Wanda Cooley

Wanda Cooley

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I will need to devote a great deal of time to creating and managing a successful online course. It is important to understand that adapatability is required and revisions are ongoing. I need to understand my strengths and weaknesses and consistently utilize professional development opportunities.

The key to balancing my workload is preparation, communication, staying organized and following a schedule as well as delegating assistance. Emphasizing the importance of each student's responsibility for learning in the course will enhance their learning experience. Understanding my student's strengths and weaknesses is also vital to their success and in turn, my success in… >>>

It is essential to provide prompt and frequent feedback throughout the course timeline. I must set communication guidelines and properly model behavior I expect from my students. I must also set consequences for those guidelines. Guidelines must be clear and consise. Time lines must also be clear within the guidelines. Essential for prompt communication is teaching and giving examples appropriate communications. Through my syllabus and course intro students can access the important info they need. Teaching students the importance of and how to utilize the course syllabus is key.

 

Essential to facing the challenges in online teaching and student learning for success is time management, organization, planning, and communication for both instructor and student. The key is leading by example and being a positive influence. It's essential to balance setting boundries and closely monitoring while giving students the responsiblity for their own learning.

 

Managing workload is key to student success. It's essential to prepare and talk with other online teachers. Time management involves multiple factors but key to all these is keeping the focus on a student=centered approach to the course with the end result being student  success.

 

We teach our students to plan and organize their work and their assignments by utilizing planners and classroom organizational tools, like daily schedules and student calendars, but online we need to re-teach and deepen their level of understanding just how important organizing, time management and setting goals will be to their success in online learning. We have to correct any thinking that online courses are easier at the beginning of the course before they begin the coursework. I find the 7 principles for learning adapted to the student's point of view a great resource and something I will definitely incorporate… >>>

I learned to focus in on the tech tools availble to enhance both asynchronous and synchronous learning. I want to choose tools that will support my student's expected outcome/goal for the course content. Students will likely develop their skills working collaboratively if I provide the communication support consistently and appropriately. 

 

Just as teaching good citizenship in our traditional classrooms is critical, it is also critical and more complex in the online environment due to the lack of face-to-face (F2F) communication. Communication should be focused, consistent, clear, complete and consise. Teaching communication is essential to student success. Developing a policy for academic honesty is a must to communicate at the beginning of the course. As well as remind students of their committment to honesty throughout the course. I can see adapting exit slips into discussion boards as a viable formative strategy.

 

Analyzing my own strenths and weaknesses is essential before thinking about developing my course. I also learned the importance of modifying the self-analysis inventory for my online learners to incorporate more specific online characteristics. It's essential to include time management and organizational info in the syllabus to prepare students to understand their responsibilites. Continuous organizational and time management support will be essential for all my student's success and will require a great deal of regular attention.

 

The importance of developing a good rubric and the consistency it provides for both teacher and student. I need to develop better rubrics. It's important to analyze communications carefully. The key is creating an online environment that is motivating for all students as well as encouraging while promoting respectfulness and value for our community members in a place where everyone feels safe to share, be understood and accepted.

 

This section highlighted the importance of getting to know my students in terms of generational identity. I'm linking this to my student survey and I can see that I need to pose different types of "get to know you" questions in order to meet everyone's needs and provide support. The essential factor is clear, effective and successful communication right from the beginning of the course; and how to provide the support throughout the course that meets all student's needs. I think I will explore how to include successful student qualities suggestions in my course overview.

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