Chapter 11 Online Evaluation

Chapter Outline Curtain Up: Getting the Online Course Set Up and Ready to Go Getting Students Started on the Right Foot: What to Look for in Your Classroom Visits Responding to Students’ Initial Postings Updating the Announcement Posting Area as Needed Being Responsive to Posted Questions and Answers As the Semester Progresses: What to Look for in Your Classroom Visits Adding to Announcements: The Weekly Wrap-up and Preview Questions and Answers: Keep It Covered Can We Talk? Engagement in Discussions Testing, Testing, 1–2–3: Quizzes, Assignments, and Tests Winding Down the Course Cyberbullying: What Teachers Should Be Doing

Chapter Questions What are the components of quality instruction, such as effective communication with students, quality of instructional delivery, provision of feedback on assignments, and fostering a positive classroom climate, that are the same regardless of classroom format (e.g., face to face, online)? How can leaders spot-check the online course area for effective practice at the start of the term, while the course is underway, and toward the end of the course?

Chapter Questions, con’t What are the key assessment criteria that leaders can look for in teacher postings, discussion interactions, and input into course assignments? How can leaders ensure teachers are providing substantive comments to students in response to questions, during discussions, and on assignments?

Principal’s Checklist for Course Features (1)Course outline (syllabus) (2)Login information (3)Instructional materials (4)Assignments (5)Online gradebook (6)Welcome post (7)Other startup announcement posts (8)Discussion forums/posting areas

Responding to Students’ Initial Postings The self-introduction activity gives students a valuable chance to road test some key technology navigational skills that they will need throughout the course. These skills include locating a posting area, making their own discussion posting, and responding to other students’ posts.

Updating the Announcement Posting Area as Needed While perhaps not as crucial, it’s a nice plus for teachers to post an affirming announcement several days into the term to let students know they’re coming aboard well. This lets students know that their teacher is watching and aware of what they’re doing.

Being Responsive to Posted Questions and Answers Students who receive prompt, helpful responses to posted questions are more likely to feel connected. They realize that someone is keeping an eye on things and alert to when they might need some extra help. You should therefore be alert for such continual engagement and substantive instructor help to students as you make your early-semester sweep of your teachers’ online classrooms.

Can We Talk? Engagement in Discussions Once again, you want your teachers to make their presence known to students as they engage in discussions. At the same time, you want them to do it in such a way that the discussion progresses on topic without getting derailed or prematurely fizzling out.

Testing, Testing As with the question-and- answer posting area, timeliness in responding to student assessment submissions of quizzes, tests, and assignments is key. If the test is fixed- choice and auto-graded by the online classroom software, the instructor simply needs to verify that the points and grades are being entered in the gradebook so that students can view them. In the case of open-ended test items or written assignments such as case studies, teachers should plan to review, annotate, and return them to students. Usually there is an assignment drop box submission area inside the online course room where teachers receive and return such assignments.

Cyberbullying According to “cyberbullying is the use of technology to harass, threaten, embarrass, or target another person. Online threats or ‘flames’ (rude texts, IMs, or messages) count. So does posting personal information or videos designed to hurt or embarrass someone else.”

Cyberbullying: What Teachers Should Be Doing What can you do in your role as administrator to help prevent cyberbullying? The experts agree that a clear, consistent school policy is key. A sample policy can be found at

Key Principles for Leaders to Know 1. Components of quality instruction such as effective communication with students, quality of instructional delivery, provision of feedback on assignments, and fostering a positive classroom climate are the same regardless of classroom format (e.g., face to face, online). The methods of their assessment, how they are observed or measured, will differ. 2. You can spot-check the online course area for effective practice at the start of the term, while the course is underway, and toward the end of the course.

Key Principles for Leaders to Know, con’t 3. Continual teacher engagement and timeliness are key assessment criteria that you can look for in teacher postings, discussion interactions, and input into course assignments. 4. Teachers should provide substantive comments to students in response to questions, during discussions, and on assignments. 5. Teachers can share valuable feedback with you at the end of the course to supplement your own summative evaluation. 6. Consistent policies at the school level help prevent cyberbullying.