Best Practices
This page will be a collection of best practices as they appear in the literature.
Practice #1 "Be Present!" By this I mean that some of your best tools are the discussion board and the announcements area. This is where you do most of your mentoring and challenging for your students. Show up often in your class...students notice this and respond in positive ways. You are setting the example for them.
Practice #2 "Create a Community" One of the best ways to do this is to foster balanced dialogues between the stakeholders in your class. So, student to student, instructor to student, and student to instructor communications should be on a somewhat level playing field.
Practice #3 "Provide Clarity" Lay out all of the details of the course from the beginning. Students need to know what is expected of them, how communications will flow, and how the technology is designed to support the class.
Practice #4 "Break up your learning groups" Have your students work in different size groups as well as individually. In the world outside of academia, we work often in groups or teams, and we should mirror that model in our classes.
Practice #5 "Do it both ways" Provide both synchronous and asynchronous activities for your students. There are times when the student needs time to research and formulate responses to topics, and other times when a lively discussion in a virtual classroom may yield great learning experiences.
Practice #6 "Get Feedback right away!" Don't wait until the end of the course to discover that your students have learned little. In the online world, they contribute to their learning as much as you do, so they really need to have a forum for input along the way.
Practice #7 "Reflect on issues, don't just describe them" Design your questions and discussion points that invite both discussion (among students and with you) and reflections. Virtually, any content on any subject is available with a few keystrokes, so what your students really need to learn is how to think critically and constructively. How to utilize information to make informed decisions. Ask 'why' more than 'what' or 'when.'
Practice #8 "Link to the present day" Take the time to find current examples of what your subject matter is all about. Have your students do this and you will be amazed at what they find.
Practice #9 "Concepts are far more than words alone" They represent clusters of knowledge that form the building blocks of learning. Bring out the patterns and relationships in this pursuit of knowledge.
Practice #10 "It's a wrap" A meaningful culminating assignment or experience can go a long way to keeping the your course alive in the minds of your students. Like the last joke a comedian closes his act with, a course closing should be memorable.
Practice #1 "Be Present!" By this I mean that some of your best tools are the discussion board and the announcements area. This is where you do most of your mentoring and challenging for your students. Show up often in your class...students notice this and respond in positive ways. You are setting the example for them.
Practice #2 "Create a Community" One of the best ways to do this is to foster balanced dialogues between the stakeholders in your class. So, student to student, instructor to student, and student to instructor communications should be on a somewhat level playing field.
Practice #3 "Provide Clarity" Lay out all of the details of the course from the beginning. Students need to know what is expected of them, how communications will flow, and how the technology is designed to support the class.
Practice #4 "Break up your learning groups" Have your students work in different size groups as well as individually. In the world outside of academia, we work often in groups or teams, and we should mirror that model in our classes.
Practice #5 "Do it both ways" Provide both synchronous and asynchronous activities for your students. There are times when the student needs time to research and formulate responses to topics, and other times when a lively discussion in a virtual classroom may yield great learning experiences.
Practice #6 "Get Feedback right away!" Don't wait until the end of the course to discover that your students have learned little. In the online world, they contribute to their learning as much as you do, so they really need to have a forum for input along the way.
Practice #7 "Reflect on issues, don't just describe them" Design your questions and discussion points that invite both discussion (among students and with you) and reflections. Virtually, any content on any subject is available with a few keystrokes, so what your students really need to learn is how to think critically and constructively. How to utilize information to make informed decisions. Ask 'why' more than 'what' or 'when.'
Practice #8 "Link to the present day" Take the time to find current examples of what your subject matter is all about. Have your students do this and you will be amazed at what they find.
Practice #9 "Concepts are far more than words alone" They represent clusters of knowledge that form the building blocks of learning. Bring out the patterns and relationships in this pursuit of knowledge.
Practice #10 "It's a wrap" A meaningful culminating assignment or experience can go a long way to keeping the your course alive in the minds of your students. Like the last joke a comedian closes his act with, a course closing should be memorable.
