Barbara Islas

Use a variety of methods for delivering content. Begin by communicating the objectives for the content on that day. Let students know what is being covered. Use 10-15 minutes of lecture. Lectures can be delivered in a variety of manners. Storytelling, case studies, and straight lecture are just a few delivery types. After completing a mini-lecture, break up the class to apply the content. This might include a hands-on demonstration and activity. It might be that the students solve a problem as a group. If there are several steps students need to follow, break it down to 5-8 steps. 

Greet each student and learn their names early on. Have them write their name on a "tent" so that each person can associate the name with the face. When taking roll, ask the student how to pronounce their name and if they have a nickname. Plan to give a short introduction with information about yourself, then a short activity so that the students can get to know each other better. 

It is important to know how the textbook presents the material, the supplimental materials that are available. Prior to meeting your students, look over the roster and identify names. As students come in, greet them. Be a person first, then the instructor.

From the moment we are planning our course to the moments we meet our students, we need to be mindful of the importance of modeling professionalism. We can also model passion for the content throughout the delivery of the content. Equally important, we need to demonstrate a genuine interest and attitude of caring with the students.

Facilitating an online course requires much planning and thought. This is especially true when one has become comfortable with a F2F method of teaching. There are several methods that can be used to encourage student engagement. Each method must meet the overall objectives and outcomes of the course.

Computer literacy is essential to today's educational experiences. To complete an assignment, computer technology is used to gain knowledge through research.

I have students participating in group work frequently. The groups will present their findings, which helps them to process the concepts so that the information sticks. It also helps them to practice their verbal and non-verbal communication.

Formulating a writing assignment allows students to learn about a topic and formulate their knowledge about what was researched. When students do the research rather than drafting an assignment with the bare minimum of information, they are better prepared to develop clinical judgment as their critical thinking skills become more advanced. It is exciting to read assignments that demonstrate an interest in a topic. The students who go the extra mile to adequately research a topic are showing a better understanding of the concepts.

The development of critical thinking is a lifelong skill. It can be communicated to students in various manners, such as group work and providing diverse case studies to foster reasoning skills. The soft skills need to be reinforced in the classroom and can be encouraged by teaching students to formulate socratic questioning and asking open-ended questions.