Means of Communication: E-Mail and Chat
In communicating with my students regarding individual or general manners, I use various means, such as E-mail, ANGEL chat, Message boards, calender reminders, and announcements through the class's web space. Of course, E-mail is the first and the main tool of communication between my students and I -- particularly regarding private concerns. I used both webmail and CMS email (see below). I have also utilized the chat option provided by ANGEL. Nevertheless, that option was not as successful as I hoped it would be. I used this option as a replacement to office hours to those students who do not want to come to the office and prefer their distance. However, what ended up happening is that in some occasions, no students would enroll in the chat leaving me -- the instructor -- staring at the screen waiting for a student to sign up.
Announcements and Messaging Boards
On the course site, I have allocated a space for announcements concerning upcoming opportunities to gain extra credit points, as seen in the image on the right. Messaging Boards, as seen below, were also used since each student had his/her own portfolio. In their portfolios, the students uploaded all of their assignments and journals. In addition, the majority of the written tasks including class activities, homework assignments, drafts, and final papers were uploaded in their portfolio throughout the semester. This enables me to respond to their work in a timely paper-free manner! For an illustration, please see the video below.
Discussion Boards as Portfolios | |
File Size: | 5093 kb |
File Type: | wmv |