Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Getting Aquainted
I think that the single biggest challenge that faculty and students face in an 100% online course is the feeling that they don't really know each other at all. This can be overcome, but it is very difficult, and requires an ongoing and creative effort by the instructor to reach the students. This part is not so bad for most instructors - but there's more. It also requires that the instructor show his or her vulnerability so that the students can view him or her as a real person. This all starts in the first week of the course in the getting-aquainted exercises. There are lots of get-to-know you exercises, but my very favorite of all time is called "100 Things About Me." This is simply where you make a list of random statements about yourself, some of which are quite personal, and then ask students to do the same. I have my own list that I created a few years ago, and try to keep somewhat updated. Check it out and see if you don't feel like you know me a lot better.
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2 comments:
Great points Dr. Clay. Over the last few years I have come to see that instructors with hybrid courses should follow some of these same principles. All to often courses taught 50/50 or 65/35 the CMS becomes a repository for information or a storage bin. The students do not have any reason to go into the course and are not enticed by the instructor. I believe if the instructor would spend nominal time in the course and establishing a presence or identity it would help learners more in hybrid environments also.
Yes, Melly I did get to know you better. I use my Facebook account for self-disclosure. Faecebook also lets you get to know your students better although sometimes it may be TMI :)
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