Hello All, I have found over the years that peer editing and assessments have been valuable tools in the learning process. Once students get over their initial reluctance, I have found that they are often more critical than I am with each others' work product. That being said, when they get their own work back, they often have a better feel for where they need to improve, not only because they got their corrected work back, but also because they know what errors to avoid. It has been both a challenge and a thrill to see the students go through… >>>

I would argue that the best way to engage students is through the Socratic method. Indeed, students will certainly do the minimum if allowed. This is why, in order to engage them, I respond to their posts by using their name in my response, so that the student knows that I am speaking to them and not to the class as a whole. Additionally, I finish my post by asking a follow-up question that hopefully will prompt an ongoing conversation. Another trick that I often use is to email the student to let them know that I responded to their… >>>

The virtual presence is indeed challenging in that students are unable to "see" the instructor. One way to deal with this is to be a constant presence online, letting the students know that you are around if needed. Moreover, verbiage is important. For example, if a discussion board goes off track and students are being disrespectful to each other, the instructor can really establish a presence if he steps in and recalibrates the discussion. Using firm but respectful language can achieve this end. Another way to project presence is to be sure to enforce the rules of the course, thereby… >>>