Amanda,
I agree with your post for sure. And, that consistency comes with good guidelines. Nice job.
Elivett,
It is important to note that we, as instructors, are the role models. We have to make sure we are setting the proper tone. Thanks!
Brandon,
Thanks for your input. It's so important to emphasize respect and to be available to your students. Nice job.
Beth,
Right on! Those expectations come from communicating the learning outcomes clearly and timeliness in your communication, feedback, etc. is important. Thank you.
The two most important items to consider for a pattern of communication are:
1. Establishing expectations. Letting the students know what is expected of them and what they can expect of you is helpful in setting standards of interaction.This includes- agreeing to disagree, polite, professional and respectful communication to everyone on the board and proper spelling and grammar to articulate your message.
2. Timeliness. It is imperative for students and the instructor to participate and to do so in a timely way. When the instructor can respond to a comment or post a topic for conversation, or students become engaged in an interesting discussion, energy and enthusiasm can be generated by demonstrating that "someone is watching and listening". Students and instructors are equally able to contribute by being present and commenting in thoughtful ways. (And a few jokes don't hurt either.) Another aspect of timeliness is to use current examples or situations to support concepts or commentary that are being discussed.
Hello,
When establishing a pattern of communication, the two most important things to consider are consistency and guidelines. When you are communicating with students, they need to know that you are consistent with feedback and general participation. Knowing what to expect helps them to feel at ease in the class. Giving guidelines is crucial because this sets the pattern for the entire course, so students know what to expect and can accomplish their assignments accordingly. If they know this up front, there won't be problems and confusion later.
Amanda
Dr. Crews,
Establishing a pattern of communication, there are a couple of things to consider that the lecture taught us. For example, frequent communication and consistency are good establishments for touching bases with the learner. If a student is known to be 'at risk' (i.e. has repeated the course before), having a consistent communication, such as weekly emails, or meeting with the student due to not submitting an assignment, and frequent (such as calling the student twice a week). It is important to establish a pattern so that the student understand their expectations for the course and have feedback.
Cheers
Emry
1. Setting the standard- so for example, tone and expectation
2. Making sure everyone is respectful of one another
The two most important things to consider when establishing a pattern of communication are:
(1) Timeliness and availability -
It is important for the instructor in an online environment to make himself as readily available and accessible to the students as much as possible to help ensure high levels of student engagement and encouragement. Also, the instructor should always strive to respond to student questions and concerns as quickly as possible (within 24 hours) so that any information or misconceptions may be clarified and students can continue moving forward within the course.
(2) Respect and civility -
It is important for the instructor to establish a culture for respect and civility within the online learning environment to help ensure that each student feels comfortable in expressing his or her thoughts and ideas on the subject matter and the weekly discussion topics.
Zakaria,
You are right. There are so many things to consider. Thanks for your list and informative post.
When establishing a pattern of communication, there several to things to consider, but if I am only to talk about two, I believe are the two most important things to consider are ongoing communication and Formative feedback.
An ongoing communication gets everyone pulling in the same direction and enables instructors to good opportunity to motivate students’ participations in the class. Effective ongoing communication can benefit students as well as instructors, where occasional communication may results in fading participation, and or students' disappointment. Therefore, creating a sustainable strategy to communicate all key points to the students would be a key to good communication. It is human nature that people want to be well informed, and that becomes more important in any learning environment.
Formative feedback: A we all know, feedback used in online educational contexts is generally regarded by many educators as crucial to improving knowledge and students’ achievement. In my years of experience, I can see that in addition to its influence on achievement, formative feedback is also a significant factor in motivating learning, where Information within the feedback may address the accuracy of students’ work or completed task, and could in some cases touch on particular errors, mistakes and or incomplete points.
Zak Saleh
Berrie,
Right on! Time and response are key elements. Thanks for your input in this forum.
Richard,
Nice job. These things will help you develop that "pattern" which is our goal. Thank you.
Nicole,
Pattern is the key. We have to be consistent and continue to communicate to develop that pattern.
George,
Yes, making the communication clear is important and when you match that up with being respectful, even better. Nice job.
When establishing a pattern of communication, what do you believe are the two most important things to consider and why?
I think formative feedback and praising are important. Each week we are performing discussions, grading, and answering questions. I want my students to know what they need to improve on but praise them for what they do right. I remember having instructors that always told me what I was doing wrong but never encouraged me and explained what I was doing right. This can be discouraging to students to the point of giving up. My student demographic usually consist of students who don’t have many people who encourage them, so these two are on my top list. I want to teach them but provide praise at the same time. Great question!!!
Two things that are very important to consider is time and response.
Time from the standpoint of the instructor as well as the student. We must establish when and how it will take the instructor to respond to requests and we must establish with the students when the instructor will be available for response. This is important to me because I have had to reiterate to students that I am not available all day to "reset" this or that assignment. Just as their schedule varies so does mine and a mutual respect for our everyday lives make the online experience beneficial for both of us.
Responding to the students request is important to helping them maneuver in the online setting. Vice Versa, having the students respond to the instructor gives them the ability to adjust the learning process to improve the students understanding.
Michelle,
Right on! You have mentioned some great "C" words. And, it is good to show that concern to the students. Thanks!
I think that some important things to consider when establishing communication is to make sure it is clear and respectful. I think when we have that happy place both the instructor and the student are successful. I also think that the instructor should be very consistent with checking and responding to emails, be visible in discussions, and provide good feedback on assignments.
Greetings,
I would like to relate this answer to communication in an online environment.
When establishing a pattern of communication I think it is essential to:
-Consider varying needs (such as time zones, media, and availability). Online students are made up of a variety of students who have varying life challenges.
- Communication often and concisely (this is two for one)! The online environment can be a lonely place at times. Even if instructors only pop in to say hello, it demonstrates concern for student learning and progression.
