On the Announcement Page
When our students login to their class the first thing they see is the announcement page. On the announcement page they see information they need regarding the guideline on the conduct of our school and how to communicate with instructor and classmates. We post tip for success on how to succeed in our online environment to help our students.
Dania,
Yes, the announcements can be used for "blanket" information, but there are so many other communication opportunities we can take advantage of. Thanks!
I agree, Breezy. While the announcement page is helpful at the outset of the course, other announcements sometimes benefit from a class email just in case to ensure the students know if there is a change in scheduled live chat times or as the course nears the end of the term.
Sean ,
The announcement page sets the stage many times for the class, assignment or whatever is being announced. Thanks!
The announcement page is a very important integral component of an online course. The design of an online platform is designed based upon organized modules and within those modules are several packets of information for which students are expected access, and review to accomplish specific goals. Highlights of the most important information should be included for ease of access. The limitation of the organization, LOL, is that there are more places to search for information than unfortunately a student is willing, or simply fails to access. So by highlighting on the announcement page we can assure a better access rate to capture their attention as necessary.
Breezy,
Yes, the announcement page is a great place to start the conversation. The syllabus is also a key component of the communication process. Thanks!
The announcement page is a great place to start the first line of communication between the students and the instructor. As an online instructor I found that the majority of my students rely very heavily on the announcement page because some students do not check their email on regular bases. Also, I feel that it’s also important to also email the students what’s on the announcement page just as a backup plan. On the announcement page it’s also very important to place your contact information so that the students can contact you if they have a question about the course.
Sharon ,
Great! Reviewing your guidelines is a great thing to do. We need to review everything as we go along - just in case.
Thanks!
Our college also includes policy statements on the course syllabus. That helps and leaves me the opportunity to post specific guidelines regarding communication and behavior.
Fortunately in the 8 years that I have been teaching online I have not had one student cross the line in any post. In fact their peer posts are often very supportive. I'm going to be positive and trust that an issue won't happen in the future. But after studying this unit I'm going to conduct a self-audit and see what else I can do to shore up the guidelines.
Mary,
The announcements page can be very beneficial to all students in the course. The more the log in, the more they will be reminded of important tasks. Thanks!
