Elizabeth Lane

The two points that stand out to me in this section of the module are:

• Before the end of the first week of the course, send a personalized message to each student. Identify any aspect of the student's biographical sketch you believe is safe to discuss. Send your personal comments. Remind them of your virtual office hours.
• Be sensitive to concerns learners express and questions they raise, and be consistent in the manner in which you provide timely feedback.

I think it is a special touch for the instructor to send a “personalized” message to each student because it demonstrates… >>>

Although instructors will probably take different methods to teach towards the common goal, there are characteristics in place that should not be altered such as the grading scheme, points awarded to quizzes and assignments, and the start and end dates of the course, etc.

Comment on Suzanne Campoli's post:   I agree with your statement.  Using stories that relate to the content being taught usually work well in aiding students to retain the information better.

Mentioned in this section of this module is that demonstration teaching depends upon the observation and manipulation of materials as a method of student learning, and research has shown that humans are generally capable of handling only 5 to 7 instructional steps at a time.  

These two points mentioned above remind me of an effective technique that I established when teaching in the skills lab.  It follows:

I would stand at the front of the skills lab and (1) first demonstrate the correct steps of a nursing procedure (according to the exact steps listed in their nursing textbook) in… >>>

Comment on Raul Martinez's post:  I agree with your comment about the need to "care" for students.  We, as instructors, can demonstrate caring in many ways.  Below are some ideas on caring for our students, but they can also be applied to caring for our colleagues, too.  It follows:

• Direct personal engagement signals to students that they are valued as individuals rather than just names on a roster. 
• Personal Recognition: Learning and correctly pronouncing students' names as early as possible is a foundational signal of respect.
• Consistent Greetings: Greeting students at the door with a smile or a brief
… >>>

Mentioned in this module is the importance of the instructor learning the names of students, including the correct pronunciation of their names.  On the first day of class after introducing myself to the student cohort, I ask each student while they are seated to tell me of their first name and their favorite color.  On occasion, I’ll do it slightly differently by asking students to tell me their favorite ice cream or favorite vacation spot – or a vacation location where they have never been before but would like to visit. Each time, I notice that every student’s face lights… >>>

Comment on Marline Whigham's post:   I agree with your comment.  I'm glad you mentioned the importance of the syllabus being detailed because, as you stated, it is a "contract" between the instructor and the students.  Like you, I believe having a checklist handy on the first day of class instruction and even in the days thereafter would be helpful to any instructors.  Regarding the instructional objectives that you mentioned (A -- D), I just posted my narrative minutes ago and included supplemental information about it.  Thank you.

I was impressed to learn about the ABCD model of learning objectives, which ensures clear training or educational outcomes: Audience (who), Behavior (what they do), Condition (under what circumstances), and Degree (how well/level of mastery). It enables measurable learning goals, defining exactly what learners will do, with what tools, and to what standard.  More follows:

Audience (A): The target learners (e.g., "the student," "new employees").
Behavior (B): Observable action they will perform (e.g., "will write," "will list," "will demonstrate").
Condition (C): The context, tools, or constraints (e.g., "given a calculator," "after inspecting the blood pressure equipment to make sure the… >>>

Comment on Gabriel Rodriguez's post: I agree with your statement referencing the need to know our audience.  When educating students, we need to understand their knowledge base and aim to fill the gaps with new knowledge.

Saying "please" and "thank you" to our students and fosters a culture of appreciation, professionalism, kindness, and trust.  Students should hear instructors say it more frequently to them and colleagues.