Writing an academic content is an art and you need to have flawless writing skills and critical thinking ability. Anybody can become a freelance writer, but if you want to stand out from the normal crowd, you need to know how to better your writing skills. If you are seeking academic writing jobs Online, you need to know the tips and tricks to improve your writing skills and earn more as a freelancer.
In this article we will discuss some tips that will help in enhancing your writing skills. If you want to land up with a successful freelance academic writing jobs, you should not only follow the tips but make them a habit. One of the most effective ways to enhance your writing skills is by practicing writing and reading other writers. When you read other writers’ work, you should notice their writing style and start picking up new words to enhance your vocabulary.
Some effective tips to improve freelance writing skills:
Here are a few effective tips that you can employ to become a better freelance writer and earn more:
• Start up
You don’t need to worry about the length of your article, no matter what you are writing about. Keep in mind that you are writing the article for developing your writing skills.
• Write early in the morning
Your brain is rejuvenated in the morning and it is the best time to come up with creative approaches. Morning atmosphere is energetic, so give it a try and feel the fresh experience of becoming a healthy writer.
• Be a good reader
To be a good writer you need to be a patient reader at first. When you read, your mind comes up with newer thoughts and enables you to write on various topics.
• Keep it simple
For becoming a successful academic writer, you need to keep your writing simple. Express your ideas in a simple manner.
• Complete your article in various stages
Writing an article takes time and every writer has to let their article pass through many stages. Firstly, analyze the topic and make a list of some ideas related to it. Elucidate on those ideas and form sentences and paragraphs. Edit your article after it’s complete. Finally, proofreading is a must.
• Write in a distraction free location
You need to keep yourself free from distraction while writing an article. Find a location that is peaceful and allows you to think in-depth. Keep social media distractions and mobile phones away while writing. Distraction free locations motivate you to write a healthy content.
• Go smoothly
You cannot edit your article while you are writing it. First finish writing the article by going with the flow of your thoughts. Editing while writing can hamper your flow of thought and productivity.
• Research well before writing
Whenever you start writing on a particular topic, do a thorough research to increase your knowledge of that topic. It will help you to write freely and more informatively. The more you possess knowledge, the better your content will be.
• Give yourself a specific amount of time
You need to set a specific time for each task, including researching, writing the article, marketing it, etc. Developing better writing skills is not a one day business and you need to devote specific time in it.
• Note down the research work
Writing can never be finished in a single stage. While you are researching on a particular topic, keep a notebook and pen for jotting down eye-catching sentences related to your topic.
• Write regularly
“Practice makes a man perfect.” If you want to improve your writing skills, you need to make a habit of writing regularly. For that, you have to abide by the following steps religiously.
These are some ordinary yet essential tips that can help you in improving your freelance writing skills. Keep yourself motivated in your online academic writing job and that is the key to a successful freelancing career.
Is Secrets to Dog Training effective on really stubborn dogs? If you’re reading this article, it’s probably because you’re at your wits’ end with your dog, who insists on making his own rules.
He controls your behavior. He eats when he wants. He barks until he gets what he wants. He jumps on your furniture. He jumps on you when you come through the door. He jumps on your guests.
And he chews the heels off your favorite shoes.
In a nutshell, he’s making your life a living hell!
Desperate Measures
In desperation, you typed into Google’s search, “Secrets to Dog Training” or “Secrets to Dog Training Review” because you’d heard about this book and were wondering if it’s really an effective dog training book for stubborn dogs.
What Is Secrets to Dog Training?
Secrets to Dog Training is a 256-page, downloadable eBook written by professional dog trainer, Daniel Stevens. It’s unusually detailed and jam-packed with ideas and techniques all the professionals use. It teaches you how to prevent and deal with some of the most common behavior problems like:
Aggression with Other Canines
Food Aggression
Aggression with Children
Pulling on the Leash
Barking
Biting
Chewing
Jumping on People
Separation Anxiety
But wait. I digress.
How did I find out about Secrets to Dog Training?
I’ll tell you a really short, but true story. When I got my first dog Lily, I was clueless. I didn’t know she needed to be trained. I didn’t know I was supposed to make rules. I didn’t know Lily was supposed to follow my rules. I didn’t know she was supposed to actually obey me.
My dog Lily walked all over me – until I got desperate.
I looked online for dog training books, but I didn’t know what “training” my dog needed. I knew she barked all the time when I left the house. She “talked back” to me when I would tell her to get off my bed.
She jumped on my furniture, chewed my shoes and decided when she would eat. Basically, she ran the house. She was the leader and I was the follower.
Enough.
Back to my Secrets to Dog Training Review.
Who Wrote Secrets to Dog Training?
Secrets to Dog Training is written by Daniel Stevens, a veteran dog trainer. The book is published by Kingdom of Pets. The tips and advice Daniel Stevens gives are time-tested.
What Does This Product Do?
This book teaches you how to take command and make your dog respect you. It teaches you first and foremost how to be the alpha dog – which gives you confidence. It also trains you to behave differently with your dog so that he listens to you – not sometimes – but all the time.
Downloadable 30 Minute Video
Because this book comes with an easy-to-follow 30 minute video, you get to experience real-life examples of dogs behaving badly, and the principles of Secrets to Dog Training being put into action.
The video gives you real solutions to specific, difficult problems created by stubborn pets. Videos are always best because you get to see if you’re implementing the techniques correctly.
How is the Book Layed Out?
The book starts off by providing new dog owners with advice on how to choose a puppy and from where to adopt them. It also guides the new or prospective owner on how to select a breed, breed information, how to proof your house and house training. It also talks about what to expect on your first vet visit and how to prepare for your visit.
Does It Address Stubborn Breed Problems?
Yes.
The advanced section covers hard to solve problems with certain breeds (hmmm… think Jack Russell Terrier) like aggressive behavior, dominance, chewing, digging, barking and jumping.
After dealing with tough to solve issues, the book then thoroughly discusses dog health care, such as what to do about allergies, fleas, heat stroke and more. Finally, the book covers advanced commands and tricks in masterly detail.
Does it Cover Dog Whispering?
To my surprise, yes.
The best part about this book is that it covers Dog Whispering in detail. In fact, there’s an entire section dedicated to this method of training. In case you’re not familiar with the concept, dog whispering is a method of dog training based on the philosophy of clear communication and mutual respect.
It’s a newer method of dog training. But it’s one of the most humane methods of dog training – right along with clicker training. You get step-by-step instructions for basic commands like sit, come, down, stay, quiet, etc.
But Does it Work on Stubborn Dogs?
Absolutely! Like I said, I now have 2 Jack Russells and I’ve used all of the techniques on my dogs. Jack likes to bolt out the door. This caused a dangerous situation, until I started implementing the strategies in Secrets to Dog Training. I use the techniques on Jack and Jill all the time.
It works like magic.
And everyone knows how difficult Jack Russells can be to train due to their independent, bossy streak. I highly recommend this book. But there’s one more thing I need to tell you about this product.
You Get Useful Dog Training Freebies
Sometimes people include free bonuses to enhance their product, which aren’t useful at all. However, that’s not the case with Secrets to Dog Training. With this product you get useful freebies.
You get 4 bonus books on:
1. Advanced house training (troubleshooting including crate and paper training methods)
2. How to Stop Canine Aggression
3. How to Groom Your Dog (including a section on information on coat care for specific breeds, dental health care, nail clipping)
4. Dog Security Training (a beginning guide to train your dog on how to be a security dog)
5. A 30 Minute Dog Training Video (showing you live examples of dogs behaving badly and how to correctly give commands so that they listen)
What’s more, you get a personalized email consultation with a dog professional from the Kingdom of Pets team. The team members are professional dog trainers who will take the no-fuss approach to helping you solve your dog obedience problems.
Here’s the kicker.
The book itself only costs $39.95. For this price, you get a complete and detailed manual on training your dog, preventing and handling behavioral problems, and a whole bunch of general-knowledge tips and advice.
Secrets to Dog Training Review In a Nutshell
All in all, I’m impressed. Like I said, my first dog, Lily, was really a handful. And now, I have 2 Jack Russells that I trained using Secrets to Dog Training. And I’ve never had to hire a professional trainer because everything I need to train my dogs is in this book. I highly recommend it.
Over the years, Nigerian school administrators, especially, the lslamiyyah schools had paid Lip services to the proper keeping of records. All these schools do is simply teach and graduate students. However as observed by NTI, (2000:12) in 1964, a headmaster of one primary school in our neighboring Bauchi State was faced with one serious experience. A form containing many questionnaires about one of the old pupils of the school who was nominated to be appointed as the chairman of the Federal Public Service Commissioner was given to him to complete. The pupil graduated many years before the headmaster even went to primary school. Therefore, the headmaster did not know the man personally and did not know what to write about him.
The only solution available to the headmaster was to turn to the school records. The school records showed the year the pupil was admitted, the year he passed out, the records of his good academic performance, records of annual prizes given to the pupil among others.
It was these records that helped the headmaster to correctly and accurately filled the form that assisted the person to be successfully appointed.
DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS
School records keeping: This concept according to NTI (2000:12) is the history of the school kept systematically. This means that the systematic growth of the school at various points in time need to be thoroughly recorded and kept by school administrators. it is the authentic register of instruments of officials accounts of transaction or accurance which are preserved in the schools office (Olanrewaju 200S).
Aleiyideino SC et al (202) defined record as a written statement about a happening. School record keeping according to these scholars are records that give a lot of information about the school that will enable the authority to take decisions and asses the progress of the school. Head of School shall refer to both head teacher and principal.
Student: It shall be used to refer to both pupils and students. These records according to Dibu-Ojerinde,00 and Tukur(ed) (2005:21) classified school records into (a) Statutory Records (b) Academic Records (c) Finance Records (d) Staff Record(e) General Records.
Also linking Muslim schools to the category of voluntary agencies interested in educational development, Eke, et al (2000:46) explained that the Izalatil bid’a Wa Iqamatis Sunnah group, the Jama’atu Nasrul Islam, is the Islamic Trust of Nigeria (ITN) among others have contributed immensely not only to the development of education but also to proper school records keeping in Nigeria. Here cognitive and effective domains are highly exhibited unlike public schools that deal with only cognitive domain.
It is in light of the above that we are going to discuss the classification of school records as listed by Dibu-Ojerinde 0.0 and Tukur H.as follows:
A). STATUTORY RECORDS
1. ADMISSION REGISTER
This is a register of admission, progress and withdrawal of students, it should contain the following particulars about the admitted students.
(a) Admission number (b) Name in full (c) Sex (d) Name and address of parent/guardians (e) Day Month and year of birth (f) Previous school attended (g) Last class read (h) Day, month, class, of admission (i) Records of progress (j) date of leaving school (k) Reason for leaving etc (1) Transfer certificate number.
All the entries should be hand-written and corrections should be made in such a way that the original entry and the correction are both clearly distinguished. It should be kept for not less than fifteen (15) years from the date of last entry.
2. ATTENDANCE REGISTER.
This is register that is kept for each class containing the particulars in respect of every student until such student leaves the school. Students’ regular attendance or otherwise can be traced here easily, it should contain (a) Admission number (b) Name in full, sure name first etc.
3. LOG BOOK.
This book contains records of important events happening in the school. The history of the school can be compiled from this record. It should be kept under lock and key.
4. VISITORS BOOK
This is a record showing names, address of all important visitors to the school as well as the purpose of such visit.
5. PUNISHMENT BOOK
The education law permits only the head of school or his representative to inflict corporal punishment on erring students. A proper reoord is kept containing (a) The name of the offender (b) The date of such punishment (c) The nature of offence (d) the person who administered the punishment etc.
This record helps to protect the teachers against aggrieved parents. It can serve as witness for the school to trace the trend of such students.
6. EDUCATION LAW
The school should keep Education Law with its regulations to assist the school in operating in line with such regulations.
7 NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION
Each school must have a copy of the National policy on Education.
8, INSPECTION REPORT FILE
This is a record containing the reports of visits to the school by inspectors as it helps during follow-up inspections.
9. STAFF DUTY BOOK.
This is a record that shows a brief report of happenings in the school on daily basis. In secondary schools, the perfects also write daily report in prefect duty book.
10. MINUTES OF MEETING BOOK
There should be a hard cover book to be used for recording of minutes of meeting for easy reference to the decisions taken in meetings.
B). ACADEMIC RECORD
i) Approved copy of syllabus
ii) Academic Syllabus files
1. APPROVED SYLLABUS:
Academic programme of institutions are based on approved syllabus of the course to be run, it could be primary school syllabus, NTI syllabus for teachers colleges, WAEC/NECO syllabus etc. the school need a syllabus to follow.
2. SCHEME OF WORK
This is the aspect that breakdown the syllabus into teaching units. It is broken down into topics, performance objectives, etc. lit has to be kept by every teacher to be marked and endorsed by the headmaster.
3. RECORD OF WORK BOOK
This aspect further break down the scheme of work into weekly records of what the teacher has taught. It should be kept by teachers and cheeked and endorsed by the headmaster.
4. LESSON NOTE BOOK
One may call it lesson plan, it is like the site plan for the architect. It is prepared so that you follow it without forgetting a process. it reduces your energy of remembering the next step to do while teaching. It should contain topic, date, time of the day, duration of the lesson, age, sex, and class. Others includes: aims and objective, previous knowledge introduction, presentation evaluation and conclusion.
5. MARKS BOOKS
This is used in compiling continues assessment (CA) record. It is used to build up CA as it is either on weekly, fortnightly or monthly as the case may be.
6. CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT DOSSIER/REPORT SHEET
Schools used C.A dossier for examination records for every student. Two copies are needed for a student, one for the school and another one for the student. It should contain cognitive, affective and psychomotor domains of the student.
7. SCHOOL TIME TABLE
This shows the daily activities of the school, class by class, period by period and the names of teachers handling them. It sums up the number of period allocated to a subject and the number of subjects arid periods taught by a teacher in a week.
8. LESSON ATTENDANCE REGISTER
It is kept by the class captain of each subject to be signed at the end of the period by teachers. It can cheek teachers who do not go to classes as and when due
9. TRANSFER CERTIFICATE
This is in a booklet form issued to students who leave the school before getting to the terminal class. It helps both the school releasing the students and the schools receiving students.
10. LEAVING CERTIFICATE
Unclaimed certificates testimonials etc should be kept under key and luck
11. FILES FOR ACADEMIC RECORDS OF DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTERS NEED TO BE KEPT
C). FINANCE RECORD
The school needs account records such as:
i. Salary and payment voucher:- these are kept in labeled files to show salary payment and other payments made in the school.
it School fees register:- It is kept to give the financial transactions in the school. It gives information about income and expenditure items. It promotes accountability and prevents corrupt and sharp practices.
iii. Fees receipts:- It is issued to students as they pay fees while the duplicates is kept for auditor and inspectors.
iv. Cash Book:- It shows the receipts and payments of the school.
v. Ledger Book:- It is used to record all the debit and credit transacts of the school.
vi. Bank Reconciliation to Reconcile the School Transaction with the bank (to come into agreement)
vii. Stock Book:- It is used to keep the inventory of the landed property and other assets of the school with liabilities shown.
viii. I.O.U Book:- This is used to service short term financial assistance to staff, payable on payment of salary.
D). STAFF RECORDS:
i. Staff Time Book:- This is for staff attendance, it shows the tune each staff come to school (late corners cab be easily detected)
ii. Staff movement Book:- This is the record that indicate when staff move out of the school during school hours and when they returned.
iii. Staff Confidential Report: (ANNUAL EVALUATION REPORT FORM-APER FORM) This is used for staff promotion and reward.
iv. Staff Files: Each member of staff should have a personal file, which contain the record of service with proper references.
v. Staff List:- List of staff suppose to be kept including the school organization.
vi. Files on Subject matter in the accounts need to be kept
E). EJGENERAL RECORDS:
A school also need the following records:
i. Parents Teachers Association Minutes book
ii. Parents Teachers Association Account Book
iii. Board of Directors minutes Books
iv. Suggestion files and Box
v. Instruction Book or Internal Circular File
vi. Correspondence Files on various Subjects
IMPORTANCE OF RECORD KEEPING IN THE SCHOOLS
The importance of record keeping in schools according to Olgboye Cited in Olararenwaji I.T (2009:1) and Dibu Ojermde and Tukur (ed) (2005:27), include;
1. It tells the history of the school
2. It facilitates continuity in the school administration
3. It facilitates and enhance the provision of effective guidance and counseling service for students in the social career domains
4. Provides information needed on ex-students by higher and other related institution and employers of labour for admission or placement.
5. Facilitate the supply of information to parents or guardians for effective monitoring of the progress of their children in school or performance.
6. Provides data needed for planning and decision making by school authority
7. Provide’ a basis for the objective assessment of the state of teaching and learning in the school, including staff and students performance by supervisors and inspectors.
8. Provide information for the school community, the general public, employers, researchers for the advancement of knowledge.
9. It ensures that the headmaster keeps strictly to the education regulations.
10. School records can be used as reference materials for both the teachers and the administrators.
ABUSES OF SCHOOL RECORDS
Some time according to Aleiyideino, Sc et a! (2000:79) some school abuse records keeping by:
1. Non availability of records:- They do not keep such records and cannot produce same when the need arise.
2. Problem of storage:- Some school have these records but are not properly stored according to subject matter.
3. Ignorance on the part of head teachers:- Some head teachers are not even aware of the importance of records keeping in school or how to even keep these records.
4. Poor Supervision by Head teacher or supervisor:- Some Head teachers do not keep records because no body request for such records.
5. If the information given are false or incomplete, it cannot give us accurate information needed.
CONCLUSION:
This means that we must know the importance of keeping records and with truthful and complete information This will enable our schools to be up to date and respond to any question or fill any form about our school without difficulties.
REFERENCE:
Olanrewaju, I.T (2008) Importance of Record keeping In School” being Paper Presented to the Department of PHE University of Ilorin PP 1-10.
2. Aleiyideini, SC et al (2002)”Record Keeping” in NTI (2002) School Management Course Book On Education pp 69-78
3. Eke E(2000)”School Administration and Management” In NTI (2000) education Cycle 4. PP 12-13
4. Dibu Ojerinde, 0.0 and Tukur, H (2005) “Record Keeping” Inspection manual in NTI PGDE by DLS. PP2 1-27.
BY
MAL. ABDULKARIM N. BELLO
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, JALINGO
TARABA STATE, NIGERIA.
Your students come to class or log onto an online platform and complete required tasks, which must mean to some degree they are interested in learning. Somehow, through class lectures or informative posts an educator has taken time to develop, these students will acquire knowledge they need, and through the activities designed to ensure they take the time to read and apply what has been read, they will meet the required outcomes. That’s the plan when a course is designed and implemented.
But the reality is many students are going through the motions of repetitive, reactively responding to the course materials and activities they are required to complete. If it is a class discussion, their response may be based upon a world view held now, which is closely protected and rarely challenged. Few will take the information received and apply in such a manner they can demonstrate critical analysis and original thought, unless this is a doctoral-level course, and even then, there is no guarantee responses will reach beyond rote reactions.
Written papers offer the same form of response, and if there is poor academic writing, this will interfere with the thought process students are attempting to establish. While this may seem as if it is a negative view of higher education, it is not meant to be a comment on the state of the industry itself. Rather my experience within the for-profit online school industry has taught me students often come to the classroom unprepared to be fully engaged in the learning process and even if they are willing to participate, they may not know what it means to be an active participant, or have the skills necessary to do so. This puts the responsibility on me, as the educator, to make the extra effort, not wait for “the system” to change, or become upset because I want students to come to class better prepared.
What I’ve learned is students take the first step when they decide to begin a new degree program. There is some measure of interest and willingness to become involved in their studies. However, they often do not understand what the requirements will be until they begin taking their first class, and this is a time when they will decide if they have the motivation necessary to continue. It is during those moments when an instructor can have a significant impact on their continued progress. If students find they are in a class with minimal instructor involvement, and the class materials do not seem relevant or may be difficult to comprehend, it is a time when interest in the class may wane. This is the reason why active involvement on the part of the instructor is necessary, to engage the mind of their students in the learning process, which will in turn encourage them to become interested in the course.
The Role of Cognition and Memory
There is a very specific manner in which the mind controls the receipt and flow of information. When the mind of a student begins to receive information, it is stored initially in working memory. There it is processed and within working memory is a minimal capacity to hold information, which means the more coming in, the more information is either processed or discarded. The overall process of cognition is not only about processing information, it includes making sense of the information received. This is important to understand as an instructor for several reasons. First, the mindset of a student will determine whether or not there is a willingness to learn, or at least be open to receiving new ideas, knowledge, and alternative perspectives. Often class conditions, and the interactions with instructors, establish a frame of mind and this can influence or determine a willingness to be open-minded. If interactions are negative, this may establish a resistant mindset and one less likely to accept new information.
Another reason why cognition is important for instructors to know about is the manner in which students engage with course materials. These materials are typically assigned as part of the class, and students will decide whether or not to read and process this material prior to completing the required learning activities. If students do engage in the assigned materials, the goal is not for them to just process information, but to acquire some of it as knowledge held in long-term memory. However, while the mind of a student is processing what is being read, other cognitive factors may come into play, such as the attention span or amount of focus the student is able to hold, along with inherent mental filters and capabilities. When students take information, connect with it, apply it in some manner based upon finding relevance or context, then it is likely to become knowledge and stored in long-term memory.
Development of Active Learning
Have you ever considered if your students retain the knowledge gained after they leave your class? You can assess this yourself by thinking about the last book or article you’ve read. How much of that information do you remember? More than likely you remember what was relevant to your life or career, something specific you made a connection to and it was knowledge which became stored in long-term memory. Most of the information read would have been discarded, otherwise you would remember the contents of the entire book or article. This is the process in which your students will read, process, organize, and retain or discard information they have read. They will remember what is relevant to their particular interests and professional needs, and then discard the rest from working memory.
If you want to encourage your students to improve how they are processing information received in class, the goal becomes to transform them from being in a passive learning state to an active learning frame of mind. How is this accomplished? As an instructor, you can give your students resources and encourage them to change their frame of mind. That approach may help some students. However, a more effective strategy is direct involvement of the instructor within discussions and feedback, prompting students to consider how the information relates to real-world settings, helping to provide the needed relevance and context that will transform information into knowledge.
Five Strategies to Engage Your Students in an Active Learning Process
When I’m teaching an online class, I cannot visibly ascertain if my students are actively reading and engaged in the course materials, until they are involved in class discussions and submitting written assignments. The same is fairly true for teaching a traditional college classroom, except an immediate visual assessment can be made during classroom interactions, such as a class discussion. No matter what classroom environment learning occurs within, students still conduct a majority of their studying on their own. When they come to the classroom, this is a time when an instructor can encourage active learning and cognitive processing. The following five strategies can be implemented to help promote knowledge acquisition and retention.
Strategy #1: Become a Subject Matter Expert
Consider these questions: How well do you know the subjects you are teaching? Do you continue to read and learn more about the subject matter?
These are important questions to ask yourself as a means of ongoing professional development. If you need to learn more about the subjects you are teaching, the time to learn is right away. There is a wealth of online professional organizations which offer professional development opportunities, resources, and webinars. You can also find resources on your own related to the course topics, to supplement the assigned materials. The more you know about the subject matter, and become a subject matter expert, the stronger your teaching presence will become.
Strategy #2: Share What You Know
When you are interacting with your students, whether it is through discussions or feedback, you can share your professional experience and real-world examples. This provides context for students as they learn about new or complex topics, which in turn can help them retain that information in long-term memory. Class discussions provide one of the most effective opportunities to share what you know, especially as you provide additional sources. You can discuss strategies and projects within your career that worked well, and even those that were not so effective. What you have learned in your career can help your students learn as well.
Strategy #3: Consider Finding Additional Sources
The course materials provided in a classroom are foundational for meeting learning objectives and completing the required learning activities. However, those materials are rarely, if ever, meant to be the definitive source for the class. This includes use of a traditional textbook. As the instructor, you know the subject matter and you may find current sources which help to enhance or build upon those required sources. My recommendation is not to find additional sources just for the sake of having additional materials. Make certain there is a purpose for the extra sources as your students will be more likely to read the materials if they can find a clear connection to the course topics and learning objectives.
Strategy #4: Be a Leader in Class Discussions
You know how engaging and meaningful a class discussion can be when your students are posting substantive messages and interacting with one another in a substantive manner. But does this occur naturally? For some students it does and others it does not. This is where you can be a leader and show your students, by example, how to post substantive messages and interact in a meaningful and substantive manner. For online classes, this is especially important as all students are required to participate and be heard, yet teaching students what it means to produce a substantive responses can be challenging. Leading by example is one of the most effective methods of teaching them. In addition, your active involvement in the class discussion can help to keep the discussions flowing in the right direction and allow students to feel included in the conversations.
Strategy #5: Engage Your Students Through Your Feedback
Your feedback has the power to encourage your students to continue to make progress, or it can become something they no longer are interested in reading. Which would you prefer? I often hear from other educators that it seems their students are not reading their feedback and if they are reading it, it doesn’t seem as if they are implementing it. This means we, as educators, are challenged to find new ways of engaging students in the learning process. I have been using video feedback for some of my feedback, as a means of connecting directly with my online students. I don’t use a pre-made script either.
For example, if I am providing discussion feedback, I will open up a student’s posts for the week, and start recording. I will review the requirements, the expectations, and provide feedback about the posts. I speak in a manner which conveys care, concern, and interest in their well-being as a student. This personalized connection helps to overcome the written word being read and forgotten. Perhaps this could help you as well. The feedback videos are approximately two and half to three and half minutes in length, about the same time I would spend creating my feedback commentary.
The Mind is a Gateway to Learning
As an educator, I do not want a classroom full of students who are simply going through the motions. If they are going through the motions, this means I must be doing the same thing. When this happens, there is nothing to be gained other than checking off a box on a degree plan. This is not how I wanted to be involved in classes as a student and it certainly isn’t what I want for my students as an educator. I wanted to learn and the instructors I remember best are those who challenged me to consider new perspectives and dig deeper into the course topics, and they were highly engaged in their online class. Not only do I remember learning in those classes, I was inspired to teach online.
Over time I have learned more about the mind and how it is a gateway to learning. I cannot assume the course materials alone are going to teach the students about the course topics. I fully understand I need to be present in class discussions, sharing my professional insight and experience, to help students think differently about topics they are studying, and encourage them to consider new perspectives through additional sources and real-world issues. Students have lives and multiple responsibilities, which means there is a lot of information competing for their attention, and if any class is going to succeed in providing new knowledge, it needs to build long-term connections in their mind. Reading materials alone is not going to accomplish this goal. But a highly engaged instructor can be the one who helps bridge that gap by utilizing strategies to help students internalize what they’ve read. When an instructor can reach through to students in this manner, then learning is likely to occur.
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Public servants perform important work and make a positive difference in the lives of Manitobans. We take pride in fostering diverse workplaces that are built on a foundation of strong ethical standards and respect for one another.
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**Please Note: Due to a temporary technical issue with the Manitoba Government Job Opportunities website; if you did not receive an automated email response when you submitted your application/resume, please follow-up directly, by phone, with the Service Centre identified in the ‘Apply to:’ section of the advertised job opportunity to which you applied.**
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You are attempting to access this page via a Webhosting Account
Scripted access to public pages is not allowed.
You are accessing the web via a proxy.
If you are using a public proxy, you may wish to switch to another or disable it. If you believe your ISP is using a transparent proxy, please let us know.
You or someone on your network is running a bot to crawl our site.
Please contact your Network Administrator if you believe this to be the case.
We just need you to confirm that you are a person and not a robot.
