Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Hi Brian, we do the same thing in our discussions. The goal of faculty interactions is to help students reach the intended outcomes of the discussion, so they use a variety of strategies to stretch the student's thinking. Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Providing Feedback

Hi William, I think that your strategy of having the student discuss why he evaluated himself the way he did! The second scenario requires motivation strategies; however, the student will probably not know how to restore her motivation, so you will need to provide her the encouragement. I would suggest complementing her on her tenacity to stay in the course even when she is struggling and let her know that you are there to support her and encourage her to not be afraid to reach out to you. I would also send an email before the next assignment and check… >>>

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Instructor Presence

Hi Michelle, we are implementing a learning lab this quarter to see if we can help students who are sitting on the sidelines engage. The fear is that the students you describe will be the ones that don't attend the lab! Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio

Hi William, we limit the number of discussions by unit, so it makes it more manageable for learners. Larger classes require different interaction strategies, so we use weaving and summarizing to make sure that faculty are present in the discussions but not interacting with 30 students! Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Providing Feedback

Hi Eva, yes, I agree, Kathy may be at risk of dropping out, so it's important to help her feel that she can be successful! Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Faculty Expectations

Hi Eva, yes, I agree that the first courses are critical; however, we also don't want to set the students expectations high in the first course they take and then as they progress through their program of study, they find there isn't the same level of attention, details, and patience. Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Instructor Presence

Yes, it sounds all too familiar! In our end of course evaluations there is a trend of students making comments that they are working full time and have families and can't take on the same workload as a traditional student. Unfortunately, that's not the way it works! Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

The Optimal Online Student-Instructor Ratio

Hi Michelle, we have found 15:1 to be a good ratio also. In the first course students take we have higher enrollments because of the number of dropouts. Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

The Responsibilities of Teaching Online

Hi Christina, you make a great point! We have been trying to do more synchronous meetings to present information and allow students to ask questions. Tina

Tina Stavredes

Discussion Comment

Engaging Learners in Discussion

Hi Kimberly, I am very impressed with the time you take with your students to ensure they are engaged and learning!! Tina