Now that we are a few weeks into the fall semester, it’s a
good time to take a moment to think about how you can continue strong
communication with your students beyond the first week or two of welcome and
orientation messages. Students who feel like they have a direct line of
communication with the professor and are listened to are much more engaged and
excited to participate in an online class.
It is extremely important to the students to know that you are active
and present in the course and that they know what your expectations are for
online discussions, assignment submissions etc. Here are a few simple tips to keep lines of
communication open.
·
In the first few weeks it is critical to let the
students know
o
how you have set up the site
o
how they can navigate through the content
o
how they can get technical help
There is a link to Bb tutorials for
students on the login page (http://drexel.edu/irt/coursetools/toolList/learn/student/tutorials/)
and once they are logged into Blackboard there is a “Tech Support” link with
many different resources for students. Making sure students know about this
before there is a problem can be a great time saver for both you and them if a
problem ever arises.
·
As the semester progresses, continue to use the
announcement feature to do weekly overviews and wrap-ups.
·
Keep you calendar up-to-date and notify students
of any changes that occur.
·
Let students know how often they should post to
the discussion board and be sure to participate in the discussions yourself by
providing feedback, insight and guidance to the students. A good rule of thumb for you is to post a minimum of 3-4 times. Some professors prefer to respond to each studen's' post individually.
·
Be clear about how quickly you will respond to
student e-mails—a response within 24 hours is a recommended best practice.
·
It is also helpful to let students know when to
expect feedback from you on things like exams or written assignments.
If you have additional tips or tricks that you use in your
courses please share them in the comments area!
Happy Communicating!
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