Dr. Wilkinson:
That is so true. When the instructor is engaged the students are. Also, you have to tell your story about time managment also. Great post.
Andrea: Hi Dr. Wilkinson, I find my discussion boards in class are more active by including stories from my experience in corporate America. Students are interested in knowing and applying concepts to real world experiences.
Lauree,
Great points! I agree with you. Many students underestimate their obligations and planning becomes difficult.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Jeffrey,
You are correct. Everything is really tied to feedback. Feedback is the core of the success of online learning. You make another great point, Assessment/feedback must follow performance in a timely manner. Great post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Edna,
It is so important for the prompt feedback. The feedback should occur as soon after the assignment as possible. That requirement makes sense.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Tom,
Great post. It is so important to use all of them. They are important for a student center course.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Andrea,
Don't you just love that we use Chickering and Gamson's Seven Principles to be successful in online learning when it was developed in 1987? Good teaching is good teaching!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Andrea,
I agree but students need to communicate to other students and as instructors we have to work to provide opportunities for that.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Andrea,
Students have to know that you are a "regular" person with stories to share and they have important stories to share also. I have had my students that have had a online course before share their biggest mistake and their best strategy for online learning. It really does spark communication.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree with other posters that all are important. However, I feel that encouraging communication between instructor and students is paramount as it allows the instructor to better assess the implementation of the other principles and adjust as necessary for the group as a whole or for a specific student who is struggling.
I make sure that students know how to contact me with questions and requests for assistance and provide options including forums, email, phone, and face to face when available. I also make sure that students know when they should expect to hear back from me on a forum, etc. so that they are confident that they will be heard.
Tabatha,
You are right. When teaching online you should have in the syllabus communication timelines so students know what to expect from you. When you meet those timelines students will understand their roles.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I think one of the most important principles would be empathizing instructor and student contact. There has to be consistent interaction between my students and I so that they know what needs to be completed in the course and also so that there can be a good communication between us.
Kimberley,
Consistency is the key. It also helps if you, the instructor has participated in an online course.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
What Principles of Learning do you believe are most important for your online teaching?
The following Principles of Learning are the most important to my online teaching:
1. Contact between students and me
2. Encouraging active learning
3. Providing prompt feedback
Julie,
I agree with you. I also think we as instructors need to really foster communication among students in an online course.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hello,
The prinicples of learning I believe are important are the following:
1. Remember you were once a student
2. Emcourage and motivate
3. Praise
4. Provide constructive feedback
5. Be attentive,understanding, and a good listener
6. Redirect
7. Provide real-life and meaningful examples as much as possible.
Thanks,
Compreca
compreca,
What a great list. Redirect is such a great principle. We don't want them continuing in their failure, we want them to learn from it and move on.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
In my opinion, the learning principal that is most important for online teaching is to recognize that your students really want to learn, but don't know how to learn. Students go to the online environment to learn and to become educated because their schedules to not permit them to go to class, at least this is what I have found. It is important to remember that students who take classes online are typically adults who have a real sense of urgency. They simply want to do better in life, and they are tired of their life as it currently stands. I know this is the reason why I earned my doctorate, and it is the interesting reason why I am going to law school right now. I am 64 years old, and I have a sense of urgency. I want to do things with my life that I have not yet done. I am too young to quit. This I believe is what is the most important principle of learning.
Donald,
I agree with you, students don't know what they don't know. They have to understand first that they re NOT consumers of education; they are products. I do know they need to know who this learning will be used and is relevnat to their goals. This hasn't always been the case.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I think that intensity is most important. The more intense the material taught, the more likely it will be retained, and one of my goals is to ensure that my students retain the information and hopefully apply it to the next class. A sharp, clear, vivid, dramatic, or exciting learning experience teaches more than a routine or boring experience.
Willie ,
I really hadn't thought about intensity but that is an interesting thought. This can really be done well in the online environment with multimedia capabilities.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
