Learners in the online environment are like learners anywhere-- some will feel comfortable and confident, and contribute to the class and others do not. While this behavior could be attributed to personality or style, there are steps instructors can take to engage all learners.
This continuum shows a progression from learner as passive consumer of content provided by the instructor to learner as leader who generates new ideas and encourages peers to participate.
Here are a few suggestions that can help create the kind of class where learners move from being readers to being leaders:
- Create a welcoming environment: Give learners a warm welcoming message, emphasizing the purpose of the class and indicating how they can become involved. Keep it welcoming by enforcing standards and ground rules.
- Accessible contact information: Learners build confidence when they know they have access to answers to administratiive, content or technical questions.
- Encourage and guide the discussion: Give prompt feedback, model active listening, answer questions. Tie together the threads of the discussion and summarize it
- Share information and resources and encourage others to do the same.Create a discussion thread titled "resource exchange."
- Ask! Use quick polls and surveys to collect ongoing input.
- Assign Reviews and Presentations: Ask learners to contribute reviews (books, software) or give presentations on themes or topics related to course content.
- Host Online Events: Create optional or required synchronous discussions or guest presentations in response to areas of special interest in the class.
