The key to a student feeling engaged
Having taken an online course before, I felt more engaged in the online class when my instructor responded to a post that I had written. Even the smallest response from the instructor made me feel a part of the class.
When i saw other students posts commented on and not mine, it made me feel less a part of the class.
My plan is to try to respond to as many students even in the smallest way to let them know that I hear them and notice and acknowledge their participation and hard work.
Patricia,
Building that sense of community in your learners is vital to their success and motivation in the courses. If you can make then feel a part of the learning experience and you as the instructor they will be much more motivated in the course.
Herbert Brown III
You are so right. I was an online student as well and the instructor responses even if they were just a comment, made me feel part of the group. I make a conscious effort to respond to all students at least once for each topic, and I email them when they did not meet their DB for the week, so they know I'm paying attention.
Cathleen,
That can be a difficult process. You engage the students that are most active and are really engaged in the content and sometimes we forget to engage the less active students. I am guilty of that. The only way to combat that behavior is to make a concerted effort to connect with each student and try to encourage them to a higher level.
Herbert Brown III
Sometimes I find myself responding to the same students each week because their responses enhance the discussion so well. But I do try to make a conscious effort to involve the other students who often submit less insightful answers.
Making online students feel that they are an active member of the class is crucial for success in an online course. Students are apt to not be engaged in the class if they believe no one notices!
Doreen,
You make a good point here. The feeling of the instructor presence in the course is very important. Typically that feeling is tied directly to the feedback provided by the instructor and provided in a timely manner.
Herbert Brown III
