Ernest,
Right. You have to set the expectations and hold students to them. That is so important.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
They are both important, of course. I think the instructor needs to "get the ball rolling." Modeling what is expected is essential. But after that, the instructor should only be a facilitator. The students should lead the way.
Janis,
you are right. The instructor should start the discussion and the students should lead the rest. The instructor should be the guide on the side.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I think of the instructor as raising vegetables in a raised box planter or sorts. :)
The instructor has to set limits and certain expectations ... but the students need to have the freedom to grow within those walls or limits ... so the "fruit" will be their own learning and not some micro-managed contrivance.
Thomas,
That is a great way of putting it! There is certain things the instructor can do but it can "learn" for the student.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I think that student content development is slightly more important because of the benefits of their viewpoints and what they find. In this day and age, these students are the ones who tend to find information in a more non-conventional fashion - and in that case, would help the instructor out more in terms of finding information that would be helpful in the classroom.
Catherine,
Great observation. That is the power of these tools is the value of information. How students obtain that information becomes the value to them.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
While both student content development and instructor content development are both okay to use. However, while studying the contents of micro blogging, I personally think that instructor content development would be more important when incorporating micro blogging into my courses. My reason is because I would be the one who would be determining the assignment, the contents of the course, the purpose, and the learning objectives. I would be the one to determine the character limit (blocks of 140 characters), and how to send the information to the students. Once the course contents are developed, instructors should make sure that the students will be able to respond to all questions with very short answers (140 characters or less). Instructors must create their accounts, and design it so that all of the students in the class can follow them. Then the instructors must assist the students in creating an account; as well as explain all of the other aspects of micro blogging and the assignment prior to releasing the assignment to the students for completion.
As an instructor i believe student content development and instructor content development are equally important.
Aldgenette,
I think you have an excellent set of strategies. Thank you for sharing your strategies. You have to make sure they match your objectives so they have a purpose, not just busy work.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Rickey,
True, but when you are talking about social media, what does this mean?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
This was not easy to answer at first. I think that this depends on the level of knowledge and comfort students have with the tool. If the students are largely unfamiliar or new to microblogging, they may need more direction and guidance whereby the instructor drives the content. The goal would be of course to have microblogging content developed by the students so that they are active participants in the learning process.
Victoria,
I agree with your strategy. I don't think you can say this is optional as you will have no buy in. You will need to guide students so they have success in this medium to build their confidence.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
As an online professor, student content development is more important, when incorporating microblogging into courses. Student content development assists students in research skill and developing valuable information for others to learn. In the process the student creating the content is learning. Instructor content development is more course material led; utilizing course objectives and unit concepts to drive the overall course environment.
Andrea,
What a great post! It does provide a canvas to showcase students' ability to sow their skills in research to show they can change data to information!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Student content development is more important, but it directly leas to instructor content development as well. Learning what motivates the current students allows you to tailor the class to help them learn, and it allows us as instructors to expand our learning objectives for future students.
Michael,
It is a delicate balance as content or learning objectives may not be changed easily. Those changes can be dependent on institutional procedures. We may be contained by the master course objectives.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Perhaps it's because I am more accustomed to the "old school" method of teaching, I believe the structured instructor content should remain within the boundaries of the LMS. If the instructor chooses to incorporate microblogging within the course through the use of a social media site, that should be more focused on the students' perspective of the content and provide them with the ability to run with the discussion, so to speak, rather than a typical structured online discussion board.
Both are important, as they feed off of each other. In the beginning of the class, the instructor content must provide a framework for the course and lead the student content. However, once the course evolves, student content and alternative point of view must be considered. We can all learn from each other!
Kimberly,
I don't think that is oldschool at all. You make a great point of keeping all of the tools within the LMS. It is much easier on the students.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
