Setting the Foundation for a Successful Online Learning Environment

When building anything, you must have a solid foundation. The creation of a successful online learning environment is no exception. There are essential components that need to be considered when planning an online course. Strong defined objectives, technology that is available, and communication that outlines expectations clearly are a few that need to be well-thought-out when planning.

Defined Objectives

Providing the learners in the course the course objectives from the beginning enables them to digest the focus of the course. In the initial weeks of the course, it is important that the facilitator engage the learner in analyzing their own learning goals. This helps to connect the learner to the course objectives. Additionally, it will provide insight into the learners’ zone of proximal development (Boettcher, 2010).

Tying the defined objectives to technology use can be one of the areas that educators struggle with when incorporating technology in a meaningful way. Most educators are familiar with Blooms Taxonomy and how to utilize the key terms and verbiage to plan varied instruction. Technology should not be utilized for technology sake. It should have direct purpose in achieving an objective. Here is a great visual of what types of technology correspond with each level of Blooms Taxonomy.

 (Marshall, n.d.)

Technology Plan

As a course is being planned, it is essential to be familiar with any technology that will be utilized during the course. As the facilitator, you may need to provide clear directions, pair up tech savvy students with non tech savvy students, or just provide a non-graded assignment to provide learners a chance to use the technology choice prior to needing to use it for graded work. This can significantly reduce the anxiety a learner can feel with an unfamiliar technology choice (Conrad, 2011).

Additionally, basic tools to set up on the back end of the course include:

Course Template for uniformity	Ability to upload documents and pictures
Ability to revise and comment on submissions	Understand and set up gradebook
Set up teams and groups	Create relevant discussion forums

(Boettcher, 2010)

Clear Communication

Learners in an online learning community need to have clear communication on what is expected for assignments and submissions. Utilizing purposeful technology such as: blogs, discussion boards, wikis, and the like provide a place for communication and assignment submission to take place. Additionally, learners can utilize other familiar tools to them, such as a webinar tool, to communicate with one another to learn with and from one another.

The facilitator of the course needs to also provide guidance on expectations for the course. A course syllabus should always be included to communicate goals, learning outcomes and requirements. Included with that syllabus should be guidelines for discussions and the rubric utilized for grading throughout the course.

Clarity of requirements and ways to collaborate are vital to a successful online learning community. Adult learners come to the online forum with unique life experiences and social networks that impact their learning focus and personal goals. George Siemens defined his learning theory of Connectivism as an integration of technology and social networks where new information is abundant. Technology and networks of the digital age allow individuals to collaborate, and learn with others all over the world with their own unique networks and ideas. With a common purpose of growth and learning, online courses create an environment like no other for learning to take place, support to be shared and encouragement given around the world at a touch of a button. In one discussion board alone encouragement, questioning techniques and writing styles can all be shared and discovered under one post. The opportunity to learn from people of different cultures, experiences, and make connections to prior experiences provides for optimal learning opportunities (Siemens, 2012). By providing a solid framework to express and learn in, the learner can freely discover new knowledge and share with others ways they see application of this new content in everyday life.

 Resources:

Boettcher, J. a.-M. (2010). The Online Teaching Survival Guide. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Marshall, G. (n.d.). Bloom's Taxonomy. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/a/henrico.k12.va.us/short-pump-itrt/bloom-s-digital-taxonomy

Conrad, R.-M. a. (2011). Engaging the Online Learner. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Siemens, G. (2012, October). Connectivism. Walden University Video Media.