Reply to Samuel Beaumont's post:I couldn't agree more on your point.

A lot of students are used to be spoon-fed and not willing to spend time on a project to develop the critical thinking and decision-making skills based on the integrated knowledge they have been taught prior to the course. I feel student's reaponsibility is just as important to be reminded frequently.

Proper use of rubrics give students a clear understanding of what are expected. It justifies the grade the instructor gives.

I find that students need orientation of the rubrics after the lecture is completed as they now know the project better and the rubrics provides a good sturcture how to organize the final project. Orientation and some examples help student to understand and follow better. 

It is important to learn what technologies can help to facilitate the teaching and learning process. I have been using virtual classroom and short tutorial type of methods. However students' feedback is that they prefer the virtual classroom much more than short tutorial provided. Part of the reason for this feedback, I think, is the synchronus interaction  the VC provides. Short tutorial provides instruction, but requires students to take initiative and be more responsible for own learning. Students typically ask for quicker feedback from the instructor and the process of studying tutorial--> working on the assignment--> wait for feedback takes… >>>

I find it takes great patience and time to deal with students who are dependent and irresposible. I have students who don;t read the syllabus or assignment instructions. they either email to ask questions when answers are obvious in the instruction or turn in a wrong assignment. I usually direct them back to where the instruction lies, even to the point to copy and paste the instruction in my reply email to them and remind students they they need to read the instructions.

I like games. The problem is to find a well designed game that addresses the objectives accurately and at an affordable price.

Based on what I learned, I developed an "orientation to online class" which list the course objectives, expectation from the instructor, and the guidelines of small group case study project.

This module is helping me to become more organized and clear in my communication to student expectations. I like the idea of community of practice very much!

I agree. we lose other students' attention if we engage  conversations with a small group. I often repeat the question to the whole class and envcourage all to discuss the problem with their experience or solution before. Sometimes I caught on late and the classroom became a small market. I turned off the light and try to regain control of the classroom.