Given that computer screen is the only connection between instructors and students, there are many challenges including i) reading emotions into students' posts ii) recognizing if a student is having difficulties with a concept taught in the class or not motivated to participate in classroom activities etc. I would say the first one is the biggest challenge for me. Thanks
I'm with you on the body language. When I read body language of my students, it tells me what I need to do different to keep their attention on the subject. Reading a students response can probably replace their body language. It is much easier for a person to type out their feelings rather than express them.
Herbert,
Thank you very much for this quest. The biggest transition from being the sage on the stage to the guide on the side is obtaining student feedback. This is not as much a problem when using a discussion board (as a certain amount of feedback can be required). However, this can be a major issue with live chat sessions. I have found that it is very easy for these session to deteriorate into a sage on the stage session. It is much harder to engage online students in questions (compared to an online environment).
One of the best ways that I have found is to use surveys to engage students. These can be responded to anonymously providing the student with a level of comfort. These surveys tend to also develop into engaging discussions.
Thanks
Jim
Jared,
Thank you very much for your post. Lack of body language is a major issue. I makes using audio even more important. With audio, we can set a certain tone. This is much more difficult when all that we have to use is text. In this case, we need to be extremely careful as the same text can be interpreted many ways.
Thanks
Jim
Charlene,
I believe most instructors can enter a traditional classroom and pick up on the non-verbal clues in a classroom pretty quickly. I find that I can pick up similar clues in email and other communications, but it is much harder and has taken a number of years of teaching online to feel like I am getting better at it and refining my skills in that area.
Herbert Brown III
Charlene,
I believe most instructors can enter a traditional classroom and pick up on the non-verbal clues in a classroom pretty quickly. I find that I can pick up similar clues in email and other communications, but it is much harder and has taken a number of years of teaching online to feel like I am getting better at it and refining my skills in that area.
Herbert Brown III
Although I thought my biggest challenge would be interpreting body language, I've been pretty good with that task. My biggest challenge has become being an effective "guide on the side" via the discussion board. It is sometimes difficult knowing what to say and what not to say. I have always enjoyed classroom discussions, as well as, facilitating classroom debates; however, it has become most difficult for me to do via the discussion board.
Having made this tranisition in 1994 when I started to teach online, I would have to say that not recieving body language and immediate feedback from students was a learning curve for me. I had to learn to read "between the lines a bit more and get to know the students more. Also developing more of a Socratic approach to guiding the learning process was necessay in the online environment.
Great point, Herbert! Yes, over the years I have gotten more adept at "reading between the lines" with emails, discussion posts and other online communication modes.
William,
It can be difficult but the more we work online the better we get at "reading between the lines"
Herbert Brown III
I find the biggest challenge is being overwhelmed with many discussions at the same time. "Talkative" students tend to post dozens of postings a week, and that can generate hundreds of postings through interaction, depending on the class size. When lecturing, only one student talks at a time, and everyone knows that one person is talking. That is not the case online. Too many discussions can create silos of discussions, which means that some good ideas can get lost in the clutter.
Eugene,
True, discussions can become overwhelming. Much of it comes down to the structure of the discussion. Posting an idea and students respond to it and other students posts, if they get too far down a new concept, start it (redirect) in a new discussion post to keep the value of that discussion at the forefront. Just one thought.
Herbert Brown III
The biggest challenge is for the students to ‘know’ my presence. I do this by responding to their emails on a very timely basis, join in the discussions with thought provoking questions to them. I send out emails everyday and thought of the day encourage them!
I also hold live labs where I can share my computer and show students how to familiarize where to find things in Bb or out on the web. How to use search engines and show them PPT on the topic for that week. It also gives me an opportunity to speak to the students and answer their questions right away. It also gives them a good feeling that I do exist!
The major challenge is not knowing that the student did not understand the concept until the quiz or test. In a classroom environment, you can gauge the class based on interaction or facial expression.
Lori,
I would agree that you might be able to get some facial and other cues in a traditional classroom that might demonstrate their understanding. However, I have also found that they look that way sometimes and still don't understand. What about giving them some practice quizzes or mini-assessments before the test to see if they are getting the material?
Herbert Brown III
I think one of the biggest challenge will be give feedback at the proper time. Students need to resolve their doubts on time even though we are not on the same space or time-frame. We need to be there for them.
Also be able to promote interactions between students on this on-line setting. They possible don't know each other and we are the bridge that will be make possible to connect them. That's another challenge.
Rocio,
Timeliness is a critical factor in any online communications. You can also establish guidelines or expectations around what they communication looks like on the syllabus. Therefore, the students know they should not expect a return email from the instructor at 2am. Establishing these clear expectations ensure they student sees you as being "present" in the course even if they had to wait 24 hours to hear back from you.
Herbert Brown III
Hi, Everyone,
The biggest challenge for me is to be able to develop questions and comments that will lead the student to expanded thinking about the course concepts. Also, to find appropriate ways to tell the student that he/she is incorrectly explaining a concept, without discouraging the student.
Janet
I find my biggest challenge is trying to determine whether my students are grasping the learning objectives of the course. I sometimes find students using search engines to answer discussion questions. When I encounter plagiarized answers, I email the student privately. For other discussion posts, I try to pose additional questions on the topic in order to assess if the student does indeed understand the topic.
Janet,
One of the best ways to provide the feedback to students is through the Sandwich method (found in other postings on this site). The Sandwich method suggests that you provide the student a little positive feedback on what they did, provide the issues/criticism, then close with a little more positive feedback. This way you "sandwich" the negative with two positive comments. This way the student hears what is wrong, but also is reassured that something they did was good.
Herbert Brown III
