Reality-based education is a term I came up with several years ago, and it speaks to using the real worlds of the students to teach the subject matter. If a student is taught subject matter only with the thought of doing well in the course --to what end has that student learned the material? But when the student is shown how the subject of the course relates to his or her world of employment and personal life that two-dimensional course material becomes three-dimensional -- and the student has a much better chance of retaining the information because it has now touched beyond merely the mind, it has touched the student's life far beyond the course. And here's a suggestion: in a discussion thread have students talk about the subject of the course as it relates to their lives outside the course. Students love doing this, and you'll get more engagement and the students will have a better understanding of how the course relates to their lives.

The heading for this thread is meant to draw attention to a crucial problem found in all subject areas in many online courses: the inability of supervisors, web and course developers, and administrators to put together courses that read well – i.e., good English – and stocked with a logical, clear, and easy-to-access set of assignments, lectures, discussion boards, et al. Again and again students will wander through a course and discover poor grammar and punctuation, spelling and proofreading errors, and vague content; assignments that are missing components, are not easy to understand, or don’t seem to match the readings; and a course layout that is arbitrary, illogical, and / or difficult to access. In cases like this it makes no difference how qualified or enthusiastic or available is the instructor; the students can be quickly discouraged, confused, and inattentive by the powers that be when they do not put enough care into the overall reading, structure, and layout of the course.

We teach our students via a computer; at the other end students react to what we write, our suggestions, our presence, and our enthusiasm. These last two items -- presence and enthusiasm -- are especially critical, for these form the critical "blood supply" that keeps that umbilical cord pumping away between instructor and students; when the flow of this is weak or non-existent the students' interest, engagement, and excitement for the course soon dies, and thus their online learning experience becomes one that is wasted. We can write and suggest all over the place -- that's easy -- but to make these come alive and having meaning our presence must be constant and our enthusiasm must be on-going.

How can I increase student participation in Live Chats?

The proliferation of new technology available to instructors enables an efficient exchange of information. Instructors can use a variety of applications to deliver information, engage with students, and create interest in a subject. Some of the most dynamic types of applications include video capture capabilities such as Jing or a means of presenting an audio sound clip like Soundcloud. Both applications move beyond the bundled software available to instructors in the virtual classroom and make inroads into a student’s learning space with engaging audio/video components.

I have found that students respond to the tone of the class. Instructors need to be professional and friendly in all discussions and communications with students. It is important to let students know at the start that a professional behavior in the classroom is expected and that it should also be carried forward to their business environment. For the most part, leading by example encourages students to maintain a professional attitude.

I think it is important to use real life experiences in the discussion board threads that make responses interesting to the student. By "telling stories" each student then has the opportunity to respond with their own experiences or comments on the story that was told. This then encourages the student to be more actively engaged in the discussion, the class, and his/her learning experience.

I find that students enjoy and really learn from personal business experiences that relate to the topic being discussed. As a CPA, I have many client stories that I can share with my students to bring the real world into the classroom. These "experience" stories give students a reference to help them remember the concepts discussed. I find that this also encourages students to share their real life experiences with the class. It is always a good idea to find ways that connect to the material being studied, both on the part of the instructor and the student. This, to me, is what makes a facilitator out of an instructor.

I have found that adding an "Introduction Discussion Thread" in the first week of class allows students the opportunity to form a "community" within the class that makes them feel at ease. The first post of a BIO by the instructor will allow the students a way to interact with the instructor on a personal basis. The instructor's BIO will also set the tone for students to post their information and respond to others. Forming a sense of community in the class is an important part of an online class experience and can help each student feel that they belong. On a personal note, what would you want to share with your students in your BIO?

I agree that it is much more difficult to address issues in an online format vs a traditional classroom. I like to check in with students when I notice they are not participating, they are turning assignments in late, they are not posting regularly, etc. In these situations, I've sent emails to the student asking if everything is okay and if there is anything I can do to help them. This opens up discussion and I think shows the student that their instructor cares about them.

Somewhere along the way, I learned the sandwich method of providing feedback to students. The method basically starts with something positive and ends with something positive and then sandwiched between the the positive feedback is the critical feedback. I like this method because it starts positive and ends positive. Has anyone else used this method?

I think it is important for an instructor to provide their academic background and work experience but nothing is more important than responding quickly to student questions and concerns. Often times I get an email from a student and I'll acknowledge I received it and then I'll let them know when they can expect a reply from me. I try to answer all questions immediately but there are times that I can't answer their question because I don't have the text book handy or I need to check with someone else. In those cases I think students appreciate knowing I received their request and when they can expect an answer.

I typically think of myself as a guide in the learning process. For my subject, whether I am teaching in a physical classroom or online, the role of facilitator allow me to use me expertise and enthusiasm for a subject to help draw out critical analysis of the subject and a greater interaction with students. The greater interaction helps me "lead" students to a deeper understanding and appreciation for the subject.

During my six years of teaching I have saved some material so I can reuse it from class to class. I recently took a class and found out that the instructor did the same thing except she didn't bother to read what she was posting and some of the information did not apply to us. It was very irritated so we would email her to ask for clarification and then she would send an email to all the students letting us know about the correction. I think saving canned material is a good idea but instructors still need to read that material before posting.

Posting a warm and friendly welcome message can greatly change many negative and apprehensive attitudes of the students in your class. Most students are going to be intimidated and anxious if the course is an analytical course such as calculus or statistics. You can post a message such as this “This statistic course is an exhilarating and thought provoking course that will be useful to you throughout your academic and professional career. I am looking forward to 12 weeks of lively discussions. I also know a few of you may find the material a bit overwhelming. Do not let it get you down. If you do the work and let me know when you are having problems, I will work with you and find ways to solve the problem. As part of your individual paper and discussion board postings, I want every student to bring examples of their experiences that they have into their work. I am not looking for only academic answers; I will also be looking for integration of relevant articles reviews and web sites references which are focused on the learning modules". I will actively participate in the discussion forum and will provide summaries or comments whenever I believe they will be helpful. Again, welcome to our class!!! THOUGHTS?

From the course content, yes, syllabus must be dynamic and easy for student to navigate and visit. During the term, there should not be changes in the rules that were initially set in the syllabus. Changes are only made in the course revision and after feedback are obtained from students.

When transitioning a course from a face to face environment to an online environment, it is essential that the course captures all of the necessary information the student needs to effectively learn the material, while structuring the content and layout of the material in a way that keeps the student engaged and interested in the content. This takes some planning and preparation. The course material must be clear as the student cannot rely on facial cues or in class questions to clarify the content. At times, depending on the complexity of the material, it may be easier and more effective for the teaching and learning of the material for the entire course to be re-tooled into an online course.

I enjoy being the "Guide on the Side". From my first course teaching online, I quickly adopted this as a best practice philosophy. As the online students rarely post their photos, the instructor is working with a faceless group. No verbal cues or clues to assess whether or not the student is "getting it". In guiding the student through the course, you learn about the student, their issues, concerns, and questions. The student can learn at their own pace, and as the instructor, you learn how to assist each student in maximizing their understanding of the course material.

As most of us were taught in a "ground" classroom where the teacher and all of the students were physically present daily, the online classroom presents new challenges to the "seasoned" instructor and to many students. I have had students who are grandparents just learning how to use the computer, and students who are adept at technology, but have never experienced online classes. For these students to be effective in their studies, patience from the instructor is needed, The transition to this newer learning environment can take time. Because time is a critical factor in online teaching, the instructor must be able to incorporate both "real-time" learning experiences, as well as "self-paced" learning experiences. While both are valuable learning environments, the student must be able to understand how they best learn, and the instructor must be able to clearly communicate the information so that effective learning can take place.

Technology tools used in the virtual classroom are essential for the student's learning. As students are not in the "ground" class, there is the need to have a way or ways in which the student can effectively interact with the instructor and the other students in the class. As technology has advanced, these various tools assist the student as well as the instructor in effectively sharing their thoughts with the class. With students selecting their learning vehicle as the online environment, the instructor must be able to communicate the course information in a variety of ways that will allow the student to incorporate and understand the information.