I’m going to start a new category called “Don’t Do This”. Since I am a 100% distance student in my graduate program, I’m experiencing all sorts of frustration around the way classes are built and managed. This category will start collecting my thoughts (as a student) on things you should think about when designing classes so that your students don’t experience this frustration too.
My first Don’t Do This is: Don’t make an assignment due on Sunday, and then indicate that students must expect a 2-day delay for responses via emails or the message boards.
My current instructor does this. So my normal method of waiting till Saturday morning (since I work full-time) to really work on my project that is due on a Sunday morning won’t work for this class. If I have a question, I won’t get an answer in time to complete the lesson on time.
So, Don’t Do This!
What a great category. I do not believe that we do ineffective things on purpose-so it is a great reminder of what to do differently next time. Looking forward to the conversations here!
These kinds of stories make me nuts. It’s just unconscionable.
In internet years, two days is a month. That much delay in an online course is just not acceptable. My students and I are connected on email, IM, and aggregator. If they have a problem, they can find me and get an answer any day of the week. I’m not online 24/7 – I *do* sleep, do my Day Job, and take my kids to lessons etc, but I manage to get back to my students within a few hours — if not a few minutes. Granted I only have about 50 students to deal with but this isn’t exactly rocket science.
Remember, kids. Poor performance isn’t a function of the stage when the actors aren’t following the right script.
I agree but the old saying, “shit happens,” is also true. I taught my first online course this summer and had trouble catching a WIFI signal for a day or two while on the road. But when that happens, the prof. should make adjustments.