Teaching Online In The Era Of Netflix

Abstract

Location: Dewberry Hall

How can we design online courses that engage students and create excitement about our subject areas? What do you say when your Department Chair asks you to teach an online course?  This presentation describes how I responded, from building a curriculum, designing lab exercises, recording instructional media, and managing a course where I never actually see my students.  The course is an entry-level graduate course in Data Science tools, and as such, serves as the first introduction to George Mason for students entering the College of Science.  Incoming graduate students from a variety of backgrounds use this class to gain exposure to the computing environments they will need for future research.  The course has been popular with graduating seniors as well, where they enroll in this class as an advanced elective in the Spring of their senior year. Participants will see an example of how to design and implement an online course.  It's especially relevant for technology focused courses.