Some good advice for online and hybrid course engagement. One of the comments below says - even for F2F classes!
One of the comments also questions the point about responding to all student posts - saying that it's better to let them discuss without you, only adding in occasionally or with a summary or notes in a weekly wrap-up. This "hands-off" discussion method is the route Alyssa and I have taken, what has worked for you?
I was in this class - wanting to see how things were handled along with what the content was - it was really a mess! I'll be interested to see what changes they make if they offer it again.
A STEM integration group based in MN. Haven't looked into it much but it was recommended by another teacher Melinda in my CARLA course about Style and Strategies.
"More writing courses than ever are being taught online, and effective online writing instruction requires teachers to communicate deliberately and clearly in order to have productive relationships with their students. In The Online Writing Conference: A Guide for Teachers and Tutors, former chair of the CCCC Committee for Effective Practices in Online Writing Instruction Beth L. Hewett articulates the how and why of one-to-one online writing conference pedagogy. Complete with an instructor's study guide and informed by the principles set forth in the CCCC Position Statement of Principles and Example Effective Practices for OWI, her updated text provides examples and transcripts of synchronous and asynchronous instructor-student interaction, targeted lessons, and conferencing action plans that help instructors hone their pedagogical practice, from formatting comments to showing regard for students."
Abstract:
In this paper, we examine the use of Facebook (FB) as a social networking tool in an intermediate French class. After reviewing the available studies on FB in language instruction, we analyze surveys that were administered to students as well as student FB posts. We look at the potential benefits of social media, specifically FB, and discuss its impact on foreign language learning. We aim to address how FB is being used in the language classroom, how students respond to the integration of this social networking site in courses, the attitudes of higher education foreign language learners towards FB, as well as the role of FB in new learning spaces and with today's learners. An analysis of survey data suggests that students respond in a positive manner toward the use of FB in education and highlights some differences in the way FB is used in both personal and academic settings.
The use of the Web2 can provide opportunities for collaboration, authentic communication in a discourse community and provide what Warschauer and Kern (2000) termedas networked-based language teaching. Some ofthe general benefits of using technology in ESP are the use of authentic tasks, tools, and context (Bremner, 2010; Evans, 2012).It provides interaction and communication among learners, uses collaborative learning, focuses on socio-
do not provide motivation, enthusiasm or personalization
earning management systems (LMSs)
ave generally been used as static sources of content with no social appeal like social networks, such as Facebook or YouTube
while also impeding general pedagogical support with their default settings and familiar features
social networking platforms have been acclaimed to provide learners social communication, autonomy,fluid online discussions, and identity management
ease interaction, e-discussions by focusing on the use of technology to support education
informal and relaxing atmosphere and make learning effective (Dalton, 2009). Social networking allows students and teachers to build a rapport and overcome inhibitions
Integrating social software with LMS aims at active participation, interaction and collaborationbetween the members of an academic community
Web 2.0 tools consist of blogs, microblogs, wikis, podcasts, virtual worlds and social networks
he benefits of using Web 2.0 in education are the new interaction styles between students and teachers, immediacy of information, access to authentic learning environments, content sharing, collaboration and enhancement of learning experience
a service offering language learning quizzes via Twitter hasbeen established (TwitterLearn, 2008)
I couldn't locate this service in a search; I suppose it went defunct?
Twitter, Edmodo, and Ning
On the whole, the reasons language instructors may opt to choose Edmodo in class are that teachers and students connect, assignments, back channeling, a paperless learning environment, its backpack feature,the library feature, Apps, homework, badges, learning continues outside the classroom, assessments, interface, sharing, and its private and safe learning environment
the use of Twitter facilitated collaboration, communication and data exchange among students in real time.The role of the instructor is underscored as she/he acts as a mediator, supporting the content, organizing the activities, and clarifying the use of the educational tool
Facebook
Twitter has been studied in context with other social media and has proven to have a significant influence on academic activity
microblogging and inferred that it enhanced students’ achievement, motivation and participation in class.
Check this out--appears to be a comprehensive site about the use of technology for educators and students.
Different platforms suit different sorts of interactions and appeal tostudents and educators in a diverse manner
From the Edmodo platform, two main features are utilized. First, the Edmodo forum is used for both teacher-to-student communication and student-to -student communication. The communication topics include subjects such as assignments, questions, announcements, etc. Second, the Edmodo Assignment Center is used for testing the students on each learning topic and easily collecting their answers
Although we have an in-house LMS at Northwest, I created an Edmodo platform for my Intermediate Russian I course for the fall to see how it will work. I'll use it in conjunction with the in-house LMS, which may prove to be cumbersome. We'll see.
As far as the assessment of students’ performance goes, the conventional assessment through graded assignments is backed up by students’ social learning activities. Network buildingand self-regulated learning canbe indicative of students’ progress throughout the course.Ongoing assessment or formative assessmentstrategies(integration of performance and feedback and reflection) can facilitate learning and review students’ performance
The empirical evaluation of the research highlights the dominanceof intrinsic motivation(students’ intentionsto use Twitter/perceived enjoyment)over extrinsic motivation in explaining the adoption of social media in the class
n order to provide assessment, instructors could evaluate students’ learning progress by reviewing their reflections. Communication (teacher-student/student-student)throughout the learning processcan also providefeedback information that may aid assessment
nstructors could evaluate students’ learning progress by reviewing theirreflections on what they have gained through networked learning
This blog has information not only on practical things, such as how to use VoiceThread, but also on how to create community in online courses. Seems interesting so far.
This blog post is about the preparation for a presentation, but there are links to the presentation, and another one someone else did, as well as other resources - a course for parents to do with their children, etc.
Resources to teach digitally are integrated all through the teacher preparation courses, and they have resources to try and show things with many different kinds of equipment.
The question isn’t just academic. When related to education I think it really
has some significance.
Of course we have all the data driven, test score driven administrative tom
follery. I’m not going to discuss this silly stuff. If you can’t see that
emperor has no clothes, well, then dream on…..
No, I want to look at how teachers make decisions in their own classroom. Are
we like Apple, generals and experts that know and with our charts, handouts,
videos, textbooks – steering the ship of students? Or are we listening to
students and letting them take hold of the wheel and allowing them to steer the
ship?
Of course, most teachers will say that they are the later, they are googlites,
they listen to their students. This is the mantra of modern education. However,
me thinks this is only cosmetic. Look deeper and almost all teachers are
governing their class as “experts”. We truly don’t go down to the level of
students or listen to them. We all say that we “listen” and are “data informed”
but when push comes to shove – I believe we teach as we were taught. We
perpetuate a worn and bedraggled and very much irrelevant orthodoxy. All the
while propping up and rationalizing our methods, our job, by saying we are
listening to the students, we are listening to the data. However, the facts are
out there for
Communicate the public nature of Twitter to parents. Consider an opt-out alternative for students or parents who are uncomfortable with participating in the classroom chat.
I've also used my school's platform "discussion board" as if it were a twitter chat feed--some students got really into it, and I think I could implement some of these suggestions to make it more universally engaging
assist students in moving back and forth between their own words and technical or course-specific terms. And help highlight particular content with the use of sentence starters.
i've do this, at some level, for almost every new project or activity I do in my classroom--the students feel so empowered when I ask them to share their opinions and reactions to the structures of the course.
Thanks for sharing, Carmen-- I am also considering students who do not have Twitter, or parent concerns, and I wonder if small group work might be a solution- Using the twitter account of one student, another student or group of students help to compose responses, stay hidden from their online contributions.
Hi Veronica--you could also consider making a class handle. I did that with an Adv. class once, and simply gave all the students the info to log in. They could all post from that handle, and sign tweets with their initials.
Especially middle/high school parents/students may feel more comfortable using a platform provided by the district. I am also planning to use the discussion board in the district's platform. I can definitely use the tips in this article.