I would say the two most important things to consider when establishing a pattern of communication is timeliness and tone.
Being able to respond in a timely manner tells the student you are interested in what they are saying. It will keep them engaged. Tone sets the stage for the dialogue that will follow. Both important
NICOLE,
Yes, the guidelines are definitely helpful to all students as they learn how and when to communicate in an online learning environment. Set your schedule and communicate it to students so that you do not become a 24/7 online instructor. Thanks!
The two most important things in a pattern of communication are to have a set guideline as far as time, and to make sure the students know HOW to communicate. Guidelines (times, methods, etc) should be reinforced regularly. Many students, even though posted in announcements, do not read or remember the turn around time for communication and get frustrated when we are not at our computer 24/7. It is also important to let them know the best way to communicate with you. For me, I am quicker to respond to an email than a phone call. I try to let my students know this as well.
Shannon,
Great - another "C" word - completeness. You are right on target when you note the importance of timely responses. Thanks!
I believe the two most important things to consider are consistency and completeness. As an instructor, it is very important to establish consistent response times and to respond in a way that is easy for the student to understand.
If a response is not complete, it can require additional interactions and this can lead to student distress. Also, in the online environment, students do not want to wait an excessive amount of time for a response. With this, it is important to define response times so students understand when to expect a response.
Jonida,
We love those "C" words. Clear, consistent communication is excellent. Do you have any tips on how to be clear and consistent in your communication?
Dwayne,
Many instructors find that students are not aware of netiquette rules and it's good to continue to emphasize them.. Thanks!
When establishing a pattern of communication the two most important things to consider are clarity and consistency.
Heather,
Students have to be helped some times to understand proper netiquette. This is further emphasized when you discuss professional behavior. Thanks!
I believe it is very important to:
1. Cover the basic rules of Netiquette and make sure students have a clear understanding of how to engage others in an online environment.
2. Share the Communications Code of Conduct so everyone understands what is acceptable and how to get the most out of the experience.
At the end of the day, learning is an experience and is one that is best when the basics are covered and established with the basics.
Thank you,
Dwayne Roark
Consistency and netiquette. The instructor must be held accountable for setting the guidelines the students will follow. Care must be taken to ensure the students are aware of how to behave and what to expect as a consequence for disruptive or inappropriate behavior.
Flora,
Consistency and frequency can solve a lot of problems in the communication arena. Thanks for your input in this forum.
The two most important things to consider in establishing a pattern of communication is consistency and frequency. As an instructor, presence is important. When students see you are frequently present in the discussion giving feedback to their contributions, they feel supported and are more willing to continue contributing to the discussion. Being consistent in your feedback is also critical as it shows the class that you are interested in their comments and are actively managing the discussion.
Tonya,
Consistency in communication is important. Tone plays a viable role as well and this will be an asset to the students' understanding. Thanks!
I believe understanding and consistency. The instructor needs to make sure that everyone understands what is required when communicating in the class (with anyone). Providing examples is a good way of doing this but also prompting students for response to mock scenarios would be good as well.
Also being consistent in the way communication occurs. If there is a lack of communication, then it is the responsibility of the teacher to send a notice to everyone to remind them of what they need to do. The instructor should also be sure to respond to students in a timely manner and provide valuable feedback.
Janette,
Guidelines are very helpful to the students and provide a model of communication. When they know what to do and when, their anxiety can be reduced.
Margarette,
Thanks for adding to the conversation. The students' ability levels play an essential role in many parts of the learning process. The guidelines you provide will be helpful as well. Thanks!
Providing guidelines to the students for appropriate communication is important. That way I can enforce rules that the students understand.
Giving students an example of the type of work you are expecting is also helpful. When the student understands the expectations, it can reduce their anxiety level.
Clarity and consistency have been discussed at length, two very important things to consider, of course.
But just to add something new to the conversation, I would also consider student ability level. Teaching developmental level writing classes calls for different vocabulary and sentence structure than upper levels (though this may not be a problem for those who don't teach writing--students usually can't take upper level classes until they've cleared the developmental level, so hopefully this is only a consideration for some of us.)
I also think of where the course is coming in their educational paths. If toward the beginning, in a traditional first or second semester course, they may be less used to online communication in a professional setting, so my guidelines are a little more in depth.
Perhaps these are "English teacher concerns" (or the first, at least), but I think they are areas worth bearing in mind.
Russell,
We want depth in the communication not just a few words or a certain number of times students have to post on the discussion board. We do serve as the role model and using a rubric and examples of good/not good discussion board posts, helps as well. Thanks!
