Learn how to project yourself in an online setting is key to a successful semester and getting to know one another
Regarding "projecting your presence," I wholeheartedly agree that establishing a positive healthy relationship from the beginning of the term in distance learning is critical! I send out numerous announcements that contain a short bio of me as well as pertinent fun facts about myself ie Beatles lover and reach out to me students to offer me their favorite bands and historical figures...
Reply to Kelly Glenn's post: I agree, building relationships is important.
Building relationships that are respectful with the students are important.
I thought the idea of a bio on everyone was an excellent idea!Reply to Lacey Hatfield's post:
Developing the safe learning environment, showing students you want to know about them, is so critical. For crafts instructors, who are not formally trained as teachers - this seems to be very hard for them to grasp.
There are sublte ways to make our presence known to students without them feeling we are being overbearing.
I learned that developing a trusting, respectful relationship with my students is possible in online teaching. I should post my credentials and background, return work within 24 hours, and also ask students to post their own background as an opener activity. I should encourage students to comment on others work and also ask students before posting their names with my posts.
Projecting your presence is important to establishing a successful online learning environment. I found that sharing my academic, professional, and some personal achievements can help establish trust and open up communication with students. I will also implement the use of student autobiographies. Making students feel comfortable to share some information about themselves can help establish our learning community.
I learned how important personal interaction along with a brief snyopsis of yourself is.
It is certainly harder to project your presense from behind a computer screen, but it is still possible to make meaninful and personal connections with everyone of our students. Student biograpghies are a great way for students to introduce themselves to their fellow classmates, and make sure to create a "hangout" chat room for students for questions and discussions not related to the subject matter.
It's possible and effective to transfer f2f skills to online. My students hear me say "the best teacher is the the best learner."
Learned how to maintain authority during elearning and ways to get to know your students
The need for me to know my students personaly is crucial to their success in my course. Getting to know them as a person and not just a computer is very important. Talking with them on a one to one basis makes them feel that they are getting the most in my course and that I can always have an "open door policy" with each one of my students; whether they have a problem, concern or just need to voice their opinion.
Creating a good rapor with your students from the beginning will help establish relationships. Identify your credintals and work experiences will help gain their trust in what you are teaching.
I also think it is very important for your students to actually SEE you. Almost every one of my online college courses that I took, to get my teacher's license, several years ago, had voice-only lectures.
Having been dropped into e-learning in the middle of a semester (Covid-19), this concept doesn't apply as much as for starting a new course completely online. Fortunately, authority had already been established. Also, all 3 of my classes were Level III courses, so I have had all of the students in class, at least, two times before this class.
Unfortunately, most authority was taken away by state polices that made participation optional at the high school level. This is not going well.
I liked that the advice given in this module reflects best practices in F2F teaching and learning, but applicable to a distance learning forum.
Just as in the classroom, it is important to KNOW your students and being active in their learning. Building a relationship with trust is important, and being involved in student classroom activities help students to engage.
In a college online course, the professor asked for a short biography and gave one as well. This gave students the ability to associate with others that had similar backgrounds and/or majors. Although I expect most high school students to at least know the names of the other students, many do not and having bios at the beginning may allow more of a community.
