Tip:
Most online courses are really not that different than face-to-face, or F2F, traditional classes. But many instructors find that it is like pulling teeth to get their students to log on regularly. The drop out rate is higher for online courses than F2F classes. To have a successful class or online community, students have to agree to take part.
- Best to start with an initial F2F meeting.
- Establish a minimum level of participation.
- Develop a sense of community right from the beginning.
- Ask all participants to share information about themselves.
- Create an online icebreaker in a threaded discussion.
- Use a variety of synchronous and asynchronous tools.
- Pose open-ended questions to encourage ongoing discussions.
- Encourage participants to collaborate.
Submitted by:Barbara Bray
