Published
on
March 15, 2019
| 1,047 views
| 3 followers
members are following updates on this item.
Season II - Episode 15: Learner Centeredness and Student Engagement featuring Laura Mueller and Jennifer O'Connor
| Season II - Episode 15: Learner Centeredness and Student Engagement featuring Laura Mueller and Jennifer O'Connor | |
 Download episode by clicking the logo | Josh and Mark once again sit down with Jennifer O’Connor and Laura Mueller. This time the conversation focuses on learner centeredness and student engagement, especially in an online classroom. They look at how teachers can use discussion forum engagement and the inclusion of alternative methods of learning to not simply check an item off a list of requirements, but to use the opportunity to really teach students. Including faculty personality, work-related experiences, and clear communication of expectations not only ensures substantive teaching of the concepts, but meets student expectations of seeing feedback and having their positions acknowledged. |
About the Guests: | |
 | Faculty Manager, Faculty Training and DevelopmentLaura Mueller has been a Faculty Manager at GCU since August 2011. Laura earned her BS Education from Concordia NE in 1984 and taught English, Theology and US History at two different Lutheran High Schools for fourteen years. She served as a Worship and Music Director at two different Lutheran churches for twelve years, then earned her MA in Christian Studies from GCU and came to work at GCU as an online adjunct and Faculty Manager in Faculty Training and Development. She is currently working on a second Masters degree in English from GCU. Laura lives in and works remotely from Wisconsin and loves working with online instructors and also working as an adjunct for GCU, and feels her varied ministry and teaching experiences help her assist online instructors as they facilitate their courses. |
 | Faculty Manager, Faculty Training and DevelopmentJennifer O’Connor has been a Faculty Manager at GCU since 2009. Jennifer earned her BS in Elementary Education from Cedar Crest College in PA in 1995 and received her Master’s degree at Walden University in Masters of Science in Education with a focus on Reading and Literacy. Jennifer taught for 10 years in a public school in NJ before coming to GCU to work as an adjunct instructor and Faculty Manger in Faculty Training and Development. Jennifer lives and works remotely from Minnesota near the Twin Cities. Jennifer enjoys working with the online instructors and with her background in education she can assist instructors and help promote learning in the classrooms. |
Teaching Tips RSS Feed: http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:501050535/sounds.rss
Viewed 1,046 times
Page Options
4 Comments
Dear Josh, Mark, Jennifer O'Connor and Faculty Manager Laura Mueller:
Laura, I find it very intriguing you are doing your second Master's in English online remotely from Wisconsin. I am sure you know how it feels to be a student right now, just as you mentioned. Yes, a terrific reminder of the student's viewpoint! Dear Jennifer and all - you are right that the discussion thread is very vital. Friday night is a great time to post some music video links or something for the weekend about GCU sports like a basketball team announcement. I was a student at ASU for five years during my BA and Friday night was a free night to socialize that I scheduled just for me. : ) "All work and no play makes Jaqueline a dull girl!" - Lol. I post a lot of teaching tips and library shortcuts and other posts about time saving efficiency and reading and research, but although you have to be a strict online instructor, it is wonderful if your humanity shines through when appropriate in those valuable moments. Blessings and Lopes up! : )
Instructor Rachel Givan, Syu Ra chi
[email protected]
(845)505-3629
P.S. Laura Mueller, I cannot thank you enough for your coaching and mentoring in my online teaching since Nov. 2011 with GCU during a rough period of my professional and academic life. Thank you, Laura!
P.P.S. Sugata and Trollinger, you make me laugh and brighten my day after grading papers with the humor and lighter approach. It is fun and creative.
Josh, Mark, Jennifer, and Laura,
I want to thank you for the this engaging format of faculty development. It is very user-friendly and succinct.
I found myself smiling and nodding my head in agreement as I listened to the perspectives regarding the Main/DQ Forums. My favorite traditional, face-to-face teachers and professors were always highly engaged. Within my education courses I always valued professors who talked about content which "wasn't necessarily in the text book." These tidbits of information have been invaluable to my experience in the traditional classroom, as well as within my online classroom.
The Main/DQ Forum is very much a mutualistic relationship. I find that I am at my best when students are active and engaged. It is always so rewarding to see that students aspire to exceed expectations, despite the fact that it will not result in extra credit. Conversely, I understand when students are not as intrinsically motivated to participate that I need to "spark engagement."
The content of the webinar really spoke to me regarding personality and expectations. I've learned that letting my students "see my human side," as not only a teacher, but also a parent, husband, and coach has greatly enhanced my rapport with my online learners. Being personable, while maintaining high expectations most certainly can coexist.
Have a great weekend!
All the Best,
Matt
Understanding an individual's preferences for the presentation and processing of information is vital in supporting individualized learning - especially in online learning.
You can provide a link and information in the discussion forum in week 1 of the course that invites students to optionally take a free Web-based questionnaire (that you can take anonymously) and share the results in a reply to this post.
Note: If students choose to post their results in reply, it will count as one of your "participation" posts for week 1.
Here's an example post:
Let us know your learning style (preferences) by taking the (free) Web-based Learning Style questionnaire via this link:
http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html
Note: You can use any nickname or any name (other than your actual name) on the form for anonymity. Your individual results are not shared, but processed in the aggregate to improve the reliability and validity of this Web-based research instrument.
Teachers can use this information to make changes in the he use of media and methods of information presentation to address these preferences, especially when there are strong trends and the results indicate strong preferences that verge on need.
This was a great session.