I like the video approach, it gives students a chance to place a face and personality with a name.
Sharing a short mixture of Professional and personal bio of yourself (with Head Shot included) helps to connect with students
Establish a relationship with each learner.
I learned the importance of providing a brief synopsis of your resume to your students to establish your authority in the learning environment that is being established.
I learned to gain my authority from a distance also depending on where the students are to build my office time based on that
I have found that it’s important to allow for students to own the discussion and for teachers not to over dominate the conversation. The answers and engagement is for the students.
Establishing a culture of trust is essential, as well as getting to know your students and building relationships.
Communicate expertise and experience to students.
Gather information on students, they may have insights and knowledge helpful to their peers
Start right...set expectations and establish authority/expertise in the field.
Its important to gain respect with the students. A proper introduction on who you are and your back round helps to gain that trust and respect. You should also understand each students back round in order to understand the students neeeds.
Offering ways to effectively communicate with students through discussion boards, offering small groups/activities that are outside of the discussion and building trust/rapport with students will help students feel more comfortable and engaged with learning the content.
This module had me consider additional ways to connect with students, specifically those that live close together. Although I know that is not a common it did present an idea for me. Offering workgroups outside of course hours may be away to engage with small groups of students at different times throughout the week. These would not replace office hours.
Adequate replies to student discussions is important not only to build a relationship with the student in regards to the topic, but also as a communication and learning process for both student and teacher. Following this process is something I will be doing.
I like the idea of engaging with students within their discussion board assignments. It shows them that you're actively supportive of their suggestions and opinions.
It's important to engage students and demonstrate content knowledge.
I have found that its important to allow for students to own the discussion and for teachers not to over dominate the conversation. There is a specific time (and that's during the instructional part) for teachers to do that. The answers and engagement is for the students. Teachers just facilitate this part.
I learned the importance of your introduction and providing a bio so the students can see credibility and get to know you and be more engaged.
In this module, I learned how to participate actively in discussions without dominating the conversation.
There are similarities in projecting your presence for online instruction and the traditional face to face setting. I think the greatest challenge for online instructors is maintaining the attention of the students. Getting to know your students is essential. It is easier to accomplish this on a classroom setting. Doing it on an online format will require adjustments and creativity.
