Projecting our Presence
Some of the strategies instructors use in a traditional classroom setting can also be used in an online setting. Nevertheless, the module presents four specific ways of projecting our presence in an e-learning environment:
· Initiate, lead, monitor, and manage synchronous discussion sessions.
· Oversee team projects.
· Participate in asynchronous discussion forums by offering your response to the discussion question and sharing with all participants a summary of their contributions.
· Answer student queries and provide informative and constructive feedback in a 24 hour turnaround time
One of the key aspects for projecting our presence is the identification of methods for projecting our authority in the e-learning environment. Regarding this, the module suggests us to provide students with a short biography of ourselves, including a summary of our academic credentials and achievements in one section, and a summary of our experience and achievements in the other section. Another suggestion is to introduce the course/module/lesson through:
· Video clips supported by a printable version of the narration script for each video clip.
· Audio supported by a printable version of the audio script and a head-and-shoulder photograph of yourself.
· Text supported by a head-and-shoulder photograph of yourself.
· Text alone
Besides, the module gives us ideas for making our presence felt. For example, we have to:
· Mentally prepare to provide learners with the quality of attention and answers they deserve.
· Ensure that your responses are honest, thorough, and accurate.
· Monitor communication among learners to detect any conflict early.
· Create and post model answers to assignments and projects.
· Participate in discussion and Chat sessions regularly in a selective way, taking into consideration what we respond to, and the time of our contributions.
· Identify learners who are not fully absorbed in the learning experience and send them a personal e-mail.
· Keep in mind that we can use scheduled reminders as a way to make our presence felt on a regular basis
Another important aspect that the module teaches us is the significance of establishing professional learning relationships with our students from an online perspective because these types of relationships based on trust, respect and consideration towards the students are the basis of a motivated classroom. In relation to this, a way to achieve it is by asking students to post a short biography of themselves and to read the biographies of all other students. They should also be advised that they are free to engage in face-to-face discussions with students who live or work within their locale.
Finally, but not less important, is the necessity of
- Reviewing every student's profile to be familiar with their biographical data
- Identifying students with special needs and deriving an action plan to meet their needs.
- Identifying students who are in different time zones and taking that into consideration when establishing our virtual office hours.
- Encouraging students who are living in the same vicinity, within reasonable traveling distance, to participate in face-to-face discussions.
- Sending a welcome message to all students by end of the first day of the course and attaching our biography to this message.
- Sending a personalized message to each student before the end of the first week of the course. Reminding students of our virtual office hours.
- Being sensitive to concerns learners express and questions they raise, and be consistent in the manner in which we provide timely feedback.
- Creating a facility in the Course Management System through which all students as well as ourselves can engage in synchronous discussions.
- Creating another facility in the Course Management System through which students as well as us can engage in asynchronous discussions on topics not related to the course
