Two Classes for GSU in S/S 09!

I am so excited! Not only will I be teaching my Media & Self-Esteem 1-credit workshop again in the spring, but I am adding a 1-credit workshop on Feminism & the Media. I have the bare-bones outline of the second course, but it's not on the schedule until July, so I have time to get all the ducks lined up.

Of course, this means I will be teaching two classes while also taking one, maybe two, of the Online Learning Certificate classes. And working full time. And raising a family, keeping a house, etc. Thank goodness for my understanding family and my very helpful friends who will help me stay on track. And luckily, I don't travel for work from March through September, so that will be a huge help!

Now I just need to get ready for my Public Speaking non-credit workshop at GSU/Kanakakee in March and the two workshops I am teaching for the Park Forest Park District, and of course ace the Online Learning class......It's a very good thing I have understanding and helpful people to lean on!

:)

I really hope that although these are "face to face" classes, some of what I learn in the Online Learning classes can be applied. From what I've read so far, I believe it will definitely help!

Online Learning

My husband completed his entire Master's degree via online courses. At the time, I thought he was crazy. Take all your classes via computer? Never meet your classmates, sit in a classroom or even stir from your comfy chair? No way!

After all, I am a "people person." How could an online class hope to match up to the experience of actually attending school?

Over the past three years, working in the trade show industry, I have participated and conducted webinars, web conferences and teleconferences. As a result, I have learned what my husband figured out when he decided study completely online: remote education is not the same as onsite education. It's not necessarily better or worse, but it is different.

Relationships have to form in different ways. You get to know people through their words and their work. Emoticons take the place of body language. "LOL" takes the place of tone of voice.

I would imagine that teaching online is a challenge the first time a professor teaches a course, as much as it is for an online student, if not more. The teacher doesn't have the benefit any longer of looking out over his or her classroom and seeing who is engaged and who is falling asleep. However, the teacher does gain the ability to consider his or her students' work more objectively, and to incorporate different methods of learning and teaching into the online "classroom."

I hope that this class will make me a better teacher both online and in person, and will also give me the tools to create engaging and educational online classes using Web CT and other programs. As I am not educated to be an educator (I have a background in public speaking, adult training and communications, but I have not taken any formal education classes), I also hope this class will give me a better understanding of education techniques and tools.