Respect and Respond

Feeding Time in the Online Classroom

Feedback to students is not something that can wait.

Sorry, Professor, I know you are busy with your other work,
but timely feedback is crucial.


I am not saying that the student is sitting there staring at the screen
waiting for your response to pop up

but emotionally? -pretty close.


Feedback from you to an online student is more than your sharing knowledge-
though that is a big part of it

It is recognition of their work by a professional.
You are a big deal to them!
You stand for everything toward which they are striving

For some students, tapping out those indelible words and pushing "submit" is a hard thing.

 Show your respect for their efforts by a timely, respectful reply.

You will be glad that you did.

Hello... Are You Out There?

Are You Missing The Boat with 

Your Online Students?

As the days roll by in an online class, you may have the feeling that you are all alone with nothing but a list of names and a cyber-stack of grading. 

How do you connect with students?  How do you let them know that you are sitting at your computer at 11pm trying to help them through the material because you care about them and what you teach?

The answer is very often just a click away

Most online colleges ask students to "say hello" the first week.

And most professors dutifully respond with a "nice to have you in class", and then get back to the 'important stuff' in the weekly discussions and assignments.

Hang on! 

You are missing the boat!  And that boat keeps sailing every week!

Making friends and influencing people 101 says:

Be interested.

Your class will get off to a far better start if you really read those "hellos" and give a  truly personal reply. If they have a dog- tell them about yours. If they are football fans, tell them your team. Find something in what they say to make a personal connection.

But beyond that:

(and this is important)

 as the weeks go by, go back and read those "hellos" and put a bit of what they said in your replies to them in discussion or in your assignment feedback.

"Bob, I remember reading in your bio that you work as....."
then find a way to tie that in to your response.

BAM! 

You have made a connection and made your student see that you know they are a real person

This is what makes online teaching creative, and personal, 

and just plain good!

Online: It Is Not Like Any Other Classroom

Because I have been in the online teaching world for so many years, I am often asked "How do I get hired".

Sorry- there is no magic bullet.
You can read books and go to seminars and join newsgroups. Helpful to an extent.

But the fact is there are three ways to get a job as an online instructor:
1. apply
2. apply
3. apply

But beyond that, here are some ideas that may assist:

Getting started is the hardest part.
 If you have no online teaching experience, that can be a challenge. If you are teaching on the ground, and your school has an online program, ask for at least one class.

Attend an online university: 
If you are reaching for a higher degree and your hope is to teach online in the future, attend an online university. You will be able to use that "other side of the desk" experience as a selling point.

Keep an online profile and do not be shy:
Let people know you believe in online teaching and that you want to be a part of this growing trend.

Familiarize yourself with as many LMS (learning management systems) as possible:
Some schools have proprietary systems developed in house, but as there are only so many configurations for these platforms, getting to know BlackBoard, eCollege, and Moodle for example will be something you can use to your advantage. If it is possible to get a certificate in training for any of these put that on your resume!

Truly understand what online teaching is all about:
Be prepared when you speak to the initial screener and in your cover letter to make it clear you understand both the benefits and the challenges of teaching online.
I will be posting information on an ongoing basis as to what it really means to be an online instructor and administrator, but just for today let me say:
It is not as easy as it sounds if you want to be great at it
It takes time
It takes skill
It takes daring

But the benefits for you and your students are enormous.