Friday, February 13, 2015

Building Effective Online Class Communities


Which door to choose?  Click on one of the door headers for a February surprise.  

(Then come back and look at some of these other great links and ideas to empower your students)



Relationships--not just for 2/14 

"Help students consider:
  • Who am I?
  • Who is "other"? And how? In what functions and degrees?
  • How do we relate? What do we share?
  • What do they need from me, and I from them?"

Develop short self-checks for online effectiveness

Here's an idea:
  1.  I have a notebook and pen
  2.  Headphones
  3. Set a goal for today.  I will.....
  4. Shut unrelated browser windows.
  5. Set a time or use a pomodoro app for short, focused bursts.

Remind Students to Self-Advocate

Email students and educational coaches, but also give them multiple ways to reach you, the educator.

Use a checklist feature in Moodle or another LMS to help students to monitor progress.

Suggest the 'third-way'option

In an era of Youtube, mobile learning, and practice apps, look for a third way to help your students if they need extra practice.  For the online student, this means permission (and encouragement) to reach out beyond the walls of your classroom--by phoning a friend, setting up a Zoom conference.   

Personalize, personalize 

(several pages to the article)


  • Respond to students by name in your forums
  • Incorporate student interests in feedback.
  • Give feedback often.
  • Student choice and voice will make a difference.

Keep learning with free PD


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or ask for more options.


Door 1: Open Sesame


Door 2: Things known and unknown


via The_Doors Wikipedia

Door 3: Knock knock, who's there?

via Geograph, a #sschat resource