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[marie]

I am curious, do many of you teach online courses? I know, I know...online teaching is considered quite inferior to traditional teaching. I am not posting this question to stir up THAT topic. Instead, I just wanted a friendly discussion on the pros and cons of online teaching, particularly for adjuncts. Any thoughts?

[mouse]

About half of my teaching load is online (my choice).  I don't know that online teaching is inferior to traditional teaching, but it _is_ quite a bit different.  I've taken a number of courses in online pedagogy, and gone to zillions of conferences and workshops for  online teaching.  It's far more than just typing up some lecture notes and putting them online.  And that's where I think the majority of cons lie, both for students and instructors--particularly adjunct instructors.  (I've taught online both as an adjunct and tenure-track.)  I just don't think that the best quality teaching can take place online unless you have 1. some training in the specifics of online pedagogy; 2. a fast, updated computer--provided by your instutition--that you have sole and complete access to; 3. timely and reliable tech help; 4. a reasonable class cap that takes into account the increased workload often associated with online classes; and 5. release time to develop a course that works with your school's particular structure, students, and programs, and further occasional release time to keep the course updated.

For me, it is far too easy for already-exploited adjuncts to be further taken advantage of by adminisitrators who think that, once a "pre-packaged" online course is purchased, you can just shove a zillion students into the course and hire anyone--regardless of training--to teach it.  It takes a lot more time to do the "busy" work of an online course--it just takes longer to type everything than it does to say it to an entire class at once (even if you can type well).  Add to this the fact that most adjuncts are provided only the oldest computers, which they have to fight for time on in the typical "bullpen" adjunct office.  

On the other hand...I was a stronger candidate on the job market because I had online teaching experience as an adjunct.  So I hesitate to say "don't let adjuncts teach online!"  since that's one of the skills that more and more schools (particularly CCs) are looking for.  Still, it's much easier to teach online--and I'm much better at it--as a full-time instructor, with my own office and computer, and money for professional development and training in technology.  I know there are people who teach a zillion online sections at a zillion places from their home computer, and manage to make a nice living that way--but I don't necessarily think that's the most quality way to go about it, or workable for most people.

I'd also be the first to argue that while online teaching isn't a great substitute for the traditional classroom, sometimes it's the only way for a student to take certain classes.  A lot of my CC students do shift work, and they just can't attend classes during the day; online classes also make sense in remote areas (such as isolated parts of the southwest) where commuting just isn't practical).  So, while distance ed isn't always the best option, sometimes it's the only option, and I believe pretty strongly in distance ed in those cases.

[liz]

I am an associate prof. at a SUNY school.  I have been teaching a course online each semester as part of my regular teaching load (3-3) since 1999.  A big tradeoff from the instructor's viewpoint is flexibility vs. total time.  As a parent with two young children, the online course gives me much more scheduling flexibility.  However, I spend more time total managing an online course vs. a traditional course.  This is due to a number of factors such as more frequent assignments and detailed feedback, and ongoing discussions that need to be monitored.

This time factor does not even include the original design of the course.  While I received an extra service stipend for the orginal design, I imagine it worked out to about $.50 an hour.  My courses include detailed lecture notes, problem-solving tutorials and graphics, all of which are time intensive in design.

As an adjunct, I would be especially concerned about compensation for course design, OWNERSHIP of course design (will they fire you and hand over your course to someone else), and what could be effectively a lower hourly wage relative to a traditional course.  This might be offset by lower commuting costs and childcare expenses.

I realize these issues are more technical than pedagogical, but they should be considered by anyone contemplating teaching online.

[MP]

Mouse, you're right about what you need to teach online effectively but I disagree with your judgment that it's not a very good substitute for classroom-based courses.  I've taught extensively online and find that, overall, the quality of the discussions is far superior to most that occur in the classroom.  This is true for several reasons.  Students have the time to reflect on their postings so they tend to be very thoughtful.  They know that god and everyone will be reading their postings so the fear of looking bad stimulates them to make an extra effort.  It's apparent when a student hasn't read the material and that spurs them on.  I make sure a significant portion of their grades are for participation and that encourages them. In a classroom there are some students who never speak and others who won't shut up.  That inequality of participation doesn't occur online so I actually get to hear from all my students.  Having taught the same course with the same syllabus and requirements both online and in the classroom many times, I find there's simply no comparision in the overall quality of students' performance.  Online wins, hands down.

[Lee]

Have any of you taught online with a real-time chat room component?

I've heard of courses that have tried that, but instructors felt that it meant fast typists got more attention. Of course, the f-to-f equivalent is that fast talkers get more attention.

Does anyone have experience or info about online, real-time chat with online courses?

[%sig%]

[MP]

Yes, I've used the chatroom and conference calls as well.  The chatroom works well but requiring participation is a problem since many students take online courses because of their erratic schedules.  I found I needed at least 2 different time slots to accommodate all the students.  I think conference calls are actually better although the limit for effective discussion is no more than 5 or 6 students in a call.

[Lee]

How do you organize or control discussion in a conference call, so that everyone isn't talking over each other?

At least in a chat room they can't be typing over each other.

Thanks, too, for answering so promptly.

[%sig%]

[helpful]

An instructor in my program reports that her real time online course has resulted in better interpersonal communication between students than in her face to face course on the same topic. People seem to take care of each other better; wonder when people are missing, etc.

[MP]

As we talk, each person signals they want to speak by saying his/her name ("This is Mike") and I call on them.  After the first few minutes of the first call it tends to sort itself out fairly well.    I  also check in on each student in turn so that everyone has several opportunities to comment or ask questions.  I never let any one student dominate the discussion and keep the group on topic.

[mouse]

You're right--online instruction can be of the same--or often, better--quality than the traditional classroom, and I agree that a lot of that has to do with the often higher quality of online discussion.  I didn't explain what I meant very clearly...I think what I was trying to say was that online instruction isn't necessarily the  cure-all wave-of-the-future that some overzealous promoters sometimes make it out to be.  I think ideally students would have a mixture of experiences.  I don't like online instruction to be viewed as "lesser," but I'm also a little wary of programs that rush headlong into the idea that everything can be put online with no problem!  I guess I'm thinking more of some of the questionable for-profits, maybe, then I am of online instruction at an accredited and respected college or university--but I don't think the general public always understands the differences between the two.  I was reading one of my former students' blogs recently, and she talked about a really good experience she'd had with an online class at her college.  And then one of her friends commented on the blog that, she too, was going to take online classes--except in the second case, the student had decided to drop out of her local college to enroll in some dodgy, for-profit "accelerated degree program" that would allow her to get her degree in only 18 short months, without ever leaving home!  And it's clear from reading the comments between these two students that neither one of them understands the fundamental differences in quality between these two different online experiences.  So I guess I was really saying just because something's online doesn't automatically mean it's quality instruction.  But I'm probably getting off topic here.  Just wanted to say that, just because I _said_ online wasn't as good doesn't mean that that's what I actually heard in my head--    :)

[web-enhanced]

I am teaching a web-enhanced course this semester, and I am an adjunct.  The students come to a traditional class, but they also have access to additional assignments online.  I give quizzes online (automatic grading, serves the purpose of homework more than quizzing), and I have much more time to work on material (discussion, etc) with my students in class.  It's been going well so far this semester, and I think it could be a good way to transition to teaching online courses.  I prefer teaching in a manner where I can see my students, but I think online courses are great for students in my area (the Southwest).  I even took some courses online on the side.  There is the problem of support for adjuncts.  Make sure to ask as many questions as you can think of when you are in the design stages so that everything goes smoothly when your course starts.  I didn't do that at first, and I had the joy of having all my course materials erased a week before classes started (materials I spent many hours developing).  It is hard to do online teaching as an adjunct, but it can be very rewarding as well.