Student Engagement in the Online Environment
Although I've been teaching for more than 13 years, I've been teaching in the online environment for less than one year. What are some tipe for keeping students engaged and excited in the online classroom?
Hi Jim,
I would have to agree with all of my colleagues that have previously answered to this thread. Showing active participation in the classroom is vital to keeping students engaged. This can be done through posting helpful announcements, posting regularly to the discussion board, and providing substantial feedback on assignments. When I really want to ensure that students understand a topic I will also send them emails to cover all my bases.
Katrina Wahlstrom
Anthony, your technique of following up regarding your answers to simple questions via email is great! In my classes, I have found that students who have read the reading assignments before they attend chats, or at least have read much of the reading assignments before they attend chats, can become frustrated when unprepared students ask questions that have far too obvious answers.
I answer all questions completely as part of what I do in live sessions. However, I am going to use your technique, Anthony. As you suggested, the answers that would take extensive time in the chat sessions can be completed via individual emails to the students who ask the questions.
Thank you so much, Anthony,
April
Hi, Mike:
I agree with you.
I teach in two schools online. One school requires live chat, the other does not. Even when i gave live chat sessions, most students can not attend because of the different time zones, and most of them are working full time.
So, to make sure they know I am there for them, I do exactly what you suggested, actively participate in the discussions, and post anouncements several times a week. I also send them emails (I reply theirs within a day) to remind them things, and thank them before the end of the session.
I also create a member instroduction discussion forum in the beginning of the session, so that everybody gets to learn something personal (family, work, vacation etc) about each other.
thanks
Jingxi
Hi Antoine,
I appreciate and agree with your suggestions. Although my student had dissapeared, I stayed active in the DB (partially because I am required to). He was not responding to emails and so I called him. I did reach him on my second attempt and the phone call seemed to make the difference. He is now back on track. In this case, the human voice made the difference.
Jim,
I have been teaching mathematics online for over 7 years with students in each class ranging from those having “minimal’ arithmetic to AP Calculus. This makes it tough to manage the student engagement! Let me comment at this point on just the audio/visual sessions I have in a synchronous setting.
There is a delicate balance between a “lecture†format and an “interactive†format. In the beginning I focused on a primarily “interactive†environment allowing students to raise any question they wanted on the course material and assignments. This was often not successful as a number of the students often bogged the whole session down with the simplest possible questions which confused them..e.g. “what does the slashed line in 2/3 mean…?...â€. This left the AP Calculus students totally bored and dropping out of the sessions.
As time proceeded, I learned to anticipate most of the questions, and migrated to a “semi-lecture†format with Power Point slides and Whiteboard and with numerous pauses for questions. This allowed most of the material to be covered with many applications of significant interest to the more advanced students. I always answered even the simplest questions, albeit sometimes briefly in the live session, but then followed them up more directly by email.
This seems to have produced a good balance that maintains engagement at all levels and doesn’t leave anyone “out in the coldâ€!
Comments?
Anthony
Mike,
Good reminder about the announcement board. Thanks.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
I have found that having a strong presence in the classroom is vital to student’s participation and success. Typically, I show a strong presence by actively participating on the discussion board. This participation is usually 5-6 days per week. I have also found through my experience with online education that the announcement board can be very helpful when guiding an entire class vs one person.
Thanks, Mike
Jim,
With students taking courses in an online environment is always tough especially when it is an undergraduate course. One suggestion would be to make sure that you are engaged in the discussion thread weekly and identify you’re at risk students and reach out to them via email/phone
John,
This is very good. The expediency of response can be an important factor for some questions and needed clarifications. Additionally, time to think reflectively, as provided by emails and discussion boards, is also useful. It seems you are indicating both synchronous and asynchronous communications are useful. I agree.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
Hi everyone.
The aspect of a "live" segment to any online course I believe is essential. We have discussed the binding aspect of this approach.
I have found that it also allows for the asking and often re-asking for clarification of an item. It is true that we can go back and forth in emails...but this results in potentially days of delay in getting an item clarified versus the on the spot approach.
Discussions boards can be another good area of interaction. I believe that responding in concise, friendly and encouraging ways can be a big benefit.
Of course we have e-mail and phone calls. The essential items here are to return our response in a timely manner.
This all will lead to an increased engagement and the deeper thinking on part of the student. It is like an onion...they will begin to peel back the layers.
Any thoughts on any of the roadblocks to the above items?
Be safe.
John
Jim,
My best tool/strategy (to date) is to have a weekly audiovisual session for all to attend. I make sure they know they will get something there that will he immediately helpful. It seems to bond the group better than the other tools/strategies I have used.
Dr. S. David Vaillancourt
