I have just discovered the Journal of Interactive Online Learning, and an article by John R. Savery of the University of Akron entitled “BE VOCAL: Characteristics of Successful Online Instructors” (Vol 4, No. 2, Fall 2005). VOCAL is a list of attributes:
V = Visible – the concept of having a social presence online so that students are aware of an interpersonal relationship. Helpful strategies include having a website about you including a photo and hobbies, making comments in a timely manner, using Announcements to broadcast mesages throughout the semester, and using brief video or audio messages.
O = Organized – since learners have a greater responsibility to manage their time, we can help by providing good organization, providing assignments and due dates early (I recommend these at the beginning of the class), explaining the rules of the class, providing a social interction area, creating a forum topic for class procedures, offering alternative formats for information, and using “selective release” of materials.
C = Compassionate – “Email provides an unusual combination of intimacy, privacy, and distance” and compassionate management of student issues is very important, including direct communication with individual students, ice-breaker techniques to create community, making exceptions, and reminding individuals of class rules.
A = Analytical – this relates to assessment, since many factual question will only test what students have in front of them; strategies include tracking students’ progress, providing smaller and more frequent assessments, providing the opportunity for students to evaluate the course at the mid-point, and assessing participation.
L = Leader-by-example – concerns exhibiting the online behaviors you wish to see and providing helpful feedback, sharing information about yourself informally, following through with promises, modeling communication, using public and private communication channels appropriately, and creating an end-of-class activity to provide closure.
Much of this advice is very useful, in particular the first three items. If an instructor is Visible, Organized and Compassionate, success is much more likely. I had the most trouble with the last one, since it concerns the affective domain. I am not a “touchy-feely” instructor, and have had to become one in an online environment (lots of smily faces!) in order to overcome the formality of my writing and the distance inherent in the medium.
I did not agree with the entire article. I believe we instructors have a right to privacy, and do not think that discussing our personal lives and hobbies is necessary to maintain student rapport, though I will consider revealing more about myself than I do now as I continue to evolve online. I also do not agree that “asking recall type questions is pointless”, since I want students referencing their texts and materials, and excellent fact retention can rightfully earn a C-level grade in my class. Certainly a B or A requires interpretation and analysis, but I see nothing wrong with using multiple-choice tests as review and/or to assess facts. But overall a good article! 🙂
