Kevin Duden

I like the idea of giving them multiple attempts on quizzes to build confidence and to tap into the student's intrinsic need to do the best they can. In my situation it's important for them to know the content to some extent but also be able to find it when needed, so I allow open book on the final exam.

When it comes to readings, I thought it a very good point that it should be readily obvious to the student why the reading was assigned.  In my Master's course, there were times I could not easily make a connection between the reading (or any media) and what was being discussed. It led to worry that I had missed something and frustration that it was possibly assigned as busy work.

I never thought of correspondence courses as being the forefather of online courses, but it makes sense.  I would never have received my Master's if it were not for an online program. I worked full-time, had young children and lived rurally. One drawback is you really have to set high standards for yourself because the professors really did not seem to expect much as far as academic integrity and practice.

In my Master's program, some professors used rubrics to help the students decide how much effort they wanted to put into the assignment based on how much time they might have. The level of participation was connected to a specific grade. The rubric clearly stated that if you wanted an "A," then these were the expectations. They did this specifically for discussion forums. An "A" might be "significantly respond to three of your cohort's discussion points."  A "B" wopuld required two responses, etc.

How to foster good communication was what stood out to me. I like the idea of assigning students to be moderators as a subtle way of letting each student know they will eventually have this role. In my online Master's program, I came to detest group assignments. There always seemed to be that one student who was willing to ride on the coattails of the rest of the group. So, there needs to be some effort put forth to make sure that cannot happen or to minimize it. It is not fair to have one's grade diminished because of a… >>>

Civility is of vital importance and a skill that I fear we have lost. It is an art to make a point without diminishing other's points of view. Something as simple as "I can see where you're coming from. My experience is this..." can go a long way. One thing I try to practice in my professional emails is to include a greeting such as "Good morning" or "I hope you are doing well."

I learned to evaluate whether the chosen technology is enhancing or hindering communication. 

I know how frustrated I get when I have difficulty locating content on a website. It's also a waste of time. When a student is taking an online course, it's likely out of convenience in that it fits with their daily life. Wasting time trying to navigate a poorly organized course is especially bad because they're likely paying for it.

My style is more "sage on the stage," because we have extremely limited technology available in the prison school where I teach. My Master's program was all online and asynchronous, so I certainly have experienced that and enjoyed it. I know that communication was very important and would say that most of my instructors were prompt with their responses. This was especially important where there were strict deadlines.

I prefer asynchronous because of the flexibility but sadly this is not a possibility in my situation.