#communityoflearners – Designed4Education

It is possible to teach writing just as effectively online as it is in a face-to-face classroom. With a little innovation, lots of feedback and instructor presence, teachers can provide students with an engaging digital writing classroom.

When I design and teach online writing courses, I build in as many opportunities for students to receive feedback as possible. Peer review is a great strategy to use to provide students with a sense of collaboration and an opportunity to submit a first draft without the pressure of writing for a grade. But, remember, peer reviewing is a skill that needs to be taught. Provide students with exemplars by posting a sample paper and examples of helpful comments that provide positive feedback that points to specific examples and explanations of why something is working well in the writing. Also be sure to include examples of comments that highlight opportunities for growth and suggestions for revisions.

In order to create a sense of collaboration and a course composed of a community of writers, be active in the course as an instructor. Post helpful tips and strategies. Give resources that speak to common themes you have seen in student writing. Respond to students in the discussion board. Writer personalized feedback and comments that show you have carefully read the student’s work.

Teaching writing online is about more than grading papers and posting assignments. Teaching writing online is a chance to create a community of writers striving to grow as readers, writers and communicators. In order to achieve that outcome, instructor presence, communication and feedback is a key component to the course.

The first day of school comes with a mixture of excitement and anxiousness for both students and teachers. This year, students and teachers are facing even more uncertainty on their first day of school. For many, the first day of school will be online or at least partially online. Below is a list of techniques that teachers can use for a strong start to an online school year:

Create a community of learners: Provide students with the opportunity to meet their peers. Host a Zoom meeting to provide students with the chance to interact synchronously with their classmates.
. Learn students’ names: Respond to student posts in discussion boards, and be sure to start your response by using the student’s name, just as you would respond to a student by name in a face-to-face classroom.
Model respect and engagement: Demonstrate for your students, as early as the first day of class, how to be respectfully engaged in an online classroom.Create guidelines for discussion boards and online interactions in order to keep the conversations respectful and productive.