Knocked Up...

I had a student this fall who was pregnant and working hard to complete her coursework so she wouldn't be behind when she had her baby. She was a remarkably dedicated student, and so proud when she earned an A in the course.

It was great to chat with her- so full of excitement and nervousness about how her life would change becoming a mother. She was full of questions- not always related to curriculum. This was one of the few times I got to connect with a student on this level in the online world.

But perhaps my favorite was a student I had the first summer I taught online... we used to Instant Message each other at strange hours. Perhaps my favorite thing about it was being able to "play" with a student online. We used to tic-tac-toe and doodle together in IM. She'd share her art with me, and had no fear sharing her doubts, fears, and frustrations. It was the first time I got to have that kind of relationship with an online student.

Ephiphany, Tools, Woo Hoo

Today was a great day for new stuff! It's amazing how two little tools in Blackboard can change how I do things.

First, knowing I could make a falsey student (Dora Doppleganger) was great! I'm so excited to have this option for modelling how assignments (especially Discussion Board responses) should look.

Finding out that I can look up the log in statistics for my students and courses RULES!! What a great tool... I have felt a lack in my ability to monitor my students and their dedication (or lack thereof) to their courses. I am looking forward to using this tool and the information it provides me to help me become more VISIBLE. :)

Virtual Two by Four

How do I get students' attention? Hmmmm.... that's a good question.

Frankly, I'm not sure about how effective it is at getting their attention, but here are the things I try:

1. A light, humorous tone in my course materials and emails
2. Lots of images embedded in the course materials- I have tried to set it up so that there is always a minimum of one picture on the screen, no matter where they are in the materials
3. Projects that are "outside the box." I have started using projects that are centered around the use of images; whether is using images to show symbolism or to retell a Shakespearean play in children's book format, I have spent lots of time figuring out ways to make my courses more than just "read this story, article, etc.; now write this essay."