Joey Pascal

Qualitative and Quantitative data collected on the course (content, delivery, assessment, communication tools, etc) will give you a more complete picture of the effectiveness of your course in developing student understandings and assisting students to be successful in your class. Look to gain different types of data from different perspectives that are relevant to that specific need (i.e. students should offer their opinion on the effectiveness of cotent delivery as a tool for understanding, professionals in the field would be better about providing feedback on how your content objectives tie to preparation for success in their field of work, etc).… >>>

Having an appropriate amount of formative assessments allows students to feel confident in their levels of understanding and preparation for summative assessments.

Assessments and their method of delivery should directly correlate to the expectations outlined. If a student is being evaluated on specific content, that should have been clearly communicated through expectations and the rubrics provided should break down their demonstration of undertstanding and ability to showcase their knowledge clearly.

Feedback is essential in the learning process. Be sure the feedback provided is intentional, has been thought out, is explained in a way that the student sees guidance toward growth… >>>

It is vital to have a clearly outlined syllabus (that can be adjusted to go with the needs of the group) and have effective communication with and between the different members of the group so all are aware of expectations and their roles in participation.

The utilization of different online tools for collaboration can help allow students to feel more involved in the course and encourage them to learn "with" the technology instead of "from" it.

Be sure to scaffold the lessons so both teacher and students can see a clear path for learning outlined and see the connections between… >>>

Consistency in development of content presentation, course appearance and access, and constant testing and revisiting to determine effectiveness of design and delivery of modules.

I appreciated the strategies for dealing with different types of difficult students who may or may not realize their behavior is impacting the general flow and progress of the class for themselves and others. Reviewing the policies of your district and following the guidelines is an important part of handling situations that arise. I would go so far as to add that if you are having specific issues that you cannot seem to get a handle on, it is a good idea to consult an advisor or administrator for advice sooner, rather than later.

By identifying struggling students and offering… >>>

I appreciated the clarification of asynchronous and synchronous communication and delivery and the outlining of when each is most effective. The reminder that students who are expected to participate in something like synchronous participation when there is a large group may be hindered if they struggle with reading, typing, and/or processing which makes them less likely to contribute or benefit from the exchange.

It is a good reminder to make sure that feedback is phrased to encourage growth and participation and to motivate students to continue to offer perspectives and participate in the process of learning.

It reminded me the need to establish credibility in the eyes of my students via sharing my education and experience with the content while also making sure I understand who my learners are and what their needs are. I like the suggestion of giving students a separate area for generalized discussions on the discussion board so that they can be sure to focus on the content in the discussion board and you don't feel overwhelmed by having to sort through the different discussions to get to the ones relating to the content.

It reinforced to me the importance of laying things out clearly and concisely and having some type of guidance process for students who are unsure of what to do.

It shared the need for a clear path for students to work their way through and offered suggestions on how to frame the content according to what students need.

Consistency and communication are the two main things I will choose to focus on during my initial implementations.