Supporting Online Students

Computer Literacy

 

Students enter online courses with vastly different levels of computer literacy. Tech problems arise in all online courses and can make or break a course.

 

Students can find useful information on the student resources page to get support for online classes. 

Problems and Solutions

Before Class Begins:

• Keep your course simple, use simple terms, don't overdo tech complexity
• Before your course, either in email or on your college web page, have future students take an "Are you ready for online?" quiz (see sidebar in Misconceptions), or include some tech questions in your orientation quiz or on-campus presentation
• Put detailed requirements in your syllabus: skills needed, minimal hardware/software needed (microphone, use of blogs, SPSS)
• State your policy regarding tech problems - that these are students' responsibility - include that the district server is almost never the cause - that tech problems cannot be used as an excuse for a missed deadline
• Put FAQs in your course on common tech issues and solutions
• Post or include the "Get Started with Canvas" flier in your syllabus or web page
• Create a Discussion called "Tech Problems" or "Questions and Answers" for student-to-student help
• Suggest that very unprepared students get a mentor, tech friend, training, computer books
• Make sure to put a page with common browser plug-in links within your course

During Class:

• Use the first week of class to get students familiar with Canvas by giving a variety of simple assignments (taking a short quiz, submitting a brief paper, posting to discussions) - most technical problems occur at the start of the course, so set aside time to deal with student issues
• Tell students to save files in common formats (pdf, docx) - explain the "Save as" dialog box in most programs
• For students who do not have a word processor, suggest OpenOffice or tell them to use those supplied with their OS: Windows includes Wordpad and Notepad, Mac includes TextEdit. Google Docs can save as Word files too.
• Refer students to the Cuyamaca Help Desk:
  • Phone: (619) 660-4395,
  • email: c-helpdesk@gcccd.edu
  • Web site: HelpDesk
• Sometimes you need to interpret what students are asking or what their problem actually is, so have them give you a step-by-step clarification (this sometimes requires considerable patience)
• Allow students who are having tech problems with quizzes to take a makeup test or even take the exam on-campus (with your F2F class, in your office, by proctor). And advise students of the following reasons for test crashes: 1) clicking the wrong buttons or keys - e.g., a "back button" when that is prohibited, 2) clicking too fast and not waiting for the screen to refresh (they need to click and wait), 3) having many programs active simultaneously on their computer and switching between them, and 4) bad or lost ISP connection
• Allow extra-credit work to makeup for missed assignments due to tech problems (state this policy in your syllabus)
• If their computer goes down, tell them to use another computer (a family member, friend, the tech lab at Cuyamaca, the community library, at work) - this is also a good way to troubleshoot the original computer
• Remind them to backup work frequently
• Always have them check for popup blockers (sometimes in multiple installed programs) and antivirus software conflicts
• Advise them to try a different browser (Firefox and Chrome are best)
• Tell them to wait a while and try again (surprisingly this many times works)
• Ask if they tried rebooting

Retention

Here are some strategies to help online students succeed and reduce dropout rates.

• The two biggest factors affecting dropout are student misconceptions and time management issues, so make sure to address these in your orientation or assign Quest for Online Success orientation.  Contact the Distance Education Coordinator to set it up. 
• If you suspect many of the students in your class are not prepared, take a survey and give suggestions for "catch up" (pre-screen students if possible)
• Studies show more (or longer) orientations increase retention - consider a 1-week orientation period
• Make emails and feedback personal (studies show personal interaction is very important for student satisfaction) - be friendly, patient, encouraging, use humor
• Check student progress and interaction weekly and then take action:
  • Use Canvas "Message Students Who" in Gradebook
  • If student is falling behind, send email (or call) asking "What is happening?  How can I help?"
  • The key is friendly, personal, and persistent encouragement
• Provide a link to Cuyamaca's online Ask A Counselor
• Frequent initial contact with the instructor can reduce drop out rate
• Give early and frequent feedback to badly performing students stressing "areas for improvement," rather than what they did wrong
• Have students notify you if they will not be logging into class for over a week
• Make exceptions and show compassion and empathy for those students who truly have difficult circumstances or challenges (such as medical emergencies)
• Although you should drop students who have not logged into your course for a while (or very sporadically), but be sure to email them first and ask for reasons for the inactivity
• Call absent students by phone (this surprising, extra-personal contact can sometimes change minds and motivate)
• Use frequent "practice quizzes" with zero point value
• Studies show retention is better for those with a higher education level and greater expectations for getting a degree, so draw on those students to help other students within the class
• For students having a difficult time with your online class, allow them to attend some lectures in your face-to-face class (if you teach both formats)

Misconceptions

Students who have never taken online classes (and even some who have) sometimes have expectations that make adjusting to online difficult. It is best to address these at the start of the course before bad habits set in (or before they sign up for a course that is too different from that which they expected or needed). College counselors should be familiar with many online courses to properly advise and place students.

 

Misconceptions	Solutions
"Easy 'A'"	make clear the amount of work involved before students sign up for your course (in orientation, on your college web page, syllabus) give past examples of your general grade distributions (or a general description of how students do in your online courses compared to your face-to-face courses) emphasize this is a "real" course, transferable, college-level since some studies now show students as viewing online courses as actually more demanding, temper any warnings with encouragement
"This course will give me a lot more free time"	put the following in your syllabus: "Plan to devote much more time to it than you do a lecture class. A lecture class meets 3 hours per week with at least an additional 3 - 6 hours of homework per week. Plan on spending at least that amount of time on this class. Students who do best in online classes manage their time well, complete assignments, and do work on many different days during each week (rather than waiting deadline day)." warn that online students frequently underestimate the time needed for offline reading and doing assignments (even underestimating the amount of time spent waiting for screen refreshes, downloading, tech issues, etc.) mention how they will save driving time (and gas), parking fees, but that home distractions can make things more difficult (suggest their "online study room" be free of distractions with email and cell phone turned off
"I like working at my own pace"	although there is more flexibility with online courses, these are not really "self-paced" courses - there are strict deadlines (every week or so) with penalties for late assignments
"I can sit back in my room and chill"	clarify that online courses are not correspondence courses - students must be active-learners, self-motivated, and self-directed give examples of how there is more interaction, communication, and collaboration in online classes add that many students need and prefer the in-person communication and discipline of face-to-face classes
"I can be anonymous"	state the surprise reality: "You will get to know your instructor and your fellow students much more personally than you do in a face-to-face class." online discussions, emails, assignments, and group work are not anonymous
"I will just be clicking around on the Web"	list a typical week's assignments on your home page or point these out in the syllabus emphasize that much of the work is written work (this sometimes surprises new students)
"Your online course is not like the one I took last semester"	state that just as all lecture classes are not the same, all online courses are not the same create a first week Db thread on expectations, rules, procedures
"This course will be perfect for me because I am not good at English"	warn that online courses demand much more writing than face-to-face courses (writing assignments, discussion boards, email) good reading and writing skills are essential to do well in an online course
"I like working alone"	although there is no face-to-face contact, there is more interaction with the instructor and other students than in a lecture class and group work is common (although, interestingly, studies show introverts to have been success with online learning) online courses are not "self-taught," but, as in a face-to-face course, are taught by an instructor
"I am good at computers"	(see solutions in Computer Literacy)

Problem Students

There are many serious issues here than can affect the quality and climate of your course. Much of this is due to a lack of significant tradition with online classes and outside pressures on students. Some students just require a gentle reminder, others may require a stronger response. Incidents like this must be handled quickly and should be prevented from reoccurring or your course could become seriously disrupted.

 

Disruptive Behavior 

Examples	Solutions
Email:rude, angry, silly, excessive, disrespectful, insulting, badgering	wait a day or so before responding (cool off period) ignore if the email was simply venting email back and address, explain, or answer the issue raised by the student ignoring the emotion (some mention of respect or politeness in email might be appropriate) if serious and continued, block from class until they contact your Dean
Discussion: inappropriate or crude language or topics, too personal, insensitive to others, attacks on others, bullying, excessive irrelevant or distracting post	state communication expectations in your syllabus or in the orientation and reiterate the expectations in the first discussion instructions if necessary, delete posts and contact the student to remind them of the class syllabus and expectations review college policies with the student; cite Cuyamaca's Code of Conduct if serious and continued, block from class until they contact your Dean
Grade Disputes: unrelenting challenges to written work scores, unending challenges to question wording, unreasonable demands for exceptions	cite syllabus, assignment instructions, rubrics used, and performance record state how exceptions are not fair to others in the class suggest ways the student could improve their overall grade in the class if the student is not satisfied, give them your Chair's contact information (if it cannot be resolved by the Chair, it is sent to your Dean)
Rebellious Student: disputes instructor publicly, puts down course and grading, tries to take over class, erratic behavior	handle with private message (noting how their behavior is interfering with the learning process of others in the class) don't get too defensive, just deal with facts and solutions for the student be clear on limits and explain what they CAN do positively in the class if frustrated over low grades, address how they can improve in the class suggest a face-to-face class might better fit their learning style

 

Cheating

Examples	Solutions
Exams: students taking exams for each other or getting assistance from another during online test-taking	use all exam security features: question pools with random selection, timer, one-at-a-time question presentation, backtracking prohibited change question pools frequently give on-campus exams (some faculty even require picture IDs be presented) include more written work in your courses to offset the weight of exams some instructors actually encourage student collaboration on exams (and use other assessments as a major grade determinant include a link to Cuyamaca's Dishonesty Policies technologically sophisticated instructors have been able to track the IP addresses of the computers students are using; they have also encrypted student information into files so that they can be traced back to the owner although it is the instructor's responsibility to monitor for dishonesty, remember: 1) do not jeopardize a good relationship with most students because of a fear of a few potential trouble-makers, 2) these problems also occur in face-to-face classes, 3) in the end, cheaters are only harming themselves.
Assignments: students using (or buying) predone papers or paying another to take your entire course, students using someone's work from a previous semester	make assignment requirements so specific that predone papers cannot be used easily keep past assignments on record use Canvas plagiarism checker ask for submission of preliminary work such as outlines, drafts always demand references for any information cited change assignments frequently include suggestions from "Best Practice Strategies to Promote Academic Integrity in Online Education" from WCET (Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications.

 

Plagiarism

Examples	Solutions
Entire Work (or entire sentences. paragraphs):	use Canvas plagiarism checker use Google to search a large section of paper's text (in quotes) to find source look for odd formatting in the student's pages or odd changes in writing style to search image sources: Eye first offense, explain plagiarism (see links below) - many students truly do not understand this - then either give a zero on assignment or allow resubmission (most times, this alone will resolve the issue, but be sure to check past assignments as they may to have plagiarized before you first noticed)
Paraphrasing:	define plagiarism and good writing practices read the following article for teachers: Plagiarism and the Web provide link to college's Academic Honesty/Dishonesty Policies provide site links: Plagiarism.org Is It Plagiarism Yet?

 

Late Work

Problem	Examples	Solutions
Late Work	Missed deadlines:	zero tolerance, but opportunity for additional, extra-credit as makeup give a few days grace period after each deadline give reduced points for late work (Canvas gradebook settings can automate this) allow everyone one (or two) late submissions use Canvas requirements and prerequisite modules in place of deadlines
	Excuses for absence:	zero tolerance, but opportunity for additional, extra-credit makeup evaluate the excuse (illness versus vacation) or demand written proof specify that students must notify you ahead of time if they are to be absent for a period of time

Help

 Here are links, contacts, and references that you can use for all your online teaching. This page can serve as a handy reference to links that you may have misplaced.

 

Help for Faculty for Cuyamaca Faculty	Campus Help Desk: 660-4395 or c-helpdesk@gcccd.edu Frank Moore (online design, Canvas, webpages): frank.moore@gcccd.edu or 660-4013 Rocky Rose (set up and create your college web page; web and tech support): rocky.rose@gcccd.edu or 660-4466 Canvas Request Forms Duplicating (send hard copy print job requests by email attachment) Rhonda's Blog updates faculty on online teaching matters
Online Teaching Links	California Virtual Campus @ONE online training Online Teaching Conference Vision Resource Center 3Cmedia Training United States Distance Learning Association
Help for Students	Cuyamaca Help Desk for Students: Phone: (619) 660-4395 email: c-helpdesk@gcccd.edu Web site: /helpdesk/ Center for Online Help: GCCCD Online Cuyamaca's online Ask A Counselor Cuyamaca's online Ask a Librarian