Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Hi Stacy, I write about this in my book. There are four stages of self directedness, and it is important for the instructor to put in place strategies to move learners to becoming more self-directed in order to be successful! Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Will Online Learning Replace the Traditional Classroom?

Hi Stacy, my son goes to the University of Central Florida and most of his classes are streamed live, so he doesn't have to attend any f2f classes. He is taking finals this week and students go into a computer lab to take their test, so this university is definitely looking at the online environment as the future. Tina

Tina Stavredes

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Assisting the Online Student

Hi Stacy, I agree with you. The faculty in my program are required to communicate with all learners on a weekly basis if they are still enrolled in the course. Many times the outreach is successful in re-engaging the learner and working through any issues he/she may have. Tina

Tina Stavredes

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The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio

Hi Jayasree, you can definitely create successful group assignments online. You can create separate discussions for each team to interact. I also include an Ask Your Instructor thread in each group discussion, so I can quickly see if the team has specific questions for me to answer. Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio

Hi Gelena, I agree. Because of the varying degree of participation online, if you have slightly larger courses, you have more of an opportunity to get a good discussion going. Of course, it also depends on the skill of the instructor to get learners to think critically. Tina

Tina Stavredes

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Engaging Learners in Discussion

Hi Esther, we have been using the Elder Paul Model of Critical Thinking which takes a different spin on this concept. It is more geared towards helping learners understand how to analyze ideas and make a decision on the value of information and also how to support their thoughts and ideas with strong arguments and evidence. Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Engaging Learners in Discussion

Hi Carla, I think this is a good strategy. In psychology we have some issues with learners giving too many details about their personal experiences relating to mental illness, so we have had to refocus them and encourage them to use evidence from the readings or experts in the field to support their ideas. Tina

Tina Stavredes

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Will Online Learning Replace the Traditional Classroom?

Hi Annie, I think dental assisting and medical assisting is better suited for a blended learning environment, since it requires hands-on experience. Tina

Tina Stavredes

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The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio

Hi Karen, I agree; however, in some courses we up the numbers because of attrition to ensure that there are enough learners to develop robust discussions. Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Will Online Learning Replace the Traditional Classroom?

Hi Elizabeth, I am sure that online will not replace the traditional classroom; however, it is providing opportunities for many people who would not be able to attend college if they had only the traditional classroom option! Tina