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This article provides the perspectives of a professor navigating dual roles as an instructor and a student in separate online learning environments. The article also explores the experiences of graduate students, with particular attention to workload management, group work, and the balance between synchronous and asynchronous sessions. The findings, drawn from student surveys and reflections from the professor, reveal key dichotomies in online learning experiences. The author concludes by offering recommendations for improving the design of future online courses based on these insights.
This article provides the perspectives of a professor navigating dual roles as an instructor and a student in separate online learning environments. The article also explores the experiences of graduate students, with particular attention to workload management, group work, and the balance between synchronous and asynchronous sessions. The findings, drawn from student surveys and reflections from the professor, reveal key dichotomies in online learning experiences. The author concludes by offering recommendations for improving the design of future online courses based on these insights.
The rapid expansion of online learning since the 2020 pandemic has transformed the educational landscape (Eringfeld, 2021). Gonzalez and Moore (2020) determined that graduate students found structured environments, instructor feedback, and text-based tools (e.g., discussion boards) most engaging in online learning. In spring 2023, a Literacy Department at a large, comprehensive higher education institution initiated an online capstone course for its Reading Specialist certification program. Concurrently, the instructor of the course enrolled in an online Italian language class for personal enrichment-a semester-long asynchronous offering in which the professor was working through the course content in a selfpaced format. The format included videos, cultural connections, and a variety of multiple-choice and open-ended responses. It should be noted that the professor -the author of this article had taken two previous synchronous Italian classes and therefore had a very basic understanding of vocabulary. This article presents a comparative analysis of the instructor's dual roles-teaching an online course while simultaneously experiencing a separate one as a student-and explores the perspectives of the graduate students enrolled in the capstone course.
The Reading Specialist Capstone Course
The capstone course followed a blended design: 50% synchronous sessions via Zoom and 50% asynchronous modules, with 2-week intervals for completing each module. The course structure allowed for a gradual increase in student autonomy, beginning with synchronous sessions for the first 2 weeks and transitioning to more asynchronous learning as the semester progressed. The syllabus provided detailed information on attendance, the course schedule, and university-approved online policies. On average, students participated in the required synchronous sessions every 3 weeks throughout the 15-week semester. Attendance was close to 100% for synchronous classes, which aimed to foster a sense of community while providing content delivery and monitoring of student progress on assignments. As noted by Trespalacios and Uribe-florez (2020), such a sense of community is valued by students in an online learning format. Asynchronous sessions engaged students through a variety of activities, including narrated PowerPoint presentations, videos, discussion boards, and creative assignments such as video creation, Padlet contributions, and exit slips. Weekly emails from the instructor provided graduate students with clear guidance on module content, deadlines, and assignment expectations, while also offering opportunities for clarification and reinforcement of key concepts.
The course was attended by 16 graduate students, including 1 graduate assistant and 2 undergraduate students pursuing an accelerated master's degree. The remaining graduate students were employed in K-12 school settings across 10 local school districts and were teaching a range of subjects, including reading, math, science, social studies, and special education.
Capstone Course Students' Perspectives
Surveys administered at the beginning and end of the semester specifically asked students their perceptions of course materials, assignments, ease of use, feedback from the professor, and collaboration with classmates. The surveys revealed that graduate students found the workload manageable and the course structure well organized. They reported that the projects were appropriately scaled for their full-time professional responsibilities. Students particularly valued the small-group work, with one participant noting, "I enjoy being able to be in small groups and hear about other people's experiences in their schools with their literacy programs as well as their professional development." Group rotations throughout the semester enabled students to engage with a variety of perspectives, enhancing their learning experience. Designing online courses with intentional opportunities for interaction and collaboration is recommended by the research (Trespalacios & Uribe-florez, 2020).
Participants also appreciated the balance between synchronous and asynchronous formats. Many students expressed satisfaction with this hybrid approach, with one participant commenting, "I like that we do more than just respond to message board posts, which is what previous online classes have been like for me." However, student feedback highlighted some dichotomies in the online learning experience. For instance, while some students preferred responding to prompts via video, others felt uncomfortable recording themselves. One participant noted, "I was intimidated by the video responses at first, but now I feel they've led to more engaging conversations with my peers." This feedback suggests an opportunity for instructors to provide students with flexible response options that accommodate different learning styles.
Similarly, although the flexibility of asynchronous modules was generally appreciated, some students expressed a preference for the structure of in-person courses. One student stated, "I like the convenience of the online class, but sometimes I miss sitting next to my classmates in person." Weekly emails were seen as a valuable tool for maintaining student engagement, ensuring that they remained on track with assignments and course content. Additionally, students appreciated the introductory videos included in each module, which allowed for a more personal connection with the instructor. Time during synchronous sessions was spent building further community, updating assignments, and discussing content. Students "liked this check-in time" and appreciated the "opportunity to meet before or after class for one-one-one questions." Lockman and Schirmer (2020) emphasized the importance of instructor presence, varied pedagogical strategies, academic and emotional support, and instructor feedback as soon as possible after assignments are submitted.
Professor's Perspective as Student
While teaching the online course described above, I simultaneously enrolled in an asynchronous Italian language course offered by a university. Although my primary goal was personal enrichment, this experience provided valuable insights into the online learning process from the perspective of a student. The flexibility of asynchronous learning was beneficial, but managing time for these asynchronous activities proved challenging. As a full-time faculty member with numerous responsibilities, I found it difficult to allocate consistent time for the Italian course. Most sessions involved watching videos, reading about cultural connections, and taking quizzes. The quizzes differed from week to week but included multiple-choice and open-ended responses. Different time-management strategies, such as designating one afternoon per week or one hour each day for the course, were initially effective but ultimately became harder to maintain due to competing responsibilities.
My prior experience in face-to-face education made it clear that the lack of community interaction in the online course was a significant personal limitation. Although the course content was wellstructured, few opportunities for peer interaction existed, which diminished the sense of connection that is typically fostered in traditional, in-person settings. This experience reinforced the importance of creating a strong community of learning in an online environment.
Furthermore, although the online course allowed for the posting of questions and concerns, direct and personal interactions with the instructor were not available, which I saw as a drawback. This absence of immediate, personalized support highlighted the importance of offering more robust instructorstudent interactions in online courses.
Themes and Lessons Learned
My experiences as an online learner and the reflections of the graduate students in the online course I taught provided several key insights:
1. Flexibility with Structure: The hybrid design of the graduate course, combining synchronous and asynchronous elements, allowed for flexibility while maintaining a clear structure. This approach was effective in keeping the graduate students engaged and supported throughout the semester.
2. Building a Learning Community: The sense of community, which was absent in the instructor's experience as a student, was a cornerstone of the graduate course. Regular group work, both synchronous and asynchronous, facilitated peer interaction and created a supportive learning environment.
3. Instructor Support: In contrast to the limited support in the Italian course, the graduate students in the capstone course benefited from consistent interaction with the instructor, including regular emails, prompt feedback on assignments, and opportunities for collaboration. Timely and personalized support helped students navigate challenges and stay on track.
4. Time Management: The challenges of time management, experienced by both the graduate students and by me as learner, emphasized the need for clear expectations regarding the time required for tasks. 1 adjusted my own expectations as instructor and provided students with guidance on how long tasks should take, offering additional support for those struggling with time management.
Conclusions
The students' experiences in the online capstone course were generally positive, with a strong sense of community and collaboration enhancing their learning. Group work and varied asynchronous activities helped mitigate the isolation often associated with online courses (Trespalacios & Uribe-florez, 2020). My dual perspective as both an instructor and a student provided valuable insights into the challenges of online learning, highlighting the importance of flexibility, structure, community, and instructor support. Future considerations for online courses should include flexibility in responses. Some students may not like to record themselves, so other options (discussion board, Padlet, voice recording) could be offered as choices. The structure of the capstone course allowed for a gradual release of responsibility, with time between synchronous sessions lengthening as the semester progressed. This structure seemed to provide the necessary sense of community and instructor interaction that better engages students in online learning. These lessons can inform the design of future online courses to better meet the needs of students and instructors alike.
References
Eringfeld, S. (2021). Higher education and its post-coronial future: Utopian hopes and dystopian fears at Cambridge University during Covid-19. Studies in Higher Education, 46(1), 146-157.
Gonzalez, M., & Moore, N. (2020). A comparison of faculty and graduate students' perceptions of engaging online courses: А mixed-method study. International Journal of Educational Methodology, 6(1), 223-236.
Lockman, A. S., & Schirmer, B. R. (2020). Online instruction in higher education: Promising, research-based, and evidencebased practices. Journal of Education and e-Learning Research, 7(2), 130-152.
Trespalacios, J., & Uribe-florez, L. J. (2020). Developing online sense of community: Graduate students' experiences and perceptions. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 21(1), 57-72.
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