Reginald,
Doesn't it make a difference that you were an online student? Doesn't it change your view of online teaching? Great post.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Kelly,
That is what we identify as Terminal course Objectives
Joanna,
I agree with you! Good teaching is good teaching no matter what type of delivery!
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
In my opinion, contact between students and the instructor is the most crucial factor in online learning. When students become frustrated, it is critical for them to be able to access the instructor for assistance. There are many ways this can be facilitated-phone, email, chat rooms, etc. The mode of contact should be the one that benefits the student the most…depending on the subject matter.
Debra,
You are right! It is important to have multiple ways for students to communicate with you.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Debra,
You are right! It is important to have multiple ways for students to communicate with you.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
Hello to all,
I believe the principles of learning that is most important for online teaching is the passion for why we do what we do as educators. A strong level of passion to your calling as a educator will also illuminate itself in the classroom, course design (assignments, projects, discussions etc.), your connection with your students and desire to always find ways to continuously elevate the learning experience within your class(es).
Zakevia
I believe all the Principles of Learning are important for my online teaching; but I would say the most important ones are encouraging contact between myself and my students...engage in a meaningful way whenever possible. Then provide prompt feedback as the students are more excited about learning and more interested in moving forward on other assignments if we provide prompt feedback. Then respect diverse talents and ways of learning as we certainly have a variety of students who have various talents and learn in a variety of ways.
Zakevia,
What a great post. Yes, we have to show our passion for the subject manner and for learning; life long, life altering learning.
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
David,
You are right, dialog among students and educators is so important. Isn't that a type of feedback?
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I believe to be a good online student you need several qualities. You must be self-motivated, be able to focus on the topic at hand, and want to learn.
Jeanice,
True, to be successful you also have to identify the weaknesses and the strengths so you and they can be aware of it
Dr. Kelly Wilkinson
I believe all of the Seven Principles of Learning are important because the main themes among all of the principles are communication and participation among the students and with the instructor. If I had to choose the principles that most resounded with me it would be te following:
“Encourage contact between students and instructor†The start of a new class can produce anxiety. My goal is to have the student feel free to contact me. In the beginning of class I post the following note: “Read, read, read… Read all course information and/or the syllabus very carefully. Look for details about the course requirements, assignments, testing procedures, media and technology used, schedule or due dates, and contact information. If you cannot find details about these topics, ask me!!!†This will help to remove doubts and questions the student may have on any assignment.
Providing feedback on assignments as soon as possible gives the student an opportunity to correct mistakes before submitting the next assignment. It also gives the student encouragement on assignments that have been completed correctly.
Setting high expectations has always been a high priority for me. Regardless of a student’s capabilities when they enter my classroom, I want to give them every opportunity to achieve personal growth by the time they have completed the course. By setting the bar outside of their comfort zone, coupled with appropriate motivation, sets the stage for student success.
Second to setting expectations would be to encourage contact between student and teachers. As long as the student knows the instructor is always available and encouraging, whether a student reaches out often or not, will greatly increase the student’s confidence in the classroom.
Similar to many of the other participants, I would agree that all seven principles are important...in all sincerity, much of this depends on the needs of the individual student. Some principles will apply more to one student vs. another. However from a big picture approach all have relevance in the learning environment.
I would say that I believe that making sure that the instructor provides continuous encouragement to the students throughout the online course. Make sure that the instructor encourages students to participate in class discussions and also to share real life events that are being taught during the week, Make sure that everyone understands that value of respect in the course to the instructor and to other students. Making sure that feedback is timely and also making sure that students receive comments on their assignments.
Hello All,
Good morning! The simple and true answer is that all seven principles of learning are important and have a place in online learning. Which ones to focus on depends on various situational factors. Be that as it may, the two that I personally think are the most important include:
1. Encourage reciprocity and cooperation among students
The danger of an online class is that it can become too much of "facilitator" and "student" rather than the class as a whole. While the personal interaction between instructor and teacher is important, so is the concept of being involved in an actual class as a whole.
2. Respect diverse talent and ways of learning.
A danger of online classes is to get caught up in one way of learning and doing online work. In a face-to-face classroom, much effort is usually put into the learning styles and individual needs of students. This mentality should also exist for online learning. The strategies may be different, but diversity and learning style differences are still present.
Have a great day!
Al
The key principles of learning are:
1. Effective communication;
2. Time management;
3. Open-mindedness; and
4. Collaboration.
I believe that all principles are equally important. They each play a significant role in the student's ability to succeed.
I think all of the principles are important, but the most important to me are:
- Encouraging contact between students and instructor
- Encouraging active learning
- Providing prompt feedback
- Emphasizing time on task
- Communicating high expectations
Contact between student and instructor helps both parties. For me, it helps me understand what's going on with a student, especially if they are not participating or getting poor grades. It helps students because I can provide information that can help them academically, or just ease concerns or provide encouragement - sometimes that's all they need!
Active learning is important because I don't think students realize how much they already know or how to draw upon their experiences and relate it to their learning.
Prompt feedback, while it is sometimes a challege for me, is key because sometimes the learning is in the feedback. As is commonly stated, we learn more from our mistakes than our successes.
Emphasizing time on task is important because I believe students often underestimate what it takes to be successful in the online environment. Many still think it's an easier and faster route, when often it is not. Doing this gives students a reality check and may help them better plan and prepare for the tasks ahead.
Finally, communicating high expectations, while last on my list is often most important. I believe that too many instructors today are still accepting mediocrity from students and students will only give us what we accept. Because I teach foundational courses, both online and on-ground, it is important to me to set the bar high, because I get students before the attrition sets in, so as students move through their respective programs, classes get smaller and students tire easily. I get them while they are new and fresh. Therefore, I believe it is my job to get them into good study, attendance and participation, reading and writing habits early on so they continue the behavior after they leave my class. If their expectations start off low, they will never achieve what they are capable of achieving. This is the most important principle to me!
