While the limitations of online teaching preclude on-site meetings with students, the fact remains that seeing a face adds essential elements to a message that cannot be conveyed by email or phone. Our faces humanize us, making others more receptive to our messages. Plus, most
Incivility in the online classroom can take many forms. Angela Stone Schmidt, director of graduate programs in the School of Nursing and associate dean College of Nursing & Health Professions at Arkansas State University—Jonesboro, uses Morrisette’s definition: “interfering with a cooperative learning atmosphere.” So in
The options we have in communicating with our online students have markedly increased, and no longer are we limited to text-only emails and postings. In past columns I have mentioned a few of these, such as the use of audio and live chats, but it’s
Self-regulation—controlling the factors that affect one’s learning—is an important skill for online learners to possess. Course design that encourages metacognition can help online learners develop their ability to self-regulate. In an interview with Online Classroom, Maureen Andrade, associate vice president for academic programs at Utah
At the University of Wisconsin’s Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning, Francesca Catalano, associate professor and faculty director of STEM at the American Public University System, offered several ways to engage students in the discussion board.
Gary Ackerman, director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at Mount Wachusett Community College, works with faculty to incorporate active learning into their online and face-to-face courses, and while there are differences in these learning environments, active learning can be implemented just as well
Educators need to understand international students’ challenges in online classrooms. Both language and cultural differences influence how well they can fit in U.S. universities. To promote international students’ academic success in online classrooms, faculty should not only focus on teaching their subject matter knowledge, but
The multicultural classroom is found in nearly every online course. It blends students from a variety of cultures, resulting in a rich and diverse learning environment. Some students may use English as a second language (ESL) or English as an additional language (EAL), while others
In the face-to-face classroom, nonverbal communication such as facial expressions, body posture, eye contact, gestures, and attendance are often used to gauge students’ engagement and understanding. Instructors can use these cues to know when to provide additional support and instruction before proceeding to the next
It’s important for instructors to know their students learning preferences and needs early in an online course in order to provide the best possible learning environment. One way to get to know your students is to conduct a survey at the beginning of the course,
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A few years ago an airline commercial showed a businessman flying to a far-off meeting. In the voiceover he explains that although the customer was in Brazil, anything truly important needs to be discussed face-to-face. While the limitations of online teaching preclude on-site meetings with students, the fact remains that seeing a face adds essential elements to a message that cannot be conveyed by email or phone. Our faces humanize us, making others more receptive to our messages. Plus, most of what is communicated comes via nonverbal cues such as facial expressions. Without these cues, messages can be misinterpreted. The humanizing element is especially important when the discussion is on a difficult subject, such as poor performance on an assignment. Text by its very nature tends to be interpreted more sharply than intended, and as a result can de-motivate students, causing them to turn off the feedback. A smiling face can reassure students that though they have work to do, all is not lost and they are capable of making the necessary improvements. Every online instructor should be using Skype frequently to contact students. It’s a good practice to always recommend a meeting by Skype when there is a problem or question. A Skype session can accomplish far more than either an email or a phone call can, thus saving faculty time in the long run having to address the same problem over and over.
There are many ways for faculty to use Skype. These include:
