will be directed to a secure site to enter your credit card information. If you choose one of the other methods of payment, you will be sent instructions on how to contact Lifetime to Learn to complete the payment.
After your payment has been received you will receive an email confirming your registration. It will include a link to the syllabus for your course. Be sure to check it out and order your book if one is needed for your course. The email will also contain a link for creating an account in the classroom.
Within a few days of the start of your course you will receive an email from your instructor with information on how to access the course. If you don't, be sure to contact
classroomManager@interactiveonlineclassroom.com so they can get you in contact with your instructor as soon as possible.
And that's it! Easy as pie!
And tell them Peabody sent ya!
Learn to Build a Website Online
Whether you are interested in building your first website or whether you want to add new features to your existing website, we have a
web design class for you!
User Friendly Web Design - As you get your website launched you may want to make sure that it is easy for your visitors to find what they need. This 16-hour course will help you make sure your visitors have a good experience at your website.
Setting up LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) - If you are ready to move from being a web designer to a web master you will need to learn how to build and maintain your own web server. This 32-hour course will take you from installing Linux to having all the tools you need to run a web server. Even if you don't run your own server the skills you learn here will help you manage a virtual private server or web hosting.
PHP Web Programming - PHP is one of the more popular server-side scripting languages. In this 32-hour course you will learn the basics of programming in PHP and creating interactive web sites.
Java Web Services - Web services are programs that reside on web servers that provide information to users requests. You can provide this service for free or create a service that allows you to sell subscriptions. In this 32-hour course you will learn to create java web services.
Flash - Some of the coolest sites on the web use Flash for animation or are Flash applications themselves! In this 32-hour course you will learn to create Flash animations and incorporate them into a template for a web site.
Anybody Out There? Connecting with your fellow online learners
Do you feel all alone as you work through your course? Do you long for some interaction? There are several places you can go to connect with your fellow learners.
If you having problems with your classroom or course materials, your best support will be your instructor. You can post a message to the Question and Comments forum in your classroom to let your instructor know you are having problems. This is the best way since your instructor is sure to see it the next time he or she logs in.
If you want to communicate just with the instructor, you can click on the link for Participants to see a list of participants, including your instructor. Click on your instructor's name. Below your instructor's profile is a button that says "Send message". This will send a message just to your instructor that will be displayed the next time he or she logs in. Their reply will also be in a message you will see the next time you log in.
If you want to bypass the classroom communication completely, you can click on the link for your instructor's email address to send him or her an email. Be aware that the email may not be read if it ends up in your instructor's spam folder.
If you want a more synchronous communication, contact your instructor and schedule a time to chat. Most classrooms have a link to a chat where class members can meet to discuss the course materials or just get to know one another.
Still feeling alone? Try posting a message to the student lounge to strike up a conversation with your fellow online learners or check the Online Users list in your classroom, at the main classroom screen or in the student lounge to see who else is online. Our learners are from all over the world so you never know who you might meet.
Where do I start learning online?
Each lesson in our classes contains a similar list of activities. You typically see a list like this:
Objectives
Demo
Content
Quiz
Practice
Discussion
Assignment
You may be wondering, "Where do I start?". The answer is, "It's up to you!"
If you are a sequential person, you can just go down the list from top to bottom. This coincides with our instructional model's order. It starts by introducing what will be covered and works towards the student being able to apply what they have learned to their own projects.
If you are a hands-on learner you may want to start at the bottom with the Assignment. You can go back and read the content to figure out what you need to be able to complete your project. You can end up with the quiz to make sure you did get the important points of the lesson before moving on.
If you are more of the social, interactive type, visit the discussion first. And don't feel like you have to visit just once. Check back regularly for what others have had to say and add more of your thoughts to the
discussion.
So, the answer to the question, "Where do I start?" can be answered with "at the beginning", "in the middle" or "at the end" and none of the answers are wrong. Just choose the one that is right for you.
Not sure of your learning style? Check out:
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
Time Management for Online Learning
One of the biggest stumbling blocks student seem to have in getting the most from their online courses is having the time to get it all done. My classmates frequently kid me that since I am retired I must have all the time in the world to do the work. I tell them that, like them, I have a life outside of the classroom and multiple demands on my time (OK - so maybe
CSI is not the same as their kids little league games, but, hey, it's important to me!)
So how do I do it? How can you find the time to get your work done? The answer is simple - make the time!
If you had signed up for a class in a classroom you would have a commitment of an hour or so a few times a week for learning and applying what you have learned. Why should learning online be any different?
Set aside time, about 8 hours a week to start with. That works out to just over an hour a day. Pick a time each day that will be your class time. Can't commit time to each day? Then pick two or three days a week when you can commit a few hours.
When your appointed time rolls around, sit down at your computer and learn! How you spend that time is up to you - what ever works best for you - and I'll address that more in my next post.
If you feel completely unmotivated to work when your time rolls around, then promise yourself to spend at least 15 minutes - you can do anything for 15 minutes - according to
Fly Lady. For those 15 minutes, log into your class. Read any comments your instructor wrote to you about your last completed assignment. Read any posts by your classmates and respond if you find you have something to add. Check out any new lessons that have posted. You may find something that really interests you!
And that is how I do it! A little at a time each day. And I find I have more than enough time to not only complete the work for the class, but explore beyond what the class covers.
If you have questions about course time management or any aspect of being an online student, please let me know!
Update Your Business Skills Online
We offer many types of classes at Lifetime to Learn, but one of the areas where the demand is growing the most is our Business Skills courses. Classes in the
Business Skills category include classes that will help those just getting started in management to those who are seasoned managers looking for some fresh approaches.
Basic Management Skills: If you are new to management, this is a good place to start. The 32-hour course introduces you to many topics related to managing people. We look at coaching, communication, problem-solving, decision-making and performance evaluation. Many of these topics are covered in more detail in other courses if you leave the Basic Management Skills course looking for more.
Business and the Media: One of the ways to help your business succeed is to develop a good relationship with the media. This 8-hour course allows you to take an article you wish to publicize and walks you through the process you would need to go through, from finding media representatives to talk with to preparing yourself for the media's questions.
Business Writing: We offer several 8-hour courses related to business writing. These courses help busy professionals improve their business writing and learn to avoid writing errors.
Introduction to Project Management: You may not have the title of Project Manager, but if you work in a typical business understanding the principles of project management can help you succeed at what you do. This 8-hour course will cover the basics of Project Management from defining the project to monitoring the progress of the project and following-up after the project is complete.
Telephone Techniques for Excellent Customer Service: Our phone conversations, from the moment we say hello until we hang up the receiver make an impression on the person on the other end of the conversation. Make each call count by using what you learn in this 8-hour course to improve your telephone presence.
The Essentials of Managing Successful Meetings: What is the difference between a good meeting and a really effective meeting? The answer is in how the meetings are managed. Meetings start long before everyone gathers in the conference room and end well past when everyone departs. In this 8-hour course you will learn to effectively plan, execute and follow-up to help ensure your meetings are successful.
So? What's New? How to find out what has happened since your last login
Each time you log into the classroom, the question on your mind is probably, "What's been posted since the last time I was here?" If you are like most students, you are concerned that you have overlooked something - something important!
One of the customizations we made to the Moodle environment is the highlighting the class names when there has been new activity since the last time you accessed the class. It will let you know that something new has happened before you even access the course.
Once you get into the classroom area, check the top block on the right-hand side of the screen. This block is called the "Recent Activity" block. It lists anything that has posted since you last logged in. If you want to get more information or search a different time frame, you can click on the "Full report of recent activity..." link. This allow you to search different time frames or look for specific events.
If you enjoy the discussions and want to make sure you are caught up with all the posts, scan the classroom for any unread message notices. To ensure that you see the notices, make sure that you have the Forum tracking option in your profile set to highlight new posts for you. You can set that option by clicking on your name, you should see it in the Online Users list. Then click on Edit Profile. Change the option for Forum tracking and click the Update Profile button.
Using these tools can help you stay on top of what's happening in your classroom each time you log in. If you have questions about the way they work, let me know!
Also post any suggestion you have that may help make it easier for you.
All Types of Learners
Did you know the typical school environment is the "right" way to learn for only about 25% of the student population? What if a teacher started out by telling the class that if they were not right for learning in the classroom they had to leave?
It was just this thought I had as I read research articles identifying whether or not one type of learning style or personality is "right" for learning online? Just like students are not turned away from learning in the classroom, students should not be turned away from learning online because they are not the "right" kind of student.
But then I took that thought one step further: What if the online learning environment were designed so that regardless of the type of learner, each student would find activities they enjoyed and activities that challenged them? What if we made learning online right for anyone who chose to learn online?
It was this challenge we had in mind as we designed the learning strategy for Lifetime to Learn. This strategy is unique among online learning in that it respects how all kinds of students learn. Those who learn by getting their hands on and playing around will enjoy the assignments. Those who want to talk about what they are learning will enjoy the discussions. Those who are more traditional students who want to see worked examples will get the most out of the lesson content.
In future posts I will explore the various learning activities and how they each support learning and what learning styles may enjoy each.
As a side note, we recognize that not everyone may enjoy learning online. I, personally, do not like learning in a classroom! If you want to see if you would enjoy learning online, check out our
Start Learning Online Right. Now! course. It is free and introduces you to our classroom and coaches you on skills you will need to be successful in learning online.
