June & Joan,
We all spend valuable time sorting out issues. It's good to have ideas and helpful hints from others. Thanks!
The more information I provide students at the start of the class, the more likely they are to be good online citizens.
I post course expectations prior to the opening of the class, and cover the expectations for academic integrity, communication, expectations for engagement in the classroom, and basic “netiquette†tips.
Additionally, I have created a Discussion Board thread with examples of effective and engaging dialogue, to guide students on how to be good contributors in those discussions, respectful and supportive in their posts.
I use the first live chat to cover the basics of the course, and what I look for in their contributions and interaction. I also use that chat as a time to cover some of the basic tips they will need to be successful in the online course (including time management, writing skills, etc).
At all times, I strive to model what I expect in the students.
Nothing can replace "lead by example."
To help students become good online citizens, guidelines must be initially addressed, but then they need a good example to follow. All of our online interactions need to be clear, professional, and accurate (CPA).
Jennifer ,
You are right! You have to set the expectation. Do you test them on it?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Nathan,
That is RIGHT! You must be the example. BTW, I am going to use your CPA :)
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
No, I do not test them as students are not given tests in this University. In that first chat I do ask them questions to see if they have read the announcements and guides.
I do believe that in the initial orientation they take as they begin their online education they are evaluated to ensure they have a grasp of the environment, too.
Jennifer ,
What a great use of chat and a good introduction to using chat!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
In my classes I help students become good online citizens by providing them with a list of my expectations and holding them accountable. I’m know for having very detailed syllabus and I usually spend a great deal of time not only explaining to students what I expect but allowing time for questions. I also explain to them why certain expectations are important to me and them. I honestly feel the majority of students want ot do the right thing however many of them honestly don’t know what is expected especially considering there is so much variations cross different instructors.
Tonya,
You are doing what has to be done and that is being detailed in expectations and accountability. How do you "explain" your syllabus? Do you have a video? Do you make them take an exam on your syllabus?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I agree Nathan. Starting a class with a syllabus that contains clear expectations and then modeling the expected behavior is a great way to display to students what is expected in the online learning environment.
Another tricky question...
I really don’t know how and can use a lot of help. I can certainly pass on the mechanics of good online citizens, I can give examples, I can deduct for not being an online citizen, but unless I can convey to the learner that this is his or her future, and that what they do now will or could impact the rest of their lives, unless they are really aware of this, unfortunately this will continue to happen.
I honestly don’t think it an issue of laziness, but one of stress. Adult learners have to juggle so many responsibilities, and I think this is a place where they may believe they can slip through. It is unfortunate, and many times I get emails from my learners saying they didn’t know, someone died, they got laid off, etc., and often I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. So, the mechanics are one thing, but making sure they really get and understand the message is something else
Heather,
The syllabus is the key. Also, multiple access points to information is also important.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Steven,
You speak the truth! We have to make sure that there is a commitment to learning. It is not fair to adults to know be up front about expectation of courses. This is just as important as being truthful to traditional students regarding expectations.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I think it is a balancing act - I think adults really want to finish, but they experience more unexpected things pop-up that impact their efforts
This is the very first announcement that I make:
What is netiquette? I give a thorough description of the do's and don'ts of online communication.
During week 1, I post a DB that includes several scenarios that require a response and should you respond and how should you respond for the sake of making sure that there is an understanding that it is okay to be passionate about a topic but it is not okay to offend or bully or be rude and disrespectful in class.
Kristen
Hi Everyone, I think that it is important to educate students on the ethics that are related to academic integrity. Being a good citizen in the classroom means abiding by the rules and regulations that govern the creation of academic documents. Below are some ways that I encourage good citizenship.
First of all, I try to be an appropriate role model. I quote and paraphrase and list my sources. This way students can try to emulate academic integrity.
I also give students lots of handouts on avoiding plagiarism. I teach the difference between unintentional and intentional plagiarism. I also give practice exercises. Many times students are not aware of what is plagiarism.
I also give students real life examples of plagiarism at work and how many people have lost their jobs due to both intentional and unintentional plagiarism. This way I hope that my students see the connection between what they do in the real world and what they have learned in the classroom. Being a good citizen in the classroom is as vital as being a good citizen in the real world.
I am a real stickler for being a good online citizen. I document my policy in my course expectations, I review them the first night of class, and I send frequent reminders during the course. I do this, because I expect my students to be respectful of everyone in the classroom.
Student code of conduct:
As a member of this class, you are expected to “show and receive respect for all people regardless of their race, religion, gender, national origin, color, or status.†Such respect specifically precludes any type of harassment, inappropriate comments, or hostile environment. I expect the climate in our class to be professional at all times.
Ninety-nine percent of the time, I have no issues, but every now and then you'll find a couple of people who do not agree on a sensitive issue. No problem, let's work it out like adults. Again, this doesn't happen often.
Establishing clear guidlines concerning what the student should and should not do at the beginnng is important. I also want to emphasize this in chat sessions. Students want to know the right thing to do. The feedback I give with the very first assignment can be crucial in this regard. Yes I assess the penalties and I also provide clear feedback what to do in the future.I continue to do so as needed in future assignments, giving praise when good citizenship is observed. The students must learn to be good online citizens, it is up to me to provide the guidance for them to do so.
For the first week of class, I post a list of clear expectations on what is expected of the students, both from bad behavior to good behavior.
I also remind them throughout the class to keep a professional tone and to respect the opinions and postings of their classmates.
By setting the expectations for good citizenship early and often, then students can carry such lessons into their upcoming classes.
- Dr. Eileen Wibbeke
I have found that providing information on the class in an easy-to-read format at the start of the class helps the most. Even with that, I sometimes find that there are certain students who, no matter what you do, will not read the information, do not contribute in a meaningful manner, and ultimately do not do well in the class. To me, that is frustrating. I want all of my students to succeed, and it's frustrating for me to see students who could do well and contribute in meaningful ways, slack off and fail the class. I have tried several methods to reach these students, like emailing them, talking to them on the phone, etc. to try to get them to participate, but it seems that most of the time, they still do not come through and participate. I have found, though that the students who do well in the course appreciate the information provided up front. Setting that standard in the beginning and holding them to it is key in getting consistent, substantive behavior from my students. I try to break up larger pieces of information into smaller sections so they're easier to read. In addition, providing rubrics for assignments, examples of substantive feedback and discussions and other work also helps the students to know what is expected and succeed in being a good online citizen, which usually means they'll succeed in the class.
