Hello Using a rubric for assessment not only helps the student stay focused and on track but it also helps the instructor to do the same. I always post my rubric on the class Announcement Board usually one week prior to the due date of the assignment. Not only does this give the student a clear road map as to what is expected but it also reduces confusion and countless angst on the student’s part trying to figure out what it is that I am looking for. Bill Becker

Hi all. Reflecting on the question of the use of technological tools in the online environment, I think being flexible in the use of various tools to ensure student success is very important. I've resisted for a long time to introduce variations of technology in F2F teaching in the past (i.e., blogs), but I realize that the culture of education today is simply different than it was just 10 years ago. Students, albeit with short attention spans, are constantly evolving with the evolving technology. To them, it seems, that education without the use of technology is foreign and archaic. I have found that when properly implemented it can be a resourceful venue for students to apply theories and broad based analyses to real world/real time events. Antony

As an online student in the past I remember not getting nervous for the first day of class because they could not see or hear me. This is a great advantage because I love pajamas and I have a little voice when i want to and often have to repeat myself. Online learning is a relaxed virtual class and I feel the class discussion should be relaxed as well and not be a place to put your views on politics or religion. But more of water cooler discussion place where you gain knowledge from others but walk away from a discussion if need be.. I myself will removing a post due to this or if similar content is getting out of hand, or even too much of personal stories taking up discussion board this would distract from the educational purpose.

As a new online facilitator I want to reflect back on my experience and make sure I keep my students engaged in all the topics and discussions like i was. I plan to keep posting so they all have plenty to respond to in discussions. This will ensure they have the full experience of the online learning and receive all the benefits for the other students as well as my knowledge.

Again as a former online student I remember how it was to know the teacher was present. Although they might have not been logged in at the time I was I could see they had been there and made discussions and answered the other students. This was important to me and I will remember this for my students. Although it makes me wonder what the hours were and if the had timed release messages .. LOL

Hello this is an interesting topic for me, as a former student of an online course and now a facilitator I think I have an advantage to engaging the students. I remember how I felt when I was and was not answered back in my discussion. In my case that was what contributed to the length and effort I added to discussion post.

Does preparing for online course content require as many personal hours as it does when teaching in the classroom?

Students in the online classroom may fall behind or decide to drop a course because they are unable to manage all of their responsibilities. When I see that a student is falling behind, I generally like to contact them through e-mail to find out if I can help them. I let them know that as an instructor, I manage the same responsibilities that they have. This opens the discussion of time management and scheduling. I always recommend the use of a written calendar and a daily "to do" list. Do you suggest any other techniques that students can use in order to better stay on schedule?

Hi All! I truly believe that a high level of interaction with students will increase the credibility of an instructor with students. Instructors who do not provide timely feedback or answer questions promptly are usually not considered very professional by students. Do you think an instructor that provides timely feedback and promotes interaction with students will foster professionalism in students as well? How often do you think an instructor should have individual interaction with students? Thanks, Jacinda

Hi All! I have noticed that throughout my years of teaching in the online environment, students have changed. This is due to the fact that today's online student is more technologically advanced. I still find that in most cases, that students become less engaged as the course progresses. What techniques do you suggest to keep online students engaged throughout the duration of the course?

I have been adjunct teaching for several years, but always done so in-person. The schools have always provided a syllabus and instructor guide, which saves me the trouble of developing them. Usually the school wants to control what is being taught and how, due to accreditation and regulatory issues. I'm new to teaching courses on-line and I wasn't expecting much to change. Why would a school want to trust "me" with developing a syllabus and instructor guide, whether I was teaching in-person or on-line?

How do you make sure your online class isn't boring?

When using technology tools, the instructor needs to throughly evaluate the use of the tool. Most times the tool can be just a filler, and not effectively used for the topic at hand. The tool needs to have a purpose for the topic and the class in general. Any thoughts?

Online Course Content Transferring Can this be done and be done well-YES! Many on the ground courses can be transferred to online so more of a broad based student body can be focused on.

communication is the key to a successful online course for the student and the teacher. along with feedback. We are the guide have to help many students succeed and move forward in many cases. Being flexible as a teacher also helps. :)

Synchronous versus Asynchronous. I vote for Asynchronous. I think this is best for online learners. I find most of the time Synchronous learning to be a waste of the professors time. Most students do not show up for live chats nor are they active if they do. Everyone-What have you found?

Some LMS are great and some are not so hot. Others I have seen come a far ways and others go out of business. I think it all depends on price of the LMS and the ease of use. What do you think everyone?

The platforms for teaching have become more advanced and more interactive. Combining thread discussions, lectures, quizzes, exams, papers, email and on some occasions live chats the student has the live classroom experience at their convenience. Through email for personal interaction and threaded discussions for the group classroom experience it is a terrific approach for learning.

after reading many of the thoughts posted here most do agree that synchronous chats are a waste of time for students and the professor. Asynchronous discussions are great for online learning. Discussion threads seem to promote the most learning.

There needs to be a collaborative learning experience using the universities curriculum. Communication and presence of the instructor is the key to a good learning environment. There needs to be active learning with student faculty contact, along with respect for the different ways of learning. As a professor we need to be active and present in the online classroom.