I keep the responses short but informative. I try to spawn the student's thinking by posing a question and providing links to websites during the discussion boards and collaboration. I also create a thread myself to help students with understanding what I am looking for in a thread.
Robert,
I like the "no right answer" technique. This helps students be able to defend what they say and do. This is an important technique to learn.
Thanks!
Several methods I use are,
Calling groups for projects committees rather than 'groups' and describing them as hospital committees working on a critical project.
Connecting a student's DB post with another student post as in 'did you notice how xxx post relates to your comments?'
I provide extra short 30 minute chat sessions to talk about student aspirations and items from their education or professional day. And I add mine comments with questions of 'what would you do'? Non judgmental and no right answer. I've learned from student feedback that this bit of extra time is very motivating for them.
All of this takes little time but is meaningful to my students.
Jennifer ,
I LOVE YOUR POST!!!! What great idea to minimize the technology and maximize the humanity. Don't you think that is the secret of online ed?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
On the classroom discussion board I set up a couple of threads that students seem to respond to. One thread is called “ Virtual Cookout, come on in!â€. Below, is the text I use on that DB thread (along with three pictures I cut and paste of yummy foods).
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Spring is here, and I thought a “virtual cookout†might be a fun way to get acquainted! I took the liberty of bringing the BBQ sandwiches, veggies and lemonade. Since I have provided the virtual food, I am hoping you can provide the conversation ïŠ
I encourage you to post a reply to this thread and share with us the following:
- What do you like best about where you live?
- What do you hope to get from this course?
- What are your future plans? What are your goals upon receiving your degree?
- What do you like to do in your “free timeâ€
I will start and then pour myself some lemonade while I listen to what each of you has to share….
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A 2nd thread I set up is to encourage student-to-student problem solving and collaboration. That thread is labeled “Real World Connection Caféâ€. The verbiage on that thread is:
I have established this "Real World Connection Cafe" to provide a means for you all to share ideas on some of the "real world" workplace challenges you are facing. As we move through this course we will consider challenges in keeping employees motivated, leadership issues, communication issues, etc. I love to tie real world experiences into our chats but this provides another means to share ideas and network with each other. I will do my best to check in occasionally, to see if I can offer any insight too. But I would love to see this be a peer-to-peer forum. Hope you find this beneficial! :)
I find that students become engaged in these threads and it enhances the student to student collaboration.
Miriam,
I tell students not to email me but post their questions on the discussion board so that all can benefit from the question and answer. That helps reduce my email overload.
Thanks!
A good strategy is to pool similar emails. I sometimes post class emails as a response to a question or concern, which seems to reoccur. I feel that if one student has a question or concern, then probably other students do as well.
Theresa,
K.I.S.S. is a good theory. It helps the students and instructors many times break things down into simple steps. Thanks!
I like the kiss theory and also have some standard supplements that I use. Having published many papers I have a lot of my own resources. However I think the instructor has to set the tone for the course and should be the most engaged person on the discussion boards....
Theresa
Dave,
You say it well. Keep is Simple Silly - KISS.
Nice job.
No question is stupid. Keep things short and simple so that a nine year-old may understand. Two plus heads are always better than one. You can never not overly communicate, i.e., communicate early and often. Collaboration is always a win-win strategy...don't be timid in delegating tasks and getting second opinions.
