The Virtual Student. A Profile and Guide to Working with Online Learners. The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series

The Virtual Student Is An Essential Resource For Online Educators Working With Students In Higher Education And Training Settings. The Authors Offer An Overview Of The Key Issues Of Student Learning Online And Provide A Practical Guide To Working With Online Students. The Book Covers A Broad Range Of Topics Including Learning Styles, Multicultural Issues, Evaluation, Retention, And The Challenging Problems Of Plagiarism And Cheating. Pt. 1. A Profile Of The Virtual Student. -- Who Is The Virtual Student? -- The Student Side Of Online Learning Communities -- Learning Styles -- Gender, Culture, Lifestyle, And Geography -- What The Virtual Student Needs -- Pt. 2. A Guide To Working With The Virtual Student: Issues, Concerns, And Strategies. -- Designing A Good Student Orientation -- Time And Commitment -- Assessment And Evaluation -- Legal Issues And The Virtual Student -- Attrition, Retention, And Group Size -- Becoming Truly Learner-focused: Best Practices In Online Teaching -- Resources: The Toolkit For A Successful Online Student -- Introduction To The Toolkit For A Successful Online Student -- Resource A: Faculty Tools -- Resource B: Student Tools. Rena M. Palloff, Keith Pratt. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 179-183) And Index. THE VIRTUAL STUDENT......Page 5 Copyright......Page 8 CONTENTS......Page 11 Tables......Page 13 Exhibits......Page 14 WHY FOCUS ON THE LEARNER?......Page 15 Pedagogy, Andragogy, or Heutagogy?......Page 16 Becoming Truly Learner- Focused......Page 17 Online Learning Across Disciplines......Page 18 The Corporate Student......Page 19 Organization of Contents......Page 20 Acknowledgments......Page 21 BookmarkTitle:......Page 0 ABOUT THE AUTHORS......Page 23 PART ONE: A PROFILE OF THE VIRTUAL STUDENT......Page 27 1 WHO IS THE VIRTUAL STUDENT?......Page 29 Satisfaction with Online Learning......Page 30 A Portrait of the Successful Virtual Student......Page 31 Does This Represent the Ideal?......Page 34 Addressing the Needs of the Virtual Student......Page 35 Concluding Thoughts......Page 39 2 The Student Side of Online Learning Communities......Page 41 De . ning the Online Learning Community......Page 42 The Role of the Learner in Forming the Online Community......Page 43 Maximizing Interaction......Page 50 Concluding Thoughts......Page 52 3 Learning Styles......Page 55 De . ning Learning Styles......Page 56 Addressing Different Learning Styles......Page 57 Concluding Thoughts......Page 63 Cultural Issues......Page 65 Gender Issues......Page 67 Geographical Issues......Page 70 Issues of Religion and Spirituality......Page 71 Issues of Literacy and Disability......Page 72 The Digital Divide......Page 74 Concluding Thoughts......Page 75 A Connection to the Institution: The Missing Link......Page 77 Technological Issues and Support......Page 78 Integrating Student Services into Online Courses and Programs......Page 79 Developing Appropriate Policies......Page 82 Quality Is the Key......Page 83 Dealing with the Needs of the Neediest Students......Page 85 Concluding Thoughts......Page 86 PART TWO: A GUIDE TO WORKING WITH THE VIRTUAL STUDENT: ISSUES, CONCERNS, AND STRATEGIES......Page 89 6 Designing a Good Student Orientation......Page 91 Elements of a Good Orientation......Page 92 Incorporating Orientation into the Online Class......Page 98 Concluding Thoughts......Page 99 Basics of Time Management......Page 103 Setting Goals......Page 104 Setting Priorities......Page 105 Budgeting Time for Studying and Interacting Online......Page 107 Avoiding Overload......Page 110 How to Get Commitment and Buy- In......Page 111 Concluding Thoughts......Page 112 Assessment of Student Performance......Page 115 Course Evaluation......Page 122 A Few Words About Plagiarism and Cheating......Page 125 Concluding Thoughts......Page 127 9 Legal Issues and the Virtual Student......Page 129 Who Owns My Work?......Page 130 Can I Say What I Really Want To?......Page 131 Use of Student Work in Faculty Research......Page 132 Training Students in Copyright and Intellectual Property Issues......Page 133 Concluding Thoughts......Page 135 Stopping the Exodus: Remembering What Students Need to Succeed......Page 138 Steps to Take to Improve Retention......Page 143 Collaboration + Presence + Community = Quality......Page 146 11 Becoming Truly Learner-Focused: Best Practices in Online Teaching......Page 150 Being Learner- Focused in the Online Environment......Page 151 What the Online Learner Wants......Page 155 A Focus on Best Practices......Page 156 Concluding Thoughts......Page 159 RESOURCES: THE TOOLKIT FOR A SUCCESSFUL ONLINE STUDENT......Page 163 Introduction to the Toolkit for a Successful Online Student......Page 165 Sample Course Guidelines......Page 169 Sample Expectations Letter......Page 174 Guidelines for Developing Critical Thinking Skills......Page 176 Guide to Developing Good Discussion Questions for the Online Course......Page 177 Case Methodology: How to Analyze Cases......Page 179 Evaluating Student Work......Page 181 Self- Assessment: Is Online Learning for Me?......Page 187 Tips for Being a Successful Online Learner......Page 190 Communication Tools......Page 191 Feedback Guidelines......Page 197 Time Management Tips and Tools......Page 198 Writing Research and Re . ection Papers......Page 201 REFERENCES......Page 205 INDEX......Page 211 THE VIRTUAL STUDENT 5 THE VIRTUAL STUDENT 5 Copyright 8 CONTENTS 11 LIST OF FIGURES, TABLES, AND EXHIBITS 13 Figures 13 Tables 13 Exhibits 14 PREFACE 15 WHY FOCUS ON THE LEARNER? 15 Pedagogy, Andragogy, or Heutagogy? 16 Becoming Truly Learner- Focused 17 Audience for the Book 18 Online Learning Across Disciplines 18 The Corporate Student 19 Organization of Contents 20 Acknowledgments 21 -1 ABOUT THE AUTHORS 23 PART ONE: A PROFILE OF THE VIRTUAL STUDENT 27 1 WHO IS THE VIRTUAL STUDENT? 29 Satisfaction with Online Learning 30 A Portrait of the Successful Virtual Student 31 Does This Represent the Ideal? 34 Addressing the Needs of the Virtual Student 35 Concluding Thoughts 39 2 The Student Side of Online Learning Communities 41 De . ning the Online Learning Community 42 The Role of the Learner in Forming the Online Community 43 Maximizing Interaction 50 Expressing Content Without Sacri . cing Interaction 52 Concluding Thoughts 52 3 Learning Styles 55 De . ning Learning Styles 56 Addressing Different Learning Styles 57 Concluding Thoughts 63 4 Gender, Culture, Lifestyle, and Geography 65 Cultural Issues 65 Gender Issues 67 Geographical Issues 70 Issues of Religion and Spirituality 71 Issues of Literacy and Disability 72 The Digital Divide 74 Concluding Thoughts 75 5 What the Virtual Student Needs 77 A Connection to the Institution: The Missing Link 77 Technological Issues and Support 78 Integrating Student Services into Online Courses and Programs 79 To Charge or Not to Charge? That Is the Question! 82 Developing Appropriate Policies 82 Basic Writing Skills and Tutoring Services 83 Quality Is the Key 83 Dealing with the Needs of the Neediest Students 85 Concluding Thoughts 86 PART TWO: A GUIDE TO WORKING WITH THE VIRTUAL STUDENT: ISSUES, CONCERNS, AND STRATEGIES 89 6 Designing a Good Student Orientation 91 Before Getting Started 92 Elements of a Good Orientation 92 Incorporating Orientation into the Online Class 98 Concluding Thoughts 99 7 Time and Commitment 103 Basics of Time Management 103 Setting Goals 104 Setting Priorities 105 Budgeting Time for Studying and Interacting Online 107 Avoiding Overload 110 How to Get Commitment and Buy- In 111 Concluding Thoughts 112 8 Assessment and Evaluation 115 Assessment of Student Performance 115 Course Evaluation 122 A Few Words About Plagiarism and Cheating 125 Concluding Thoughts 127 9 Legal Issues and the Virtual Student 129 Who Owns My Work? 130 Can I Say What I Really Want To? 131 Use of Student Work in Faculty Research 132 Training Students in Copyright and Intellectual Property Issues 133 Making Students an Integral Part of the Process 135 Concluding Thoughts 135 10 Attrition, Retention, and Group Size 138 Stopping the Exodus: Remembering What Students Need to Succeed 138 Steps to Take to Improve Retention 143 Collaboration + Presence + Community = Quality 146 11 Becoming Truly Learner-Focused: Best Practices in Online Teaching 150 Being Learner- Focused in the Online Environment 151 What the Online Learner Wants 155 A Focus on Best Practices 156 Concluding Thoughts 159 RESOURCES: THE TOOLKIT FOR A SUCCESSFUL ONLINE STUDENT 163 Introduction to the Toolkit for a Successful Online Student 165 Resource A: Faculty Tools 169 Sample Course Guidelines 169 Sample Expectations Letter 174 Guidelines for Developing Critical Thinking Skills 176 Guide to Developing Good Discussion Questions for the Online Course 177 Case Methodology: How to Analyze Cases 179 Evaluating Student Work 181 Resource B: Student Tools 187 Self- Assessment: Is Online Learning for Me? 187 Tips for Being a Successful Online Learner 190 Communication Tools 191 Feedback Guidelines 197 Time Management Tips and Tools 198 Writing Research and Re . ection Papers 201 REFERENCES 205 INDEX 211 0787964743 The Virtual Student is an essential resource for online educators working with students in higher education and training settings. The authors offer an overview of the key issues of student online learning and provide a practical guide to working with online students. The book covers a broad range of topics including learning styles, multicultural issues, evaluation, retention, and the challenging problems of plagiarism and cheating.Just when you thought you had covered the online teaching waterfront, here come Rena Palloff and Keith Pratt with their most engaging research to date. The Virtual Student enables you to view the entire process through the lens of the learner, and in doing so, to deepen your understanding of online learning dynamics and the results you want to create.- Kathleen Stinehart, Dean for Academic Outreach, Mary Baldwin College"A must-read for those who are concerned about issues such as student satisfaction, retention, and attrition in online courses.- Wilson Azevedo, director, Brazilian Association of Distance Education"The Virtual Student is well written and documented, with frequent illustrations, examples, quotes from learners, and very useful toolkits for faculty and learners. It is a great read and guide for faculty, designers, administrators, and learners interested in online learning. What they will discover is that this book is really about effective pedagogy, regardless of the setting.- Michael J. Offerman, president, Capella University" This book provides information for online educators working with students in higher education and training settings. It offers an overview of the key issues of learning online and a guide to working with online students. There are 11 chapters in two parts. Part 1, "A Profile of the Virtual Students," includes: (1) "Who is the Virtual Student?"; (2) "The Student Side of Online Learning Communities; (3) "Learning Styles"; (4) "Gender, Culture, Lifestyle, and Geography"; and (5) "What the Virtual Student Needs." Part 2, "A Guide to Working with the Virtual Student: Issues, Concerns, and Strategies," includes (6) "Designing a Good Student Orientation"; (7) "Time and Commitment"; (8) "Assessment and Evaluation"; (9) "Legal Issues and the Virtual Student"; (10) "Attrition, Retention, and Group Size"; and (11) "Becoming Truly Learner-Focused: Best Practices in Online Teaching." A final section offers faculty and student resources. (Contains 82 references, 12 tables, 12 exhibits, and 3 figures.) (SM)