What’s a “good” grade as far as students are concerned? What’s a “bad” grade? Are some grades “neutral” and cause neither disappointment nor pride? Where’s the cutoff for good grades and the starting point for bad ones? In the study referenced below, researchers solicited data
When I introduced a new topic in class, I would often refer back to something said or discussed during a previous class period or to a reading assigned for homework. I would attempt to make connections for students so that they could link the new
The prevalence of “math anxiety” or “math phobia” is well established. Most of us who teach math have seen it firsthand. But math isn’t the only subject that students find frightening or think they can’t possibly learn. I’m writing about my efforts to help students
Much research documents that motivation is a major factor in student success. However, although students often know what they should do (attend class, do extra credit, and get help), many of them don’t. Thaler and Sunstein’s popular book Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and
Several years ago, I read Judith Grunert’s book The Course Syllabus. The book taught me several things about syllabi that changed the way I look at them and use them in my courses. Too often we have a limited view of the syllabus, seeing it
Supriya Sarnikar, associate professor in the Economics and Management Department at Westfield State University, enrolled in several MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) offered through Coursera for several reasons: personal enrichment, to learn of any pedagogical or technological innovations these courses offered, and to better understand
Careful preparation is essential to the success of an online course “to provide a positive experience for the students and to be able to maximize your time with students so that you’re not spending time on reworking things that weren’t clear up front,” says Ann
While the limitations of online teaching preclude on-site meetings with students, the fact remains that seeing a face adds essential elements to a message that cannot be conveyed by email or phone. Our faces humanize us, making others more receptive to our messages. Plus, most
Incivility in the online classroom can take many forms. Angela Stone Schmidt, director of graduate programs in the School of Nursing and associate dean College of Nursing & Health Professions at Arkansas State University—Jonesboro, uses Morrisette’s definition: “interfering with a cooperative learning atmosphere.” So in
The options we have in communicating with our online students have markedly increased, and no longer are we limited to text-only emails and postings. In past columns I have mentioned a few of these, such as the use of audio and live chats, but it’s
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