Knowing Your Audience
When writing text for others to read, try and write directly to your audience.
Donald,
This is so true. Confusion can happen quickly so we as instructors need to be ahead of the game.
Shelly Crider
I think an understanding an audience, it is important to not make any assumptions about an audience. I believe in the principle of keeping it simple, where I put the word stupid at the end. I really believe that simplicity is difficult to achieve but must be strive for otherwise all what one gets his confusion. Understanding the audience is essential to making a course simple.
Agnes,
Indeed this is so true. We do need to connect with students and they look to us for real life stories!
Shelly Crider
It is important to know your audience so that you can adjust your teaching methods accordingly.
Teaching at LCB I enjoy my students because I share their passion for food. This way, having something in common is a great bridge to build rapport with students.
Thomas,
This is a very true statement. Teaching an online class and knowing that you have 75% of your class over the age of 40, will lead you to communicate a little more often to enhance the confidence level.
Shelly Crider
James, it certainly is!! however in an asynchronous it is often difficult to access a student learning behavior, unless you are really engaging the student, which we should be doing anyway. :)
It is essential to know one's audience when teaching online and for this reason, it is helpful to give students an opportunity to introduce themselves, their backgrounds and their professional career goals. Furthermore, it is helpful to know where a student stands in their curriculum, meaning how far he or she has progressed in a particular course of study.
In this way, it is very helpful to customize questions based on the student's academic and intellectual level to further his or her learning.
James ,
One of the very first rules of giving a good speech is knowing your audience. We need to know our audience whenever possible!
Shelly Crider
Knowing the audience is, I believe, the paramount requirement to maximize engagement. At best, since it is based on perception, it can be a challenge.
Eston,
Great point as it brings a better connection to the instructor and the student if we have give the feel that we are speaking right to them.
Shelly Crider
