HR: 1330h
AN: ED12B-0132 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Facilitation: An Essential Ingredient in Online Coursework
AU: * Ristvey, J
EM: jristvey@mcrel.org
AF: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), 2550 S. Parker Road, Suite 500, Aurora, CO 80014-1678 United States
AU: Bogner, D
EM: dbogner@mcrel.org
AF: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL), 2550 S. Parker Road, Suite 500, Aurora, CO 80014-1678 United States
AB: Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) partnered with the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) to offer the ESSEA Earth System Science Online Course for Middle School Teachers during the 2002-2003 school year. During the two semesters that the course was offered, we were able to retain 75% of our enrollees. We found that course facilitation was the key ingredient in retaining this large number of students-who are not only scattered across the U.S., but around the world-in a rigorous online course. In this poster session, we will share what we have learned about online facilitation as part of this course, and how this knowledge might translate into other online coursework. Online facilitation begins as soon as a student enrolls in the course. When a student registers online or at CSM, McREL receives notification and then sends course materials and e-mail and written confirmation to the enrollee within 24 hours. This sets the tone for the type of communications that students can expect during the 16-week course. McREL facilitators know how time consuming monitoring participant progress can be, but feel strongly about its importance when facilitating learners who are working in small groups and are completing independent research. Timely monitoring of discussion spaces and e-mail messages is essential to maintaining a high student-retention rate. Kearsley (2000) confirms this when he states that, "the most important role of the instructor in online classes is to ensure that there is a high degree of interactivity and participation." In the ESSEA courses, the isolation of students working independently on classroom applications and reflection is balanced with group construction of interactions and causal chains. Each step of the way facilitators use guided questioning in group discussion sessions and serve as a mentor when participants develop individualized classroom assignments, giving participants the opportunity to apply what they have learned in a supportive environment (Wilson \& Berne, 1999).
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting