Anthony Musiala

How do you use blogs, microblogs, and media-sharing sites to build a sense of community in your online class?

Blog assessments should focus on the quality, relevance, and depth of students’ contributions, rather than simply counting posts or replies. Criteria should match the assignment and course learning outcomes and may include understanding, analysis, reflection, writing quality, and meaningful interaction with others.

Instructors should provide clear guidelines and examples of strong posts. Students should explain and develop their ideas beyond simple agreement or disagreement.

Microblogs help students focus their thoughts by requiring them to communicate in short posts. Students must identify their main point, select relevant details, and remove unnecessary words. Reading and responding to classmates’ posts also helps them compare perspectives and practice clear, concise communication.

This module helped me understand that assessing students’ use of media hosting and sharing sites depends on the assignment and its learning outcomes. 

Students could submit a recording early in the course and another near the end, then compare their delivery, pacing, organization, and confidence. I would use a rubric to assess their performance and ask students to reflect on their progress. Peer feedback would also give them opportunities to practice constructive criticism and learn from one another. This approach would help me assess both the finished work and students’ growth throughout the course.

This module helped me understand that using social networking in an online classroom requires clear learning goals and expectations. Posting frequently does not necessarily demonstrate learning. Bloom’s Taxonomy provides a useful framework for developing assignments that ask students to apply concepts, analyze information, evaluate sources, and create original content.

I intend to apply this in my classes by providing a rubric before students begin an assignment. I would also evaluate the assignment itself through student feedback and the quality of the resulting work. My goal is to make social networking a purposeful opportunity for collaboration and learning.

How do you evaluate whether a lesson helped students learn, especially when participation is low? What student feedback or evidence do you use to decide whether to adjust your explanation or activities for the next class?

This module helped me understand that effective live online teaching requires ongoing facilitation, meaningful feedback, and a willingness to adjust. Engagement involves more than attendance; students need opportunities to ask questions, practice skills, and demonstrate their understanding. Polls, chat responses, and exit tickets can help me identify confusion and decide when to clarify a concept or change the pace.

I intend to apply these ideas in my entertainment business and content marketing classes by alternating brief explanations with collaborative activities. For example, students could work in breakout rooms to develop a content calendar, share their decisions, and receive feedback from… >>>

I would like to hear how you use polls, chat, breakout rooms, or screen sharing to encourage meaningful participation. Have any tools made an activity more difficult, and how did you adapt?