I will have to say they are consistency and clarity.
I establish my expectations (late policy, etc.) very clearly in week 1 of the course and I adhere to them. For example, I remain consistent in applying the late policy throughout the course.
Chanda Ghose
When establishing a pattern of communication, one shoudl consider the best way for the student to communicate. Maybe a student understands a bit more when speaking with you over the phone, for example. Other students may do well with quick email questions or texting.
In addition, students should be aware of when you will be available to them. when this is made clear--students will feel comfortable coming to you with issues and there will be less problems overall.
I believe the following are the two most important things to consider:
1) being as clear as possible at the outset of your course and
2) setting a good example for your students to follow your lead. With these two traits established at the beginning, the lines of communication between the instructor and student should be open and well respected.
Marie and Krista,
Thanks for continuing the conversation. Students need to know what is expected of them and policy and procedures that are appropriate and in place should be beneficial to all students.
Thanks for your input.
MARIE and Simone,
It's great when we find others who have similar experiences. We can learn from then as they may do things a bit differently. Tone is something we have to be very careful with. You bring up a good point. Thanks!
MARIE,
Clear and consistent communication benefits everyone. Keep up the good work to engage your students and model respectful behavior.
Nice job.
Hello Krista,
Having a policy and procedure in place is extremely important. Although, I post the policy about the use of proper netiquette, I still have student who simply don't bother to read it. I think with today's technology and the use of text language or lingo is really affecting the proper way of communicating; especially the younger generation.
Ms. Osuna
Hello Simone,
I have experience the same too. I did not realize that my tone was a little harsh when a student brought it to my attention. I did in fact apologize to the student and thank her for bringing it to my attention.
Marie Osuna
As an instructor, I believe the two most important pattern of communication is to have a clear and detailed tone when communicating with online students. Instructors should also take the lead in a professional manner. The second is visibility- I believe instructor should be visible and engage in the classroom. If instructors expect their students to be respectful, polite fair and consistent, so should they.
Marie Osuna
Melissa,
Each set of students we get in a class are different. It's good to get to know your students and figure out the best way to deliver the necessary content.
Thanks for your input!
The first thing I consider when establishing a pattern of communication is the type of student I will be working with. Different types of students have different trends of accessing course content and also different levels of understanding online communing. I consider the type of student and the common needs of such student.
Another thing I consider is the nature/content of the course. Some courses naturally lead to more questions posed by students. In such classes I am apt to check modes of communication more frequently than in courses where questions are not as common. ~Melissa
Tyson,
Your are right in that genuine kindness is a good characteristic to have. The constructive criticism given from such a person seems to be more readily grasped by students. Thanks for your input.
Don ,
Course expectations must be clear so that the students understand exactly what they need to do to achieve the learning outcomes. I love integrating research/citing of sources with a discussion board. Nice job.
Jenifer,
Love the "C" words: Clear, Consistent, Communication, etc. Thanks for bringing them up again and again and again.
Thanks for your input.
Jenifer,
Clear is the key word. Students need to know what they need to know/do, when they need to do it and how they will be assessed. Good point.
Thanks for your input.
I think the two most important things in establishing communication is modeling the behavior and kindness. I think genuine kindness helps with all comunication because it opens up trust and encourages people to communicate thoughts. It also protects from misunderstandings when someone believes what you say is out of kindness even if the words on the page may not seem like it.
Within the syllabus or as an addendum clearly define course expecations within the on-line class. For example, responses in the discussion board must be based on facts not opinions. Perhaps, having students cite where they found the information is a good first step. This way there will be no crowding of uninformed opinions.
Indeed indeed. Clear and consistent...I think we can use these two in almost EVERY avenue of education: going back to course design, communication, curriculum... (oh, heck those were 3 more Cs)
Establishing a clear set of expectations, both for the instructor and students, is paramount:
1. When can students expect a response/feedback from the instructor, in what format, in what venue
2. How are students expected to communicate with instructor, class both venue and in what detail/grammar, etc.
Rashunda,
Constructive and ongoing are the key terms. I like also that you discussed I2S, S2S, and S2I. All are vital components to the communcication process.
Thanks for your input.
