C.+REFLECTIONS

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> As teachers wanting to enter the virtual realm it seems prudent to consider the similarities and differences in a course offered in the traditional face-to-face format and one offered fully online. The advantages with an online environment include: o being able to learn and participate in your class anywhere, anytime, 24/7. o being able to take a class from anywhere in the world is truly wonderful. The synchronous characteristic of online classes allows for great interaction. o the resources/technology that are available as part of an online course are also good. o the learning is more likely to be student driven. Students take an active role in their learning. The disadvantages with an online environment include: o technological frustrations if there are computer problems. o it is also a challenge to create and foster a vibrant atmosphere in the class without the physical presence of a teacher and students. Communication becomes even more important through the written word because facial expressions and body language cannot be interpreted. o the time factor involved in online classes can be a disadvantage. There is a big time commitment for the teacher! o Providing varied and rich assessments can be challenging
 * **Reflection on online pedagogy as it is similar to and different from face-to-face instruction.**
 * **What do you think are the main advantages and disadvantages of teaching in each environment?**

The advantages with a f2f environment include:

o seeing the students faces, body language for immediate feedback o immediate feedback and discussion o one on-one time/instruction with a student o knowing the whole student – meaning family, siblings, other background information The disadvantages with a f2f environment include: o courses may be full and students cannot take the class they want o physical building and resources may be inadequate o the learning is more likely to be teacher driven. Teachers take more of an active role in the learning. o technology may not be present or may be limited. Differences between teaching in each environment: o Teacher is more guiding and in control in the f2f. Teacher is more a facilitator in the online. o Communication skills are more important in the online class. Since there are no visual cues in the online class, communication must be clear and specific. o Teaching with the technology available in the online course is different from limited technology opportunities in the f2f. o Ways of assessing students is different in the online class. Thee needs to be more assessing in vey many ways to properly capture what each student has learned. o Learning and teaching can happen outside the classroom. There is no set time frame. o Accessing the teacher is easier in a f2f. Online access depends on the teacher checking in. Similarities of teaching in each environment: o Goals, directions, and expectations are the same in both environments. o Students must take responsibility for making up missed work or asking for extra help. o Prompt feedback is necessary in both o Guidance in directing the learning is done in both…but in different ways o Teachers need to create a safe learning environment o Teachers need to develop positive relationships with their students I will preface my thinking on this question by reminding the reader about the courses I teach….Accounting, Finance, and Banking. All of these are real-world, practical, need-to-know courses that change annually to some degree based on what is going on in the world. The most important part of my pedagogy is relating to the students in ways that will motivate them and help them to understand the topics I teach in an indepth way. I want my students to truly //understand// what I am teaching them. To do this, I need to always be trying different methods and strategies. Now with these VHS courses, I can integrate more technology into my teaching. I am using the Smartboard much more effectively and efficiently this semester, and it helps to present lessons in clear, logical ways. Students are always so concerned with their “grade.” I always tell them to be more concerned with “what you understand and how you can apply it.” I know grades are important to students, and I need to always find different ways of assessing students so their grades will reflect what they truly know. But when I see a student have a “ah ha” moment, then I know they truly understand the concept and it will never go away.
 * **What are the differences and similarities of teaching in each environment? Compare online and offline classroom techniques.**
 * **What is the most important part of your pedagogy? How does this play out in an online environment?**

I will preface my thinking on this question by reminding the reader about the courses I teach….Accounting, Finance, and Banking. All of these are real-world, practical, need-to-know courses that change annually to some degree based on what is going on in the world. The most important part of my pedagogy is relating to the students in ways that will motivate them and help them to understand the topics I teach in an indepth way. I want my students to truly //understand// what I am teaching them. To do this, I need to always be trying different methods and strategies. Now with these VHS courses, I can integrate more technology into my teaching. I am using the Smartboard much more effectively and efficiently this semester, and it helps to present lessons in clear, logical ways. Students are always so concerned with their “grade.” I always tell them to be more concerned with “what you understand and how you can apply it.” I know grades are important to students, and I need to always find different ways of assessing students so their grades will reflect what they truly know. But when I see a student have a “ah ha” moment, then I know they truly understand the concept and it will never go away. I think online delivery can definitely improve the quality of teaching. To be able to access the infinite amount of material available in the online world is very powerful. Online teaching requires the utilization of many different strategies and ways of assessing students. I think this would push the instructor to change/improve/refine his/her methods to reach students and help them take control of their learning environment. In the future, I plan to build more hybrid modules into my teaching. I am also planning on doing podcasts for my accounting class. I have talked to them about this, and they love it! In fact, we now have a class joke where the students will ask: “Can I hear Podcast #12 (#13 or whatever)?” I will make podcasts about basic accounting concepts, and the students will be able to access these at home or on their iPods or iPhones to help them with their work.
 * **What is the most important part of your pedagogy? How does this play out in an online environment?**
 * **Can online delivery improve the quality of teaching?**

**Artifact #1:** I have taught the artifact below as a part of my unit on The Federal Reserve System. It is a project the students did about how the Fed responded to September 11. I would show a video about that day and how the Fed responded. The students would then do the featured project.
 * **Select artifacts that represent difference and similarities, advantages and disadvantages.**
 * **Write reflective statements for each artifact, elaborating on why it was selected and its meaning and value in the portfolio.**

__ OPEN AND OPERATING POSTER PROJECT http://www.japanfocus.org/data/wtc_9-11.jpg BASED ON THE VIDEO, “OPEN AND OPERATING,” YOUR NOTES, CLASSWORK, AND DISCUSSIONS, CREATE A POSTER THAT WILL REPRESENT HOW THE FED ACTED IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. A RUBRIC IS FOUND ON THE BACK OF THIS PAPER. USE YOUR CREATIVITY AND BE PREPARED TO SHARE YOUR POSTER WITH THE CLASS. __

//This assignment required the students to think critically about what actions the Fed took to stabilize our economy after the events of September 11. They had to visually depict what happened in a way that others would understand when they viewed the posters. All resources are open to them in this project. I think this is similar to online work in that the students had to take control of the topic, truly understand it, and communicate it to others. They were able to use the computers and the Internet to help them. They worked in small groups so they had to agree with each other about what the important pieces of information were and how to portray, in a sensitive way, how the events of that day played out in the banking world. Assessment on this project included a rubric. But this project, like online classes, provided a way for the students to show their understanding of the topic in a different way/medium. This was abstract and really a very tough project. In the past, I have used questions that students would have to answer….they could spit back to me what they learned about the topic. This project provided them with a much wider way of analyzing the actions of the Fed on that day. It allowed for creativity and interpretation in a much more intense way than a set of questions would have allowed.//


 * Artifact #2**: The artifact below represents a sample of a hybrid unit I developed in a previous VHS class. This unit is about the Federal Reserve System in general. It is a wiki and a much more interesting way to view the job of the Fed than I had previously used. Let’s face it...this can be dry stuff! I love this module because it is my first attempt at a hybrid project in my curriculum, and I think it works because it contains several different ways/methods for students to use to understand how the Fed works.

This artifact is located at: THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

//This hybrid unit contains written work, critical thinking activities, a video, and resources for the students to access and add to. It also contains several projects, including the OPEN AND OPERATING project featured in Artifact #1. Rubrics are included for the projects. This module allows the students to work online in a wiki. There are some traditional pieces to it such as answering questions…but the traditional piece has the twist on it of being able to be answered online. In this module, I tried to account for all types of learning styles in a variety of ways. Being a hybrid, I think it combines the best of online learning with the classroom f2f piece. This will be the students’ first hybrid unit, and I look forward to using it the fall!//