Sandra Chisholm

It is important that students are good online citizens, have the skills to be a good reader and writer, are willing to participate and engage with other learners, start taking control over their learning in a Community of Practice and effectiviely communicate with others so they are successful in learning and life.

It is important for the teacher to understand their students needs so you can help and give them strategies to be successful in the online environment. Creating a survey can help both parties be successful once everyone understands their online student's strenghts and weakiness.

Creating a guideline so you do not have low-quality posting, having a healthy community by having students feel comfortable communicating with their peers, collabotayion with other teachers can help with learning how to facilitate so you become the "guide on the side," and using communication and collaboration to develop the learning process.

The Golden rule is a good place to start with students when creating a functioning online environment where all students feel comfortable with communication both written and verbal thus avoiding the sound of silence.

Students need to understand the communication standards which come from the teacher/school. The Communication Codes of Conduct must be state rules but also consequences for all to follow.  Management of the communication must be on going so students know that they must practice netiquette.  It is important for the teacher to use communication tools that will provide a safe environment for their students.

Becareful what you chose, use only the necessary functions for the course, use on going assessment and feedback so that you know if there are any communication problems.

Being consistent and organiized will help the students and make them feel comfortable as they learn by using different methods and strategies.

As a facilitator, you must keep your students engage, make sure you convey your information so students understands it, and ask for their feedback.

The method the teacher uses must compliment the learning objectives so that the students are successful in learning the content.  Both methods have their advantages and disadventages, but the teacher must use feedback to help decide which is the best method to use with the best technology tool.

Teaching styles and technology tools must go hand and hand for students to be success and for all methods to achieve the objectives.