Sheila Benson

I like the Stop, Start, Continue plan.  Teachers need to be flexible with the online course.  Feedback is so important.  Professional development is important also.  Teachers should always be looking for ways to improve and be lifelong learners.

Feedback is more important in the online environment.  It is essential to learning.  Teachers should not respond immediately to every post.  Remember to be the "guide on the side".  Be sure to respond to messages within 24 hours or 48 hours during non work days.

The teacher should model behaviors that are expected of students.  Time management should not only be planned but also followed.  Work-life balance is needed.  Teachers need to set boundaries for the online hours.

I have learned that there is much more to online classes than just teaching.  Organizing the time and managing the workload are skills that teachers must develop.  I especially appreciated the information about technology support for teachers.  Teachers need support too for technical questions.  I  like the idea of the FATQ system for students.

Time management is critical to successful learning in the online environment.  I learned that the teacher should give time estimates for assignments.  Procrastination is a pitfall for everyone.  Encourage students to work ahead.  I enjoyed learning about the 7 principles for learning.

It is important to not assume that students have basic computer skills.  I tend to think that they do because my students are young.  It will be important to determine what skills the students have.  I also need to learn how to incorporate the different types of tools into my online class.

Good communication is so important in the online learning course because we can't rely on nonverbal signals to help send our messages.  I liked the acronym CPA.  I had never thought about using exit tickets in the online environment.

I have never taught an online course and it has been a while since I took online classes.  I had never considered that I should survey students about their readiness for online learning. I will implement that into my classes.  I learned that feedback is a good motivator and that motivation is essential to be successful in the online learning environment.  I also learned that teachers need to be even more conscientious about the needs of students with disabilities and discover ways to help them be successful.

I have learned that the instructor should not provide correct answers for discussion questions promptly, but they should let students think about the answers for a little while.  I have also realized how rubrics can be used for grading online courses.  I found it interesting that students go thru several steps as they become an online community.  Students may go from just replying to questions to discussing more personal matters.

I learned that each generation of learners have different needs and respond to online learning differently.  I have also learned the importance of having a syllabus that clearly defines communication rules and code of conduct.  I also have realized that the online learner has many responsibilities such as having an open mind and possessing good time management skills.