In the Groove

There is a theme between pages 137 and 144 that resonate with me and that theme can be summarized with the "in the groove" statement on page 143 (hence the post title). That theme, specifically, details how students adjust to OWCs and create personal schedules to navigate the course. Page 137 mentions how it takes students six weeks to "finally" understand how to engage in an OWC, which is similar to my experience. The first few weeks of my online courses are intentionally slow and include low-stakes assignments (often worth five or 10 points at the most) to give students time to learn how to navigate the modules and how to create time for the class work. Page 138 explains the difference between "working from home" and "homework," and this slow build-up gives students the chance to learn the course material while learning the modules and how to be an online student. By the sixth week, that slow build has increased and at least one essay has been written and submitted. This portion of the class is when I notice students becoming comfortable with online learning — the questions from this point forward are often focused on the material and not the LMS.