It is very important to learn what is the best approach in teaching students or graduates. There are challenges but if you can eliminate communication can help the process a lot easier.
I think my main takeaway is creating clear expectations by providing examples of what's expected. Anytime you can eliminate frustration that will enhance the learning process. And from a teaching standpoint, the less complications I have to deal with, the more time I have for teaching and instructing.
Closed loop communcation is important in an online learning enviroment.
Communication is very important and as an instructor it is important to provide quick responses and reminders throughout the term to ensure the students are maintaining the pace of the class.
Feedback is very important to both parties to evolve and succed as a learner and as an educator.
I love discussion boards -- class discussions are my favorite part of teaching. This unit had some helpful tips for facilitating community and conversation; but, I think one of the most valuable aspects of the unit was the idea that courses are constantly being evaluated and improved upon. I think that's key to an effective course and every time I teach a course, what happens in the discussions and other assignments reveal the strengths and weaknesses of that assignment. I can use this new knowledge to build upon the information I give to students to help them succeed. I can use this information to see what information discussions typically leave out that I feel is important, so that I can steer the discussion in that area. I think it is important for instructors to constantly view each session of a class as a learning experience for them as well as for their students.
Nancy Tosh
I will offer better communication for better understanding and learning.
The importance of timely feedback
To be a good facilitator you must have a sound strategy to encourage communication between students , timely response to online issues, evaluation of course material and " wear many shoes"
As an online instructor, there are a lot of important things we need to do- communicate with the students, foster a student-centered environment, provide meaningful feedback, and helping students critically think.
Organizing the material is necessary so that there is structure, direction and clear expectations. And within the organized material there needs to be an appreciation for the dynamic learning environmet to connect with the learners and allow for personal relevations.
Even after the course is completed and imlemented, is remains highly important to keep reviewing it for content from a holistic lense. It is the only way to ensure we are facilitating the students' learning environment as well as the teaching environment.
It can be a challenge when sending out text messages to students in an online format. Body language and other nonverbal cues are not present so you must be sure to convey your message in a positive but clear way.
Feedback is vital to the success of an online course, without it the learner is living in a vacuum with no real direction or vision of how they are progressing through the course.
I learned to pay close attention to ensure the intended messages sent via email aren't misinterpreted.
Keeping students engaged, while setting specific expectations and ensuring a safe enviornment can be a delicate balance. Positive communication, providing specific direction and honest feedback is essential.
Feedback is an important part of a good communication.
Shouldn't we have been using a facilitation of learning, facilitation of students all along, even before going online with teaching/learning?
In this module we learned that there is much more to teaching than just teaching. We need to engage with our students on many different levels to ensure they are getting the most out of the class, also so they know that we care that they succeed. We play many rolls such as administrator, technology helper, and a social administrator.
Student engagement is essential to the sucess of the student in acheuivibng learning outcomes. Instructors/facilitators need to be creative in engaging students.
Cheryl
