Shannon Blades

Most people believe that courses with a lab component cannot be completed online and must be offered F2F. There are so many resources for labs, including simulations, apps and kits. I really enjoyed learning that Harvard uses the Xbox Kinect for some of its labs.

Students will be more active in a course if they receive quick and consistent feedback from their instructor throughout the course. 

Positive reinforcement from the instructors to students is so important to maintain course engagement. I like the idea of using badges throughout the course and rewarding students with extra points on a final assignment if they've earned all of the badges. 

Not all students will be successful in an online learning environment. Student's are responsible for their own learning and if they are not able to manage their time, then they may not be successful in a class. 

A clearly outlined rubric is a helpful tool for the instructors and students to use with each assignment.

It is important to be very specific with expectations by writing them in detail in the syllabus. Here, the students can see how much writing to expect for the class, what technology/software they will need, and if any group work is expected. This way, the students can be prepared and can plan accordingly. 

There are some things that may seem like common sense to one individual, but another individual has not learned the appropriate behavior. We need to take the time to explain expectations to set the same standard for all students.

It is important to frequently ask students what the best form of communication is for them and ask what time of day is best for them to check email or text messages and respond. Every student has a preferred method of communication and that may change as they go through their program.