Office Chat: Experiential Learning in Online Classes

In this interview Dr. Suzanne de Janasz, Associate Professor of Leadership and Management, talks about how she incorporates elements of experiential learning into her online sections.  In the first segment, de Janasz talks about how online classes have evolved from correspondence courses, to LMS-supported courses, to fully synchronous courses in which the students and professor meet via a web conferencing platform. de Janasz mentions her experience Centra Symposium.

Here at the University of Mary Washington, we have used Elluminate and were very happy with its performance. However, in these tight financial times, we have had to let our Elluminate contract lapse and rely instead on a series of free-for-limited-use solutions such as DimDim or Yugma. For a fairly complete list of web conferencing platforms, please see Jane Hart’s excellent Directory of Learning Tools.

Suzanne de Janasz on Experiential Learning in Online Classes, Part 1 of 3

In part 2, de Janasz acknowledges that some classes need to be asynchronous to serve the needs of widely dispersed students. In this segment she gives an excellent example of a teaching technique that has worked well for her online students. The assignment involves online mentoring relationships with business and industry leaders.  She also discusses the insight students gain via these online mentors on the issue of empowerment. Communication, of course, is a key to such collaborative learning experiences and de Janasz discusses the social construction of understanding gained through the assignment.  de Janasz has written several articles on mentoring, including the two referenced below which directly involve the online medium.

Suzanne de Janasz on Experiential Learning in Online Classes, Part 2 of 3

In part 3, de Janasz discusses several lessons learned from her experience teaching online. One example, is the administrative pressure to take advantage of the virtual nature of online classes. Too often, says de Janasz, online classes are filled with 50 or more students. Such large classes are antithetical too the seminar nature of graduate classes, particularly in an MBA program. In such classes frequent and open discussion is needed to allow all students an opportunity to verbalize their understanding and gain valuable peer feedback. This is difficult to manage in a class with several dozen students vying for attention.

Suzanne de Janasz on Experiential Learning in Online Classes, Part 3 of 3

de Janasz provides some real nuggets; examples, and lessons-learned. Some of what she says is somewhat controversial. The segments deserve a good thoughtful listen. I look forward to any comments that this illuminating interview brings to mind.

References:

Whiting, V.R., & de Janasz, S.C. (2004). Mentoring in the 21st century: using the internet to build skills and networks. Journal of Management Education, 28:3, 275-293.

de Janasz, S.C., Ensher, E.A., & Heun, C. (2008)  Virtual relationships and real benefits: using e-mentoring to connect business students with practicing managers. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 16:4, 394 – 411.