I never really thought about the projection of your authority from afar while online, but it makes sence. To facilitate sharing, opening up and influencing students.
It is important to get to know your students. I plan to use the example about having students post a short biography so everyone can learn about every student. I will also post a short biography so they can learn about me.
Instructor and students should know each other from the very first day. Instuctor must provide a guideline to students regarding posting material on the discussion board. Instructor must project and his/her presenece from a distance and also maintain his/her authority.
The welcome message with a short bio and picture was an idea I may wish to integrate in future. I had been doing the welcome message, but no bio
Online teaching and learning are very complex entities. One way to ensure success on both sides is to be open and communicative. Establising an open line of communication wil greatly facilitate the learning environment.
This creates a more personal approach to the relationship established with your students.
Students need to have faith in their professor in an online environment. We establish this faith with our biographies (creditionals), participation in synchronous/asynchronous discussion, our availability via email and office hours, and with by initiating contact with students that may need special assistant. All of these aspects are neccessary for the student to feel comfortable that a real, qualified, and compassionate person is leading their learning experience.
Matt Wilkerson
reaching out to the students and connecting with them to let them know that I'm there for them .There are no stupid question there is always a way to get the message across and putting up a bio of my credentials and interests will let them know that I am human and have other interests outside of my field
I have learned that it is important to be more personable to students and to provide biographical information,
As an instructor you need to make clear and maintain the expectation and rules of online just as if they were in class physically. But, you also need to bring the human side to it. To post a "tell me about yourself" not only shows how we are all from different areas and backgrounds, it shows just how much we may have in common as well. Students are also more likely to ask for help with something if they feel comfortable and connected.
Making it personal helps students (and me) feel more connected. Reaching out regularly is important.
- Instructors can project their presence in the classroom by introducing yourself.
- Allowing students to introduce themselves.
- Sending group and individual e-mails / messages to students welcoming them and reassuring them of your presence.
I believe it is important to get to know students and their idiosyncrasies. But in post-high school, and in trade schools, that information is not generally able to be freely learned. Particularly, among students from a common area, who are likely to become competitors when out in the workforce, such as in the electrical trade. TMI can be a problem, especially where instructors may not have the qualifications necessary to deal with particulars unrelated to the immediate electrical subject/module, or even the electrical trade in general.
I feel the generalities EL102 covers miss the more specific particulars we face as Electrical Instructors preparing our students for the real world, demanding world of working in the electrical field. That is what I feel most qualified to do, and also what my understanding of what PCI hired me to do. I'm seeing students requiring way too much individual instructor input. These are not children, but young adults, certainly of an age to be beyond some of the Mother Robin neediness which detracts from the overall learning environment of all the students.
I use a introduction of each other on the first day of a class on site, but I wil start using the posting of a short bio in the future, I like this wether online or in person.
My online presence as the instructor is critical to the students feeling comfortable with the course.
I have always done an introduction for the students, I never thought of writing out a short auntobiography for them. I will try this. I also feel having students write one will help me with my teaching. I will better understand the students and where they are coming from.
Establishing a good rapport with students is important. Communication is key. I like the idea of students posting bios.
I learned that you do not have to throw out the baby with the bathwater or reinvent the wheel. I learned that we are able to incorporate strategies that we imploy in the classroom to the online environment.
I find student's stories and backgrounds interesting and so I naturally gravitate to wanting to hear about their lives. I try to ask about specifics in later discussions so each student knows that I read their bio and that I'm invested in their success in the class.
So, we have started doing a WELCOME letter for each term and incorporated a short bio for each instructor to give the students an opportunity to learn about our credentials, achievements (and some failures that we overcame) and our expectations as the instructor to each students. On day one, we do a verbal intro by each students so I know more about them and each student learns a bit about their peers, but, I like the idea of having them write/type it out because it might prompt them to dig a little deeper. We used this format years ago at a different school, but, this prompted me to pull that back and I really like this idea. Another suggestion would be to add a "Dear FUTURE ME" letter that the students writes to them selves either day one of the entire program or revises at each term/semester with updates on their goals, expectations, accomplishments, and maybe career path changes. Then at graduation or course completion, have them read it so they can fully grasp and appreciate their academic and personal growth.
