When establishing a pattern of teaching, especially in an online course, the two most important things to consider are frequent and adequate feedback and very clear communication of instructions and expectations. Whether the course is more self-paced or mostly synchronous, it is vital that students can communicate with the instructor regularly to get their questions answered and receive feedback on their performance. Equally important is the informational infrastructure that teachers deliver so that students know what to do, when to do it, and what the expectations are. With these two bases covered, the students will be on the way toward a successful learning experience.
- Mark W.
Roshawna,
True, but how do you establish a teaching pattern in an online environment.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Mark,
You are right. You have to make sure you are consistent, frequent, and meaningful. Although students are responsible you have to really make it your responsibility to keep working to reach all students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
1. communication of what the student is not understanding within the core content.
2. providing the missing link of the picture drawn in front of them.
Elin,
I don't understand how these statements fit regarding establishing a teaching pattern. Please explain.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I think the two most important things to consider when establishing a teaching pattern are 1) how you organize your course and your teaching time and 2) who your students are.
In terms of organization, it is critical to be transparent about every aspect of the course -- the course content, objectives, assignments, rubrics, expectations, etc. All of this needs to be communicated to students up front. But it is also important to think about how you will organize your daily and weekly schedule so that you have the time to regularly monitor your students' progress, provide timely feedback, answer students' questions, and grade their assignments in a timely manner. A regular daily schedule really helps with this.
In terms of knowing who your students are, this is a little more difficult in an asynchronous environment. But you can create a discussion board for students to introduce themselves. You also learn a lot about them when you interact with them via e-mail, texts, or instant messaging. You can also learn a lot about your students by reading between the lines of their assignments -- what topics do they choose, how do they connect what they are learning to their current lives or past experiences, etc. It's really important to pay attention to what students are sharing about themselves so you can treat them as individuals and also provide them with the individualized (differentiated) support they may need. Yes it is important to establish consistent universal course expectations but it is also important to provide whatever support individual students may need to successfully complete the course.
Cathy,
You make a great point about course organization. That is a part of teaching pattern in the online environment. When you add that to consistency and currency it makes for a strong teaching effort. Good post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
the 2 most important things to consider when establishing a pattern of teaching is to be consistent. That allows students to get your pattern quickly. Also, communicating your expectations in a centralized location so students always know to go there to get the information.
Greg,
Great post, I agree with you about having a centralized location. You also have to continue to point students to that information. . . consistently.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I keep feeling pattern is the wrong word for this. In fact it almost feels like we are analyzing the course by stringing together educational synonyms.
So to join in, "The flow and rhythm are important to the organization of collective data management systems."
Want to make the class flow better use words that are clear. The message will be if you want to show that words are the message.
Jason,
I agree with you. Flow does describe it well. That is so important in teaching and learning regardless of the delivery. Great post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
When establishing a pattern of teaching, what do you believe are the two most important things to consider?
1) Communication: letting students know that my door is always open whenever they have questions or concerns
2) Clear and organized Syllabus: I believe that it can serve as a roadmap for the students
Julie,
The syllabus (course contract) is so important. It is imperative that the syllabus as expectations for both you and the student. Has your syllabus gotten longer over the years?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
When establishing a pattern of teaching, I believe that the two most important things to consider is to be consistent and being available. I believe that consistency is key to student learning. One's grading, detailed responses, helpfulness, announcements, etc; must be consistent in order for a student to be successful.
Samuel Bufkin
Samuel,
Yes that is correct. You want to be available to all students within a reasonable amount of time.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Having a centralized location for communication , assignments and content delivery is important. Having students learn how to go through LMS or webpages will be essential. The interaction process with question and answers will be able to let us know more about the learning outcomes by our designed patterns. When students understand this pattern, it will be easier to guide them back on track when they are lost in the process.
When establishing a pattern of teaching, I believe the two most important things to consider are clear communication and repetitive learning techniques.
Consistency and capturing our students attention I believe are cornerstones to being an effective instructor. Our students need to be able to rely on their instructor and know what is to be expected. If we can also capture their attention and keep them engaged, then that's even better.
Elin,
You are right, the LMS plays a HUGE role in the teaching pattern. It is the canvas of your teaching pattern. It provides guidance.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree with all the posts. I believe in consistency and assistance. I have established one of my patterns of teaching from a student suggestion. Their suggestion of more than just an introduction of the week’s assignments has bloomed into a full 10 minute discussion of the topics and how best to research them. I have embraced this and it is now expected by the students who take my classes.
