Amber Boetger

I appreciate the way this section contrasted various ways the same information can be presented. Emphasizing validation can enable teachers to communicate the same information more effectively 

This module emphasizes the importance of social interaction in the online environment. Regardless of academic trends, students still benefit more from face-to-face interactions than from simply watching or reading things online. 

This section demonstrates that online students are rarely traditional students. Instead, they are often students who are juggling work and familial responsibilities. Also, these students are generally trying to advance their careers rather than start their career paths

I have learned about the importance of alliances for retention. Students need to feel a sense of belonging both inside and outside of the classroom. I was surprised by the degree to which belonging factored into retention rates. I intend to work on getting better at responding to emails. Since this is one of my three jobs, I find that I often neglect my emails 

While taking this module, I learned methods to improve student engagement on their discussion boards. I learned that discussion boards ought to be facilitated in the same way that classroom discussions are facilitated. To do this, responding before the due date is more effective.

I learned that teachers frequently structure their classes in a way that reflects their own learning styles. Therefore, teachers should continuously track engagement and interact with students so that they can determine areas where students may be stcuk (especially if it is an area that they themselves may not consider a challenging spot)

I learned that inactive learning is more likely to occur if students preemptively decide that the course is boring or lacks value. Their decision can become reinforced if the course design delivers contnent in a wat that does not engage learning or encourage active processes 

Comment on Crystal Lane-Tillerson's post: Crystal, how do you set up your online classroom to allow for active learning?

I have learned that passive learning is sometimes a necessary precursor to active learning. It can be challenging for students to actively learn when they lack the necessary background information. 

Comment on Pamela Creekmur's post: Pamela, I teach online for one school and in person for another. I have found that there are ways in which my in-person students excel beyond my online students. However, my online students often take greater ownership of their learning. Have you found this to be the case as well?