Arijana ,
Yes, the pattern for communication is essential. Keep up the good work!
When establishing pattern of communication most important things to consider are ..
1 Expectations- always very important for students to know what are they expected to do, how much material, timeline, when and if they are going to graded and when and if they are going to receive feedback. Reason is that only if they know what they are expected to do we can hope for them to be successful
2. Feedback- Everybody needs feedback. They need to know they will get it and when and in what format. Only getting good feedback will actually assure that students are learning and actually improving if it is needed.
Trista,
Yes, a couple of the key "C" words - clear and consistent. Student must understand how and why to communicate. Thanks for your input on this forum.
Kimberly,
Consistency and timeliness are essential. It's important to tell students when you check email, etc. and when you'll have feedback to them (i.e., within 24 hours, etc.). Thanks!
William,
Communication is so important and you have provided good detail about what to think about. Knowing your material and objectives and using appropriate communication tools is essential. Thanks for your input.
Clarity and consistency are the two most important elements when establishing a pattern of communication with students.
By way of clarity, I2S messages must not be subject to interpretation. Students must clearly discern the instructor's purpose and intention from any message sent.
By way of consistency, students look for instructor comments to DB posts, grading assessment comments, and responses to e-mails every time and in a timely fashion. Students also expect those communications to match the code of conduct guidelines established in the classroom.
I have found that when establishing a pattern of communication the two most important things to consider are first to outline timeliness and second encourage consistency. For example, how often I check e-mails, discussion boards etc. and how often I expect students to do the same. In relation to consistency I hold myself accountable by leading by example and hold students accountable via reminders and rubrics/grading.
The two most important things to consider when establishing a pattern of communication is:
- What type of communication tools am I going to use in the course? Because this will determine what should be included in the communication code of conduct. For every mode of communication there must be something established within the code of conduct.
- The given course and the material/topics you will be presenting and the students learning. I feel different subjects require different approaches and are can be learned with different tools. You need to know what your objectives are in order to know what patterns of communication you might want to establish.
William Huber
Steven,
I bet if we went back through the posts, we would find the words consistent and clear often. The are excellent ways to serve as a great role model.
Consistency and clarity have worked very well in my classes, whether in a physical classroom or when communicating through "electrons". I try to always set the example and most of the students tend to follow that lead. Those that do not are usually "herded" along by their classmates, and if not, I can follow up with the few exceptions individually.
Christi,
Tone for the overall course and communication are essential. I agree there is a fine line on how much personal information should be shared. Thanks for your input.
I believe that setting the tone for what's acceptable is key to how students interact with each other. For example, this would include words to avoid and typing in all caps. Explaining how these things are conveyed by the reader is very important to how a reply can be perceived. I also think that it is important to set expectations regarding how much personal information is acceptable when communicating in an online learning environment. I have found that when students and instructors share personal information that is not relevant to the course topic, it can cause the class discussion to derail from the topic of learning that should be discussed.
John,
RESPECT - reminds me of a song, but it's so true and so important. Thanks!
John,
We lead by example. We, as instructors, can be the best or worst examples. Keep pushing the "best" side. ;-)
Dr. Faulk, I would also add that students should feel respect from the instructor and toward each other. And the instructor must have the respect of his students. Everyone needs to work in a cooperative environment and get along with each other for two way communication to be conducted appropriately.
I believe keeping a positive environment is very important to all students and the instructor. This must be a pattern that is followed and the instructor should lead the way. When providing feedback on assignments, when responding to student emails, and when communicating in the discussions, instructors must emphasize the positive before providing any constructive criticism.
Making sure everyone communicates on time and follows the given schedule is also vital in an online classroom. Instructors and students are expected to consistently post responses in the discussions on time, grade and complete assignments on time, and respond to each other's emails within a reasonable amount of time.
Anthony,
Going from minimal arithmetic to AP calculus is a huge accomplishment. As you serve as an excellent role model in the communication process, you are developing that pattern and helping students build their communiation skills as welled. Writing is hard and is a skill that takes time to develop. Keep up the good work.
Ann,
I provide examples of good and bad discussion postings and provide a rubric for grading the postings. This makes the expectations clear and helps students provide better discussions. Thanks for your input.
Dr. Crews,
I have been teaching mathematics online for over 7 years with students in each class ranging from those having “minimal’ arithmetic to AP Calculus.
The biggest issue I see in communication is that these students have only seen a high school environment either recently or 20-30 years ago, Most of them have no idea what college level communication and respect means. To many of them, the university faculty member may be the first “well educated†person they have ever met or dealt with on a regular and professional basis who is able and willing to respond to them. (Imagine how you would feel getting focused and personal emails from Ben Bernanke – Chairman of the Federal Reserve!).
The first and most important pattern of communication is to stand as the example of what good communication should be. This includes prompt, courteous and formal responses with no jargon or texting acronyms in them. Every email and discussion board posting should be a “mini essay†in style and format, even if it is only 2 sentences long. When the student starts an email with “Hey teach ...…†it is obvious he/she is still in a high school mindset, and this has to change quickly. A short and very clear response is always the best.
The second important part of communication should convey the impression that the students are now enrolled in college, and a new and much higher standard of care is required. Scribbled homework assignments are no longer acceptable. Submitted assignments must be of a “Corporate Report†standard and must be documents that they will be proud to read 10 years in the future. This is all to encourage the idea that the online college course is not just “playing around†or a “video game†or a pleasant way to spend days until they are promoted automatically to the next “gradeâ€. Every written communication and assignment should feel like hard, tough work and receive the attention it deserves. For many of these students, this may be their last and only chance to succeed in a university setting and professional career.
Just my thoughts …!!....
Anthony Ganz
Camila,
Clear, concise, correct, communication - all key words. Nice job.
