Engaging the online learner.
Hello this is an interesting topic for me, as a former student of an online course and now a facilitator I think I have an advantage to engaging the students. I remember how I felt when I was and was not answered back in my discussion. In my case that was what contributed to the length and effort I added to discussion post.
Zac,
I agree with your comments. The more diverse the formats we can provide our materials to the students, the more likely they will be to connect with one of those formats.
Herbert Brown III
Herbert,
I completely agree. Just as in a traditional ground campus, there are different types of learners. That is to say some students prefer particular teaching formats over others. Even if I personally don’t necessarily absorb material from a presentation as well as I would from a written document, it’s important to provide both types to the students so they can make their own decision over which method works best for them.
It could also be a matter of which teaching format is more convenient for the student. I’ve spoken with several online students who prefer to listen to audio presentations rather than read because they spend a lot of time commuting to and from jobs. Providing audio presentations to the students gives them the opportunity to be more productive during commuting times.
-Zac Stark
Great post, Kim
I totally agree with you. In the beginning of my courses, I make it a conscious effort to respond to each of my students. I also make sure that students know a little bit about me and my background with the hopes that we may share some of the same interests. This helps gain a student's confidence in knowing that their online instructor is a human being. :)
Thanks,
Dianne
Lee,
I agree that learning styles are very important! When were are designing courses we need to ensure we are designing the course, assignments, interactions, etc. in such a way to reach all learning styles so all students have a chance to succeed. Providing course content in multiple media formats can be a first step toward reaching that goal.
Herbert Brown III
The ultimate goal of any course is for the student to be able to relate the material to their professional life. The path towards this goal begins with the teacher being attentive to the student. The teacher must realize that all students have a different style of learning. By teaching to the style of learning, the faculty member will build the student’s confidence as the student will better understand the material. In turn, this will provide the student with the satisfaction that they met the learning goals for the course.
Kimberly,
I agree the more responsive you can be to your students the more they will feel connected to you and the course. I also try to connect personally with my students and find that it is easier to deal with issues when they arise especially sensitive issues because you have a stronger personal relationship built with the students.
Herbert Brown III
Hi All,
I believe one of the most important things is to be immediately responsive – more so than the usual 24 hour turnaround time we are held to – in the first week of the class. This is an opportunity for us to draw the students to us on a personal level. I check emails every couple of hours to ensure that students know I’m around. In the first week of class, I also ensure that I respond to every single initial post (even if they are posted after the Wednesday deadline) so they feel that someone is paying attention to what they are doing. In that initial response, even if what they’ve written makes no sense, it’s 100% positive. If the post did not fully address what was needed (say they only answered one of the two posed question), I would gently prod for further information.
I think it’s important to share personal details about myself that allows students to feel connected to me and gives an added “human†factor. For example, I post an introduction in the discussion thread (if there are two that week, I use the TBLS thread) saying a little about myself – not my credentials or professional history, but I talk about my family and my pets and what I like to do for fun. I then ask them to reciprocate (this is how I initially contact the student). I also send the policies and procedures email requesting acknowledgement of receipt to ensure that appropriate expectations are set and we are all in agreement to adhere to them.
One of the most important questions I ask of the students is, “WHY are you here…what drove you to either continue school, or go back to school.†That way, when they email you ready to give up, you can remind them about their reasons for being there. I find it’s also helpful, from an engagement standpoint, to ask them about their families, what THEY like to do for fun, how THEIR weekend was and so on. It helps a caring attitude come across the email medium.
I look forward to learning other methods that you've all found helpful!
Have a great day everyone!
Kim
katie,
So are you suggesting that the more you felt the instructor was connecting with you in the online class, the more motivated you were to provide more detail in your posts and longer more thoughtful posts? Connecting with your students in a regular and focused way is very important. Building a sense of community among you and the students is also important to "connect" with them in meaningful ways.
Herbert Brown III
