For online class environment, I have found that the LiveChat is most beneficial for struggling  students. After a few LiveChats, I have seen failing students  to get encouraged and get back on track and pass the class.

Do you think student surveys are still valid or even surveys in general?  Do you take the time to fill them correctly or do you give all the same answers?  For me, it depends, if I went to a face to face great seminar or education, then yes I do if they give me time to fill it out.  For webinars, etc, I usually give straight down line, all the same responses.  I think very few people actually take time to fill them out. 

Lori Zander

Hello Everyone,

I am teaching several courses. Sometimes, things can get a little crazy. Any suggestions on how to balance the two without getting overwhelmed?

Does anyone have any tips for grading to avoid feeling overwhelmed?

This was a particularly useful segment which allowed me to add additional tools to my arsenal of methods for online evaluation.  It also allowed me to meet my course requirements for the year.

David

Though I am relatively new to the field of collegiate teaching, sometimes I reminisce on how my traditional college classroom setting had a certain aura about it; and if asked to describe what it was which gave this personification to it, then I would say, the stories, experiences shared through the professor but more importantly the way it was told, with excitement and vigor.  As a retired military serviceman, I have tried Stanley’s notion and several others, though sometimes in the military class they may have felt more like captives than students.    

Please take a few minutes, close your… >>>

Does anyone have a great easy rubric for grading online discussions?

I thought this was a nicely done video about the experiences and challenges of students and faculty with disabilities in higher educaiton.

This was a great course.  I learned some useful information to use in my online classes. 

This training session was great.  I will use the information in my online classes.  I learned a lot about giving students an opportunity to respond to questions before giving the answer.  Thank you!

I just finished taking EL 104 and found it to be very interesting.  Engaging students in an online course is a challenge.  This course provided strategies to help engage students in online discussions.  If anyone has any other suggests, I would like to hear about them.

Thanks!

I get many questions about developing good rubrics.  There are some common mistakes individuals make which lead to flaws and the improper design and use of rubrics. Here are a few pitfalls.  Stay away from them!  

• Putting too many criteria in the rubric: Four to eight criteria is typically optimal.
• Using “quantity” criteria components in a rubric: For example, “Report cites 10 sources.” You can use a checklist for this. 
• Using a varying scale to judge one criterion: If the top criterion is “Sources support report’s purpose statement” and it’s worth 5-6 points, what is the difference between 5 points

… >>>

Does anybody have an idea of how to fill this void of not being able to respond to non-verbal behavior while teaching online courses?  I would be interesting in some ideas.  Bob Throop

Remember when you used to each face-to-face (F2F) and you did icebreakers with students on the first day of class?  Well, you can do the same thing in an online class. Icebreakers not only help students get to know each other, but also help them feel comfortable in the online classroom and learn how to communicate with others and use some of the technology tools.  When teaching students online, it's just as important (or maybe more) that students get to know each other and develop an online community.   Try some of the following icebreakers.

What’s the word?

Students are asked to… >>>

We know the benefits of using rubrics to evaluate students’ work.  Using rubrics to evaluate students work makes assessment easier and more consistent.  A rubric is simply a grading tool that not only helpful to the instructor, but helpful to the students as well.  The rubric provides a set of criteria to help students understand what is expected.

Many times, however, there is one component that is missing from the rubric. The criteria should be linked to learning outcomes/objectives. When students see learning outcomes/objectives in the syllabus, they typical just read them and move on.  They don’t really connect what… >>>

Many instructors look at the seven principles for learning developed by Arthur Checkering and Stephen Ehrmann in 1996 as basic guidelines for teaching.  The seven principles for learning were developed as guidelines for instructors to improve teaching and learning. 

However, when approached from the student’s point of view, they provide excellent guidelines to share with students so students understand what they need to do to be more successful. It has been said that what is taught is as important as how it is taught, but how it is taught may have more of an impact on learning than the content… >>>

As you are developing communication with our students in the online environment, it’s important to think about various technology-based communication tools.  These tools typically fall into the following categories:

1) Small Group or One-to-One Meeting

2) Large Group Meeting and

3) Social Networking Sites

Never underestimate the need for small group or one-to-one software such as email, instant messaging, and the telephone to make connections with your students.  Large group meeting software such as Adobe Connect Professional, Elluminate, Wimba, etc. allow you to interact synchronously with students as a group or record your live sessions so students can view them at a… >>>

Online instructors must determine whether to use synchronous or asynchronous learning environments or whether to blend the two.  Whether using synchronous or asynchronous methods, guidelines must be developed.  These guidelines must include instructor and student guidelines.  These guidelines must be communicated up front to students so that each student understands the guidelines and any necessary processes involved.

These guidelines will enhance the communication process and outline expectations for everyone involved.  These guidelines should also include how students will be assessed for participation and other aspects of the online classroom.  No matter which method of delivery, students should be provided with… >>>

When teaching online, it is beneficial to provide information in your syllabus to help students become aware of course expectations for good online citizenship.  There are a variety of elements involved in good online citizenship.  Good online citizenship information may include specifics about plagiarism including a definition and penalties.  Plagiarism in the online classroom has evolved to include cyber-plagiarism as well.  Plagiarism itself is basically using someone else’s work as your own without providing any credit to the other person.  Cyber-plagiarism includes obtaining ideas from the Internet and using it without proper referencing.  It also includes downloading research papers, journal… >>>

Many online instructors encourage students to complete an online self-analysis to determine if they will be good online students.  However, in actuality, instructors should each complete a self-analysis to see if they are prepared to be an effective online instructor.  Instructors have different teaching styles, strengths and weaknesses.  Instructors should ask themselves some basic questions such as:

·        Do I have the necessary technology I need?

·        Am I comfortable with using technology?

·        Have I taken an online course?

·        Am I organized and detail oriented?

·        Do I… >>>