Motivating Online Students
We find that motivating online students is a bit more challenging than in face-to-face teaching. Motivation can be achieved through clear course objectives, assessment criteria, and demonstrating how assigned activities can be applied to a student's own experiences. Weblogs, interactive exercises, and discussion forums amongst the students creates open communication and an opportunity to be heard. Providing quick responses, constructive feedback, and ensuring responses are personalized will make the student feel the instructor has listened to them, thereby making the online course experience less impersonal.
In my introduction to my students I always explain that we all have lives outside of the online classroom and that sometimes life gets in the way of math class.
Additionally, if a student emails me because they are sick or there is a crisis I give them an extension and then follow up in a few days to see how they are feeling / how things went. It works for me.
Colleen
Hi Richard,
Good point about being "human" in your dealings with students. This really helps with the development of rapport. If the students know you understand their situation it goes a long way in earning their respect. Yes, sometimes they are going to take advantage of you but I always try to be supportive and in the majority of situations it works out to the benefit of the students.
Gary
I agree, it's a lot tougher if they are not there. One thing I've found helpful is to emphasize the "empathy" part of teaching. When someone has a sick kid or a family crisis I can give them a little more time. They usually respond very well and keep up after that. Obviously this can be abused, but meeting people with a little "give" seems to work wonders.
online classes are tough, there is always something going on at home that can distract you, kids, dog , phone its very tough to give it your undivided attention, without the human feel to learning im not sure how people do it.
