XplanaZine

Trying to retrieve your e-mail from your instructor on your PDA, but you’ve lost the signal? Can’t log into your course because the computer you’re using won’t allow cookies, or java? In the eagerness to adopt the most complex course management software, or incorporate all the latest features of mobile computing, it is easy to forget that many students will be taking courses while deployed or traveling, where they have reduced access and functionality.

Because more students than ever are taking courses in difficult or unpredictable circumstances, it is important to keep the basics in mind. Although one might be convinced that video game-based simulation, massively multiplayer role-playing games, and highly interactive pda and cell-phone incorporating educational experiences would be the most effective, it matters for naught when the infrastructure will not support it. Thus, we must return to a “small is beautiful” approach.

The key to a successful educational experience is a function of positive interactions with the course instructor, the course website (interface), other students, while engaging in stimulating, meaningful course activities and work.

Qualified and concerned professors: Professors who teach online should receive ongoing training and mentoring in how to employ effective instructional strategies in an online environment, and how to work with adult students who are in high-stress environments. They strive to make the assignments meaningful, relevant, and intellectually solid to provide a foundation for future courses and any capstone projects or comprehensive exams that may be required in the future.

Well-planned and executed instructional strategies and design: Clear, easy-to-follow course schedule, calendar, and required work, with a neat, orderly layout are absolutely vital. What may be effective in an environment with constant interactivity may not be when there is no one to turn to who can answer questions.

Relevant, meaningful, and useful content: Online course readings, required texts, assignments, and discussions should be carefully designed to be relevant to today’s world, using current articles while providing a foundation of classic and historical texts and information. The best approach to delivering articles to students is to keep it simple and direct. Unfortunately, many journal articles are in pdf form, sometimes more than 10mb per article. If it is possible to convert this to an html or pdf file of less than 350 kb, retrieval time will be much better. Encourage students to download all their work and put it on a removable storage device (flash drive, etc.) for easy transportation.

Consolidated work assignments: Rather than an endless stream of busywork or small, discrete tasks, assignments should be “chunked” or consolidated so that the work flow is optimized. For example, instead of 16 small units, there may be 4 medium-sized units, which may be e-mailed or submitted to a digital drop box.

Content accessible even in firewalled environments: Even when course content is available through a learning management system, a mirror, or redundant system should be put in place so that content can be accessible, even if there are firewalls or other barriers. Similarly, because some learning management systems require cookies to be enabled, and java and/or javascript to be enabled (considered security risks) all course content should be made available via alternative means.

Flexible deadlines: Although there must be specific timelines, all due dates should be flexible, depending on the student’s circumstances. Professors must demonstrate extreme commitment and be dedicated to helping students overcome logistical and technical barriers.

One-on-One mentoring: Professors interact directly with the student, and provide one-on-one mentoring via e-mail. They give personal guidance and feedback to papers and assignments.

Asynchronous discussion boards: Students post when they can and how they can on discussion boards. There are no cut-off times for posting, and, if discussion board postings are required, they can be done when it is convenient for the student.

No weekly or daily required chats: Although the instructor may be available during certain times for “chat,” it is not required, due to the impossibility of synchronizing students scattered across the globe, and who may be on missions.

Access to a robust digital library: Course content should be enhanced with journal articles from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals, which are available through a digital library.

Convenient accelerated format: While the traditional semester consists of 16 weeks, which allows students to have a great deal of flexibility with deadlines, some courses could be offered in 8-week formats, which allow students who anticipate deployments or temporary duty / travel to plan their coursework when they have the most amount free time.

Although these guidelines apply primarily to online university-level courses, they could also apply to training and various military schools which could benefit from employing distance, online, and other distributed learning approaches as well. In many cases, there is very little difference between so-called training and higher education: training now often requires creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills, and thus more emphasis is placed on interactive, team-learning, report-writing, and research, as well as reading papers and articles that provide theoretical underpinnings and grounding.