Incorporating technology and maintaining boundaries
I think that technology in the classroom makes classroom interaction better and increases response time, but I do think that if we are not careful it could affect your personal boundaries. For example, I teach in classroom and online classes and I have noticed in both that students will tell me that they expect a teacher to respond to them within an hour via the internet, just this week I had a student in my online class tell me to review his work ASAP (which did not happen by the way). This need for constant communication must be balanced with appropriateness or we lose site of our own personal boundaries, and unfortunately, I have noticed that many Generation Y'ers don't like being told that they can not get their way immediately :)
a word of caution on that: don't do it. Out of all your students, all it takes is 1 who does not understand or respect boundaries and you'll wish you hadn't.
Beatrice ,
this is definitely something to consider & to carefully approach; also be sure to check your institution's policy on this.
Ryan Meers, Ph.D.
I agree that boundaries must be clearly identified (sooner rather than later). As a "veteran", sharing my cell number will be an adventure. I plan to give it a try with my next class.
It seems to me that boundaries must be set in place during day 1. I completed my BS and my MS on line and I was always informed that my professors would respond (had to) respond to all inquires via email or text in a 24-48 hour period. I respected that and I knew I had to wait a day or two. I feel it is human nature to expect a response immediately. This feel intensifies when the nature of the inquiry is assuming to be "urgent" by the sender. As long as boundaries are in place this should only be an isolated instance between the student and the professor.
Wow! I don't teach an online class, but I can see their point. I have taken a few classes online for my Master's and since I'm a Gen X're I know I won't get feed back within the day, maybe 2-3 days later.
