Preparation:
Instructor Preparation:
Instructors should develop lesson materials in such a way that
students are intrigued instead of satisfied. If the instructor
provides all of the information within the lesson materials,
students do not have to do anything. If things are purposively
left out in such a way that a student thinks they should know
more they will continue learning on their own. By not establishing
forums with questions or specific topics, students are required
to contemplate on the lesson materials to decide what they think
should be discussed. Since they know they will have to start
some discussion, they will meet that expectation appropriately.
This requires the instructor to develop a different approach
to the classroom.
The very first week the instructor has a responsibility for
establishing a safe environment and setting the guidelines for
the forum. Requiring the students to make general postings the
first week on things like personal introductions and expectations
for the class gets everyone involved. A rule that I set for
myself that first week is to go through the first lesson without
making a posting to the forum. This helps to set a mindset within
the student that the instructor is not going to respond to every
message. That is time consuming and limits conversation. If
the instructor gets involved within a thread of discussion,
that will usually end the discussion (this is particularly true
at the beginning of class. After the students have become comfortable
handling their own forums, they will continue discussions after
the instructor becomes involved.
Student Preparation:
Students should fully read all lessons and text materials before
posting on the forum. This is something students usually learn
quickly by making comments or asking questions that do not fit
lesson materials.
Students learn to tend to their own discussions well. They
will comment on late postings or postings off topic. They have
the opportunity to research questions and formulate postings
with the lesson materials in front of them. This results in
a more thoughtful discussion of the materials. Since the forums
remain online during the entire class, students can go back
and see personal growth within the class.
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