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Keeping Students

Learn techniques for keeping students engaged in online courses through frequent communication, effective formatting, engaging assignments, and grading methods.

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Keeping Students

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  1. Communication & Grading Keeping Students ENGAGED!

  2. Workshop Objectives and Outcomes: By the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to apply techniques for: • Keeping online students engaged usingCOMMUNICATION Tips for maintaining frequent and regular communication with students both individually and as a group

  3. Workshop Objectives and Outcomes: By the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to apply techniques for: • Keeping students engaged usingFORMAT & CONTENT Formatting your course pages and lessons so information is clear and accessible Engaging students in lectures through frequent interactive material

  4. Workshop Objectives and Outcomes: By the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to apply techniques for: • Keeping students engaged usingASSIGNMENTS and GRADING Designing online activities, quizzes, papers, tests, and other assignments that are appropriate to your objectives and for the online environment Grading and providing feedback through means appropriate to the assignment and the online format

  5. Anything that can be taught face-to-face can be taught equally well online: Anything that can be taught poorly face-to-face can be taught just as poorly online

  6. Agghh! Are online class retention rates really that bad? What can I do?

  7. Online Student Profiles and Retention Rates • The majority of online students are more mature, highly focused and motivated than traditional classroom students. • Grades are somewhat higher for online students. • General perception: dropout rates are higher for online courses than traditional face-to-face ones. • Technology and lack of personal interaction can impede student success. • Research: most successful retention in classes where instructor is visible and accessible (office hours, online chat, e-mail response).

  8. Using COMMUNICATION To Keep Students Engaged Be VISIBLE and ACCESSIBLE

  9. Send frequent update e-mails “newsletters” • Outline what is happening in the current and next weeks. • List assignments and due dates. • Call out special dates to remember. Wanda Class Help Page: http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?30789

  10. Send frequent update e-mails “newsletters”

  11. Make it easy for students to contact you • Create a separate CONTACT page (with a variety of ways to contact you). • Make your e-mail address easily accessible. • Make the contact expectations very clear (type of question, e-mail format, reply expectations, language, turnaround). Wanda CSKLS 312.3 : http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?26473 Kathy APGR69: http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?2278

  12. If you don’t make expectations clear…

  13. Maintain personal e-mail contact with each student • Create an assignment where students have to e-mail you: http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?2292 • Add questions or comments in your e-mails that encourage a response. • Respond quickly to e-mails and questions (even if it’s just one word). • Use boiler plate (copy/paste) e-mails but add a personal comment.

  14. Maintain personal e-mail contact with each student Respond quickly to e-mails and questions Add questions or comments in your e-mails that encourage a response Use boiler plate e-mails but add a personal comment

  15. Send “rattle-the-cage” e-mails promptly • E-mail “disappeared” students persistently • List assignments they are missing • Suggest a plan to catch up • Remind them about drop dates (once), with and without a W, in a timely manner

  16. Encourage discussion to keep students engaged • Use chat rooms or message lists on CATE • Makes class less impersonal • Makes them feel committed • Establishes a sense of community • Allows for discussion on lecture topics • Provides space for group work • Reflects an individual’s degree of class participation APGR72: http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?9271

  17. Using CONTENT To Keep Students Engaged Keep it SIMPLE and ORGANIZED

  18. Create content and formats that keep students engaged • Set up an easy-to-follow schedule in one location Make online “lecture” topics and dates clear Provide clear assignment due dates • Provide clear direction to the content List goals/objectives at the start of each lecture List what has been accomplished at the end • Keep pages short & break up large amounts of textUse images, comics, jokes, colors, lines to break up text • Encourage student interaction with the contentIncorporate “quick quizzes.” Ask thought-provoking questions after lecture materials Encourage discussion of lecture materials on the forum Examples: http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?2271#28316 http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?2272http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page?26385

  19. Agghh! Grading online assignments… How do I cope?

  20. Consider the different assignment/classwork formats Try to vary them to keep students engaged • Quiz/test multiple choice format using CATE • Question and written answer format using CATE • Complete essay/paper assignment • Discussion/participation assignment • Attendance/participation activity

  21. Assignment format pros and cons • Quiz/test multiple choice format • Set up using test/exam module in CATE (can be time consuming for instructor) • Instructor can control access (start/end dates) • Requires less critical thinking on students’ part • Instant feedback on scores • Easy grading!! • Can be used to review lectures and inform students how well they have understood material • Instructor can add feedback for specific questions or the whole test • Question of honor system (who is taking the test?) Examples: http://online.santarosa.edu/testbank/?8858

  22. Assignment format pros and cons • Question and written answer format • Submitted via e-mail, CATE test, CATE form or upload • More time-consuming to grade so students don’t get quick feedback on their progress • Can be thought provoking and demand more interaction from students Examples: • Test module: http://online.santarosa.edu/testbank/?6769 Input form: http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?2295

  23. Assignment format pros and cons • Complete essay/paper assignment • Submitted via e-mail attachment or uploaded to class inbox • Thought-provoking, challenging for students • Very time consuming to grade • Can be technologically demanding on students and instructors! (word processing, e-mail skills, file format)

  24. Assignment format considerations • Participation activity • Discussion via postings on a forum/message board • Small group discussion via e-mail or in a chat room • Establish and communicate how this is evaluated and graded (number of messages?) • Good for interactivity and keeping students engaged • Attendance activity: how to assess • Use CATE to track student activity (roster) • Make them send instructor an e-mail every week • Gauged by prompt submission of assignments

  25. Make assignment instructions crystal clear • Provide a due date and points at the top of the assignment Try to set consistent/predictable due dates • Have due dates in schedule but not buried anywhere else! Remind students of due dates via e-mail List assignments in review at end of lecture (or at beginning) • Break up assignments into simple step by step points Use bulleted items rather than long paragraphs of text. For Q and A assignments in CATE provide individual input boxes for each question. • Be VERY specific about assignment expectationsHow to submit it (e-mail, upload, input form) Written language expectations (full sentences, grammar) File format requirements Deadlines (are you flexible?) Give links to sample assignments • Be specific about grading criteriaRubric or “maximum points given for…”

  26. But even when you make expectations clear… • Assignment Examples • Assignment broken into steps:http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?11735 • Assignment information in two places: http://www.santarosa.edu/~kthornle/30/30_W2p3_online.html • Grading Rubric:http://online.santarosa.edu/presentation/page/?26404#253421 • http://www.santarosa.edu/~kthornle/30/LIR30%20assignments/LIR30_CPgradingTEMPLATE.pdf

  27. Agghh! I’ve received all these assignments… How do I organize them?

  28. Set up a mechanism to keep track of work • Use Outlook e-mail folders for e-mailed assignments and CATE tests Set up the folders ahead of time • Check and sort e-mail EVERY DAY! • Set up folders for attachments and uploaded work • Establish a system for naming folders (so you can locate the work!) • Mark assignments received in grade book ASAPMake use of CATE grade book functions Input by hand for e-mailed assignments Use a system to indicate “turned in,” “late,” “missing etc.”

  29. Examples • Use Outlook e-mail folders for e-mailed assignments and CATE tests

  30. Examples • Set up folders for attachments and uploaded work

  31. Acknowledge receipt of assignments to keep students engaged • E-mail a quick “Thank you!” • Use CATE test module to send feedback Acknowledge that the assignment has been received Send a copy of the assignment to student (choose options carefully) • Set up an archive for students to check assignmentsGood for assignments that the whole class can look at • Keep the grade book updatedSet up a regular day to do this • Use CATE roster to e-mail students as a group“Thanks for turning in your assignment” “Just a reminder that the assignment was due…”

  32. Agghh! Grading, Grading… How can I grade quickly online?

  33. Think about grading and feedback when you select assignments • Quiz/test multiple choice format in CATE test module • Students get instant feedback • You can add extra feedback in CATE (one place only!) • Scores can go right to the grade book in CATE • You can quickly evaluate how students are doing • Do not necessarily engage student intellectually or keep instructor involved

  34. Think about grading and feedback when you select assignments • Question and written answer format OR complete essay/paper assignment • Intensive onscreen reading for instructor • Time consuming to grade for instructor • Type feedback in e-mail reply or downloaded/attached document • Time-saving techniques • Use a WORD file with boilerplate comments to copy and paste. • Use a grade sheet (in Excel) that adds up points and allows you to type comments • Keep a printed answer key with points

  35. Hopefully these tips will help you have students who are… Engaged NOT Disengaged

  36. And now… Questions & Discussion

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