William Hansen, Worcester State University

From your experience, what practices make for excellent online Earth Science learning?

Timely responses to student questions are vital. Using materials at a variety of complexity levels, especially the use of well written "popular" science non-fiction. This material is approachable for students with diverse backgrounds.

How do you utilize technological tools (Google Earth, topical databases, blogging, etc.) in your online courses?

I Google earth to locate features which students interpret. I use downloadable mapping software which allows some analysis such as selecting features and summarizing.
I use some online climate data sites for students to download and analyze in Excel.

How do you manage student engagement and assessment in your online courses?

I use writing assignments, computational exercises and online timed exams. I send timed emails and releases of exercises and weekly emails. For students not completing materials in a timely manner I send weekly reminders.