Tanya Rose

Computer literacy is essential for todays' workforce. More and more employers are using web-based platforms for continued education and data collection. We must teach students how to use the computer as a tool to perfrom tasks necessary for professional success. 

Comment on Matthew Corbin's post: Yes face to face learning is vastly different from online learning. In a brick and mortar school, students are inseat and infront of a faculty member. The faculty has the ability to speak and see each students' face and body language. In contrast, online learners have to be even more driven and disciplined to succeed. There is no teacher taking attendace; no classmate who always sits next to them. Their facial expressions are not visible on the low resolution camera. This allows online students the opportunity to hide in plain sight in thie class.… >>>

Many students dislike teamwork. Perhaps they have had bad expereinces with group work in previous classes. The fact is that no matter the profession, teamwork is critical for success. As a teacher, it is imperative that group projects are woven in to each course. One way to do that is to create projects where each member must present their part and then the team must display their project as a whiole. This will decrease the complaint that some members did not participate. 

"Learning how to write never ends."  This is true. People must learn how to write for their discipline but also for audiences outside their discipline. Think of a nurse who uses the APA style to write in school and in nursing articles. Now that nurse is tasked to write for a lifestyle magazine, encouraging readers to get healthscreenings. Now the nurse has to write a call to arms, which is very different from academic and healthcare literature. Learning to adapt your writing style to fit the audience, is a skill that is similar to emotional intelligence when "reading the room."

There is so much to professionalism and critical thinking. Yes professionalism includes preparation, appearance and speech. But it also encompasses knowing and growing in the specific environment. Critical thinking is vital for profesionalism. Teaching students how thik requires the development of activities that require problem solving. Hence, the lesson must be well prepared with room for collaboration, creativity and the time to create a solution. Purposeful planning must be paired with time enough to think, collaborate and create an appropriate solution.