Andrea,
Great post! You do have to provide the resources that they must be motivated to use. I actually use many of these resources in my f2f courses. The important issue is students using the resources.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Christi,
You really provide your students with resources to improve their writing. Just curious, do they use those resources?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Pat,
I agree with you. I really would prefer for student to take the role of leader in a discussion and have started making that a requirement.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Tom,
You are right. It is so important for us as instructor to model what we expect our students. Feedback is so important. That is the key for student learning regarding communication.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Tom,
Great strategies. Have you tried recording your comments and sending it to them. I find students love it and feel they have a connection with you.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Edna,
Do you provide a rubric which you grade your discussion? I also appreciate your strategy regarding submitting assignments early. It is a great way to help them with the writing process.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Lauree,
Nice technique. That is a good way of teaching students how to accept feedback; another important professional skill.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
James,
I amwith you! When I teach online, I hold students to professional communication. I model it and I have high expectations. My name is not "hey".
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I see that communication skills are a valuable part of the puzzle. If I provide plenty of opportunities for students to interact with me through discussion boards and emails than I can also provide more feedback.
I find that increasing communication starts with the instructor and their positive feedback and encouragement to the students.
Dr. CHuo
How do you help students improve their reading, writing, and communication skills?
One of the best ways to help students improve their reading, writing and communications skills is by helping them be successful in the course. This means providing ongoing feedback and coaching. Also, we can utilize the resources of the college to achieve this by referring them to writing and reading labs.
I return their papers with comments in the margin on wording, grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure.
How do you develop reading and writing skills in a 5-week course in an institution with no entrance requirements? Suggestions appreciated.
I am particularly interested in what can be done to develop reading and writing skills in a 5-week class in a university with no entrance requirements. Suggestions appreciated.
Dr. Wilkinson: I have actually had them do the "hiring" and give them resumes and have them tell me which ones they would interview. This is an eye opener for them.
Andrea: Hi Dr. Wilkinson, this is an excellent idea. I could see where students would find this to be a real eye opener!
Melissa: I accomplish this through chat room help sessions, bonus opportunities for essays, discussion boards, etc.
Andrea: Hi Melissa, this is a good idea. Do you find it difficult to reach high school students in the learning process? I instruct college students and find live chat sessions are a good way in assisting students to grasp information better.
As a professor, one of the highest priorities is to assist students improve in reading, writing and communication skills. To assist students, I send them to learning labs such as the English Learning Lab, APA Style Lab and course tutoring lab. In addition, I provide formative feedback within weekly grades pointing out how to improve in reading, writing and communication. All of these areas are so important when taking online courses.
I typically provide concrete feedback on writing assignments and posts. I provide the students with references and examples regarding how to properly cite a reference and a list of common grammatical errors. I also provide the students with a sample paper so they can gain an understanding of what I expect as an instructor. After each week, I will provide feedback to the students to let them know what they are doing well and what areas of opportunities they have with regards to written content.
One thing I've noticed is that I see more participation in forums if I provide more opportunities to reply. Sometimes the primary subject of an assignment just does not provide sufficient motivation because a student may have trouble thinking of something that they think is worth saying.
You folks do that here at CEE -- you post lots of topics, and other participants add even more. This provides students who come along later, like myself, with more opportunities to reply.
These opportunities in turn lead to better communication skills because they better motivate the learner.
I endeavor to communication to students in various ways. I post all announcements including the course requirements in the classroom before the start of class. I hold two synchronous chats twice per week. I hold one to one office hour every week. I use emails, post messages under the shared space where all students can access shared resources. I have created a Q&A discussion forum to help students ask questions. I post responses on the forum so that other students can read them. I provide individualized feedback/comments when grading students’ work. It is important that my communication is clear, focused, complete, and concise. Communication with my students is professional, consistent, error-free, and I avoid/minimize texting or instant messaging (IM) language. When responding to students I address them with their first names and I remain respectful, timely (24 hours window), and I like to get their feedback to ensure that the communication is both ways. I am a role model to my students by encouraging them to read, write, and communicate effectively.
I normally post encourage students to email their first draft paper. I read and make comments and return it with my comments. I review the text that is assigned for reading, write questions, read, recite, and revise their content based on the earlier questions. I have provided grading rubric that include the number of words that I expect from their discussions and individual papers. I have stated the requirement for three or more days for discussions and their content must be formatted in APA writing format. Communication is through email, instant message, synchronous live chat chats and presentations.
Thanks, Tom
