Multiple Tool Options for Creating Presence

 

How does using multiple tools (Facebook, LMS, blog, twitter) affect the sense of presence? Is it better to use fewer or more? 

Different tools are used for different purposes. For example, the social media tools such as blog, Twitter, and Facebook, can be used for creating social presence in a public and open environment. The Learning Management System (LMS) is a close environment where you place the elements of your course in a structured way that makes it easy to manage. Before selecting a tool, it is important to keep in mind the purpose for using it. You may use Twitter for sending short weekly course announcements. You may use a blog for journaling or sharing information that require comments. We have heard that often students continue communicating in Facebook after a course or program is over as a way to continue to feel present with each other.

Impact of Technology in Our Lives

 

Today there are many benefits of the use of technology in our lives. There are also limitations. Our concern is how these limitations can impact our learning and our every day’s lives. When a new technology is created, we usually have a very specific use in mind. But as technology evolves and we take advantage of its potential, we also need to consider its limitations. Technology can become more than we had initially thought it would be. For example, a cell phone was originally developed to be used as a mobile phone. Today, a cell phone does almost anything -- we can use it as a camera, email device, calculator, or GPS system; we can use it to access the Internet and the latest news through alerts; and so on.  

One of the limitations of technology is that as individuals, we tend to behave differently when using it. For instance, people tend to reveal things about themselves that they would not reveal if they were in a normal real-life situation. This type of behavior has been evident in television interviews and sharing information on social networking sites such as Facebook or YouTube. We are puzzled about why people behave this way because the impact in our lives can be detrimental when using technology without being aware of its consequences. This lack of awareness is because the technology is elusive. 

• How can people become more aware of ways in which technology impacts their behavior? 
• How can people put this awareness into practice? 
• How can this practice benefit people's lives?

Framework for Designing Online Courses with a Sense of Presence

Designing an online course with a sense of presence requires understanding of the multifaceted concept of presence. For presence to be integrated into the design of an online course, it is important to understand the “Being There for the Online Learner” model, which was addressed in another episode, and use a framework for designing online courses with a sense of presence. This episode unpacks the Framework for Designing Online Courses with a Sense of Presence. 

• How do you design your online courses to create a sense of presence?
• What role(s) do you take when teaching online courses? 
• What type of instructor presence do you incorporate into your online course design?

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Conversations about Online Teaching and Learning Episode 12 Transcript

Ways in Which Presence Can Be Experienced

 

Presence is complex and elusive, and not easy to understand. We developed the “Being There for the Online Learner” model to make presence more concrete. The model is based on the perceptual systems and takes into consideration the dimensions of the learner, the types of experience, and the modes of presence. This episode focuses on the model and ways in which presence can be experienced in the online environment. Join in the virtual discussion and share your experiences with creating presence in your online courses.

Based on the book, Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “Be There” for Distance Learners.

• What objective experiences do you include in your online courses?
• What subjective experiences do you include in your online courses?
• How do you engage your learners in your online courses to create a sense of presence?

 

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 Conversations about Online Teaching and Learning Episode 11 Transcript

Creating Presence from the Traditional to the Virtual

There is a difference in the way we create a sense of presence in the traditional face-to-face classroom compared to the virtual classroom. In this episode, Rosemary Lehman and Simone Conceição examine these differences and the distinguishing factors: space, time, boundaries, teaching, level of interaction, level of course planning, and cognitive and affective teaching effort.

Based on the book, Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “Be There” for Distance Learners.

• What are the challenges you face when creating presence in the virtual world? 
• How do you create a sense of presence in your online courses as compared to the traditional classroom?

 

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Conversations about Online Teaching and Learning Episode 10 Transcript

The Role of Presence in the Online Environment

As digital technologies evolve, it points to the need to create a sense of presence as we teach and learn online. When there is a sense of presence in online teaching and learning, it can greatly enhance the instructor-learner relationship. This episode focuses on the role of presence in the online environment.  

Based on the book, Creating a Sense of Presence in Online Teaching: How to “Be There” for Distance Learners.

• How do you define presence in the online environment?

• How do you know that you have created a sense of presence in your online course?

• How has your instructor-learner relationship changed as you incorporated a sense of presence in your online course?

 

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Conversations about Online Teaching and Learning Episode 9 Transcript

Four Approaches for Maintaining Life Balance When Teaching Online Courses

Personal satisfaction, control over the environment, and ability to function in the everyday tasks of living are all characteristics of quality of life. Teaching online should not interfere with one’s capability to maintain a normal and balanced life. In this episode, Simone Conceição and Rosemary Lehman share approaches for maintaining life balance when teaching online courses. 

Based on the book, Managing Online Instructor Workload: Strategies for Finding Balance and Success.

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 Conversations about Online Teaching and Learning Episode 8 Transcript

Strategies for Managing Tasks and Prioritizing Time

 

Instructor workload depends on the type of course and tasks accomplished when teaching online. In this episode, Simone Conceição and Rosemary Lehman provide strategies for managing tasks and prioritizing time while teaching online. They offer a template for instructor to identify tasks and time spent on the online course. 

Based on the book, Managing Online Instructor Workload: Strategies for Finding Balance and Success.

Template for Managing Tasks and Prioritizing Time

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Conversations about Online Teaching and Learning Episode 7 Transcript

 

Four Tasks That Affect Your Workload While Teaching Online

  

Instructor workload depends on the types of tasks accomplished when teaching online. Identifying these tasks allows instructors to plan, prioritize, and manage their workload. These tasks are carried out before, during, and at the end of a course. In this episode, Simone Conceição and Rosemary Lehman share four types of tasks to consider when managing workload while teaching online: (1) design, (2) administrative, and (3) facilitative, and (4) evaluative.

Based on the book, Managing Online Instructor Workload: Strategies for Finding Balance and Success.

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Conversations about Online Teaching and Learning Episode 6 Transcript

Four Strategies for Managing Online Teaching Workload

 

The view that instructors can take their face-to-face courses and transfer them to the online environment can be misleading. Designing, delivering, and evaluating online instruction demands a distinctive type of management when compared to face-to-face instruction. In this episode, Simone Conceição and Rosemary Lehman share four strategies for managing workload while teaching online: (1) design strategies, (2) support strategies, and (3) teaching strategies, (4) time allocation strategies.
 
Based on the book, Managing Online Instructor Workload: Strategies for Finding Balance and Success.

 

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Conversations about Online Teaching and Learning Episode 5 Transcript