Communication, collabration and rubrics are the conncection to online teaching and learning.
I learned about the importance of developing a sense of community by the kind of communication that is facilitated in the course. I also learned the difference between level 1 communication and collaboration. I can see how an instructor will need to operate with a lot of finesse to effectively engage students in collaborative activities online.
Rubrics cannot only be utilized as an assessment tool, but they will also assist students. Rubrics help students understand what exactly are the expectations of a specific project and may help them organize their work accordingly.
Do not overwhelm students with your own successes in your biography. They may tend to consider it just B.S.
At the beginning of an online course, it is essential to present clear guidelines for participation in the class, in addition to course expectations and procedures.
I found it interesting that this module mentioned "Be willing to contact students dominating" the online discussion. It makes perfect sense to contact those students not participating, but it also makes sense to contact students who are posting so much that others probably feel they don't have to post. I found this interesting and will keep this in mind in an online discussion board.
The biggest take away for me from this module was the information provided in the Creating Rubrics section. I believe that rubrics are a necessary part of the learning environment as they create a mutual understanding between the teacher and students in regards to learning expectations. Once they are provided, explained, and agreed upon, rubrics can almost serve as a learning contract for students. I will use the information from this section to develop rubrics for online communication expectations. The categories presented in this section create a well balanced evaluation of student communication.
I have a newfound appreciation for assesssing with a Rubric. It certainly does help provide structure and consistency when assessing many aspects of an effective online experience.
I learned the importance of rubrics in learning.
I feel rubrics are wonderful tool so the student know how they are getting graded and how they can get better.
Clear communication, consistency and fairness are important in an online learning environment.
Concise, clear guidelines help an instructor communicate expectations. Providing a rubric WITH an assignment helps the communication process.
The syllubus needs to fit the class to the fullest, to explain to the students what is expected of them during the duration of the course. How to answer the discussion questions. How to communicate with peers and the professor. It taught me that you should specify your office hours so the students do not expect you to be online 24 hours.
I have not used rubrics for participation and communication. This would be a great way to assess these. I also learned setting communication rules are important for group collaboration.
The importance of creating an environment where our students feel safe and valued. One way to do this is through modeling what quality contributions to post look like and creating a rubric expectation for quality posts.
In order for students to be successful online they must use open mindedness and communication to name a few. Students are expected to participate in a virutal environment while instructors should provide feedback which also ties into the imperative point of communicaiton.
Student online learning can be assessed through direct and indirect measures. The use of a rubric during the duratiom of the online class can encorage self-assessment and reflection by the student learner.
Discussions should be monitored by the teacher to make sure that communicatiion has a professional tone, and to ensure the direction of the content is on topic and focused. Not only must the intstructor analyze the communication between student and student but needs to analyze their own communication, making sure that it is effective and professional. The instructor must not be overbearing and share too much too often. They should be faciliators of communication and the sharing of ideas and opinions. Students will begin to communicate effectively as they become involved in collaborate projects, thus, promoting a strong learning environment.
To evaluate a learning community for a sense of belonging, look for students communicating academically and personally. Collaboration—with cooperation—assists students and groups in being successful towards a common goal.
I learned ruberics are a clear way to assess students. They can be used for all areas of the class - discussion board, projects, assignments. I would apply them to every assignment in class so that there are clear expectations and goals to work towards.
