Tamara,
You make a very good point about the role of the instructor in helping them to understand the expectations of the course. Knowing they have someone that is supportive of their efforts and is there to help them if they will put forth the effort is so important to their engagement in the course.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Indeed...you know I actually had a student once tell me "I took two classes this last session--Psychology with you and Algebra with another instructor. I love math and have never liked the social sciences, so I was dreading your class. However, you let us know at every turn what was expected and how to improve. I believe this was what allowed me to be successful. I still do not like Psychology, but I wish every class (including my Algebra class) was this well organized." I suppose that the moral of the story is that clear expectations can be the novocain for nearly any painful course. ;)
Hello Dr. Vaillancourt,
faculty expectations are very important because they are the standard setting mechanisms for the academics department. It is important to relay expectations with regards to grading, late policies, discussions and communication in the classroom. Instructors are more apt to fulfill these expectations when they are outlined from the beginning.
Tamara,
What a great compliment to you as a professional educator as well as an advocate for your field. Even not liking Psychology the student learned and benefited from your course and the model you were of a dedicated communicator.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I feel that when your expectations of your students is listed for the students to see then they seem to perform better. I have found if you list what you expect and maybe even grading rubrics for the assignments the students know right off the bat from day one what to expect. Also I have found it I list the policy's I expect on the home page and email them it tends to decrease the emails of "well, I didn't know that" etc.
An issue that I have found in teaching online is learners who have different expectations for the online course and instructor. To keep learners from becoming frustrated with their expectations not being met, we have created a faculty expectation statement that all faculty post at the beginning of the ocurse to ensure that learners understand what they can expect from the course and the instructor.
What do you feel are important elements of a faculty expectations statement that can help set the appropriate expectations for learners in your online course?
Carolyn,
I agree with you and this approach. I use it with my classes and as a result student questions, arguments and frustrations are greatly reduced. The course information is there for them to see and process in terms of requirements and due dates.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
