Case


 * Case Study 1: ** A student in your online course has not been involved much during the first half of the course. The student’s assignments are turned in at the last moment, and, upon grading, receive low scores. The student’s group interactions are minimal, and some group members have complained as well. The interaction of the student in the discussion forum is basic. How would the instructor help motivate the student to be more interactive in the classroom and improve academically?

The most important thing an instructor can do either online or in a traditional classroom is to get to know their students. It will be important for the instructor to know their students if situations arise like in the case study above. If the instructor takes some time to get to know their students perhaps some background will help in understanding the students lack of effort as it may seem. If the instructor has tried to reach out to the student and has received no feedback about outside issues that may be occurring the instructor than has some options. First, it will be important to see if the student is feeling challenged or one the other end of the spectrum feeling totally lost. If a student is bored or not understanding assignments it may appear as that student is not interested. Extension activities as well as detailed assignments could be very helpful in both situations.

TEAM RED: 1) Case Study 1: A student in your online course has not been involved much during the first half of the course. The student’s assignments are turned in at the last moment, and, upon grading, receive low scores. The student’s group interactions are minimal, and some group members have complained as well. The interaction of the student in the discussion forum is basic. How would the instructor help motivate the student to be more interactive in the classroom and improve academically? 2) As a group, examine the issue and describe multiple ways in which it can be resolved. Within your answers, provide your rationale. 3) There is no word limit on this assignment; however, this is a graduate level course and answers should be well-developed and supported. 4) APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected. 5) Have one CLC member submit the assignment to the instructor by the end of Module 7. 6) Refer to the CLC: Case Scenario Grading Criteria located within the Additional Resources folder in Canyon Connect. 7) Have one CLC member post the group's response to the Module 8 Discussion Forum as directed by the instructor.

__Mandi__ I am going to take the stand point of the importance of an instructor getting to know his or her students - the importance that - not only to know some background on the kids but also for a sense of safety and trust between instructor and student.

__Marisela__ Hi Mandi, team, I am unsure if I am doing this correctly. I am adding what I added on Google Docs here, just in case. I am describing steps/ways the educator can take to determine student's lack of participation and low performance. I think from here we can all elaborate and add. I think I am off base. Maybe, I should just picked one of these and elaborated much deeper. Please help me team. I don't want to mess this up. Thanks.

__Marisela__ Mandi, you are definitely right on target. I think that providing a learning styles assessment would help the instructor “diagnose” the problem just like doctors. They have to run a numerous amount of exams to properly diagnose a patient. Teachers play many roles in the classroom and have many jobs, educational doctors is just one. In my opinion, this would really help the teacher determine if the student feels frustrated or the assignment is too easy. Moreover, if the pre-assessment is not much help, then communicating with the student would be the next plan of action. Emails and videoconferencing are some examples. Who better to inform the teacher why there is lack of participation, communication, and low scores? Next, communicating with the family will also assist the teacher if there are some issues at home that are not helping the student focus entirely in his/her studies. Parents play a major role in student’s learning. They may lack that push from the parent or serious issues could be going on. Lastly, the educator should assess him/herself. There is always room for learning especially in the teaching field. Every student learns differently.

__Sue__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As we have reviewed numerous aspects of online learning, I think we can come to the conclusion that it is not easy trying to reach out to someone that you have not met and know very little about. Recently we have developed our own websites and know the capabilities of seeing what happens behind the scenes.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I think that monitoring students starts day one. Interceding when a student is slow in posting assignments and responding to discussions should happen within the first week. In a private email the Professor might ask this student if they are having technical difficulties or if they are just not sure of how they go about working through the assignments. The Professor would emphasize that most students are new to the online learning experience and that the more they get involved the more they will enjoy the trip. Recently, GCU has started a mentoring project... this would be a perfect student to match with a mentor. More than likely they will be more comfortable working with a peer who has gone through the same experience.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Professor should continue to check in with the student but slowly lessen the contacts. As with every experience, time will calm this students experiences.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #38761d; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Mandi__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #38761d; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The most important thing an instructor can do either online or in a traditional classroom is to get to know their students. It will be important for the instructor to know their students if situations arise like in the case study above. If the instructor takes some time to get to know their students perhaps some background will help in understanding the students lack of effort as it may seem. If the instructor has tried to reach out to the student and has received no feedback about outside issues that may be occurring the instructor than has some options. First, it will be important to see if the student is feeling challenged or one the other end of the spectrum feeling totally lost. If a student is bored or not understanding assignments it may appear as that student is not interested. Extension activities as well as detailed assignments could be very helpful in both situations.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">__Lessa__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I found an interesting list of ways to motivate students in distance learning at <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://eduscapes.com/distance/the_learners/motivation.htm__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #741b47; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">. This website suggests trying to motivate distance learners with words of encouragement. I have found simple words of encouragement from instructors and other students help keep me motivated in my online courses. Reminders about due dates and words of encouragement might help a student do better work and get work turned in on time. Another suggestion llisted was being flexible enough to accommodate emergencies and specific problems. I think it is necessary for an instructor to try to find out why a student is not fully participating or is producing shoddy work. Perhaps that the student is struggling with time management or has some situation that is preventing them from doing their best work. Another idea for motivating students is providing support to learners through scaffolding assignments. If a student is doing poorly in a class, it may be because they are lacking necessary background knowledge. With all that being said, there are many reasons students may not be doing well in an online course. I think first and foremost the instructor needs to try to find out why a student is performing poorly. Once this is established, then methods to resolve the problem can be put in place.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Compiling thoughts to produce a rationale: Beginning the paper <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(Team, please feel free to edit. Another weakness of mine is writing. Therefore, it takes me hours to write :( Here I go... Please feel free to change anything you feel to make this a good paper :D

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> There is no doubt that technology evolves at the blink of an eye. More people are inclined to continue their education via distance education due to the convenience of doing it at the commodity of their own home. Though there are numerous benefits, some factors arise during course learning management systems. In this case, a case study of a particular student that demonstrates lack of participation will be closely examined. The exact case study scenario follows: A student in your online course has not been involved much during the first half of the course. The student’s assignments are turned in at the last moment, and, upon grading, receive low scores. The student’s group interactions are minimal, and some group members have complained as well. The interaction of the student in the discussion forum is basic. How would the instructor help motivate the student to be more interactive in the classroom and improve academically?

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> The most important thing an instructor can do either online or in a traditional classroom is to get to know their students. It will be important for the instructor to know their students if situations arise like in the case study above. If the instructor takes some time to get to know their students perhaps some background will help in understanding the students lack of effort as it may seem. If the instructor has tried to reach out to the student and has received no feedback about outside issues that may be occurring the instructor than has some options. First, it will be important to see if the student is feeling challenged or one the other end of the spectrum feeling totally lost. If a student is bored or not understanding assignments it may appear as that student is not interested. Extension activities as well as detailed assignments could be very helpful in both situations.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As numerous aspects have been reviewed of online learning, a plausible conclusion can be drawn that it is not easy to try to reach out to someone whom students have not met and know very little about. Recently students developed their own websites and know the capabilities of seeing what happens behind the scenes.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Monitoring students starts day one. Interceding when a student is slow in posting assignments and responding to discussions should happen within the first week. John A. Ross states that students with weak computer communication skills may miss important instructional events. “Novices take longer than experts to accomplish basic tasks and expend more energy in doing so.” Thus, their performance is slow and inefficient. Moreover, “deficiencies in communication skills are highly visible(Ross, John, 1996). In a private email the Professor might ask this student if they are having technical difficulties or if they are just not sure of how they go about working through the assignments. The Professor would emphasize that most students are new to the online learning experience and that the more they get involved the more they will enjoy the trip. Recently, Grand Canyon University (GCU) has started a mentoring project. Therefore, this would be a perfect student to match with a mentor. More than likely they will be more comfortable working with a peer who has gone through the same experience.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Professor should continue to check in with the student but slowly lessen the contacts. As with every experience, time will calm this students experiences.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Furthermore, providing a learning styles assessment would help the instructor “diagnose” the problem just like doctors. They have to run a numerous amount of exams to properly diagnose a patient. Teachers play many roles in the classroom and have many jobs, educational doctors is just one. Therefore, this would really help the teacher determine if the student feels frustrated or the assignment is too easy. Moreover, if the pre-assessment is not much help, then communicating with the student would be the next plan of action. Emails and videoconferencing are some examples. Who better to inform the teacher why there is lack of participation, communication, and low scores? Next, communicating with the family will also assist the teacher if there are some issues at home that are not helping the student focus entirely in his/her studies. Parents play a major role in student’s learning. They may lack that push from the parent or serious issues could be going on. Lastly, the educator should assess him/herself. There is always room for learning especially in the teaching field. Every student learns differently.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In relation to motivation,Teaching and Learning at a Distance: The Learners: Motivation lists ways to motivate students in distance learning. This website suggests trying to motivate distance learners with words of encouragement. Simple words of encouragement from instructors and other students help keep students motivated in online courses. Reminders about due dates and words of encouragement might help a student do better work and get work turned in on time. Another suggestion listed was being flexible enough to accommodate emergencies and specific problems. I think it is necessary for an instructor to try to find out why a student is not fully participating or is producing shoddy work. Perhaps that the student is struggling with time management or has some situation that is preventing them from doing their best work. Another idea for motivating students is providing support to learners through scaffolding assignments. If a student is doing poorly in a class, it may be because they are lacking necessary background knowledge. With all that being said, there are many reasons students may not be doing well in an online course. First and foremost the instructor needs to try to find out why a student is performing poorly. Once this is established, then methods to resolve the problem can be put in place.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">References

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Ross, J. A. (1996). Computer Communication Skills and Participation in a Computer-Mediated Conferencing Course. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Teaching and Learning at a Distance: The Learners: Motivation. (2011). Retrieved June 1, 2011, from <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline;">[|__http://eduscapes.com/distance/the_learners/motivation.htm__] <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">.