The Virtual Student
A Profile and Guide to Working with Online Learners
1. Edition March 2003
216 Pages, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
ISBN:
978-0-7879-6474-0
John Wiley & Sons
The Virtual Student is an essential resource for online educators working with students in higher education and training settings. The authors offer an overview of the key issues of student online learning and provide a practical guide to working with online students. The book covers a broad range of topics including learning styles, multicultural issues, evaluation, retention, and the challenging problems of plagiarism and cheating.
List of Figures, Tables, and Exhibits xi
Preface xiii
About the Authors xxi
Part One: A Profile of the Virtual Student
1 Who is the Virtual Student? 3
2 The Student Side of Online Learning Communities 15
3 Learning Styles 29
4 Gender, Culture, Lifestyle, and Geography 39
5 What the Virtual Student Needs 51
Part Two: A Guide to Working With the Virtual Student: Issues, Concerns, and Strategies
6 Designing a Good Student Orientation 65
7 Time and Commitment 77
8 Assessment and Evaluation 89
9 Legal Issues and the Virtual Student 103
10 Attrition, Retention, and Group Size 112
11 Becoming Truly Learner-Focused: Best Practices in Online Teaching 124
Introduction to the Toolkit for a Successful Online Student 139
Resource A: Faculty Tools 143
Resource B: Student Tools 161
References 179
Index 185
Preface xiii
About the Authors xxi
Part One: A Profile of the Virtual Student
1 Who is the Virtual Student? 3
2 The Student Side of Online Learning Communities 15
3 Learning Styles 29
4 Gender, Culture, Lifestyle, and Geography 39
5 What the Virtual Student Needs 51
Part Two: A Guide to Working With the Virtual Student: Issues, Concerns, and Strategies
6 Designing a Good Student Orientation 65
7 Time and Commitment 77
8 Assessment and Evaluation 89
9 Legal Issues and the Virtual Student 103
10 Attrition, Retention, and Group Size 112
11 Becoming Truly Learner-Focused: Best Practices in Online Teaching 124
Introduction to the Toolkit for a Successful Online Student 139
Resource A: Faculty Tools 143
Resource B: Student Tools 161
References 179
Index 185
"...an especially useful resource..." (Teaching Theology
and Religion)
"The Virtual Student deserves a spot on every university
educator's bookshelf." (University Business, August
2003)
and Religion)
"The Virtual Student deserves a spot on every university
educator's bookshelf." (University Business, August
2003)
Rena M. Palloff is a core faculty member at Capella University in the School of Education and adjunct faculty at the Fielding Graduate Institute. Keith Pratt is core faculty in the School of Education at Capella University and also teaches at the Fielding Graduate Institute. Palloff and Pratt have been appointed to the faculty of the Center for Excellence in Education and are managing partners of Crossroads Consulting Group. They are the authors of Building Learning Communities in Cyberspace and Lessons from the Cyberspace Classroom, both from Jossey-Bass.
