Examples from my career to open discussions!!
I give the good and bad...I have found sometimes that the bad gets them talking...whether it is showing them that they don't have to be perfect or what, I know it works.
I will give them what happened, how I handled it and ask them how they would have handled it. This really gets them involved, and honestly, they are thinking through the answers, because if they post before they have thought them through, the other students point out the loopholes...
I think these are sometimes the liveliest and sometimes the funniest discussions!
Alice,
Ah - yes, the bad can stir conversation. We've all had a bad or funny experience we can share. I just tell students not to use "real names" to protect the innocent. ;-)
That is a good point. In my current on-ground classes I do the same thing. I tell the students that they will learn from their mistakes and should use those as learning experiences.
Bruce,
Ah - so what works in ground classes works online as well. That's great. Thanks for sharing.
I also love using examples from my career in the discussion. I believe it gives the students a birds eye view into the real work environment. I also find that many students find it very encouraging and enjoy the insight. I have found this to be a very effective technique. Has anyone come up with anything better in their experience?
Lauren,
Connecting real life examples from your work help a lot. Students like to see the connection.
Alice,
I agree that providing real world experience and personal experience is a great way to get the students talking. Reading theory and concepts are great but it really hits home and becomes relatable when it becomes personal.
Lori and Alice,
The real world examples helps students connect the content they are learning to the real world. It's essential they understand why they are learning what they are learning. Thanks!
