Maximizing The Online Learning Experience: Suggestions For Educators And Students

Vol. 7 No. 1

Year: 2011

Issue: Jun-Aug

Title: Maximizing The Online Learning Experience: Suggestions For Educators And Students 

Author Name: Gina Cicco 

Synopsis: 

This article will discuss ways of maximizing the online course experience for teachers- and counselors-in-training. The widespread popularity of online instruction makes it a necessary learning experience for future teachers and counselors (Ash, 2011). New teachers and counselors take on the responsibility of preparing their students for real-life academic and professional experiences that will rely on communication through the Internet, social media, and virtual classrooms. To better prepare for these demands, they must be technologically literate and prepared to integrate technology, media, and differentiated pedagogies to deliver engaging lessons for students of various ages (Kelly, 2008). This article will examine the setup of the typical virtual classroom, and the ways that it can be modified to enhance student engagement, encourage collaboration among students, and provide diversified lessons to meet the needs of students with varied learning-style preferences. An example of a learning-style model will be presented to identify learning-style domains and profiles that may benefit from matching instructional strategies in online courses (Cicco, 2009; Rundle, 2006). The model will be discussed in connection with recent research studies indicating that specific pedagogical techniques utilized within the context of an online course can better accommodate individual learning needs and preferences while optimizing academic performance and overall student and faculty satisfaction. Suggestions for online educators include simple and clear presentation of course requirements, incorporating visual and auditory enhancements in lessons, using interactive course tools, and allowing for various assignment options (Cicco, 2009; Trepal, Haberstroh, Duffey, & Evans, 2007).