I find online students do not have the habit of reading instructor announcements and so have developed the practice of emailing all announcements as well as posting them on the course home page. Any suggestions for developing a habit of regularly checking announcements?

Can anyone think of a reason as to when blogging would be a detriment to the online classroom? - Dr. Eileen Wibbeke

How does everyone feel about having instructors be required to use social media in the classroom. Will the social part of the content create too much "chatter" and tangential conversations? How can certain students and topics be reined in, even if they can only post in 140 characters? - Doc Wibbeke

I was interested to read in this training that Wikipedia (or wikis) in general can be seen as social media. While Wikipedia and wikis are collaborative crowd-sourced information sites, their academic validity can never quite match that of a peer-reviewed journal (for example) from a respected source (i.e. Harvard Business Review). - Doc Wibbeke

Communication on the job via email is fading quickly. Instant messaging is becoming more popular.

You can also have them write a synopsis of the material that was covered.

Online work gives students a chance to research more than just a book and also gives them more exposure.

One thing I get a lot as a math/stats instructor is a negative attitude towards math. Many people come into my classes with the attitude they hate math and they are no good at it (something that sticks with them from high school). It can be a challenge to get them to keep an open mind. How do other math instructors allow help students turn these weaknesses into strengths?

Should students be required to attend online activities that are a part of the course? Many times, chats are optional but yet they are very beneficial.

If a student posted inappropriate information on social media, would you respond privately explaining the information was inappropriate?

Do you think it is appropriate to grade a blog?

Do you think the students are interested in blogging with their instructor?

Should students be required to attend online activities that are a part of the course? Many times, chats are optional but yet they are very beneficial.

If a student posted inappropriate information on social media, would you respond privately explaining the information was inappropriate?

It is essential that student feedback is in the form of encouragement. Yes we need to communicate failure to students if they are not meeting rubric and grading standards but we still want them to be successful. It is important o guide the student to do the work while also maintaining the guide on the side. Robin Jonas

Frustration can grow and change based on the type of learner. Handling communication with each type of learner takes change. IF the facilitator is a baby boomer he or she may not know how to appeal to the young learner. It is essential to communicate the way the course will be handled up front and in the syllabus and then reiterate it throughout the course. Robin Jonas

Many times my students grow tired of posting to the same topics. The threads in my course can become monotonous at times. I find my self reminding students of proper communication and a positive attitude, Establishing good behaviors in communication is essential in netiquette. Does anyone have a problem with improper behavior in their classes? Thank you, Robin Jonas

I find myself using all types of communication to get students to participate in the threads. They often lose themselves after week 4.They fall off the face of the earth I am not a technological savvy person so I have learned to twitter, text, and email with the youngest of them. I find that I must enlist modern and old types of communication in order to appeal to all types of learners in my courses. Robin Jonas

STARTING OFF STRONG Instead of asking a student about his/her previous class experience, some faculty members require a CREATIVE initial post. First issue that comes up: student posts the “normal” intro…hello! Guess what, this student may not READ anything that is posted...ALARMS. On the flip side, the content of the introduction provides an insight into one’s creativity, abilities, and how much energy a student will expend in the class. At what level of Bloom’s taxonomy is s/he functioning? These postings are often quite telling. Other things that can be gained from the postings: grammar, spelling, development of an idea and logical thought, and tendency to COPY other people’s work. It is amazing how many students post an intro that is nearly identical to another. In the past, around 75% of the students who did this would plagiarize the 1st assignment.

DIVERSITY Let me first start by saying that I experience few diversity issues in my classrooms. My extensive exposure and research to international studies at university, along with master and doctoral studies, has enabled a broad and thorough understanding of the educational barriers international students face in American schools, and has provided me the opportunity to apply my knowledge to aid in their assimilation—this, in addition to teaching master classes in Shanghai and Manaus and special US-based classes for Taiwanese and Thai students. Having been an educator in the international community for years, leading countless faculty at numerous institutions of higher learning in South Florida, I can safely say that the biggest challenge international students face in attending American, online schools is the varying degree of dedication and commitment afforded by faculty, and the chaos that ensues when inconsistencies arise. I speak several languages and have lived in a few countries and many multicultural cities…nothing surprises me.