1. communication of what the student is not understanding within the core content.
2. providing the missing link of the picture drawn in front of them.
Mark,
You are right. You have to make sure you are consistent, frequent, and meaningful. Although students are responsible you have to really make it your responsibility to keep working to reach all students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Roshawna,
True, but how do you establish a teaching pattern in an online environment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
When establishing a pattern of teaching, especially in an online course, the two most important things to consider are frequent and adequate feedback and very clear communication of instructions and expectations. Whether the course is more self-paced or mostly synchronous, it is vital that students can communicate with the instructor regularly to get their questions answered and receive feedback on their performance. Equally important is the informational infrastructure that teachers deliver so that students know what to do, when to do it, and what the expectations are. With these two bases covered, the students will be on the way toward a successful learning experience.
- Mark W.
Audrey,
Yes it is about providing information and engaging with students. You are right, they are the most important items to consider; in any teaching environment. m
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
The audience and the information being presented is important.
If a pattern of teaching is how an instructor provides information to the students in the classroom that eventually become obvious, the two most important things to consider are:
1. repetition;
2. consistancy.
Dr. Christopher,
Yes, I do think as educators we have to be flexible regardless of the delivery method. You want to make sure they understand. You may have to go act learning from another way.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Dr. Christopher,
Thank you for sharing your experiences. Don't you think this is hard to learn for a new instructor? I too like to "wean" students off me and begin taking responsibility for their work. It is really so rewarding to see.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Would it also be important to have a little flexibility so that if a student is misunderstanding, or proving they understand the material in non-traditional means that they do not get discouraged?
-Chris
1. Your students needs
2. Your course requirements.
For example if I am teaching a trades program and my students need hands-on practice on electrical skills I adjust my pattern of teaching to cut back on my lectures, make them briefer and give the students more hands-on time. While that example is for an F2F course the same applies to online.
If I am teaching a Freshman Technical Communications class and I find that my students need more time to work on assignments I may cut back a little on lecture or even discussion responses. One of my "patterns of teaching" for one course I teach is that I am very active in the discussions for the first 4 weeks of a course. Then, as the course goes on and the students begin to adjust to the requirements I back off. At the end of the course I am more a mentor than an active facilitator as the students do a good job of running the discussions on their own.
Sean,
You make a great point. It is our responsibility to provide the dots so students can connect. We complain that we can't read students' minds well they can't ours! :)
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Quality of communication and information. What is expected by the instructor and what the students can expect need to be communicated clearly. It's the responsibility of the instructor to properly inform.
Assignments, rubrics, scaffolds, and the like need to be clear and informative as well.
Once these two items become a routine they become a pattern of how the instructor teaches.
Erica,
You are right. Both communication and consistency are important to the success of a students. With consistency and frequent communication comes comfort and familiarity
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
When establishing a pattern of teaching, the two most important things to consider are communication and consistency. I say communication first because in on-line environments, especially, effective communication is crucial in student's success. Students must always understand the instructor's intended message if they are to perform to fulfill the expectations of the course. Next, it is important for instructors to develop guidelines that are consistent for all assignments and all students. Consistency offers protection for the instructor, but also, consistency promotes students' success.
Amgad,
True, what do you think may be the most important part of the pattern.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Components in an effective pattern of teaching include:
learning outcomes
communication
centralized location
content delivery
assignment submission
question and answer
Katherine,
True, you have to establish consistency regarding the question and answer pieces to develop the expectations of students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I believe the content delivery and the question and answer pieces are the most important because understanding what is expected and being able to clarify the requirements is crucial to a successful outcome.
John,
True, how do you ensure students are retaining the info? What would you look for?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
