Many times faculty expectation statements are designed for faculty as opposed to by/with faculty. This can be typical in organizations where those who administrate the process make decisions for those who actually deliver the product.
Dr. Vessel
EL 102 Forum 1
Communication is key to my online approach; you have to be available. The scary part of online learning is the personal disconnect. The idea of feeling alone is very real. The online instructor has to easy those feelings. This is done by Chats (and what and how things are discussed), emails and texts/phone calls. I make comments about students contacting through emails or phone on the chats or emails. I believe this lessens the angst about getting a hold of the instructor. “Well, if Johnny texted the instructor…I guess I can too.†The problem for the instructor, when they get that text…you need to immediately answer. The instant access is the first thing that is talked about amongst students and at the end of term surveys.
Ruby,
You are right, this information is extremely valuable to the students but they don't always read the expectations and then ask questions later that are clearly spelling out. So how do we address that. Many instructors will have one of the first assignments or quizzes in the class based on the Syllabus and course expectations. This ensures the students have to review the materials to pass the assessment and you, the instructor, have documentation that they did know this material at the beginning of the course.
Herbert Brown III
Hello Herbert,
I do provide this statement to the students but the trick is, are they going to read it. I find so many students who want read the additional information I give them on expectations for the course. I try to put myself into their place and I can see that it is hard to function in a class without teacher expectations and guidance up front. A student should want this information and those who don't, don't do well in the class.
A student should never assume they are providing the correct responses and actions for a course. If the teacher does not provide this information up front, they should ask the teacher.
Ruby Whitehead
John,
Good point on the late assignment policy. You can get in to a lot of trouble at the end of the semester with students submitting all of their work in the last couple of days. Although I try to be as flexible as I can, I do find that I have to set a FIRM policy on work and late work as you indicate. Early on in my career I did not and it was a nightmare; I learned that lesson quickly.
Herbert Brown III
I have been teaching for almost 10 years now and I have found that important elements of the faculty expectations are the grading rubric, the policy on late assignments and contact information for the instructors. As an instructor, the first priority is helping students reach the ultimate goal. How can you achieve that if you do not make yourself available to them? Identifying the policy on late assignments is a very important element because you do not want a flood of late assignments coming in the last week of the term in which you have a 72 hour turn time on final grades. The grading rubric actually supports the late assignment policy because it identifies the grading criteria.
Kyle,
Do you include any expectations for you as the instructor? For example, what should students expect from you regarding the timeliness of grading, etc. If you do include those types of elements, what do you include?
Herbert Brown III
It is very important to have a clear communication of what is expected from the class. Instructors has to respond to any questions that students have in a timely manner. Make students feel that there is a constant support available to walk them through the completion of the course. Grades has to also be submitted quickly so students know how they are doing before starting to work on their next set of assignments.
Absro
I definitely do this with all of my courses. I like to to apprise them of due dates for discussions, assignments, etc. I also like to give them tips on an easy order of study progression. I believe this helps them approach the assignments and quizzes better prepared.
John,
Should you also include expectations for yourself, the faculty member, so they know what you should be doing to make it an effective online classroom?
Herbert Brown III
I feel the important elements in a faculty statement should be ones that. A: Put forth a belief or philosophy that can give the student insight to the instructors way of thinking. B: One that explains the expectations of the students. This would be a good foundation to start from. Letting the student know exactly what you believe and expect beforehand, is the best way to head off problems before they occur.
Scott,
By setting the expectations you are in a sense establishing a contract with them. Therefore, I agree strongly with you that what you state in your expectations are non-negotiable and you as the instructor must meet your expectations as well as your students meeting theirs.
Herbert Brown III
I think any number of expectations can be set. But they need to be honest. Meaning that if you tell students that you will get back to them within 24 hours, do it. And if you can't, be honest about it. If the number is 48, say 48!
I think being up front about what the expectations are will help the student know what to expect. And if everything is going as expected, then there is no reason for the student to panic! At least in my experience.
Jason,
Do you open your courses stating that there is a lot of flexibility in submission structure and timeframes? If so, does that cause you problems with students submitting work whenever they please? I typically start out with a set structure and statements that suggest I will work with students that have extenuating circumstances, but I try not to appear too flexible as in the past this has been problematic for me.
Herbert Brown III
Expectations Statement should show a voice of help and support but really let students know that the more they communicate with me the instructor the more flexible I can become towards submission structure and time arrangements.
Douglas,
How, as a faculty member, would you show your commitment to the students specifically? Just showing the students that you take learning serious does not give them what they need to be successful. Students need to know the specifics of the course that will make the successful...every class and instructor is different. It is important for us to provide students a roadmap to success in our courses.
Herbert Brown III
It would let the students know that the faculty takes their learning seriously and show the faculty's commitment to the students.
Rakisha,
Well articulated. There are and should be expectations for both the students and the instructor so everyone knows what is expected of him or her. Clear expectations tend to reduce the number of confused students during the semester regarding the course and the its policies and procedures.
Herbert Brown III
Teaching online has unique elements that are not found in the traditional classroom. For example, in an online course a student's first encounter with the instructor is usually through reading instructor bio, course syllabus, a welcome video, and faculty expectations.
Important elements of a faculty expectations statement should be clear in reinforcing course policies and any additional policies specific to the instructor such as late assignment policy, participating in discussions, grading and feedback turnaround, etc.
When students have clarity of what the instructor expects from them their expectations for themselves is set at the beginning of the course. There is a level of trust that is being established at the beginning of the course.
Katessa,
You mention specifying the faculty member's qualifications and general information as well as general student information. What about more specifics about the course such as grading, timing, schedules, communication processes for both students and the instructor?
Herbert Brown III
