E-Moderation Course Feedback...

Dr. Amos Paran, Institute of Education, University of London, UK:
Overall, I absolutely loved this course. I think this is probably just the right course for anyone who has never done a course like this, though what was amazing was that people who were extremely knowledgeable about CMC were contributing and enjoying it as well. (...) It has been a great experience, and if you never changed anything in this course it would still be great. Many many thanks.

Ann Bain, Senior Examiner, Trinity Examinations Board, UK:
Interaction with tutors – excellent – everything dealt with very professionally and sympathetically – even humorously! Necessary (...) Many, many thanks, Gavin & Nicky – for your unfailing encouragement and support throughout. (...) I’d love to take another online course – this is the first one I’ve ever participated in - I just think perhaps another one might not be so well run, though.

George Pickering, Freelance Trainer and Coach, UK:
The course was very professionally managed and it was nice to see how this week’s tasks all miraculously appeared each week! (…) Keep up the great work and I can’t think of two people who could do a better job at informing and helping ELT professionals to learn more about the advantages of e-learning.

David Watts, University of Bristol, UK
(interaction with tutors was) great. Prompt, appropriate, helpful and encouraging responses to emails and discussion board postings. Lively chat participation. It was good that there were 2 tutors, it seemed to add that extra bit of zing to compensate for not meeting in the physical world. (...) You have a satisfied customer :)! Looking forward to the course in November.

Lindsay Clandfield, Freelance Teacher Trainer and Author, Spain
Perfect, IMHO. Not too much (interaction with tutors), but enough to keep things moving. Great work by the tutors in leading by example in the chat. (…) This was a real eye opener to the world of virtual learning. I feel much better equipped now to begin my own work as an online tutor. Thanks a lot Nicky and Gavin!

Gill Godfrey, Plymouth College of F.E., UK:
Without exception, everyone [on the course] was considerate and supportive. I felt carried along by their enthusiasm and motivated to contribute to the best of my ability. I appreciated the opportunity to work with as wide a variety of others as possible through different pairings / groupings. [The tutors] inspired confidence. They managed to achieve just the right level of intervention. I always felt that they were there if I needed them but never that they were keeping us under surveillance. Approachable, entertaining, informative and supportive.

Heather Thomas, International Pacific College, Palmerston, NZ:
Wow! ... At the beginning, it seemed impossible that we'd have time to achieve much in the way of learning content or developing skills, but we have. Hey - I realise that I've experienced genuine, constructivist, on-line learning!!! Congratulations to my tutors and fellow participants!

James Lloyd, British Council , Madrid, Spain:
I felt that the course was well designed and that our tutors led us to the discovery that they and their work had been examples of good practice throughout in the final group activity - very well planned, I'd say.

Jill Manwaring, Anglo-Continental, Bournemouth, UK:
It is important to follow a well-planned course, delivered by supportive and experienced tutors and this course has been both a valuable learning experience and a very good example of how to run a course online. Both Nicky and Gavin have been supportive, attentive to my needs and concerns and unfailingly encouraging and positive, so that poor motivation or isolation have never been issues for me.

Pam Protheroe, Wellington Institute of Technology, NZ:
The tutors were great! Lots of answers to questions and timely feedback. Always encouraging and friendly and personal details and so on. I felt I could ask anything at any time and get feedback with no hint of irritation.

Tony Foster, Langside College , Glasgow, Scotland:
Interaction with tutors & tutors' roles: Excellent - feedback fast, very supportive, makes people feel valued; appropriate amount of intervention & guidance

Tony Shannon-Little, University of Wolverhampton, UK:
You appear to know your business very well - no smothering and plenty of advice and praise. Well done.

Dominic McCabe, Students International, UK:
The actual spiral linkage within the course was well done and very supportive. This, linked to the hands on and positive approach of the course tutors, meant that development for all participants was as close to guaranteed as you can get in education

Jill Walters, Skills Coordinator, Dept. of Law and HRM, BCUC, UK:
I am now familiar with the protocols, the language (jargon) .and the pitfalls, that an on-line tutor needs to be familiar with. Tutoring an on-line programme is complex and time consuming and I will approach it with far more understanding and competence in the future.

Jonathan Hill, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Business, BCUC, UK:
On reflection I did learn more than I had expected, or than I felt I was learning during the course. I certainly learnt how to use discussions and changed my view of the role of the instructor.

Steve Millard, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Economics and Marketing, BCUC, UK:
There are quite a number of fresh impressions and insights acquired and developed throughout this e-moderation course. To me it has been an invaluable experience which has helped to consolidate my knowledge and skills, and I have welcomed and enjoyed the opportunity to discuss the methodology of VLE management with professionals in the field, as well being able to air some of these issues with my colleagues.

Dr. Christine Parsons, Senior Lecturer, Dept. of Economics and Marketing, BCUC, UK:
Interaction with tutors - prompt and detailed feedback and encouragement received which was helpful. Have learned a lot and realise there's a long way to go still!

Ekatrina Zainitdinova, Krasnoyarsk, Russia:
I like the structure of the course: week task portions were given gradually from simple to difficult. I think we had enough time to practice and reflect on our experience. We were given enough material to the point, and this material helped us to understand what we were doing, better.

Elena Shalygina, Lesosibirsk, Russia:
I want to tell my deep and great thanks to you, our tutors. It was a real pleasure to communicate with you. Thank you very much for your respect, patience and desire to help and support us, your participants. I am sure the course is successful because of your hard work, permanent support.

Elena Belozerova, Mikhailovka, Russia:
I appreciate the course and the efforts of everybody involved in the online course. I am grateful to our tutors' for 'updating' the online learners, for showing the fast track to developing online course possibilities alongside with critical thinking online. I express my gratitude to Nicky and Gavin and those who were "behind" Blackboard. Thank you for everything.

Natalia Sokolova, Tula, Russia:
I've got any possible and impossible help and assistance from my tutors. Nicky and Gavin were very supportive and encouraging. It is very important for your motivation but also in situations when you have some technical problems. My experience shows that when you stop worrying the equipment stops acting daft (sorry for being so informal). I've always got the answers to all the questions I asked and I've always felt free asking those questions. Each activity was monitored carefully and feedback was always provided. I was very lucky to have tutors like Nicky and Gavin.

Tanya Yumanova, Krasnoyarsk, Russia:
I find the collaborative work we did exciting and important. On the one hand it was motivating but on the other hand it was simply interesting to contact and share ideas. I was lucky to have had very motivated groupmates ..The work of the tutors was high above praise. You were always patient supportive and motivating. I think you gave me a good example of how a tutor should monitor the course.

James Hoyle, Go English, Spain:
To conclude, the course has helped to focus my thoughts on the way ahead for online learning as a tutor and as a director of Go English. I've got a useful reference bank for future research and a better knowledge of where our sector is at. I've got more self-confidence in my own views on the subject and have a clearer picture of the way forward.

Karen Brooks, Inlingua Cheltenham, UK:
All in all, a good month's work! I will definitely transfer some of my new-found knowledge to the next course I'll be working on. The range of emotions experienced over a fairly limited time period has been quite impressive and will certainly help me to empathise more with future trainees, so thanks to both of you. I really appreciate all of your input!

Karyn Weston-Schmidt, Germany:
The course was well organized, I liked the structure and the instructors were role models. [.] This course seemed to put the role of the tutor at the front and repeatedly emphasized the skills needed.

Sarah Treloar, UK:
I was nervous about spending my hard earned money on a course about something I knew little about, but it was well worth it. You were recommended to me by a reliable source, and it was an excellent recommendation.

Sue Doran, Inlingua Cheltenham, UK:
Interaction with tutors was extremely positive and helpful. At no point was I made to feel guilty or stupid about my technical difficulties (although that's largely how I felt!). It was all very reassuring and encouraging. A positive learning atmosphere.

Suzanne Clack, Spain:
I wasn't sure what I was letting myself in for when I registered for the course all those months ago, but I'm glad I joined in. It's been hard at times, but enjoyable. Also I thought it would give me a different perspective on teaching and it has opened my eyes to a field I may be able to go into .

Dave Collett, British Council Colombo, Sri Lanka:
What really stands out is, as I have mentioned before, the continual support from tutors. The feedback from my input was acknowledged positively and constructively summarising my thoughts but at the same time developing them. I have learnt a lot from the techniques modelled by the tutors, which I have used recently in giving feedback on observations. Thanks!

Andy Newton, British Council Jeddah, Saudi Arabia:
The tutors were great. Pioneers in this area perhaps? As I said, more online tutors need to take up this course

Alison Driver, British Council Rome, Italy:
You two have been truly inspiring! You have set a great example on how to moderate which I hope to be able to follow.. As a result of this course, not only do I have the confidence that using such technology could be a worthwhile, stimulating experience for my learners, I also have acquired the skills and knowledge to ensure that it is!

Rob Lewis, British Council Mexico:
Just the right length of time to learn about organising online courses and projects. Great interaction between participants, and a feeling that through forums and chat that I got to know you both as tutors. Overall, thanks to you two for being approachable from the start, and helping me get to grips with this area - I really hope I'm involved in online learning for a long time to come!

Andy Barrett, British Council Lisbon, Portugal:
We were a mixed ability group - at least in terms of online experience and the tasks enabled those who wanted to, to contribute more, time permitting. I don't think there was an issue with level - I think anyone with an interest in online moderating and with reasonable IT skills would be able to do the course..I enjoyed the course so thanks to both for your time and skills.

Mary Bounds, British Council Istanbul, Turkey:
This was great. I particularly valued tutor input, perhaps for the observations above. I found your advice sound, when given, and well-illustrated from experience...Thanks!

Rena Penna, British Council Czech Republic:
Being completely honest, I think this course has been a very valuable experience for me. It was the first online course I've ever done, and part of my motivation was to "stick my toe in the waters" of online study. Overall, I enjoyed the course enormously. I found that it was well organised and structured. Thanks heaps for the course - it was interesting, motivating and educational, and I enjoyed it enormously.

Andy Lewis, British Council Barcelona, Spain:
[The tutors] have done a great job. Good, rapid feedback. It always felt like there was someone there. I thought the course was excellent. I am impatient to start applying what I've learnt as a tutor (now that I've got some time to do so!). Thank you!

Online Materials Design Course Feedback...

Lena Naumova, Ukraine:
I can say that this online course has been actually my first experience in distant learning it’s been extremely enriching and pleasant.

Marin Markos, Serbia and Montenegro:
Interaction with the tutors was great. The instructions, announcements, feedbacks and comments – all came timely. I appreciate prompt answers to the questions, so that you know that you are not alone and can rely on their help whenever you need it. I felt as if the tutors were somewhere behind me, reachable, but they were not breathing down my neck. I think that their role is crucial. They are obviously well experienced and know exactly what they are doing.
I enjoyed the course. This was a valuable experience which broadened my mind. It made me think a lot and gave me some new ideas about teaching and acquiring knowledge in general.

Marina Mshvidobadze, Georgia:
I would like to tell you how much I loved the course and enjoyed doing it. This course has been structured and designed really professionally. Its level was relevant. Using blackboard was fantastic, I would say. Interaction with the colleagues was interesting and good fun. The tutors were wonderful, always ready to help trying to encourage, motivate and make our task enjoyable.

Niki Joseph, Portugal:
Superbly well structured... (level) was just right for me! Started off quite easy but got a lot more difficult... (using Blackboard) – fabulous experience... (interaction with other colleagues) was good – the chats were great and the chat facility on BB brilliant! And v. important for collaborating over work... (interaction with tutors) - excellent, an incredible turnaround in handing in work (rather posting work!) and receiving feedback/a reply to a question. V impressive. I thoroughly enjoyed this course – and have been telling everyone about it! I’ve learned loads and in a really fun, practical way!

Tanja Teodosic, Bosnia Herzegovina:
The course was remarkably well-organised. My impression is that there is a lot of experience, enthusiasm and hard work behind it. I think that the activities and materials were both functional and enjoyable. The web site was easy to navigate, and I didn’t have any difficulties finding whatever I needed to complete my tasks. The tutors have been great help and I’m happy to have been part of this course because they were able to give me very good advice and feedback without being patronising.

Ged Richardson, Japan:
You were both great! Tutor feedback is fundamental in these courses, and your responses were always speedy and informative. Thanks guys! Otse kare sama deshita (meaning you must be really tired in Japanese). I think the course was really well conceived, designed and really well implemented. Top marks from me. It’s a great thing you're doing not only for ELT teaching but for online learning in general. Keep up the good work!

Alison Boardman, Director - Unique Voice, Ireland:
Very enjoyable, relaxed yet working productive atmosphere encouraged from the start. Knowing you were both there & that you would reply promptly made it very encouraging.

Angela Cady, France:
I think the structure and the level of the course were perfect for me. The steps led us logically through to more knowledge and better skills, and there was not anything too difficult to master for anyone used to using a computer for non-specialist needs.

David Watts, University of Bristol, UK:
Well presented, logical order, nicely task oriented, motivational.

Elaine Heyes, Spain:
The tutors have been excellent. Always available, giving encouragement and useful feedback.

Janet Chadwick, Spain:
All the emails I sent to the tutors were replied to very promptly. The tone of the emails was always helpful, friendly and supportive. And the content always solved the problem! Maybe the tutors went even beyond the call of duty!

Mary Foley, Spain:
I felt Nicky and Gavin to be very positive and ready to help if needed (.) I'm glad I did the course and it was nice to meet the people I met.

Monica Morcillo, Spain:
Tutors did an excellent job: professional, efficient, punctual, friendly, supportive, knowledgeable. What else can one ask for?

Montse Mártinez, Spain:
Thanks to everybody in the group, and especially thanks to our tutors, who've been preparing and monitoring all the different tasks really well! THANKS A MILLION! I hope you organise another course like this one, so that we can carry on learning more things about webquests and on-line teaching/learning material.

Scott Shelton, New Zealand:
I feel that this course was extremely well structured and organized. I liked the clear tasks, the slow, nurturing build up to our final project and the collaborative atmosphere that was achieved. (.) I would recommend the course to anyone who would like to know more about the potential of webquests as a teaching resource and who would like to learn about and feel more comfortable working in an online environment (from the inside out).

Silvia Weismiller, Germany:
Interaction with colleagues was wonderful. Much better than I had expected. Tutors were great. The contact was great, support was always there, understanding too! And I had the feeling that they really knew what they were doing!

Marg Ristagno, Spain:
I appreciated the friendly attitude, support and collaboration my classmates showed (.) I loved the warm response you have managed to give us all and especially the humor you both sent our way. I felt that you cared that I got the most I could out of the course.

Vesna Alaburic, Serbia:
I feel a bit weird to tell you about this because it seems obvious how good this course it. And I think you both know how brilliant you are! J

Ana Arcienaga, Holland:
I found this course highly motivating. It has an appealing content, a good structure, well thought tasks and you learn having fun. I would recommend it to my best friend. J

Chris Oliveira, Portugal:
The amazing thing about this was that even though I was miles away I felt a lot of personal support. I can safely say that was the course that I most spoke to my tutors because I felt safe and non-intrusive, i.e. I didn't feel like I was interrupting or catching them at a bad time. I really enjoyed it and felt that all my doubts were promptly dealt with.

James Frith, Spain:
The structure of the course has been superb. Each week has had a clear aim. It's built us up in clear steps from basics towards creating a webquest (which I never dreamed I could do) without overloading us. Interaction with yourselves has been very rewarding. I really appreciate the amount of feedback via email, and the efficiency and speed of it. Thanks for putting my reflections up on the board. I think you've both offered a great deal of guidance, support, motivation and encouragement and have brought us a long way. I've really enjoyed it. Looking forward to working with you again soon! Thank-you.

Judy Wickham, Spain:
Structure and organization have been excellent. I felt I knew where I was going at all times and where I needed to go if I was confused. I think you scaffolded the learning events in an intelligent way, cause little by little we acquired skill we needed to go on to bigger things.. The course was better than I expected it to be. I found that the practical aspects both from the learner and teacher perspectives to be excellent. I will use the skills I acquired here in the immediate future to the benefit and joy of both my students and myself!

Teresa Escardó, Spain:
I really have to congratulate both of you on the course. I have had a really good time and have learnt a lot of things. It may sound a bit silly, but I feel very proud of myself and what I have achieved. Congratulations and thank you for a wonderful experience