Classroom Spotlight
Archives for September 2011 « Recent Articles
OfflineSusan Montjar: Teachers Touch Tomorrow- Motivating Students in an Online Environment
Online instructors are empowered with many opportunities to help students enhance their knowledge and enrich their lives through education—the ultimate key to advancing our civilization. As educators, our ongoing challenge is to find techniques to motivate all students to consistently perform at their highest academic level―a challenge that is greatly intensified in our faceless, inanimate cyber world.
Unfortunately, online educators and students alike often face frustrating challenges in virtual classrooms, including connectivity Internet access, navigational issues, time management concerns, time-zone variables, and other ongoing problems that continually impair the learning process. However, the inherent conundrum with online learning is that the majority of communication in our classrooms is one-way and limited solely to the written word.
Unlike a traditional classroom setting where…
OfflineTeaching goes beyond ensuring that students learn the required content of a course... effective teaching engages, motivates and inspires!
When asked to comment on the aspects that demonstrate innovation and best practice in my classroom, I turned to my students and requested their help. I do not see what I do as special because I am an educator. I give my very best to every student who enters my classroom. I believe education is the one thing that no one can ever take away from an individual. Being a nurse educator is not my job, it is who I am, the essence of my being. I have always been passionate about teaching.…
OfflineI invite the class to begin a debate and take a side and provide two arguments for their position backing them up with evidence.
One technique I use is to do a follow-up posting/question after students have done their initial posting on a topic that may involve different approaches/concepts/models. I invite the class to begin a debate and take a side and provide two arguments for their position backing them up with evidence. The focus is to (1) stimulate critical thinking in our doctoral and EMBA students and (2) make the class more engaging.
OfflineLaura Pipoly - Being Approachable in an Online Environment
Being a former online student, I am in a unique position to see what teaching strategies work in the online environment and which ones can fall flat. As an instructor I try to model for my students what I liked from my professors and open communication and being approachable top my list.
One way that I am able to achieve both in the online environment is by using a popular instant message program with my students, such as Yahoo Messenger. This program allows me to have open communication and to be highly approachable by using the technology student's use every day in the classroom. Rather than just being words on the screen, I am able to interact in real time with students in a modality that many students are very comfortable using.
On the first day of class I post a message…
OfflineEstablishing connections with students is a key ingredient for a successful online experience. In on-campus classes students have face-to-face real time interplay with the professor. We must create that same experience online.
Establishing connections with students is a key ingredient for a successful online experience. In on-campus classes students have face-to-face real time interplay with the professor. We must create that same experience online. To that end, I include my picture in the Cyber Café bio. In addition, I create a picture gallery where students can post photos and talk to each other. Midway through the course, I begin a DQ thread called How are you doing? Even though we have the QFI forum,…
OfflineStudents are often motivated by different things. For some it is the sense of academic achievement, while for others it is developing new knowledge and skills they can use to prepare for a new career. All students may engage in different levels of participation and effort, as well as have different performance abilities. Thus, finding different ways to help students think, perform, and learn are important for academic success.
Students are often motivated by different things. For some it is the sense of academic achievement, while for others it is developing new knowledge and skills they can use to prepare for a new career. All students may engage in different levels of participation and effort, as well as have different performance abilities. Thus, finding different ways to help students think, perform, and learn are important for academic success.
One approach to achieve this goal is to get students to think…
OfflineJoyce Morrison - Faculty Presence in the Online Learning Environment
Responding to students as quickly as possible is a strategy I consistently use to let students know I am present. While GCU has stipulated that faculty must be present 4 out of 7 days in the discussion forum, online learning brings to forefront new dimensions to the teaching and learning that I feel prompts me; as the instructor, to take the extra steps when necessary to ensure that there is not an “absence of my presence” felt in the classroom environment.
Much of what I have to share is based on my personal experience as a student in an online university classroom setting and from my doctoral dissertation work focusing on: Computer-based Learning Compared to Traditional Classroom Learning.
For many reasons, students are increasingly being drawn to online learning rather than a physical or traditional building. As a graduate of an online degree program, I can fully understand and appreciate the student side of internet-based learning.
Sadly,…
OfflineDuring the first week, I post a question asking students to tell what they already know, and what they would like to learn, about the topic. Students read each others' posts and there is wonderful, rich discussion that raises curiosity about the topic and helps students make connections to prior learning. Then, at the end of the course, students respond to a discussion question where they are asked to summarize what they learned and tell whether or not their questions were answered.
Since my online students are educators, or studying to be educators, I like to try to incorporate strategies in my online classroom that model best practice.
One strategy that works well is the KWL strategy. In a regular classroom setting this could be done individually or as a whole group, in the format of a three-column graphic organizer. The first column is "K" for What I KNOW. Here students list what they already know about the topic prior to instruction. This accesses students' prior…
OfflineThe discussion board often becomes the heart of the course and I am addicted to "hearing" what my students think, feel, and wonder about our current topics. I check in every day and post every day, with a personal response to each individual student at least once each week.
Teacher preparation programs and staff development programs today emphasize that student engagement is a critical element of student success. Teacher engagement is not as strongly stressed, but is absolutely essential in fostering student engagement. As an educational consultant I conduct walk-through classroom observations in the public school sector. I've seen first-hand teachers who are walking around, asking questions, guiding, encouraging, and supporting students. The students were…
OfflineI understand that for many people math is boring and that if it weren’t a required class many students wouldn’t be there. Inspired by The Cartoon Guide to Statistics by Gonick and Smith, I decided what my courses needed were some cartoons to liven them up a little while illustrating some of the course material.
I understand that for many people math is boring and that if it weren't a required class many students wouldn't be there. Inspired by The Cartoon Guide to Statistics by Gonick and Smith, I decided what my courses needed were some cartoons to liven them up a little while illustrating some of the course material. I am not an artist, but I found one who accepted the challenge of making math cartoons out of my ideas. If you are interested in contacting the artist, please email me.
The first…
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