Running Head: TRACEY NIRLDON CASE STUDY

A Student Perspective of Online Courses: Tracey Nirldon Case Study

Paul R. Munshower Jr.
Texas Tech University











TRACEY NIRLDON CASE STUDY 2
A Student Perspective of Online Courses: Tracey Nirldon Case Study
Students taking online courses for the first time are going to face challenges in spite of
their familiarity with the content covered by the course. Online courses can be a disadvantage to
students, as they not only present learners with new and difficult materials, but also a new and
challenging learning environment. Distance education has evolved quickly over the last decade
and instructors are better equipped and trained to teach in an online environment (Simonson,
2012). With the popularity and demand of distance education, many current online teachers have
years of experience meaning their courses and content have been revised to meet the needs of
their students. This case study will address strategies for success from both the student and
teacher perspective.
Tracey Nirldon is enrolled in the online course Introduction to Teaching. An online
course can be a stressful experience as the expectations established by online instructors are
often different than those found in traditional classrooms. Key to the online experience is for
students to have a clear understanding of exactly what is required for successful participation in
the correct manner according to the online educational community (Simonson, 2012). While the
content is similar, the method of delivery will be diverse. All students must reflect on their
preparedness for an online course and its delivery format. Students will be expected to possess or
acquire technical skills that traditional students may otherwise not be expected to have.
Many tools are accessible to aide students, like Tracey, in ascertaining their readiness for
online courses. SmarterMeasure is a tool that will enable students to evaluate their level of
preparedness for distance education courses (SmarterMeasure, 2013). Students should genuinely
self-assess to confirm they are prepared for an online course.
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Student must have regular access to the technology and skills required for the course,
whether at home, through friends and family, school, or public resources. They should also have
an established backup plan if their primary source of technology access becomes unavailable.
Tracey, like all students, must have basic understanding of the course management system and
will need to look for institution workshops for that system or self-paced tutorials to acquire the
necessary skills and knowledge for the course management system.
Many resources are available for students that provide strategies for online learning.
Tracey, and other students, should employ success strategies such as establishing a regular
learning schedule, joining study groups, and asking questions to increase her chances for success,
among others, which can be found at the 7 Success Strategies For Distance Learners (2013).
Nobody has a better understanding of their schedule than the student themselves.
Therefore, students should determine the best time in their schedule to study effectively (Roper,
2007). Tracey must identify times in her daily routine that are not available and dedicate times
for coursework, as time management may be the single biggest factor in succeeding at your
online course (Gatlin, 2013).
In an online environment, students may feel isolated. Therefore, students should actively
seek mentors or other students in similar courses. Students should also search for study groups,
possibly via social media and other online resources.
Online students often describe a deficiency in communication with their teachers. In an
online course there is an unstated expectation of communication, and this responsibility falls on
both the learner and instructor. It is imperative that Tracey, like all students, takes advantage of
the variety of communication methods available such as email, phone calls, text messaging,
and/or course messaging to ask clarifying questions. Students must also take into consideration
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the strengths and weaknesses of these communications. While asynchronous communication
allows an individual to communicate anytime, there is often a lag between question and answer,
therefore, students cannot wait until the last minute to ask questions or the answer will not be
helpful.
An effective online instructor is aware of their student population and effective online
instructional strategies available to them. Online students will have different demographics than
traditional students. In order for students to have an equivalent learning experience, online
instructors must provide additional focus on communication, organization, and help resources for
online learners (Simonson, 2012).
While online students have many traits similar to traditional students, differences exist
and must be considered when planning and designing online instruction (Simonson, 2012). Not
only do online students tend to be older, self-motivated, married with dependents, and are
usually employed full-time (Characteristics of Distance Learning Students, 2007), but they will
also be diverse in culture, tradition, learning styles, educational levels, and educational needs.
Online courses must be organized to proved easy access to course materials and not leave
students lost and searching. Course menus must give a natural feel for navigation. Course content
should be logically organized into units, modules, and topics (Simonson, 2012).
Online instructors must not only provide but also encourage students to use multiple
methods of communication. Much of the communication will be asynchronous, but the instructor
must provide timely feedback to the learners in order to be effective. Instructors must offer
motivational strategies to dissuade procrastination and provide time management tools. Help
resources should also be provided for students. Students need quick access to course syllabus,
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assignment schedules, contact information, and help resources relevant to the course
management system.
I currently teach high school physics using a blended classroom approach. The
instruction is flipped and accessed by the students at home online while class time is used to
reinforce and enrich content through labs, PBL, and activities. It was a learning curve for both
the students and myself. My students were definitely not prepared for this approach because they
were conditioned and used to the traditional lecture style approach. While they struggled in the
beginning, they are now buying into the instructional approach and experiencing success.
Throughout the course I have had students reflect on their experiences so that I can constantly
evaluate and revise the course content. Video content, layout, and length are some things that I
am constantly changing to meet my students needs so that their learning is equivalent to the
other students in similar courses.
Advances in technology and software, along with a broader acceptance of distance
education, has allowed for many programs to emerge and be offered either partially or entirely
online. This provides opportunities for many untraditional students that would otherwise be
unable to pursue further education, like myself. Without distance education, I would be unable to
pursue a doctorate.

References:
7 Success Strategies for Distance Learners. (2013). Retrieved, October 28, 2014, from
http://www.worldwidelearn.com/education-articles/distance-learning-success.htm.
Characteristics of Distance Learning Students. (2007). Retrieved, October 28, 2014, from
http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/ATC/Collaboratory/Teaching/students.html.
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Gatlin, S. (2013). How to succeed as an online student. Retrieved, October 28, 2014, from
http://distancelearn.about.com/od/distancelearning101/a/studentsuccess.htm.
Roper, A. (2007). How Students Develop Online Learning Skills. EDUCAUSE Quarterly,
30(1), 62-65.
Simonson, M., Smaldino, S., Albright, M., & Zvacek, S. (2012). Teaching and Learning at a
Distance. Boston, MA: Pearson.
SmarterMeasure. (2013). Retrieved, October 28, 2014, from http://www.smartermeasure.com