As I continue to improve myself as an online instructor, I began to realize I can implement the skills and tools I learned as an Early Childhood Educator. One of these skills relate to a reading comprehension strategy. This strategy is called text connections. There are three forms of text connections - text to text, text to self, and text to world.

These connections are what I am currently teaching my students. These connections are taught through metacognitive strategies (thinking about your thinking).  The metacognitive strategies are based upon the schema of the student. As I began implementing this concept, I realized participation is about reading comprehension. Research suggests that when metacognitive strategies for comprehending all text are explicitly taught, comprehension improves (Eilers & Pinkley, 2006). This is a perfect way to teach students how to post quality (substantive) participation posts. Since I am now consistently using this teaching approach, I am noticing my students are posting more and their participation posts have considerably improved.  I am responding more. I am enjoying reading the students' posts.

This is important because participation will never be an option for the online student; not in a quality online academic environment. Participation is the heart and soul of the student's success. As instructors, we must teach our students the importance of how to participate with intentional merit.          

I know my job is easier and more enjoyable when my students are typing away in the classroom sharing and connecting their thoughts to their classmates' ideas.  I challenge every instructor who has students lacking in the area of participation to implement this concept in his/her learning environment.  You will be impressed with the measurable outcome of increased quality participation by your students and yourself.

Reference:

Eilers, L. H., & Pinkley, C. (2006). Metacognitive Strategies Help Students to Comprehend All

            Text. Reading Improvement, 43(1), 13-29.