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Show ^,,^' .;:, ,-^'' : ^ ,.# Final Recommendations As both a student and instructor of online courses, I would like to conclude with a few recommendations for instructors that I have found to be useful in the online classroom. These recommendations have been reiterated by many of my students, as well. First, prompt communication via email is essential in keeping students engaged with the class and avoiding potential communication barriers. I first learned the benefit of this from my committee chair. I knew that if I emailed him a question, he would respond within 24 hours, even when he was on vacation. Although I didn't expect this from him and sometimes felt guilty for taking time from his busy schedule, I appreciated it immensely. This is one of the major reasons that I was able to stay engaged with my Ph.D. program from a distance. I have made this a priority with my students, as well, and they :;l§li *SP"r"*'. . PHOTOGRAPH BY TERESA GETTEN appreciate it. As one student said, "My experiences in this course have been positive so far. It's been easy getting in touch with the professor. The responses have come quickly and detailed which help a lot." Knowing that your instructor cares enough to respond goes a long way to make up for the lack of face-to-face interaction between students and instructors. Second, it is vital as an instructor to facilitate a respectful online environment. So far, I have not had any trouble with this. My students are generally respectful to one another. While they may disagree with each other's perspectives, they have avoided name-calling, derogation, or other unacceptable online behavior. Some instructors who have had issues with lack of respect have required students to post their pictures online next to their name or have given "citizenship points." They found that these incentives (lack of anonymity, potential difference in grade) lead disrespectful students to change their 12 lessons | fall 2007 |
