Going the Distance:

Issues & Classroom Management

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: Collaboration

Colloaborative work is an essential component of online learning. It creates student-to-student and student-to-facilitator connections, and is especially important in the process of learning emergence (Haythornthwaite & Andrews, 2011). Introducing participants to digital collaboration tools, such as those described below, is integral to effective online instruction.

Blogging sites, such as Blogger and WordPress, are most commonly used for thought sharing by a single author. There is great potential, however, for a blog to be used as an asynchronous collaborative tool by distance learning teams. Team members can each contribute thoughts and ideas regarding a discussion topic or group project. User entries are tracked chronologically, so there is a record of entry and no confusion over lost emails or incomplete recipient lists. Additionally, teams can give the facilitator site access for progress monitoring and feedback (Philip & Nicholls, 2009).

Google Drive is free a document builder and cloud storage service. Users can create spreadsheets, forms, slideshows, and more and store their files in the Google cloud. Users can also share files and give document editing access to multiple users. Changes made to documents are instantly synched to the cloud and can be tracked to each user. Learning teams can use Google Drive to collaborate on projects, or provide each other with feedback and editing suggestions. Google Drive can be used either synchronously or asynchronously.

Diigo is a knowledge management tool intended for individuals or groups who source large amounts of information (Allison, Diaz, Moreno, & Mulloy, 2016). Users can store and annotate digital information, including websites, photos, and documents. Information can be shared with other users or learning teams can create groups for collaborative collection of information and idea sharing.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: Technology Issues

Technology issues can be a hurdle for even the most experienced online learner. Users may need assistance navigating unfamiliar sites, uploading files for submission or sharing, or keeping an increasing amount of digital information organized. Going the Distance provides multiple means of support for both facilitators and participants.

Going the Distance Developmental Network (technology forums)
Going the Distance Orientation Course, Module 1 & 2 content materials
Going the Distance Mentoring Program (participant and facilitator programs)
Open discussion forums within the Going the Distance Orientation Course
Facilitators and course participants can use Screencast-o-matic to create instructional videos for other users

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: Synchronous and Asynchronous

Going the Distance is organized as an asynchronous environment to meet the varying schedules of corporate learners. Participants can access course content materials and resources, and participate in course activities at self-selected dates and times.

Learning team members may choose to participate in synchronous collaboration (participants work together online at the same time, in the same virtual environment) while working on group projects. Orientation course participants may also go on to facilitate in synchronous corporate training environments. This highlights the importance of introducing orientation course participants to both synchronous and asynchronous technology tools. A list of several of these tools can be found in the Engaging Online Learners section of the Orientation Facilitator Reference Materials.

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: Conflict Resolution

Conflict is a natural decendent of collaboration and community learning.

"In its healthy form, conflict can work to create shared understanding. However, there is certainly no place for aggression and bullying in any classroom environment. An instructor has a responsibility to set expectations and intervene when unhealthy conflict arises" (Mulloy, 2016, p. 2).

Going to Distance Orientation Course facilitators are required to take the following steps to anticipate conflict and intervene in unhealthy circumstances:

Provide participants with expectations for polite, thoughtful discourse and cyberbullying policies during Module 1 (Kelly, 2013).
Incorporate activities to build personal connections between course participants (Kelly, 2013).
Actively participate in discussion boards to model healthy, thoughtul commentary (Vilkas & McCabe, 2014).
Intervene in unhealthy conflict by:
- Openly acknowledging the situation
- Asking participants to step back from the situation and investigate their motives and pre-existing notions
- Modeling and encouraging responsible dialouge between participants
- Privately supporting participants, as needed, to calm anxieties and encourage reflection (Kelly, 2013)

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: Feedback

Going the Distance recognizes the power of constructive feedback in the learning process and its effect on learner engagement. Module 3 of the orientation course includes objectives for the use of feedback by course participants and the facilitator mentoring and evaluation programs include multiple sources of feedback. Orientation course facilitators are expected to actively provide feedback to participants throughout all three modules.

(It's Infographics, 2016)

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: Learning for All

Going the Distance recognizes the variety of learning styles, physical abilitites, cultural experiences, emotional needs, and professional knowledge program participants bring with them. Meaningful, learner-centered instruction is one of the program's driving principles. Going the Distance facilitators, mentors, administrators, and support team members strive to differentiate experiences to meet the needs of participants, including civil rights advocacy and ADA compliance. Facilitators are required to review the reference material below and incorporate appropriate strategies and procedures into the orientation course.