Sherry Wand

As an all-online course, it would be easy to skim this section.  However, this information is help in dealing with types of students one on one as well.

The best way to learn something is repetition.  While I know this, I was not using this knowledge to teach.  This reminded me that expectations, requirements, due dates, and late policies should be listed in more places than just the syllabus.  While this is important to make sure everyone is on the same page, this section helped me to understand that, explaining these things on the first day and making sure the information stays in front of the student will help to relieve concerns about starting a new class.

Be sure to use as many ways that students learn as possible.  Keep your lectures to 10 - 15 minutes before asking students questions, giving a scenario for them to solve, or using video or another method that will keep them engaged.  

An important part of starting a class is to help your students feel comfortable with you and other students, and understand what is expected of them and what they can expect to learn from the course.  To do that, it is helpful if the instructor practices modeling, management, and motivating techniques.

Make sure students understand that a syllabus is a contract between an instructor and a student.  This not only holds the student responsible, but it also holds the instructor responsible for the student when the instructor deviates from the syllabus.  

Make sure your objectives are detailed about what is required from a section of learning. It also gives the course organization and structure.  

EARLY PLANNING IS A KEY to have students respect you and the learning process.

It is a good idea to take into account your own personality, the teaching objectives of the school and the course being taugt.  Also, each class group has its own personality.  Get to know your students as a whole and as part of the whole so that you can best articulate the content for their style of learning.  

Having an instructional plan to do this would include, having a timeline for your own personal development in topics on the timeline based on what teaching skills you need to develop in your progress as an instructor.

Curriculum Mapping can take varies forms depending on the course being taught and what types of learning activities are needed.  When planning out my curriculum mapping, I need to look at the samples given, choose one that best fits the course and my teaching method, then make it my own.  

I can use what I have now in blackboard and write it down in a curriculm mapping format.  From there I can look at it on paper and determine ways to make the insturctional methods better.  Also, it should reviewed regularly to make changes based on what is working, what… >>>