This section is very informative with great strategies for online teaching.
I have learned that there are at least six learning styles; three of them are inhibitory and must be mitigated or addressed in some form.
That keeping a specified time for outside discussions among students can help them keep focused when necessary.
Having your synchronous discussions be with only one student at a time was interesting to me. I was under the assumption that the classes would be synchronous, as that is what I am used to coming from college during Covid-19. All of my courses for a little over 1.5 years were synchronous, so I was under the assumption that for the brain break the answer would be all students.
Now I notice that it was talking about asynchronous courses and how to deal with students falling behind or just casual check ins, do them one on one!
Knowing which type of communication is best for certain situations in an online learning environment is important. You must chose a type of communication that is appropriate for the situation.
Instructors must understand that asynchronous discussions occur at different moments within a given weekly timeframe and are the heart of any online course. In contrast, synchronous discussions occur in real-time and are often called chat sessions and afford opportunities for socializing. Moreover, instructors should recognize that there is no specific learning style. Instead, students can have more than one learning style to different degrees. When giving feedback, the wording must encourage participation, confidence, and motivation and be constructive when needed.
Fostering communication is essential for both on line and traditional classrooms. Finding what works is always tricky, but sticking to what is working is key.
Active participation from the instructor is important to functional discussions. Whether it be synchronous or asynchronous, the instructor should be active, discuss important topics, be sure to guide the discussion to stay on track, and be sure to comment regularly. Setting standards and discussing netiquitte is important as well.
Understanding the difference between asynchronous and synchronous discussions is very important to the success of online courses and student learning outcomes.
Asynchronous discussions allow for more reflection and perhaps more participation results. Synchronous discussions allow students social time to compare notes with each other.
"Entice learners to interact with each other by responding to groups of related responses rather than individual messages, and by encouraging learners to comment on a selected learner's response."
I learned the difference between synchronous and asynchronous discussions, how to structure activities
I have learnt about the guidelines towards effective asynchronous and synchronous discussions and how to successfully engage with the students in both settings.
Instructional feedback that provides students with appropriate teaching points should be timely and encouraging. Engaging students remotely requires continuous monitoring and communication.
I learned to use the discussion boards not only as a learning tool but as a method to control the pace of the class as well as get a good feel for the type of learners my students are. From this I can meaningfully engage them and help them through the course.
Keeping the students involved by providing asynchronous and synchronous discussions.
the importance of synchronous and asynchronous platforms for student learning
It was interesting to learn about the different learning styles, specifically the 3 that can hinder learning for other students (avoiding, competitive, and dependent).
Responding with a positive response to students is key in developing a good relationship with them.
Feedback is important when supporting the students learning experience. In the classroom body language and verbal comments help the students learn. In an asynchronous environment precise and encouraging feedback in important.
