I'm currently teaching our stats course on-line for the first time. Overall it is going really well, but there have been a few issues that I'm still trying to find ways of working out. We require the use of SPSS in our stats course, so I selected a book that comes with a student version of SPSS. Unfortunately, the student version that comes with the book only runs on Windows, so students who use a Mac still have to come to a lab in order to do those assignments. Also, the student version does not include the repeated measures routines for the GLM, which is forcing me to rework some of the assignments I had planned. Also, I had was a student who broke her wrist early in the semester. In a face-to-face class it probably wouldn't have been as big an issue, but the on-line format ended up being too much for her because of the frequent computer use that is required.
The other, and perhaps more important, issue that I've faced is getting students to ask questions when they don't understand something. The students seem very resistant to posting their questions to the discussion board or even sending me email privately to ask the questions. I do hold a few hours of "virtual" office hours each week and some of the students will participate there and ask questions. The next time I teach this course I will probably require participation in the discussion boards. This semester it seems most of the students are treating the class as more of a one-on-one with me rather than participating with others in the class. Of course, it is possible that they are working with other students and just haven't told me about it, but I'm really not getting that impression.
Each week I post the notes and assignments. In the notes I try to go beyond the explanations in the book and highlight the issues that I think are most important or have been confusing to students when I teach the course face-to-face. I've had several students emailing me saying that the notes help to make the concepts clearer, so at least that part seems to be working. They also seem to be doing well on the homework assignments and most are doing well on the exams. Part of this might also be the result of some self-selection in which students signed up for the course. I had some ask about the class but then decide against it because they realized they would not stay on top of the assignments without having the cue of the face-to-face meetings each week.
Overall I would say it is a good alternative and is workable as an addition to face-to-face offerings. I will be offering the course on-line again either Spring or Fall of next year and will hopefully find some ways to work around the issues that I've seen this semester. I also know I asked about teaching stats on-line last semester so if you don't get many responses, you might try checking the archives for some of those messages as well.
- Marc
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G. Marc Turner, MEd, Network+, MCP
Instructor & Head of Computer Operations
Department of Psychology
Texas State University-San Marcos
San Marcos, TX 78666
phone: (512)245-2526
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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