Comments on: Making the Process Work http://cac.ophony.org/2007/10/12/making-the-process-work/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:31:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Olga http://cac.ophony.org/2007/10/12/making-the-process-work/#comment-23706 Olga Mon, 15 Oct 2007 01:55:06 +0000 http://cac.ophony.org/2007/10/12/making-the-process-work/#comment-23706 Thanks a lot, James, for such great insights and suggestions.  Thanks a lot, James, for such great insights and suggestions. 

Reply to Olga

]]> By: James Drogan http://cac.ophony.org/2007/10/12/making-the-process-work/#comment-23673 James Drogan Sat, 13 Oct 2007 13:18:45 +0000 http://cac.ophony.org/2007/10/12/making-the-process-work/#comment-23673 Our situations may not be exactly alike, but let me relate a bit of my experience from teach distance learning (DL) and hybrid courses over the last three and one-half years. All my courses have heavy discussion content, writing and speaking in the classroom and writing in DL.  All my courses feature use of a learning management system (LMS, e.g., Blackboard). Students who are not confident of themselves and/or the English language will rarely speak in the classroom.  However, give them space on the LMS and they come alive. Why? My hypothesis is that in the classroom the student pushes the submit button, then provides the content, and subsequently may receive not-to-friendly looks from other students. In the LMS world the student writes the content, has an opportunity to read and revise, then pushes the submit button.  Not-so-friendly looks from other students are no longer an issue. I believe some students find the LMS environment less threatening.  They consequently become more eager to participate and create value for the rest of us. I give a great deal of individual feedback -- encouragement and constructive criticism -- on LMS.  Virtually every submission from students gets feedback, sometimes just a numeric assessment, sometimes a private note, sometimes a public comment or follow-up question. We discuss LMS as a way to reach students at a distance.  It can also reach students who are distant. Our situations may not be exactly alike, but let me relate a bit of my experience from teach distance learning (DL) and hybrid courses over the last three and one-half years.

All my courses have heavy discussion content, writing and speaking in the classroom and writing in DL.  All my courses feature use of a learning management system (LMS, e.g., Blackboard).

Students who are not confident of themselves and/or the English language will rarely speak in the classroom.  However, give them space on the LMS and they come alive.

Why?

My hypothesis is that in the classroom the student pushes the submit button, then provides the content, and subsequently may receive not-to-friendly looks from other students.

In the LMS world the student writes the content, has an opportunity to read and revise, then pushes the submit button.  Not-so-friendly looks from other students are no longer an issue.

I believe some students find the LMS environment less threatening.  They consequently become more eager to participate and create value for the rest of us.

I give a great deal of individual feedback — encouragement and constructive criticism — on LMS.  Virtually every submission from students gets feedback, sometimes just a numeric assessment, sometimes a private note, sometimes a public comment or follow-up question.

We discuss LMS as a way to reach students at a distance.  It can also reach students who are distant.

Reply to James Drogan

]]>