The Virtual Student: A Profile and Guide to Working with Online Learners [Paperback]

Rena M. Palloff (Author), Keith Pratt (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0787964743 | ISBN-13: 978-0787964740 | Publication Date: March 10, 2003 | Edition: 1

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"…an especially useful resource…" (Teaching Theology and Religion)

"The Virtual Student deserves a spot on every university educator's bookshelf." (University Business, August 2003)

From the Back Cover

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.

"Just when you thought you had covered the online teaching waterfront, here come Rena Palloff and Keith Pratt with their most engaging research to date. The Virtual Student enables you to view the entire process through the lens of the learner, and in doing so, to deepen your understanding of online learning dynamics and the results you want to create."
— Kathleen Stinehart, Dean for Academic Outreach, Mary Baldwin College

"A must-read for those who are concerned about issues such as student satisfaction, retention, and attrition in online courses."
— Wilson Azevedo, director, Brazilian Association of Distance Education

"The Virtual Student is well written and documented, with frequent illustrations, examples, quotes from learners, and very useful toolkits for faculty and learners. It is a great read and guide for faculty, designers, administrators, and learners interested in online learning. What they will discover is that this book is really about effective pedagogy, regardless of the setting."
— Michael J. Offerman, president, Capella University

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (March 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0787964743
• ISBN-13: 978-0787964740
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #509,678 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide for online instructors to get the most efficient results!, October 11, 2008

By 

Srinidhi Anantharamiah (Melbourne, Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Virtual Student: A Profile and Guide to Working with Online Learners (Paperback)

THE VIRTUAL STUDENT is an excellent guide for helping online instructors to understand some of the most efficient methods of seeking desired results from their students. I was required to use this text in a seminar that I recently participated to assist me as a virtual educator. Online learning poses many challenges and concerns that traditional learning may overlook or take for granted. Since the instructor does not actually get to see his/her students face to face, the personal touch is missing from the class, and it is the responsibility of the online facilitator to create an environment where the students are willing to participate and to share their ideas.

The authors of this practical text, Rena Pallof and Keith Pratt, have provided a well structured resource tool to provide the virtual instructor with a clear and concise presentation of common issues that are faced in an online classroom and what are effective ways the instructor can go about in dealing with such issues in an organized and in a coherent manner. I was amazed to find out where I may have erred in my approach to online teaching and how I could rectify these mistakes by following some simple techniques to bring forth more desired results from my students. Pallof and Pratt emphasize throughout the book the importance of motivational tools used by the instructor that can either gain or lose the interests of the students.

This book was certainly an eye opener to me on how the virtual classroom differs from the traditional classroom and was quite useful in enhancing my understanding of the online learning environment and the unique challenges posed by such an environment. This book remarkably demonstrates that the learning curve of an online instructor never really declines unless he/she wants it to. Through substantive interactions and exchanges with his/her students, the online instructor learns how to become an effective presenter and communicator who can have a significant impact on the academic progress of the virtual learner. It should be a required guide for anyone who intends to teach online courses.

6 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for virtual teachers, June 25, 2004

By 

A. F. Jllo "Alex Franco" (Colombia, South America) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Virtual Student: A Profile and Guide to Working with Online Learners (Paperback)

Are you entering the world of virtual education? This book can give you clear information on how to design your courses, how to analyse the work of your students, how to grade forum's participation and what mistakes you must avoid. A great introduction for all teachers who are interested in active pedagogy and collaborative learning!

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I've taught online since the mid '90's ..., October 28, 2010

By 

L. Hassell "Lew" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Virtual Student: A Profile and Guide to Working with Online Learners (Paperback)

... so I am no fan of online ed. Sadly, it is the wave of the future. In that light, I suppose this is useful.