I love email and texting as great communicator tools and a way to connect with multiple or just one student. I use these forms of communication all the time. I had not thought of setting up a facebook group for my class - but that may be something to investigate. Zoom and Google Meet have been my go-to large group communication tools since we left school and have worked well - but definitely need to communicate at the start of the course what the expectations are.
As teachers, is it crucial to understand that we need to communicate with students through various channels in order to support a wide range of them. They may orefer one form than another, so we must be flexible too.
So far i have learned to truly appreciate the times we live in. while we have been forced into a completely remote learning environment, it has allowed us to venture out and seek new on-line learning tools and methods of communication.
When assessing a technology communication tool, it's essential to examine how the technology impacts the communication process. Before you choose a tool, you should plan how to communicate with students or how you prefer they communicate with you or each other.
It was helpful to know the difference between communication tools and the various uses of each. The suggestion to give students "ground rules" for communication software is also helpful.
There are many tools available to communicate with students. As teachers we need to determine the need, research the options, select the best option for our situation, implement the tool and gather feedback during the course and at the end of the course.
I appreciate the framework of questions to consider when chosing a format for communication. I also appreciate reading some pros and cons that I may not have thought have myself.
In developing a course, the use of technology can be an asset. The key to evaluating the effectiveness of technology is to continue to monitor feedback from students to see if it is accomplishing what you originally intended it to do. If it is not don't continue to use it in its current mode. Be willing to either make adjustments to improve the effectiveness or abandon the use of that technology. It is more important to have a successful outcome for the student than to hang onto "technology" for technology sake.
I would not feel too comfortable using social media platforms for class purposes. I would however use TeacherTube or other media such as Remind101. I feel it is important to keep records of all and any communications with students to avoid any conflicts.
I am planning to add a FAQ board to my online course in an effort to make communication more effective and efficient. I plan to get feedback on the communication tools that I implement throughout and at the end of the course.
There are many different communication platforms. The instuctor must choose the one that is more effective in online teaching.Using an end-course evaluation is an excellent way to obtain feedback from students about the entire communication proces.
The statments regarding "Email" being the way to communicate can be a bit misleading. As far as my HS students go, email is NOT their preferred way of communicating and I musty say that I have had varying degrees of responses from adults.
Interaction with students is importnat and can vary according to the need
I now realize why the multiple feedback and input is so vital. Not only does it steer the instructions but it also enhance it to maximize the retention of important information. Communication is needed to ensure proper communication is taking place and needs are being met.
I have learned that it is important to consider all the pros and cons of each form of technology tool when considering what is best for communication in an online course. It is also important to evaluate the effectiveness of the technology tool at the end of the course to ensure it was effective.
To emphasize to students just how many different ways there are to communicate. there is truly something for everyone to meet their needs best
I know that some districts are not allowing their staff to use Zoom or other videoconferencing platforms for privacy reasons. I think is Zoom would be a great way to communicate with students and establish relationships. If the districts have to continue with remote learning, I hope they will consider allowing Zoom, Google Classrooms, etc. in the future.
this module is an excellent reminder that there is more than one way to communicate with students, but it's best to both evaluate the communication tools and set limits on them. As an ESL instructor I can see that the ways I can communicate with students differ by the student level, the type of course and the times. it's both more difficult and easier to engage with students in a pandemic.
This lesson taught me many different reasons to use certain online tools. The correct type of online tool can help make the message come across the class correctly. I also learned about the need to set up rules/guidelines with online tools. For example, setting office hours to check emails and such.
There are so many different forms of communication tools available for online classes. It is so very important to make sure that the students have access to whatever form you chose. In making your selection, you must investigate each tool and their functions to assure it meets your needs. These tools need to be evaluated throughout the course and at the end.
