The important things to consider:
1. The content related
2. The process related
Because through the process of managing the overall communication within an online enviroment, the instructor should begin to established a pattern of communication and this pattern of communication should become obvious to the students and should be easy to follow.
Harold,
You bring up some good points. The message must be delivered in a timely manner, be in a form that can be easily understood, and take into consideration the content begin delivered. Nice job.
Marissa,
Right on! Content and process are important and then the technology that assistas in the development and delivery of that content.
The pattern of communication is important and should be developed by each instructor. Although everyone may do it differently, the students need to have communication frequently.
Thanks again for your input.
I like the idea of establishing the Communication Code of Conduct right at the start so that the students understand what's required of everyone in the course.
One other issue that I didn't see addressed is that students and the instructor should be careful when responding to an email that initially seems disrepectful/improper/angry, etc. What comes across in an email may not be what was intended by the sender. The first response back to the sender should be a request for clarification if there seems to be an issue with the tone/wordes in the message.
In other words, step back for a moment and ask if that is what was meant before you get upset at the message/sender.
John,
Glad you learned from the content in this module and will implement things in your online course. Everything you do to establish better communication, helps tremendously.
Thank you.
1. I would need to consider the selection of the proper types of communication that would best support the subject matter and establish the rules of use for each type of communication. I would want to avoid situations where the communication ends up being an open forum for subjects that do not pertain to the course material.
2. I would need to consider how to properly monitor the communications to ensure that questions and issues are promptly and adequately resolved. For instance if I have sent a communication and I don't get a response or indication that it was received then I won't beleive that I am being heard.
I like this tool I am using right now. When I hit the submit button It gives me a chance to change it and I can actually see where it posted.
Plus it is sent out by email to everyone else on the thread.
In my experience working with students in an online setting, guidelines explaining the timeframe for responding to questions is very important. The student needs to know that if a deadline is approaching and they have questions, how much time they have to post questions and expect a response in time for them to meet the deadline. I am constantly reminding students of the time-frame issue and that way there is no doubt that they had notice of response time issues. Having a Communication Code of Conduct is also very important. It is too easy to my a post out of frustration and hit "send" before you think about the consequences. I advise my students to take a minute to think about waht they are saying or use the "drafts" box and come back later to reread what they have written to make sure that is the proper response.
I agree that communication should be consistent and clear. Students should understand what is acceptable and unacceptable in an online environment. They should also understand the course guidelines and netiquette in the online environment. I am consistent in my classroom. I make my expectations clear and use a variety of mediums to reinforce them. I send the guidelines in a welcome letter. I post them on the announcement page. I also discuss them in the first live chat session. I also reinforce the guidelines throughout the semester. I give the students individualized feedback if they have difficulty following the guidelines.
Cathy
Doug,
You hit on several important points. Thanks for adding to the converstation. I love having the Code of Conduct.
Hi.We must be very careful with jokes and misunderstanding.I agree with you.
Ms Melendrez
I believe two important things to consider when establishing a pattern of communication are the students' online class experiences and how the instructor responds to the students. These are important because netiquette must be modeled and positive for the learners' success.
what the topic of duscisson is about and establishing a time line to follow. Sticking to the topic is vital and keeping track of your time can be the difference between getting the task complete and not finishing.
Ms. Melendrez,
Yes, sarcasm and jokes do not translate well in an online environment. Thanks!
Consistency, consistency, consistency …. I truly believe consistency is one of the keys in an online learning environment. Students learn to expect and rely on the instructor’s presence “in†the classroom. Instructor need to be consistent on feedback, returning emails/phone calls, and presence within the weekly discussion board/forum. This also applies to grading and classroom etiquette. All students need to be held accountable for their actions equally.
I believe the second most important factor is timeliness. Students want the answer to their question yesterday. They want feedback for their assignments as soon as it is submitted. They want what they want when they want it. It is vital for an instructor to adhere to a timeline. Students should receive a return email or phone call, I believe, in 24 hours. Assignments should be graded within 48 hours unless otherwise specified. I, personally, grade every day. I do not wait until the assignment deadline to grade an assignment. If the student submits work early, I feel they should receive the feedback early as well. This practice also helps with “assignment overload†on the day of the deadline.
All instructor guidelines and expectations should be communicated before and during the course as well.
Michelle,
Right on! Consistency and communication are the two big Cs in online learning. Also, as you noted frequent feedback and evaluation are essential.
Nice job!
I would say providing clear well prepared information, so that the message can be understood. Brief one word answers may be direct and to the point, but allow for too much interpretation and often ambiguity. On the student side, it is important for students to learn how to be specific when asking questions or gaining clarification. Simply stating "I don't understand" will not assist the instructor in determining the best support method.
Second, I would say response time standards are crucial. The student must understand what the instructors response time will be and vice versa, so that the student can get the help they need.
Quiana,
Thanks again for your input. Communication should be timely and frequent. This may be difficult at times, but is essential. Being clear and concise helps as well.
I remember telling my students "I don't understand what you don't understand." They needed to clarify the issues.
Thanks!
Hello All,
Good evening! When establishing a pattern of communication, two important items to consider is professionalism and respect. While the instructors are the educational leaders and facilitators in the class, they must remember that they are to treat students with professionalism and respect, and to foster this approach in formal course policy and by modeling it. Students must also absorb this message and embrace it. When it comes to course discussions and other aspects of the course with any type of communication, if respect and professionalism is practiced and maintained, there is less likely of a chance to have negative situations arise.
I welcome any comments or insights. Thank you.
Have a great night!
Allen
Allen,
Your comments on the forums bring light to important topics. As an instructor remember that you serve as a role model to students. Therefore, professionalism and respect are important.
Thanks for the input.
I have read the other responses to this thread and would add a slightly different spin to my answers. I believe that two important (if not MOST important) points to consider are environment and context.
Certain types of communication, such as texting shortcuts, lower case "i," and "u" rather than "you" may be fine in social environments but they are not acceptable in a more formal business or college level writing assignment. Regarding context, it may be acceptable to share personal stories or views when introducing ourselves, but it may not be appropriate when we are asked to comment on the observations of recognized experts (unless we happen to be one!).
By both explicitly and implicitly establishing a framework for environment and context, we can more clearly communicate to our students what is expected of them. I do this by stating that this is a college-level course and your writing will be expected to meet that level of accomplishment. We will help you wherever needed but please do not use ALL CAPS, lower case "i," or other shortcuts! It takes persistence and reminders but it does work!
