Code of conduct needs to be rather strict but fair. The e-learning environment is not be a place for students to promote agendas or undermine with poor behavior.
There will be some competing resposibilities, such as, students feeling that one class is more important than another. This usually happens when students are taking elective classes as apposed to core classes. We must begin stress the importance of all classes, especially in an online settting.
I have discovered new strategies that can be used to communicate with the learners in my online community. This is good information to have in order to allow all students to be heard and feel a part of the class. There was also important information about the different types of learners and how they can interact with the class.
We will have students with different learning styles in the online environment. We all must make sure wer are consistent with all students. Always make sure we are responding to student's needs within a reasonable about of time.
It is imperative that we get to know our students early on and recognize the catagories of e-learning they may fall into. But more importatly, I have learned some tools and techniques to address different types of e-learners and how to make it a more safe, more welcoming, and fun way for all to participate!
Keeping all necessary information on student participation and task completion organized in an easily accessible format is essential.
Knowing the students as well as is possible will facilitate identifying when and how they go off task. Dealing with situations in a sensitive manner might prevent student failure.
To keep good communcation with all the student's and watch for procrastination , as well as making sure they know the guidelines on turning in their assignments.
This lesson reminded me just how glad I am of my Type-A organizing skills, because it will be critical to maintain and be able to easily locate communications, student work, response/chat dialogues, etc. Another good reminder is to determine and monitor the various e-learner types, and to take appropriate actions, in accordance with school handbooks, for unacceptable online behaviors. I already have a good email organization system, and I've spent most of my professional life using email for communication, so I have no concerns about that. Likewise, our new digital student work software should provide me with an organization system as well for assignments.
The records management systems really stood out to me and I recognize reasons that filing by student name can be affective. I also recognze how filing informaion by assignment type will also be beneficial...
Karen,
You have half the battle won! Great so share some of your organizational skills with us. Categorize what and how? How long do you keep information stored in your folders? Do you have one classroom? I teach special area with K - 5th students. How would you organize the grade levels?
Thank you
Keeping records, communicating with and conseling students, dealing with undesirable behavior, and resolving student conflict is normal in the day-to-day work of a high school teacher. It is now done online instead of in person.
I have learned that it is the teacher's responsibility to help students navigate technical issues.
Teaching online can be challenging and having good management system in place is important.
I find it takes great patience and time to deal with students who are dependent and irresposible. I have students who don;t read the syllabus or assignment instructions. they either email to ask questions when answers are obvious in the instruction or turn in a wrong assignment. I usually direct them back to where the instruction lies, even to the point to copy and paste the instruction in my reply email to them and remind students they they need to read the instructions.
Students may face many challanges when taking online classes. The instructor must be aware of those students and be proactive in assistanting the student with issues they face in a timely manner. Students need to know the resourses they have available to them.
Even when you are not physically in front of students, you will have students that rebel against the system.
Though I have yet to deal with as much conflict in the online learning environment as I did with students at a physical campus, there are similar methods to deal with disruptive students. The worst thing I have seen so far from my online students has been plagiarism. Of the three I caught recently, and yes, I did mention three, all were dealt with to varying degrees since all were separate incidents. One student ended up being suspended until the pending meeting with the judicial review board because this student had committed plagiarism multiple times in the past in other classes. The other two who had not been caught cheating in the past were allowed to resubmit their assignments while also receiving a stern warning from me that this type of behavior will not be tolerated. Though I gave them this stern warning, I was also encouraging of these students to ask me for help in the future when they need it. Some of the other issues I have encountered in the online learning environment are similar to what I found with my students at a physical setting. There were work obligations and family issues that stood in the way of their pursuit for an education. This module has addressed how to handle situations like these, though I threw in the plagiarism incidents to make this a little more interesting. We will face many issues like these as online faculty members, and with the right techniques we can overcome them.
I teach nursing where the student must have good learning or in Excellent skills. The program is long and patience is a quality each student must have. As for different types of personalities one must be able to adapt and follow the student handbook. It will be challegening.
COMMUNICATION....REGULAR, FRIENDLY, ENCOURAGING, and SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATION is very necessary for student engagement. Providing students with the necessary resources or at least providing them with info on where to get help is critical. As an instructor we need to create a supportive and shared learning community for the students.
Is there any research on styles of teachers in the online environment? I was wondering, as I was reading about types of students and potential interventions, if any thing like that was available for self-awareness as an instructor. I think I probably would be a procrastinator. Well intentioned, but busy and so doing things at the last minute. I'd love ideas for how to avoid doing things at the last minute.
