May 30, 2007

Developing a Successful Online Class:What Works to Keep the Students Motivated and Interested?

I have also found that adding humor to the online class helps to relax students and make them feel more comfortable. Adding that level of comfort helps students feel more at ease with asking questions, communicating to the instructor, chatting with other students, and working in group projects with others. Humor can warm up an otherwise cold and sterile delivery environment. Humor can bring the instructor and the students together in such a way as to create a positive learning experience. It is important to realize here the difference between humor and sarcasms. In my experience, humor works well, but sarcasm leads the students to believe they too can add their sarcastic comments. Humor puts students at ease but sarcasm makes many students feel uncomfortable.

Student Evaluation and Feedback
Evaluating students is an important aspect of providing feedback to students. Remember, they do not get to see an instructor weekly. Therefore, many students need to hear from the instructor to make sure the instructor, knows whom they are. I do this several ways.

First, a requirement of my courses is student participation in weekly discussion boards. Some questions, (never personal), are for the students to answer directly to the instructor. These questions are both about the course material and also more general questions about where students might be encountering difficulties within the chapters. Within the first three weeks of a class, a question I always ask is, "How are you adjusting to being back in college? Are you experiencing time management problems? What are some of the techniques you are using that help you complete your work on time?" I find these kinds of questions allow students to open up, talk to me and share their experiences. I always answer student discussion question comments so they know I have read what they have to say. Students’ are graded on their participation in the discussion boards.

Second, students have weekly assignments that must be completed. These assignments are graded and are a component of the students’ final grade. Students submit these assignments through a drop box. I make a commitment to students that all assignments will be read and graded within 24 hours of being submitted (with weekends being an exception). After reviewing the assignments submitted, I make comments and corrections, and reply to the student via e-mail, my evaluation of their work. A student’s grade on the discussion board assignments and on their homework is then entered in the gradebook. Students’ have access to their own grades through the course software.

Third, quizzes are administered every two or three weeks. The quizzes are multiple-choice questions and are reasonably short (usually 10 questions). Each quiz must be completed within the week the subject material is assigned. After the week is over, the quiz is no longer available. These quizzes give me a sense of whether the student is understanding and completing the material assigned within the time frame required. I send each student a quick e-mail after they complete each quiz commenting on their performance, and asking if they understand the questions that were missed. Again, the course software grades the quizzes, the instructor needs only review the grades and make sure the student knows you are available if they have questions.

Filed under: College,Community,High School,Pedagogy,Training/Education

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