About me
Gail Heiderich
Activity
Discussion Comment
Since I am not an instructor, some of this module was not as practical for me. However, I do see the value of finding out what motivates my individual students so that I can help them stay focused. My part in the process has a lot to do with reinforcement since I am often the one who conveys encouragement about exams passed or milestones achieved. One thing I learned here was about immediate reinforcement. We are able to return exam grades very quickly since they are computer scored. However, we are much slower about returning written assignments and I can… >>>
Discussion Comment
In my advising of students I can already see where I am not giving as much attention as I did at the beginning. When certain questions or issues become routine I have not kept up my enthusiasm for the individual student´s situation. I need to refocus and treat each situation as unique and each student as different even when the issues seem to be the same.
Discussion Comment
I work for an online university so I don´t ever meet my students face to face. However, all of us who work with the students keep a common online file where we post anything we communicate to the students and anything they communicate to us. I don´t write to a student without going to their file to see what is going on with them so that I can personalize my messages. I am trying to get my colleagues to make more detailed notes about what students tell them so that we can engage each student on a more personal level.
Discussion Comment
My situation is a little different in that I am an advisor at an on line university. The way our system works, the advisor is the first line of contact for the students as they work through courses on line. We have students all over the world. The fact that some of our students are dealing with disasters, traumas and even war in their countries drastically affects their motivation and retention. This year many of my students in West Africa have faced lock downs because of the Ebola virus. This means they cannot get to Internet Cafes which is where… >>>
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