Hello Dr. Priscilla, thanks for launching this discussion.

It would be easy to take negative feedback from students as a reason for despair and anxiety.  I try to look at the totality of all students in my class, and find a gestalt grasp of what my students are telling me.  I recall that students are not designing the curriculum, and neither am I, although I have a lot to say about the delivery of the class content.  However, receiving a university education is far different from ordering off of a menu at a Denny's.  Once i have selected a university degree as my goal, I should be ready to learn what I don't know.   Students don't have the right to choose their curriculum (in most cases - independent study is  an exception) so they should be prepared to learn content that they don't have mastery over - and it is often difficult to do this.  Giving their negative feedback is their privilege.  

I regularly look back and decide "how can I add new value to the classes I teach?"  During this year, I have spent some effort adding games to the classroom hours.   I want my students to have some sense of play and collaborative learning with the content I teach.  I have largely felt success with this experience, but it has not been 100% - one "Jeopardy" game appeared too hard for my class.  I think I did the right thing by trying something new.  I won't give up this process.

I am planning to create new videos for my online students.  I have specific points of content that I want to talk to my class about.  I have included personal videos for about five years now, and my students tell me that they appreciate hearing and seeing me talk about the class, even though all the information is available in the printed form.  For the two videos I want to create now, it will probably take me an afternoon to create them, and I will have about ten additional minutes of class content for my students.  It takes some effort however I know that it will have an added impact for my students.  I hope (believe!) that this time and effort will help students be successful.

Steve

Hello Priscilla, 

Thank you for the nice topic thread. You touched on area of interest/concern to me, specifically that of feedback from students used by professors for improvement. I am curious about how others handle both positive and negative feedback from their students. Of course I am getting at the obvious: student dissatisfaction should not necessarily attract attention to an area for improvement, and likewise, student satisfaction should not necessarily attract attention as an area in which a job was well done. Students may not always know what is best for them, or they may not know how to articulate their classroom observations in a useful manner. So my first question is: when do you (my peers) essentially ignore complaints or even view them as evidence of a job well done? Conversely, when do you essentially ignore compliments or even view them as evidence supporting the need for improvement? Are there specific signs you look for when making this decision? Other information to consider?

To be clear, I am saying that student feedback, whether positive or negative, might not be the most significant measure of a performance, although it is often used in that manner. So, the follow-up question is: what other measurements do my peers used to assess their performance (which would inform the need to improve or celebrate)?

When I think about my attempts to improve, I am often perplexed on utilization of student feedback. I look forward to your views and practices. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Steven

Hello, Steve B, and thank you for your post. Yes, reflecting regularly is a very big plus for both you and your students. I am sorry to hear your Jeopardy game did not succeed, but, as you said, trial and error is the way to go--seeing what works and keeping it, seeing what does not and filing it away. I see you said you want to make some videos and have used them for about five years. That is great! I have used videos and Zoom for some years now, too, but only in the last year or so here at GCU. I use Loom to create videos and give video feedback on drafts of essays (the way I grade all student essays now). I like to use instructional videos or Zoom meetings to help students understand how to approach assignments. Is that what you will be doing? Will you use Loom, Screencast-omatic, or some other app?--Dr. Bamba

Steven C.,

Thanks for your reply! You are right that we should not, as a rule, automatically think student dissatisfaction expressed on the EOCS is a place in which we must improve or the opposite, that satisfaction necessarily means all is well in that area. I did not mean to imply it is the rule, but the exception. However, I always do look at the EOCS because I have come to find that there are sometimes nuggets of revelation in how a student might have taken something wrong, and I look for ways to communicate better with different types of students. In the three years I have been with GCU, I have found several instances in which reflecting upon such cases has helped me to adjust, keep what works, and perhaps make some changes in varying the ways I reach out to one student or another. 

To answer your questions, I look for concrete mention of specific incidents or methods that the student might mention that work (such as video feedback--many of them really like this--so far I have had no negative feedback about it) or do not work (such as points deductions on quizzes for certain minimally important points; for example, I now inform students on quizzes about proper use of instructor title, not using first/second person pronouns, not using contractions, or being slightly over/under word count, but I do not deduct the few points I used to deduct). I am not certain about any changes I make with positive feedback, which usually contains comments about what I do and have done for years that works. However, those comments are good ones to copy to a digital folder and keep for inclusion when and if one applies for a promotion. Otherwise, like you said, sometimes the feedback on EOCS is not an actionable item.

I agree, too, that student comments are not the most significant measure of performance. I usually talk to my faculty chair about those items. What do you see as these items? I hope I addressed your questions, too, about using student comments to reflect upon and decide whether or not I can or should do something to improve my communication with them.--Dr. Bamba

Dr. Bamba,

I like your concept of looking for mentioning of concrete, specific incidents or methods that students include in feedback. Sounds like a reasonable way of determining, or at least informing the determination of, whether feedback deserves incorporation into teaching methods, activities, etc. 

I have not spoken with my chair about such comments, so perhaps that's something I could incorporate. Perhaps he would have insight that I do not.

Thanks for your feedback. A pleasure to be part of the conversation.

Dr. Cofrancesco

Hello Dr. Bamba, 

I create videos on YouTube; I have never used Loom or ScreenCast.  Do you recommend that I look at those?

I tried grading PowerPoint assignments by video however I found the process so cumbersome - and no students gave me feedback - so I returned to feedback using a Word template.

Instead, I use videos to expand on the course expectations: "Instructor's thoughts on Week 1" and like that.   I discuss what the course content  covers, and I tell my students about expectations for the graded assignment(s) in the coming week.

Now that I am between classes, I plan on adding new material on major issues in the course.  My videos are usually 3-7 minutes long, and generally emphasize (with a human face) ideas already in print for the class.

Steve

Steve B.,

Creating You Tube videos is a very good idea. I often send my students to You Tube videos about different topics, too.  I will have to look for some of yours. 

I create videos using Loom to explain assignments and different concepts students might find difficult. Most of my videos, though, are grading. Loom is a very revolutionary way to grade, and I find it much faster that using Type It In or copying and pasting comments onto drafts. I also return a digital copy of the essay to the student, the one upon which I have made some comments and marks. Most of my feedback is verbal as I walk through the essay, though, and the students seem to love it. It accommodates the visual, auditory, and tactile learner. 

It is a free application, and there is nothing to download onto the computer. Once you sign up a small gray symbol appears in the upper right corner of your computer screen (it looks a bit like a ball of yarn). When you are ready to record, you click on it, and it will turn their trademark salmon color. There are two very simple (two or three minutes each) videos to watch to learn how to use and navigate it. At first there are some recording time constrictions, but as you use it more and refer others, you get unlimited time and storage space on their site, which is secure. You can download the videos, too, and save them if you wish. Here is my link so you can go sign up and have a free account, if you wish: https://www.useloom.com/?ref=130162

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have: [email protected]   I look forward to hearing more from you, too, about the videos you make.

Steven C.,

Thanks for your reply. What are some strategies and techniques that you use that have been highly successful for you in your online teaching? Do you think you have any that you have been considering using but have not yet done so? What might some of those be?

Priscilla

Steve B, If there is an award for the most creative teacher I think you should win. I wish I had the time to create videos. I have to confess I do not have a clue. I guess I should take one of those professional development classes. Maybe you could teach one of those. 

I always nice to talk to you.

Ron

Thanks for your follow-up question, Dr. Bamba. I have not yet taught online, only on ground.

I believe my most successful teaching techniques have been the use of news or current events as exemplars of classroom topics, and also the development of visual aids using PowerPoint.

I teach strategic management, the process of which is not complex by itself, but getting into the performance of the process, including all the actors and types of information that must be included, can be rather overwhelming for students. A simple news story about, for example, a large company like Google can make an abstract process and all its details more real and clear. I usually put the story upon the projector screen, highlighting certain key text in the article, and I actually ask the students to read the article a little bit, to get them more deeply involved. Then I follow up with questions that are rather simple, such as "What part of the strategic management cycle does that refer to?", specifically selecting others to then describe how they, in their class work, are handling that part of the cycle. I also ask students to evaluate each other’s answers – this shows the depth of the issues and how their often many correct views or answers.

This seems to break up some of the monotony of simply distributing information because it makes it real using companies that they are familiar with and admire (they sometimes think it’s cool to see that they now understand something about which famous companies do and how they do it), and also provides some insight into their own class work. I notice that their comprehension of the material is enhanced by the way in which they communicate about the topics and of course by the improvements in their course work (the class is cumulative).

I would like to develop more visual aids to drive home certain, more specific and complex points. For example, I made a simple, upward sloping line graph that demonstrates how the cost of a product or service can increase dramatically as we seek to make it “better” or “perfect.” This teaching technique is probably most beneficial/successful, in my experience. However, developing such visual aids is time consuming, so I find myself developing these only as they arise in my brain as necessary and something that can be reused over and over.

My apologies for the lengthy note. Hope someone finds this useful.

Steven

Dr. Bamba, thanks,  I plan to look at Loom and see how this can help me deliver better assessments.  I've saved your recommendation.

Ron, if you want help in planning videos for your classes I will be glad to consult personally with you.   Buy me a coffee and I will show you all my secrets <grin>.   Do you have or want to establish a YouTube account?

And thanks for your words of acclaim.  

Ron, Thanks for your response, too. Loom is another way we are creating videos here at GCU, and it is super easy. I use it every day, especially for grading essays and providing short, explanatory videos for guidance for students. What are some ways that have worked best for you in providing feedback? Do you find you like online or face-to-face teaching best, and do you think the practices can be the same or similar in many instances?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Steven C,

Yes! Students often respond well to current events, do they not? They like the real world application. If we show interest, too, in current events, it seems to make us more real to them--a person. I like your examples, too, of the way you apply them to your own subject matter. The upward sloping graph line you created to show the increase of cost sounds like a good visual aid! Do you and your colleagues capture and collect these add ons? I think it could be very useful for everyone in you department!

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Everyone,

If you reflect on your most recent courses, what is the most effective way to deliver news to a student if he/she has responded inappropriately to an assignment. For example, if a student has misunderstood, how do you deliver that message? Can you put a positive spin on it or not? What strategies or techniques work best for you?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Dr. Bamba:

That's a good idea for everyone in our department to collect and share visual aids. I have not heard of such a repository, but it sounds fantastic. That would certainly reduce the work required to develop new visuals, as I'm sure we are in some ways duplicating each other's work. Thank you for the idea. Very nice.

Dr. Cofrancesco

All,

I was able to use some of that blooms taxonomy for the online class discussion. The one i enjoyed using the most was "explain to a 5 year old what is [Fill in the blank]." That question received some colorful responses.

Mark S.

That's a nice approach, Mark. I can envision using such a question in my class. I suppose it forces one to contemplate the essential characteristics of a phenomenon, and provides practice on how to articulate the concept. Yes? 

Steven

Dr. Bamba:

Not sure I have a set method of addressing a student who has misunderstood or misinterpreted and assignment. I suppose it depends on the reason for, or the context surrounding, their misinterpretation. 

Although I definitely support their work, and highlight how off target answers still demonstrate their intelligence and capabilities, and I also attempt to develop their reading and comprehension skills. I might ask them to explain or highlight specific text in the instructions that informed their inaccurate decision-making, and we could have a brief, educational discussion around reading and interpreting text. As most of you probably know, students' reading and writing skills these days are quite poor. Since I teach a capstone class, i.e. the last class before graduation and entering the workforce, I feel responsible to enhance their reading, writing, and comprehension skills even though I teach strategic management. Of course, such enhancement requires honesty with oneself and a little bit of hard work to make the improvement, which of course students do not enjoy. 

My approach seems to work in many situations, but of course not for all students. Perhaps you or others have some advice for dealing with such complex situations?

Steven

For me, I have always just treated students like people, try to work with them where it makes sense, and above all make sure they are engaged with the course and content.  I think sometimes we have faculty that follow the rules, do what is required, which is fine, but it is not enough to actually help students learn. 

Making them laugh, asking questions with no right answer, and (onlne) letting your personality come through it important. I have always seen that if we connect with students, their thoughts on the class are always better.

Thanks
Rob

Mark,

That is an excellent idea--to employ Bloom's Taxonomy and the language. I am glad to hear, too, that you received interested (colorful) replies. :) I use Bloom's Taxonomy every time I write curriculum and sometimes when I am writing CATS in the DQ threads. Have you used the different levels' language for lower level courses than you do for higher level courses, or do you find all levels of the Taxonomy can be applied to all classes?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Rob,

You are very right that students like to be treated like anyone else, and it helps us, too, if we think of them that way. Laughter is a very good technique, too, especially on the phone, in Zoom meetings, or sometimes I use it, too, in the Loom videos I create for instruction or feedback. 

I like what you said at the end, too, about connecting with them is key. I agree!

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Priscilla,

I have only taught one course. The last 8 week session was my first course to teach GCU online and GCU has been the only college I have taught at that has required teacher training. I have taught at a couple of other on ground campuses and there was no required training. So, for the the one class that I have taught, I believe the classes visited all levels of the taxonomy. I taught a software engineering class by the way.

Kind regard,

Mark

Dr. Bamba, You asked: What are some ways that have worked best for you in providing feedback? Do you find you like online or face-to-face teaching best, and do you think the practices can be the same or similar in many instances?

All of my feedback is in written form on the assignments or in the DQs. I have on occasion given feedback to a student in the Individual Forum when i didn't want to point out to the student potentially embarrassing issues such as spelling and grammar issues. 

I do respond to all student DQs and engage actively engage in the discussions. As I teach many of the practicum classes at the end of the student's counseling classes they are quite shocked to have an instructor as involved as I am . In fact, some students seem to be almost offended that I am challenging their thinking. 

When I teach ground or cohort classes I give face-to-face feedback as well as written feedback. 

The dialog box is not cooperating so its putting in italics where I don't want them. 

Ron

Hello Dr. Bamba;

Thank you for starting this discussion. You noted that if the students react negatively/gave negative comments on the EOCS, you conclude that the element did not work for them so there must be a change or an improvement. Remember that students in each class/term differ. This term your students may not like the element but next term the set of students you have (for the same course) may. So how do you handle that? You have to keep changing every term? Thank you.

Dr. Bakare

Dr. Bakare,

Thanks for your reply, and you are most welcome! I guess I should have made it clearer that I am talking about trends that occur in the EOCS. In other words, not just an outlier comment or singular expression of discontent would be the ones I would consider a sign that perhaps something needs to change. You are very right in that we need to take into account that all groups of students are never the same. However, if something continues to seem unclear or unpleasant for students, then that is when I react, reconsider, reflect, and perhaps redirect. Do you do the same?

--Dr. Bamba

Ron,

Thanks for your reply! Yes, written feedback is the way we have responded to students as a mainstay. I still do much of that, myself, since all my classes are now online. Yes, I like, too, that you added you also give F2F feedback when possible, such as in the cohorts and ground classes.

This year, I have begun providing video feedback with Loom. It is so very convenient, and I have gotten nothing but positive responses from students. I give live-feedback on a draft and record it as I go. At the beginning, the student can see me, and then I switch to their draft (or an example draft, a document I have provided under Instructor Add Ons for their convenience, or something else). Then I provide verbal feedback and mark on the document via Track Changes, highlighting, etc. The student gets both the link to the video as well as the document they saw me marking up in the video. This has revolutionized my grading process, cutting it in half or even more. I have also begun to notice students grasping the concepts much more quickly. My using this tool accommodates the auditory, the visual, and the tactile learners. My student and I are also able to more quickly come to the point when we have phone or Zoom conversations about something on which they need help by referring to some point in the Loom video I provided for them. Do you think Loom is something you might consider using?

--Dr. Bamba

Mark,

Oh, I hope things are going well for you in teaching for GCU so far! Welcome to our faculty!   I am sure we are so lucky to have you.

What have you found so far, in reflecting, worked best in ensuring the lines of communication are open with you and your students? Did you find anything different here at GCU than what you have done elsewhere? I know our seven- and eight-week classes are not really very long to get to know our students, but I am sure all participating in this forum probably feel they do get to know them as we go through the assignments, feedback, discussion forums, etc. Do you also combine using the phone to reach your students, too?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Everyone,

What are some reflections you might have on your own class(es) in particular that work very well or perhaps that do not work very well? What would be the process of making any changes to address those techniques and tools that have not worked so well for you? 

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Hi Dr. Bamba.

Thanks for the topic. I only teach online for nursing at GCU.  I find many students do not provide comments  on their end of course reviews so it isn't always useful for making improvements and changes. I would like to see the survey used changed so that it can ask more thought provoking questions and useful feedback.  Also, typically only 50% complete the survey, is this the case others experience?

I'd be curious if there are others participating in this learning forum who teach in this program and to hear their advice to keep these students engaged and using the tools provided. From questions I get in one particular class (public health nursing) through the individual forum I've created assignment tip sheets/guides.  I post them in the Instructor Add Ons and reference them for the applicable assignments.   I don't get too much if any feedback if these are helpful though I do ask when I direct students to review them. 

I also use the announcement section of the online course to add additional article and current event type of articles that are assignment related, hoping the information supports and adds to the course material.  Rarely do the students comment though sometimes I hear they like them through other, unsolicited posts. In the past I've offered participation points to encourage viewing and comments. While it increased my work in tracking the student posts (system doesn't track this area like it does the forum) it didn't increase comments enough to justify the work and the only feedback I received at the end of class was negative (too much extra material to read).  

I look forward to following the comments, online teaching to professionals who are also working full time is a challenge so I'm always looking for ideas and ways to keep them engaged while meeting the course requirements of a topic quite new to them.

Thanks,

Pat

One of the techniques that has worked well is the concept of peer evaluation I applied from my program evaluation work. I am sure this already exists as a teaching methodology, but I am not aware of it and got the concept from my evaluation work. Regardless, I distributed students graded papers to their peers (removing my comments and their grades), asking them to highlight what was done well and what was not, making recommendations for improvements. 

Interestingly, the value of this activity is not so much from the receipt of feedback from others (although it is beneficial , of course), but mostly from the act of evaluating others' work. It forces students to remove their personal, emotional ties from their own work and view it more objectively. Then they can "the" their own strengths and weaknesses, instead of just hearing it from the teacher.

Depending on the subject matter, you might want to get consent from all students before performing such an activity, because it does share their personal work with others, but normally this is not a big issue for most.

Dr. Cofrancesco

Dr Bamba, thanks for a fruitful discussion thread.

I begin my cohort classes with a CAT technique:  Write for one minute.   I arrange a question every week relevant to our class content, and I give students a little more than a minute to compose their answer in writing.

Then I lead discussion on the topic.  I'm looking for new perspectives, new ways to think about this issue.  I have to be comfortable with the silence, and I will ask class members to contribute ("What do you think, Ethan?") if I need to pick up the pace.  Typically I will have about a 20 minute discussion that follows the writing exercise.

Value for the class:  this establishes that the class is interactive, that there are often many ways to think about the subject, and there are numerous related factors.

Steve

Dr. Bamba, Thank you for the feedback. I am a "late adopter" when it comes to technology. It will take me some time to get up to speed on Loom. 

Steve B, You say you have CATS in the cohort class. Are these CATS posted in the Main Forum  under week 1 of the module? This was not clear to me.

Ron

Hi Dr. Bamba;

Thank you for the clarification. Yes indeed; when a complaint/comment/concern shows up repeatedly in the EOCS, then it requires the instructor's attention. However, sometimes students complain about certain things, which the instructor cannot change such as the due date for posting their responses.Thank you.

Dr. Bakare

Hello Dr. Bamba, The most mentioned positive  area I get from my students online are my handout and articles . I teach in the COE and  I share information items they can use right away.  I also learned that students are more likely to read the articles and appreciate e the l article  rather then taking the time to use the link. 

Ron wrote:

Steve B, You say you have CATS in the cohort class. Are these CATS posted in the Main   Forum  under week 1 of the module? This was not clear to me.

CATs are "classroom assessment techniques".   I don't post them in the main forum, I start my PowerPoint deck for a cohort presentation with an appropriate starter question of my own devise.

I have a list of CAT techniques.  The concept is robust and helpful to university instructors.  Instead of waiting until an assignment is turned in and graded, the CAT helps me (and the students) become aware of prior knowledge, perspectives and limitations of learning.

I've attached a list of "50 CATs".    Try one or two of them, and see if this enriches your class experience.

Is that what you meant, Ron?

Steve

Donna,

Thanks for your post, and I think that is wonderful that your students like handouts and articles. Yes, they do appreciate when you go the extra mile and give them explanations and examples! This is what my online colleagues and I do in our Instructor Add Ons, too. We often pull them into discussion forums, too, and students are happy to have their questions answered. I am very happy to hear, too, that you get positive feedback from the students on these extra strategies and techniques you use. Good job!

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Steven C.,

Thanks for mentioning peer reviewing. This, too, is a very helpful technique. I am glad your students respond well to it. Sometimes my students mention peer review in their EOCS as one of their most favorite parts of class. They say they learn as much in giving advice as they do in receiving it. Do your students respond this way, too?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Pat,

Thanks for your response and discussion of the EOCS, too. Yes, getting the students to respond to them is little bit challenging--I agree. In my department, we post a message about the EOCS not only at the end of class, both in the next to last week as well as the last week), but also midway through the course (about Week Four). In it we ask the students to please let us know if there is anything we can do to make the class components clearer and ask the students to think of it this way--if, at the end of class, there would be anything that would prevent them from giving an agree or strongly agree comment on any of the item in the survey, please let us know what we can do now, before the class proceeds. I often discuss many facets of the class, at length, with students in their individual forums, during Zoom meetings, and in the video feedback I provide on assignments. This seems to open up the lines of communication better, and as someone else mentioned in this thread, using humor sometimes helps them to relax, too. I have noticed the numbers have gone up since I have started doing all these things. Do any of them sound usable to you?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Steve B.,

Thanks for mentioning CATS and for sharing yours; that is very kind of you. Yes, I guess most of us use CATS. I know we in my department are required to do so. I agree with you, too, on their importance. They are a very helpful formative and perhaps a normative tool, too. It gives the students direction and they usually can take the topic(s) and run with them. We can serve as facillitators to be sure they stay on task or at least within certain parameters. This is some of my favorite interaction with students, too! 

--Dr. Bamba

Salimat,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, when students complain about something that is beyond our control, there is not much we can do with that.   What are some of your favorite ways to open the lines of communication with your students while the class is going on, before it ends?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Steve B, Thank you for the list of 50 CATS. I have seen that before. I think it might be in the CIRT faculty resources. 

Thank you for your suggestion to add the CAT at the beginning of the evening when teaching in the cohort class.

I do add CATS in my online class. I find that often my CAT engenders more discussion than the DQs of the week.

I am enjoying this discussion.

Ron

Ron,

Thanks for commenting on the CATS, too, in your conversation with Steve B. I think adding a CAT in a face-to-face discussion would be a good idea, too. You say that often your CATS create more discussion than the DQs do. How and why do you think this happens?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Hello, everyone. What is a universal way to best reach students, whether in online or on ground classes? Have you worked with students in both a face-to-face and an online mode? If so, what do find can work well with students in both capacities? I know several of my colleagues who use humor and it can work well with both online and face-to-face students. However, there are some cautions that must be observed in both modes. What do you think those are? How can such pitfalls be avoided?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Hi, everyone. I've been teaching online for 15 years, and do not teach in the classroom any more. I love the online format and it suits my communications skills and teaching style. I am a hands-on instructor. I always call students by name, give detailed feedback on work, grade quickly, answer emails several times a day, and actively participate in the discussions. Feedback from students tells me that they appreciate the attention they get from me and are motivated by my engagement in the class. Here are a few thoughts about the discussion topics posted:

- EOCS feedback can be helpful in tweaking our instructions to students and our methods of teaching the material. Pat noted that we generally get feedback from only half the class. I would add that the students who do the survey are usually the ones who loved the class or hated it. Negative feedback is discouraging, but we have to look at that in context. If students mark that they thought the class was useless to their major, they are likely to give negative feedback and we should expect that. I encourage students to not just mark the bubbles, but leave detailed and specific feedback. I also keep a folder of positive feedback that I can review whenever I need motivation to maintain my energy in classes. I'd like to see the survey be a mandatory part of the class. Perhaps grades could wait to post until the student completes the survey.

- Use of videos can be useful, especially for clarification of expectations or more complicated assignments.

- I respond to every student every week on the discussion board. In small classes, I respond to all the initial posts on both questions. In larger classes, I post responses to every student's initial post on either #1 or #2. If I was a student and spent time on thoughtful posts every week, I'd like to know that the teacher is reading them and would want feedback from him/her. I keep a file of posts for each week of every class that contain clarification/examples of the concepts that I want to share with every class.

- Like Steven, I incorporate current events whenever I can find an applicable story. Since I teach communication classes, this is actually fairly easy to do. Applying our weekly concepts to the real world helps students understand that we aren't learning the material just to pass classes, but because we can actually use it in our real lives. That makes our courses more relevant.

- Clear expectations are critical to student success. Our classes move quickly online, and if students are confused, they procrastinate. I make myself readily available by email several times a day, and let students know that we can have a phone conversation at any time.

- Online and classroom teaching are not the same. In a classroom, we teach to the group, trying to use elements of explanation that work for all the learning types. We get to know some students better than others; quiet students tend to get less attention from instructors because they do not participate in classes as actively. In the online format, everyone is required to participated equally, with a required number of posts each week. Instructors get to know all students in the class since there is no differentiation between the gregarious and the shy. What we do see pretty quickly is students who delve into the topics, go into details, and provide examples and those who give just basic responses to the question. As for transferable teaching skills, I would list a love for our subject matter, skillful communication, high standards of achievement, and personal standards of creativity and pride.

- Dr. Bamba mentioned use of humor in the classroom. I am in favor of any tasteful humor that can break up the seriousness of learning and make the classroom more fun. In the online format, we have to be a bit more careful because we use only the written word and cannot hear tone. Although I do not allow text language in any work, I do allow emoticons on the discussion board to indicate tone or humor. I let students know that I like appropriate humor, and use it myself in a limited way. I have a few wonderful jokes about the use of language, ineffective communication, and conflict that I post and students seem to love.

Sally

Great commentary, Sally. Very astute and useful for the rest of us. 

Thanks for that.

Steven

Sally, thanks for the detailed response. I appreciate the information you have provided and find your comments about online students spot on.  The program for which I teach in, nursing, have classes that are all 5 weeks in length.  It is surprising how quickly you do get to know most of the students yet the course goes so quickly it is challenging to catch those that are procrastinating and having an issue with assignments if they do not speak up. 

I try to be available by checking in twice a day but your schedule is honorable.  You certainly set the bar high and I appreciate the challenge. I agree, the end of class should be required including comments as those are most meaningful to me as well.

I had not thought of using the emoticons.  I often attach a picture or topic related infographic that seems to help with lightening the mood or enhancing the message of an often serious topic. I seem to get positive feedback for these.

Thanks,

Pat

Hi, Sally, and thank you for your comprehensive post! You definitely have added quite a bit of helpful comments to the discussion thread. I appreciate your information!

You listed several very good practices for instructors such as calling students by name, grading work in as quick a time period as possible, and actively participating in the discussions. You also mentioned answering emails several times a day, which in itself would be very good, but did you perhaps mean answering individual forum posts? Perhaps you meant to also list that activity, too.

Yes, I keep an e-folder for all EOCS as well as a separate e-folder for positive feedback from EOCS, individual forum posts, discussion thread posts, and emails. As you said, those kudos are good for motivating ourselves. They are also good to save for materials to add to the binder if and when we apply for promotion.

Making sure you respond to all students on DQ threads within the week is an excellent idea, too. Have you ever kept an Excel spreadsheet to check off their names each week? This is a tool that I find helpful for that purpose.

I agree with you that online and face-to-face teaching differ quite a bit. For the first 25 years of my teaching career, I spent time in the on ground classrooms. Around 2000, I began to help write curriculum for online and hybrid courses, too, and while I have spent time in the ground classroom for a few years at a time since then, I have always been involved predominantly in the online classroom. I find some similarities, though, especially in the need and ways to reach and retain students and their expectations. Quick and detailed feedback is more or less the same, too, in both modalities, and I really like using video feedback for online students, who comment that they feel better connection with me that way. I accompany that video feedback with details on digital copies of their work, too. That copy of their work is usually the work they see me discussing in video feedback. In face-to-face teaching, yes, we teach more primarily to the group, but would you agree that we also can individualize, especially with small group work and scheduled appointments? I usually schedule such appointments during class time when group work or individual writing work can be assigned to keep everyone else working productively while waiting for a personal review with me of some work.

Thank you for mentioning emoticons being used in the DQ threads. I allow them, too, as well as pictures as long as everything, as you mentioned, is done in a tasteful and on-task manner. I find humor works better for me in video feedback, Zoom meetings, and phone calls. I suppose I feel like too much room for ambiguity might exist in the written word, so I use humor sparsely that way. Do you agree?

What does everyone think?

--Dr. Bamba

Pat, thanks for your input in response to Sally's post, too. I like that you said you get positive responses from students when you use pictures and relevant infographics. Do you find that they students sometimes respond in kind by finding and posting similar pictures? I find that students pick up rather quickly on what we model for them and perhaps enjoy their work more. Do you think this is true, too?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Hi Dr. Bamba and All,

I teach online and have in the past taught on ground to doctoral students.  Each time I am assigned to teach a class (new or a repeat course), I take the time to reflect on how I might do better in offering in-depth feedback; what are some of the ways I can make it more clearer the instructions for the assignments so there are less hick-ups and a more smoother process; what are the best ways to point out and communicate to students for ongoing mistakes and errors seen in assignments.  These are some of steps I take and adjust and modify as the class progresses.  At the end of the class, I take the time to view the feedback I received from students surveys and look for ways to improve in my next course.  Yes, there are at times, no matter what we do, students who will challenge us with their needs since they want us to give them exceptions.  When these exceptions are not extended, students tend to give negative feedback in their class surveys.  Whereas, those who are mindful and understanding that an instructor can't give exceptions and favors, tend to learn from their mistakes and grow from the experience. 

Araxi,

Thank you for your reply. You give some excellent details about how reflection is involved in part of the process of you of teaching and always seeking improvement. I agree, too, about taking the time to review the feedback an instructor receives from his or her students. In that way, any repeated feedback threads or trends can be recognized quickly. Sometimes they could be positive, but it really is true, is it not, that we learn more from the negatives or the mistakes. At least this seems true for me. 

If something is unclear, I am sure we would agree it is best addressed during the time that the course is still active. Sometimes, though, students are too shy to ask about something and only in reflection during the EOCS is it mentioned. Of course, I am not talking about the occasional disgruntled student, but even their feedback can sometimes give us opportunity for learning and adjusting to better serve the students.

I really like how you ended with saying the students who understand an instructor cannot give favors are the students who learn and grow from mistakes and experiences. That is a very astute observation.

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Hi, Dr. Bamba.  Yes, I respond to the Individual Forum several times a day and also check my GCU email.  I encourage students to use the Individual Forum for messages, but some still send through the general GCU system.

As for keeping track of discussion responses to students, I keep a paper gradebook (just in case), so I print off an Excel spread sheet with the weeks and students names.  On Wed. I mark half of the students I have responded to on #1, and make sure to respond to the rest on #2.  Each week, every student hears from me on one of their posts.  I also try to vary whether I respond on #1 or #2 to each student.

You make a good point that we need to touch base with every student, regardless of the teaching format.  Periodically, I send out an email to students who have not emailed me, just to check in and see if they need anything.

I agree that humor is more challenging with the written word, so emoticons or some other designation is needed so that there aren't misunderstandings.  I also tell students directly that I have a sense of humor and if they ever need clarification of anything I say that I'm only an email away.

Sally

Sally, thanks for the reply. I tell students their success makes my world go around and that I am just a phone call or message away, too. You are right, too, about some of them like email better; I suspect that might be because they email from their phones. Speaking of their phones, I use Remind with my classes. Do you? Does anyone else use Remind? I find the students like it, often saying they are already familiar with it because their children's schools use it to communicate with them as parents.

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Hello, everyone. How do you handle plagiarism? We all know it depends upon whether or not this is the first occurrence for the student or if we regard it as intentional or not. How do you determine if it might be unintentional? Does it also depend upon the level of the course? With today's paper-mill Web sites, etc., what is your procedure for handling grading a paper or essay besides depending upon TurnItIn? Have any of you developed additional steps or parts of the procedure in handling such a problem? I look forward to hearing anyone's suggestions and discussion.

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Hi Sally;

I like your idea of keeping a paper grade book to ensure you respond to every student each week. I just keep a log in my file. I write down the names of the students I responded to each day of the week. Thank you.

Sali

Hello, everyone. Thank you for all the wonderful participation and wealth of knowledge that has been shared in this discussion thread. We are drawing to a close now, and I wanted to invite anyone who has any nuggets of wisdom we have not touched upon to respond please and share them.   Is there anything that you think, as a mentor, you would like to tell someone about work online as a GCU instructor who might have just joined your team? What can you recall of your own settling in to teach the online component of the classes you teach? 

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Hi, 

Thanks for facilitating this discussion. Sorry I am late getting on. I think modeling best practices works best for me. There have been some learners who still haven't grasped the concept of online learning. Let me first state that I have been facilitating online courses for GCU for more than 13 years. I, like Dr. Priscilla, do take to heart the EOCS because it is somewhat an informal evaluation system that can help identify areas of improvement. Now I will state this, if a learner had some difficulties posting assignments on time, meeting requirements. or needed improvement with writing skills or using APA correctly, and I pointed that out, there have been times when the comments have been less than favorable. I really don't use those comments as a means of self reflection. However, if the comments indicate that what I am doing helped them, I will continue those practices. I model best practices so I can set an example on how I want "things" done. If the expectation is for learners to be in the discussion forum at least three times a week, I try to double that (requirement). 

Managing my time has been my biggest strength. When I first started teaching for GCU in 2004, I was also teaching at another college and teaching High School, so I kept a planner and actually penciled in time to get in the discussion forums, grade assignments, take phone calls, do professional development, etc. Now I don't need a planner but I still manage my time very well. My next biggest strength is communicating. I try to check the forum at least 3-4 times a day so I can answer questions. I provide detailed feedback within 48 hours on all assignments. I send out a weekly grades/feedback to all students by Friday or Saturday. I welcome text messages from my learners at any time, this way I can respond as I can. 

I recently opened up a thread in the QfI area entitled "Help Forum" so learners can assist each other if I am unavailable. However, I will check in daily to ensure the correct advice or instructions are provided. This is a huge stress reliever. I found that learners stress if I am unable to get to them or respond when they need me too. I guess they don't think I have a "life" outside of GCU (smile). The learners loved this as it also builds community. 

In my bucket list, I want to open up a forum for APA assistance and I want to try videos so I can show students how to complete assignments as needed. 

All in all, using diverse methods to help students maximize learning by modeling best practices have worked well for me in the past 13 years. But there is always room for improvement somewhere, which is why I am a true life long learner, co learning with my students. Dr. M. James

Thanks for sharing your experiences and techniques, Marsha. You do sound like a master time manager! I remember teaching time management as an introductory course to students many years ago. I personally used a Stephen Covey planner, so I incorporated it into the classes. That was before the explosion of the digital age (in the 80s), but we used computers in the classrooms a bit. I have since moved to online planners, but I still keep a hard copy monthly calendar for personal concerns like bills and doctor appointments. I think students who are more used to face-to-face communication and hard copy documents like planners, notes, etc. are a bit more comfortable in that modality, at least until they become comfortable with our online environment. What are some of the best ways to lead students gradually into the online classroom? Granted, we have the UNV courses and academic advisors with the Walk to Class, but after they arrive there, what do you do as an online instructor to reassure them and help them do their best?

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba

Hi, Yes, I have had some learners who needed some assistance with managing their time. I even mailed a planner to two students. Also, on more than one occasion, I designated specific days they should be in the forum, by listing a general time chart they can follow, once they discussed their typical day. I also stressed the importance of being engaged in the discussion forum with my own experiences as well as articles from theorists in regards to the connection between student achievement and student engagement. Thanks, Dr. M. James

Thank you all for taking part in this threaded discussion about reflections and best practices in teaching, specifically online. I have enjoyed reading each and every post and hope you did as well. I learned a great deal from each of you, too. I think as a parting reflection, I would like to say that sharing perspectives and experiences is one of the best ways I know to grow as an online instructor. Take care and have a blessed 4th of July!

--Dr. Priscilla Bamba