Charity Hughes

The evolution of online learning is interesting. It isn't going anywhere and has become the norm. With that having a firm grasp on areas of weakness a student might have through this model of education is important.

Student retention and attrition is not based on one factor. However, creating a positive and supportive environment will definitely boost the numbers.

Trying to set students up for success. 

-Help them develop good study habits

-Being aware of distractions

-7 learning principals was helpful

Using a variety of tools for both synchronous and asynchronous learning is the best approach to reaching all your students.

Being and effective communicator is a two way street. We need to lead our students by setting the example. We also need to set clear expectations and ask that they share their expectations of us.  

To take the time to get to know your student populace one on one. By taking the time to engage and learning their learning strengths and weaknesses will help the instructor set up and facilitate an effective learning environment.

Critical thinking is the key component when seeking employment. Utilizing group discussions and collaborative involvement will help individuals bring that out.

Using rubrics can be an affective assessor of your instruction.

my take aways are, online teaching and learning being new and not traditional can be seen as secondary and not as respected as the old school model. With that in mind online learning instructors need to be more engaging and more prepared to pivot when students are not being actively involved.

I am new to online learning. I big takeaway for me is placing the responsibility of learning in the hands of the student. To not force feed them information but rather give them tools to find the answers themselves in order to facilitate independent thinking.