Stacey Ehlers R.D.H., M.Ed.

Reflecting back to when I was completing my masters degree, I remember wondering why I had to write, what felt like a million, peer reviewed research papers. I now realize that it was almost exclusively to allow me to develop my critical thinking skills, in an active learning environment. 

I loved how instructors were said to be like movie directors to students.  

While active learning is a very important part of the development for critical thinking, it is difficult to monitor and support. Having said that, it is important to find the means to provide such learning if possible, as it weighs the students ability to utilize almost a complete sphere of their intellectual and educational skills.

What stuck out the most for me is that it is encouraged, if not expected, to ensure our courses are fun for students. I wish that were the case when I was a student many moons ago. 

Being careful to not allow any student to feel alienated is critical for retention and satisfaction and needs to happen as soon as the course begins via interaction and personal introductions. 

It is important to remember the sensitivity of the students on the other end of all communications and course wide comments. 

It is important to maintain professionalism and to establish credibility through honest experience credentials.

Each instructor will have different goals and approaches to their online learning space. 

We need to students to both feel that they can learn at their own pace as well as instill that they work at the pace we know is needed for a successful outcome in the course. 

The climate of our online courses need to be student focused and be a constant work in progress.