Shannon Blades

It is important to be selective when providing resources to students. If it is not certain that the resource is needed for the required learning outcome, do not provide it to the student "just in case".

We should provide feedback even to students in are successful course, in order to keep them engaged and motivated. This is also a way to communicate to students that their hard work is being recognized.

It is important for instructors to be skilled in time management just as it's important for a student to manage their time well. Time management is one of the most essentials pieces for online teaching and learning. 

I like the idea of creating an FATQ section for a course. Many students have technology issues within their course and it would be efficient to have a guide for troubleshooting or a list of people to contact for certain issues. 

Most people believe that courses with a lab component cannot be completed online and must be offered F2F. There are so many resources for labs, including simulations, apps and kits. I really enjoyed learning that Harvard uses the Xbox Kinect for some of its labs.

Students will be more active in a course if they receive quick and consistent feedback from their instructor throughout the course. 

Positive reinforcement from the instructors to students is so important to maintain course engagement. I like the idea of using badges throughout the course and rewarding students with extra points on a final assignment if they've earned all of the badges. 

Not all students will be successful in an online learning environment. Student's are responsible for their own learning and if they are not able to manage their time, then they may not be successful in a class. 

A clearly outlined rubric is a helpful tool for the instructors and students to use with each assignment.

It is important to be very specific with expectations by writing them in detail in the syllabus. Here, the students can see how much writing to expect for the class, what technology/software they will need, and if any group work is expected. This way, the students can be prepared and can plan accordingly.