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Title: Excellence in Online Education
Author: Kristen A. Ferguson
Genre: Christian Education
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〰First Line〰
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As a Christian educator, you have likely heard arguments for and against online education.
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Synopsis: (From Goodreads)
Online education offers incredible potential to
reach students and their context for Christ, but doing so requires
intentional implementation of a philosophy and practice of online
education. As online professors and administrators seek to create a
Christian community on mission, students can be transformed, and the
gospel will be spread throughout the world. Excellence in Online
Education provides an overview of the debates surrounding online
Christian education, a framework for building community online, and
practical advice about course design, delivery and program management.
〰First Thoughts〰
I started working at Colorado Christian University (CCU) six years ago as an administrative assistant in their College of Adult and Graduate Studies--their online division. My previous formal education has all been in-seat, so working in an atmosphere of complete online delivery of courses was a foreign concept. Even after earning an online degree and teaching online at CCU for a couple of years, it's still a mystery to me. How can a professor motivate students who are not always self-starters? How does a teacher succeed in a non-synchronous environment where the only accountability consists of grades and instructor feedback (which many students ignore until it's too late)? How can stimulating content be presented in an online forum? My hope is that this book can answer these questions, or at least point me in the right direction for the answers. My first two years of teaching online have been painfully unsuccessful. If I'm going to continue, I need lots of help.
So, what's the first line of the book you're currently reading?
