[.ca] 147 Practical Tips for Teaching Online Groups: ... (ISBN 189185934X)

Waiting for no. 148:
"In an interactive online course, some content and methods work better than others." (p.32) Yes, I know this. That's why I bought this book. Do I have to wait for the sequel to actually find out *which* content and methods work better than others?

A Great Disappointment:
This is a book with a promising title and little else. The opening chapter suggests that the book is intended for experienced teachers who are new to the online environment. Consequently, readers are led to expect useful tips that will help them translate their classroom experience to the Web. But instead readers will find revelations such as these: "You can create quiz questions that are true-false, matching, multiple choice, completion and short answer, and essay." (page 40) Really? What news! "Evaluate Your Learners" (Tip 82, page 38) Indeed! What a concept! Actually find out what your students know! As Fred Gailey, the attorney defending Kris Kringle in "Miracle on 34th Street" told the judge when he offered some letters in evidence of Santa's identity, "I have further exhibits, but I hesitate to produce them." A teacher with the most modest experience can open this book at random and find such \ocontent\c on any page. I hope that these comments help someone else ...

Not exactly what I had expected....:
If you are looking for specific distance education methodologies and techniques you might want to look elsewhere, but if all you are looking for are general distance education concepts put into a book- then this is for you. I thought that the tips were similar to something you might get in a "Thought of the Day" email, some interesting concepts with very little substance. The book does have some very good ideas and the structure of the book allows you to quickly browse through the tips if you are looking for new ideas or affirmation of something that you are currently doing. The 4 chapters present the tips in a logical framework of ideas to help you find something, even if you're not quite sure what it is you are looking for: Chapter 1. Before You Begin Chapter 2. Myths and Constraints of Online Teaching and Learning Chapter 3. Organizing the Online Course Chapter 4. Beginning Instruction in the Online Course: Implementing the Course Design The fact that they don't go into specific technologies very much also facilitates the tips being useful across a wider variety of technologies. I would recommend this book for someone new to the field of distance education looking to get a handle on general concepts, but for anyone who has been around the block this book is only going to tell you what you already know.

Good resource:
This little book does exactly what the title says. The authors give tips -- some common and some not so common - to help teachers involved in online learning. It is a great little reference.