I work out of my home almost exclusively now with online classes. There is the occasional tutoring job on the side, but for the most part, here I sit in Southwest Colorado. My closest neighbors are deer and various other creatures. I realized early on the need to make my classes more interesting; not only to my students, but to me as well. One thing I find helps is making it personal.
Here is my web site that is posted in every class. Mary Homepage
If you visit my site, you will see a picture of me with a short biography. I feel this site is more comprehensive than posting my information in each class. Sometimes I add a quiz question about what kind of pets I have so I know who is reading it.
I encourage students to post pictures of themselves, dogs, cats, spouse, children or whatever to the rest of the class. There are SO many interesting things to take pictures of in my area. I am constantly with my camera in hand. Many of these pictures I post to the Discussion Board using a link to my Google Picasa program (If you are not aware of this free program, I recommend looking into it for posting photos). Inevitably, I get a good response from students. Here is an example: Summer 2010
Hopefully this makes my classes more interesting and students know a “real person” is teaching their class.
If anyone else is working out of their home, they know it is both a pleasure and a challenge. Distractions are numerous. It is very easy to see the dirty dishes, floors to be swept, and other household chores to be done. My husband is retired and is home all the time as well. He tends to call me for everything and there are times I have to put up a “Do Not Disturb Sign”. When I am concentrating on just the right words for an e-mail, it is too distracting to answer his question or comment on what he is doing. My 3 cats want attention as well. In fact, Chester is on my lap as I write trying to help me type! Being focused is the only way I get the job done.
My students have the same distractions with their online classes. Many of them have young children at home, work full-time jobs, and are trying to “retool” for a new career. They are challenged as well with distractions. Until this blog, I do not think I have addressed this issue for my students. Hmm, guess I need to think about that one.
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Mary, I love your personal page. It really helps to present yourself to your students as a human being and make the class a fun and easy going. In the past I have had a lounge for my students to add a social dimension to my course but it has never been too successful. One term I had them introduce themselves using Google Docs so everyone could upload their picture or pictures of kids, or pets. I think that was a better attempt at "seeing them" and letting them "see me." Another term I asked them to create an avatar with Voki and I posted all of these to a thread to create a "class mosaic." Next term I will try VoiceThread for the introductions and some discussions. I will how that goes. I like the idea of Picasa to share pictures. I think that would be easy, fast, and most students are familiar with that tool.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts about personalizing the course.