Preparation
I think one key to online success is making sure that students do not fall behind. This creates many problems, and often these problems can not be corrected. What are your opinions?
Students need to be told at the beginning of the class how much time they will need to spend in doing the work. Also, they need immediate feedback and need to know where they can get help if there is a problem. By posting your online office hours and phone number, students will know when help can be obtained from the instructor. Some students will need their hand-holding until they feel comfortable with the online platform. This is especially true of first time online learners.
This is absolutely wonderful!!
I believe one key to ensuring online students do not fall behind in course work is to have due dates throughout a module instead of all assignments being due at the end of the week. This would help create an opportunity for better time management instead of last minute work.
Time management is needed in every career there is!
I believe a key element to ensure that students do not fall behind within a course is to have some form of outreach to the students. If they have not completed an assignment then the professor she send an email to enquire about the missing assignment. After more than two assignments maybe the students advisor should also reach out to the student.
It should not be something that is overwhelming to the student, but to ensure them that you care about their success.
Absolutely. There are many students who do not realize that turning work in on time is important, or they may have issues knowing how to get the assignment to you.
I agree that some degree of outreach is probably necessary, even for an "old-school" (pun intended!) instructor who may feel that it's the student's responsibility as an adult to keep up. We're probably all familiar with the traditional college/university instructor who operates under the principle that the student has paid his/her money and should have the right to fail. I wrestle with that decision myself. I used to have a sign on the door of my office on a university campus that said, "I refuse to work harder for my students' grades than they do." To some extent I still think that's an appropriate stance for me to take, as harsh as it sounds, but I also think, I get paid to work as hard as is necessary for my students to be successful. If that means an e-mail or two, or a call to the student's advisor, I think an instructor should be willing to do that.
Yes, it is nice when an instructor reaches out. Makes the online platform seem more human.
I have to agree. Time management is very important. I stress to my students that my clients would not be my clients for long if I missed deadlines or meetings.
We move forward in life not backwards. It is important to make the material interactive so the students want to complete the assignments.
I love how you state that we move forward and not backwards. Some students love to live in the past.
In all my classes, I try to encourage the student to keep looking forward to the next step in the process of the course completion. Too many students get caught up with a poor grade or missed deadline that they want to give up at that point, which is self-defeating because it sets them up to miss more deadlines, often leading to failure of the course. I find that it sometimes takes extra effort from me as the instructor to target those that seem to be falling behind and "nip it in the bud" with an email reminding the student that the entire course is not dependent on one assignment--but will be evaluated on his/her entire performance/portfolio. It takes a little time from me, but I often see that following assignments are punctual and carefully completed, making the effort worthwhile.
Ruth,
Oh I so agree! Students get one bad grade and you could have a student who simply does not login for a week! Good for you for encouraging them to move forward!
Shelly Crider
Persistent encouragement from faculty is also vital to keeping students engaged. Providing constructive comments on poor work is essential, but then we need to keep the student focus on improvement.
Letting the student know, at the start, what the requirements are and then following up with them is crucial. Instructors should remind students throughout the week and issue action and/or intervention forms when needed.
Heather,
Oh so true....letting them know in the beginning and continue to remind them of deadlines and what is important.
Shelly Crider
