Review
The most important concept I took away from this course is the idea of social presence in an online classroom. Correspondence courses can be challenging and I see the importance of creating an inviting and supportive environment for students to fulfill their full potential in their online studies. Making sure to remind students of the real person on the other side of the computer can help encourage this type of supported learning.
I think this concept should be carried forward into the face to face portions of our teaching as well. Taking time to introduce each other and to learn a little about each member of the group can help individuals feel comfortable in both online and face to face learning classrooms. It is in this way that students will feel they can relate to instructors and peers, encouraging sharing of ideas and collaboration during class activities.
My goal would be to start each workshop on a good note with icebreaker introductions. I will lead by example, sharing a little about myself before asking each student to share a little about themselves. Creating a supportive community right from the beginning of each workshop will help students feel comfortable sharing and asking questions. I believe this will help establish the right mindset in preparation of the transition into their practicum and then employment.
I would like to work on keeping students focused and engaged during the lecture part of our workshop. Day one includes a heavy amount of information and I would like to integrate some more activities that will help give life to the classroom. My tutorial in the last post was simple but I think something like this can help break up the day and keep students engaged.