Professor Kolapo Ige PhD

I learnt that when communication is stripped of any physical or vocal cues, you are left with the typed word. The words we use reveal much about our attitudes and intentions. It is important to be thoughtful with language and use words with positive or neutral connotations to convey a supportive, nonjudgmental attitude, especially in the absence of nonverbal cues. 
Acknowledging students’ presence, emotions, thoughts, and concerns communicates to students a willingness to listen and that they are deserving of individualized attention. This statement clearly demonstrates social presence in online communication and can augment attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction(ARCS Model)motivation… >>>

I learnt that in virtual learning environments, technology mediates the relationship of all members of the educational community to the school or institution itself. Moreover, since technology is constantly evolving, those supporting online learners must stay abreast of the latest trends to understand technology's value and limitations in creating personal connections with students who may never step foot on a physical campus.

Communicating with students through technology is quite different from in-person interactions. Which is why Education professionals need to be aware of the differences if they wish to develop strong working alliances with students they may never physical meet.… >>>

Understanding who online students are and how they learn allows educators and institutions to deliver services that are more responsive, supportive, and effective, leading to higher satisfaction, success, and retention.

Given the above submissions,  as an online instructor , I would give consideration to the following factors :

1.     More flexible and accessible services

Many online students balance school with work, family, or other responsibilities. Knowing this encourages institutions to offer flexible deadlines, extended support hours, mobile-friendly platforms, and asynchronous options, making services easier to access.

2.     Better communication strategies

Online students often prefer clear, concise,… >>>

I learnt that the strength of the working alliance positively correlates to adherence to an action plan, increasing the likelihood of positive student outcomes. Working alliances can be established and maintained through early, frequent, and consistent interactions with online students. 
It's important to think carefully about how policies, email communications, and individual interactions affect the overall student experience. Establishing reasonably flexible grading policies, setting clear expectations of students’ code of conduct in the online classroom, and training faculty and staff on communication skills in virtual environments can promote a culture of positive interactions with students. 

In this module, I learned that of all the various methods and techniques that have been used to assess learning in educational games and simulations in general, summative assessment is commonly accomplished with the use of pre- and post-testing, which is a common approach in educational research. The pre- and post-test design is one of the most widely used experimental designs and is particularly popular in educational studies that aim to measure changes in educational outcomes after modifications to the learning process, such as testing the effect of a new teaching method. The most common method of post-assessment is testing… >>>

Implementation of Gaming and Simulations in the Learning Environment

The implementation of gaming and simulations in the learning environment refers to the purposeful use of game-based elements and interactive simulations to support teaching and learning. Instead of learners only reading or listening, they actively engage, make decisions, experiment, and learn from outcomes in a safe, controlled setting.

Gaming involves structured activities with rules, goals, challenges, feedback, and rewards (e.g., points, levels, leaderboards).

Simulations recreate real-world or hypothetical situations so learners can practice skills, solve problems, and observe consequences without real-life risk.

Together, they promote active learning, motivation, critical thinking, collaboration,… >>>

The Instructor should give critical consideration to the primary purpose of design game and simulation in online learning environments, if it is intended to combine the learning objectives with a suitable implementation. Design involves working out what will happen in the game, what effects each event will have, and how it all supports the learning objectives. Thus it is imperative that the content of games and simulations be examined critically before they are incorporated into the curriculum.

The most critical aspect of blogging that I learned was the fact that blogs can be designed to engage students and encourage collaborative learning. Therefore, the assessment of the blog postings must enhance such a cooperative environment. As blogs are typically used as Web-journals, the writing skills must be connected to the course learning outcomes. Formative progress may be assessed as students regularly write comments. Such comments may be assessed by the instructor or students’ peers.

Through consistent and meaningful assessment of blog posting, students grow in their communication and become a part of a learning community in which they… >>>

Texting language—often called textese or netspeak—is widely used in online microblogging environments (such as X/Twitter, Tumblr, or similar short-form platforms). Its practicality can be examined from several key perspectives:

1. Efficiency and Brevity

Microblogging platforms usually impose character limits or encourage short posts. Texting language is practical because it:
Shortens words (u for you, btw, idk)

Uses abbreviations and acronyms to convey meaning quickly
This allows users to express ideas within tight space constraints while maintaining speed and convenience.

2. Informality and Social Connection

Texting language supports a casual, conversational tone that fits the social nature of microblogging. It:
Creates… >>>