Reflections: Standard Seven

 

Student preparation is a key to learning, especially in an online environment.  The integrated skills needed to learn along with the ability of the learner to navigate the technology. I have learned in this series that preparation comes in many forms: learning preparation, technical, mental, emotional, and physical and others. It is our collective responsibility as designers, faculty, supporting programs, tutoring, assessments proctors, etc. to work together to ensure student success. This is where it starts and all are equally important.

 

The artifacts that you will experience in this standard include:

 

Course Participation: Participation is measured by being active and immersed in the course. This participation artifact shows how I have important data to use for a successful class

 

Student Needs Survey:  Students have an interest in helping to guide their learning. By conducting a survey multiple times each term will forecast where the learning outcomes are headed and what track the course is one in regards to students success

 

Technology Preparation: This artifact includes preparation for basic computer technology. It is short, bulleted easy to understand and gives students a pathway for help if they need it.

 

 

Preparations begin prior to the course.  I will open my online course a week early for students to wander around and get used to the environment.  I have self-evaluation assessments as you will see in the artifacts and a needs survey for students to tell me what they think is important for their success in this class. Those needs could be technology: “I don’t have a computer” or time: “I am a single working mother/father” or all of the above and compounded by personal situations: going through a divorce, homeless, injury, death of a family member. I pay extra attention to learning challenged students and watch carefully for signs they might be struggling.

 

 

We can help, but only if we work together to cluster services and then monitor their progress.  I do this constantly by staying in contact, whether it be a simple email, chat room, social media, feedback and short summative assessments that take less than two (2) minutes to complete.  Preparation for students to learn in my class also comes in the form of making sure correcting small details or edited in some way; dates, names, locations, times, etc.

 

 

This unit comprises the acute understanding of faculty to the needs of their students without assumption.  Surveys and feedback and respectful research into student’s current state of affairs will allow the class to continue unabated and with safety nets for those students who need them. That is what I have here to show you.