Time Management

How do you approach time management in your online course?

Budget Time and Use Blackboard Tools

Teaching online takes time. I find that I must budget twice as much time for an online class than a face-to-face course. I dedicate specific times and days of the week where I focus singularly on updating my modules, creating new materials, grading, and posting announcements.
Using the Blackboard Rubrics Tool and linking rubrics to the Grade Book makes the evaluation of assignments less time-consuming.

– Prof. David Miller, Instructor, Communications (CHSS)

Set Times to Check Discussion Boards and Post Regular Announcements

I set a specific date for when discussion board posts and follow-up posts should be submitted. For example, initial posts are due Thursday and follow-up responses are due Sunday. That way, I know when to check participation on the discussion boards, rather than doing it intermittently throughout the week.
I create a “Sunday Announcement” each week that summarizes the upcoming lesson objectives, highlights the lesson activities and includes homework and upcoming assignments or projects. While it takes about 30 minutes to create each announcement, it has saved me a lot of time on the back end. Students no longer email me with questions about what to do – or what is due – during the week.

– Dr. Anne-Marie Balzano, Assistant Professor, Education Leadership (CEHD)

Try High-Impact Grading

I use high impact grading for short assignments: O points if incomplete or not submitted; 1 point if complete but with significant errors; 2 points if complete and mostly correct; and, rarely, 3 points for outstanding work. After the due date, I write l-2 sentences for each student and point them to a ‘model’ response that I post.
The advantage for me is that it keeps me from overly detailed grading of short, low stakes assignments, while still giving students a chance to learn from their mistakes.

– Prof. Rebecca Ericson, Instructor, Physics and Astronomy (COS)