In the past I have used welcome calls as a way to develop an initial connection and contact with my students. I have had both positive and negative feedback and reactions to these calls. I find that it can be an effective tool, but it can also be very time consuming depending on class size and if contact is made- the amount of questions a student may have. It also allows the students to have a voice to put with a name. Overall, I found it to be an effective tool and still use it from time to time. Jorell Lawrence

A scoring rubric is an attempt to communicate expectations of quality around a task. It communicates the “rules to a game and how the game should be played” A well designed rubric can inspire students to rise to the occasion consistently and minimize misunderstanding, frustration, and unnecessary time and effort to complete any assignment(s).

Teaching an online course could pose a serious challenge if students in the course are from different generation group; however, the learning process could be enhanced and students learning outcomes improved if the course can be designed in a way that encourage students from different generation to collaborate as often as possible. No one generation has monopoly to knowledge; each generation is capable of teaching and learning from other generations.

Communication is the foundation to any successful relationship(s)—professional or personal. Good and effective communication promotes learning and student engagement. Poor and ineffective communication creates "noise", distraction, and make online learning uninteresting.

In order for communication technology to facilitate learning and encourage maximum participation of students, there must be 24/7 support to make sure that any student's communication technology concerns are addressed immediately.

How do you tell your students to manage their time for their courses? Is it effective? What success rates have you found?

In the online environment, I find that group projects are a challenge. Students already have individual schedule and trying to get them to works as a team is hard. Therefore, I do my best to keep projects simple and to the point. Large projects lead to low participation and lower grades.

I find that my students have a huge issue with time management and creating a school/personal life balance. They often ask for extension because they cannot turn assignments in on time. I have created a calendar for my students that tends to help them tremendously. What have you done for your students that has been beneficial?

Rubrics have made the grading process easier but students clearly understanding why they received a grade is the true victory. I provide rubrics prior to an assignment deadline so students clearly see what is expected and how to achieve it.

I am an older student(Gen-X)who attends college with Gen-Y and has baby boomers for Professors. This combination of individuals also exists in the classes I teach. It is true that understanding the way each group communicates in general is a great help. Instructors have to get them to see how much they can learn from one another versus what each group is lacking.

When clear expectations and consequences for not meeting expectations are spelled out in the syllabus, students succeed better. It is also crucial the instructor rules by example, when the teacher follows the rules enforcing the rules is easier.

Students are not very forgiving when equipment or technology tools do not work. They are even more aggravated when a tool takes up more time than it saves. Another issue is technology that is not understood by a majority of the class. These are issues that must be worked out quickly or you may lose the focus of your students.

Hello For those of you that have implemented any of these tools in your course room, do you have any student feedback that you are willing to share? For example, I'm curious which tool seems to work the best. I realize it would vary based on need. However, I am wondering if a tool stands out as a top favorite with the students. Thank you Michele

Are there any tools and/or websites that allow you to create and take polls besides Twitter? I vaguely recall hearing about Instructors asking polling questions to their students and the students responding by text. I'm curious to see if this is similar to Twitter? Thank you Michele

I'm curious about using Blogs in the course room. I understand a Blog is an online journal. Is a Blog something that multiple people can access and share information? Or, is a Blog something that only one person updates? Thank you Michele

Hi I have a question regarding using Facebook as an online tool. I'll admit, I am not that familiar with Facebook. Is there any concern that the instructor may have access to the students personal information i.e. personal Facebook account? Thank you Michele

The role of the rubric is to properly assess how a person has done. It should clearly define the expectations and also any potential deficiencies that may be there. It is like an evaluation of the work. It is important that the rubric be known in advance of completing the work so that the expectations are clearly defined and specific. Sharon

It is important to understand generational roles because each generation has their own way of communicating. Some are more in to technology and others prefer not to use technology at all and they may even resent technology. It is also very important to understand the differences in how they do things because you can have a diverse group of people in the classroom that comes from many different generational times. One must be open minded and respectful of the differences that can occur. Sharon

The two most important considerations when developing a pattern of communication would be ensuring the communication is effective for all and also looking at the desired end result and then designing how to achieve it. Communication is no good without it being effective and effectively communicating is the key to success in all parts of our lives. We can model this to our students and then it will help the desired results of overall effective communication. Sharon

It is essential to create opportunities for students to communicate together in the online environment. Discussion threads are a great way to start. It is also good to encourage students to network and build a rapport with each other while in the online environment, many of them will be in the same classes together at different opportunities. When designing their communication opportunities, be especially concerned with: 1. The overall goal and objectives 2. How often communication needs to occur 3. Specific guidelines for expectations of the communication for and with each other. Considering these different areas to cover will assist a person in correctly designing the online communication that is wished to achieve and the students might even enjoy the overall process. Sharon