Nilda:
Telephone contact is a good idea provided that long distanxce charges are not an issue, and you do not have to spend endless time trying to contact each of your calss of 15 to 25 once a week.
Learning to deal with negativity is, in my opinion, a must. It is also there in the workplace as well as in other parts of our lives. There should be no mandatory requirement fo students to contact students. Most students do this on their own. They form their own learning communities. Those of them who live in the same locale my have periodic gatherings, be it for course related matters or just socializing.
Satrohan
Adarine:
Is this a communication issue or is it a problem that arises from improper test construction?
Satrohan
Verbal interaction is important because communicating is a skill that must be developed. And like any skill in order to perfect it, it must be practiced.
Adarine:
I assume you mean written expression; not spoken. If you mean spoken, how does an instructor foster perfection of that skill in an online environment?
Satrohan
Using an online course, it should be understood that you may not have verbal interaction with students or instructos; however I belive there should be oppertunities built in to the class to speak with the instructor or student if further clearification is needed of the course, grades, etc.
Kevin,
Great points - I agree. Some sort of "Virtual Office Hours" is a must!
Best,
Jon
Satrohan, I think that by 'verbal' interaction, she meant 'communicative' interaction.
It has been my experience in the online environment that a phone call from the instructor early on in the course helps "break the ice" that sometimes happens when communicating by written form. The voice of the instructor can put a student or students at ease as opposed to the somtimes aloof tone in a written response to an assignment.
Krista,
I agree with your posting, e-mailing, or using Instant Messaging is the best form of communication. I have to take it one step further and say include it in a traditional course as well. This way you get a better understanding of what the student is asking of you and you can clarify your response in detail. If you notice you are getting numerous phone calls on the same topic, this give you a clue to post an announcement or discuss this in the next class.
As for speaking with everyone in the class to "break the ice" sort of speak, that is nearly impossible with the timezones differences ! You could be waking up at 2 am to greet and welcome a student -how cheerful and/or welcoming will you sound at 2am >.
If this is something that is an ice-breaker then I say let technology do the talking. Record a message and have the computer call each student playing back the message. Better yet, have the student call the number at his/her convenience time and listen to the greeting. I'm sure there are several ways to overcome this obstacle and make the students feel welcome.
I agree. Communication is needed but not necessarily verbal. In an online environment the use of communication tools such as announcements, live chats, email and instant messaging are great communication tools and the students can learn communication techniques through these methods.
Yes, I agree. However, I have found that many student fail to come to the "virtual office" yet complaint that they do not understand the material.
Rhonda,
Good point - these methods also may be more efficient in terms of time.
Thanks,
Jon
Cheryl,
This is very common - I find that just being available tends to be more effective.
Jon
I agree that a bio helps you make connections with the students. You are no longer just a name. I even had a student see my picture in a newsletter, and she said that she loved putting a face with the information that she knew about me. Anything that we can do to make those connections helps students feel that they are not in this alone. I think they are more likely to ask for information when they need help.
Kelly:
I do provide my phone number so my students can call at anytime should they need assistance.
Some students will never call even though they are struggling and some call each week.
I think including an introductory video clip within each course lets students know a little bit the instructor and lets them know there is someone out there within the Online environment!
Kim
Kim,
Interesting examples, thanks for sharing.
Best,
Jon
"Verbal" implies brick-and-mortar or phone interface. Communication is key but it can be done electronically. Communicating via email or discussion group or chat can also lead to having documentation for future reference if needed.
Great points - thanks for sharing! - Jon
I have spoken verbally with students who express concern about some concept they are struggling with. Sometimes a student may need a bit more encouragement than they can receive in a chat, or a discussion or an email.
Sharon
