QuiltCampus - Online Quilting Classes

Guidelines for giving an online class

Class Material
		Break the class down into lessons. Students prefer a variety of smaller lessons as to one really big one. Here are our guide lines for a class. The best number of lessons for a class is 3 to 4. The lessons must have (on average) at least 12 printed web pages (text and graphics). Each lesson is 1 to 3 hours of work for the student. Quick test - Select all the text and change it to 12 point Arial font. Remove all forced page breaks. Make sure the margarines are no larger than 3/4". The results will give you a good idea how many printed web pages a lesson will be.
		Take care to make sure your class is clear and well organized. Provide lots of pictures.
		One of the most important elements of a class is a class outline. The class outline should list each lesson and a little description about them. The class outline becomes the map for the student.
		Let your students know what is expected of them. Set goals with each of the tasks.
		Create activities where students integrate new ideas with existing knowledge.
		Provide the students homework for each lesson that takes 1 to 3 hours to complete. If there is handwork involved, we can present the lessons every two weeks instead of every week. Setting particular tasks gives the students a sense of purpose. Make sure all details and instructions are clear and they can contact you through the forum if in doubt.
		Remind the students to turn in their work in digital format to share with the others.
		Have fun with the class and use humor and lighthearted comments.
		The major reason students take online classes is the flexibility they afford. They want a workload that takes that flexibility into account.

Forum

If your forum slows down, it is very important that you post to your class forum every 2 or 3 days. This will let the students know you are still there. If anything, talk about the weather or maybe a project you are working on.

Please be careful about providing help outside the class forum. If students start sending you private emails with issues about the class, your forum could become a ghost town. On the side, you could be answering the same question over and over to different students. We want this information to stay in the forum so that everyone can benefit.

Please be careful about providing help outside the class time frame. We do not want the students to think that they can take the information for the class and then buzz you latter when they get around to it. This could case a bombardment of personal emails with questions when you are busy with other things. It also does not allow the other students to benefit from the questions they ask.

Before the class starts, encourage the students to tell a little bit about themselves.

The teacher should participate heavily in this get-to-know-you discussion (being careful not to dominate it) and should respond to one or two things in the introductory posting of each student.

Offering an icebreaker, such as "share your silliest moment in sewing" can help to alleviate nervousness and provide insights to the personalities of fellow students.

Other Ice Breakers

	*	A list of questions to be answered and shared.
	*	A 'round robin' quiz where each answers a question then poses another.
	*	Quizzes or games.
	*	Description of yourself using a song/book/film/animal.

Encourage students to discussion the class in the forum. Ask questions on the forum to get students to post. Encourage the student to send in pictures of their work in progress. Even pictures of the fabric they have chosen for the project.

Students want you to be present. Check the forum often for questions that may have been posted. Log in several times everyday. Don't let messages pile up. Messages can pile up very fast in an active class. Also, by posting just one or two messages a day to the forum will help your students to see that you are there for them. When the teacher does not answer right away the students start answering- and the teacher starts to looses credibility. Time delays in the discussion can also be frustrating for the students.

Provide motivation, support, cheerleading and feedback for the discussion - thank students, summarize responses, bring the discussion back on track, but allow students to discuss amongst themselves.

Words can be interpreted very differently online. Make sure you explain your feelings with cues like, "I feel very strongly about this," or "I'm confused by your question. Is this what you mean?"

Since there are no visual clues in the forum, one suggestion for communication is to use emoticons, such as :-) for happiness or :-0 for surprise or dismay.

Respond to students who have posted by replying with an encouraging reply.

Don't forget to communicate with the class as a whole as well as with each individual.

Problem students - Below summarizes possible solutions to different types of student disruptions.

The Know-It-All
	1.	Give them the opportunity to "save face".
	2.	State that while alternative explanations exist, the class will be following the one that you have presented.
The Mutineer or Attacking Belligerent Student
	1.	Note the complaint.
	2.	Ignore any hostility to maintain your composure.
	3.	Address the issue.
	4.	Ask QuiltCampus to remove the student form the forum if absolutely necessary.
The Lagging Belligerent Student
	1.	Although the student may be angered by falling behind, ignore emotion and be supportive.
	2.	Offer advice.
The Controller
	1.	Respond quickly to any posts that might present themselves as the only answer and ask for alternatives.
	2.	Pose questions directly to the other students.

Things to Remember
		Be patient and available. Remember, some of the students are first time online learners and are still trying to figure things out.
		Encourage the students to do the tasks for the lessons and to share their work so others can see. "Show and Tell" always excites the students to continue with the class.
		The teacher should value individual contributions and "treat their students as unique".
		Keep a Journal - Self-examination is a successful approach for class improvement. A recommended practice is to keep a journal that records items that should be redesigned or altered the next time the class is given. The teacher should make notes of tasks that worked well and those that did not.

Closing the Class
		Request the students to present their final projects for QuiltCampus' web page gallery.
		Have a ritual at the end of the class signifying the completion of the experience.
		Encourage and invite students to share their good-byes in the forum.
		Update your lecture notes and prepare to change the class depending upon the feedback you received from your students.
		Be open to change.