Aside from being an organized individual, what characteristics do you think determine an effective Online Instructor?

Any thoughts on how to get the social loafers to participate more in the Discussion Boards?

What feedback tools can an instructor use so that a student does not take a critique personal?

I have found a dramatic increase in Discussion Board participation when I call a student, introduce myself (before the course starts)and get a little personal with regards to what he wants and expects from the course. What does everyone think about giving out their personal number to students?

As an online instructor, how would you assess students' use of blogging?

As an online instructor, how do you see yourself using blogs as part of your online course?

What are the two types of guidelines that online instructors should consider when using blogs in the online classroom?

Why is a blog a good educational tool?

As an online instructor, what microblogging activities could you incorporate into your online course?

As an online instructor, how can you use microblogging to facilitate a connection between students and experts in the field?

As an online instructor, which do you believe is more important - student content development or instructor content development - when incorporating microblogging into your course?

What are the benefits of incorporating microblogging activities in an online course?

As an online instructor, how would you assess students' use of media hosting and sharing sites?

As an online instructor, how would you effectively facilitate the use of media hosting and sharing sites?

What should students understand after reading the media hosting and sharing policies?

What are a few examples of media hosting and sharing sites geared more toward education?

Why is it important for students to develop good social networking habits?

What does the "six degrees of separation" concept mean in social networking?

With any online course the learning management system used needs to be understood and navigated easily. Some schools offer brief face to face orientations, others online tutorials etc.. Not only do we need to make sure that our students have the correct software and hardware they also need to correct resources to help them navigate the course and trouble shoot any issues or problems they may have. I like using a Start Here tab which walks them through all the pertinent information needed and also walks them through the tabs and gives them a list of resources either links, phone numbers for staff at the college associated with the LMS or those tutorials or resources located within the classroom which are built-in. Students will not always be able to contact you or get a response back from you ASAP so it is helpful for them to have another source to try and even more importantly one they do not have to try and find. Ease of getting help is essential. Obviously instructor presence is important from the start and I do have different ways of establishing this however in order to make the students comfortable and feel that they have somewhere to turn if they are having technology issues helps reduce frustration especially at the start of a course. Technology frustration especially for the older students is huge and can be eased very simply.

Amazing how young adults and kids today pick up on new technological concepts and ideas so quickly. However, many young students we teach are not as savvy. Many who did not have ready access to computers often find they understand little more than surfing the web and sending a simply email without attachments. Therefore, when I encounter students in the classroom I am quick not to assume anything. I ask if they understand or know how to achieve certain tasks. Some think they know more than they do? Is there a tool the schools use or can use to assess students' technological abilities and to relay such to us? It should be a simply tool that allows us to understand what technologies students are comfortable with. If there is not one, does anyone have any suggestions?