Facilitating vs. Burn-out
When does the facilitating end and the effort on the part of students begin? Can we over-facilitate so that we are the ones doing most of the communicating and encouraging? We need to be sure students understand the expectations that responsibility and commitment involve, and we need to encourage students who try to draw out and help others in discussions, etc. Otherwise, it is easy to burnout.
Troy,
You need to set your workload. In the syllabus, articulate your policies on when you will answer emails during the week and during the weekend. Don't add hours to your synchronous time, rotate them throughout the week to meet the needs of students who are in different time zones. You need to hold yourself and your students to your policy.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
How would an instructor know when they are overfacilitating? What are examples of some guidelines that can be set in place to avoid overfacilitating for synchronous and asynchronous courses? This is sometimes a problem for me in a synchronous course that I teach.
John,
That is true. It is the hope of the instructor that the students become so engaged that they drive the dialogue.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
June - good points - I think our job is to keep students engaged and help them to make sure they are creating effective dialogue with each other. John
Sharon,
How do you do that? What are the guidelines you use regarding communicating to your students?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
One of the first things I try to communicate to my students is they have to want thier education more than I do.
William,
You are right. Balancing workload and being proactive regarding this is so important.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Jesse,
I think it is the idea of trying to be all things to all people--if an instructor takes on too much, then he/she will burn out. An instructor must know his/her limits and this can be a hard thing to figure out sometimes. I know I used to check my email constantly, but now I only check it about four times a day--this way I am not constantly thinking about it. I still am able to respond to my students in a timely manner but without so much stress on myself.
Josh Cramer
Kim,
Great techniques! It is important to develop those guidelines.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Jesse,
Interesting answer about students burn out I haven't really thought about it.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree! If we do not set up paramaters in the beginning it is easy for students to take advantage of the instructor and the balance can be lost.
I hold office hours to answer questions and if a student cannot attend the virtual office hours, I will set up an appointment to address their questions.
Kim
Yes, Agree! Instructors and/or facilitators need to know and understand that expectations are set for a reason. And if instructors do not follow the expectations set on the students then it is very easy to do too much and get burned out.
June,
Well said! Yes you are right. Students have the MAJORITY of the responsibility in the learning and engagement. Expectations should include consequences when not met.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
