Encourage Hope to Help Students Succeed

, , ,

Do you ever feel so completely overwhelmed by the external circumstances around you it seems almost impossible to remain calm and steady when you need to be present in the classroom? Has 2021 started with a sense of renewal but quickly given you feelings of apprehension and cause for concern?

A new year is under way and you have already felt the emotional pull of the year we all hoped to leave behind, along with the continued drama that fills the news almost every day. As an educator, you have to somehow separate yourself from the emotional reactions you may be experiencing, if you want to have a clear mind and remain focused on your students. But this isn’t always easy to do, especially if you continue to pay attention to the news and social media. It can leave you feeling emotionally drained.

Yet consider your students and what they expect of you as their instructor. You are expected to be focused on their needs and ready to guide them through the learning process. Instructors are really not “cut some slack” for feeling overwhelmed and having a less than perfect day. When you are involved in your instructional role, and supposed to be focused on the developmental needs of your students, there is no downtime provided. This means you either must be plugged in mentally, and fully available to provide quality instruction, or you need to ask someone for help.

Why is all of this so important? If all of these circumstances are so challenging for you as an instructor, consider how even more challenging it must be as a student. I’m an online instructor and my students are typically the non-traditional learners, who are working full-time while also attending school. They are not only balancing work-related issues, most are also addressing pandemic-related issues, which may include financial challenges, home schooling, remote work, and the list continues. These students are feeling the impact of significant stress, while also attending school.

As an instructor, you must set aside the events of the day and focus intently on your students. If your students needed your attention before, and assistance to be able to persist, they need it now more than ever. In fact, many students need to feel a sense of hope, in order to continue on in their academic program. There are many students who are internalizing negative reactions they experience, and absorbing negative emotions from those around them, and the result is a feeling their hard work may or may not pay off in the end. Your encouragement, while they work, is vital to their success.

It’s as Simple as: I’m Here to Help

The first key to the establishment of a relationship with your students is availability. It is being responsive and demonstrating your appreciation for their effort, contribution, and attempt. Even if they may a mistake or get everything wrong with a written assignment, there was an attempt. The point is they showed up to class and they were present. You must also mirror that presence with your willingness to be available and ready to assist them. That readiness can be developed in multiple methods. Just be certain your students know it will be consistent from week to week.

I’m “old fashioned” in that I offer Office Hours during the week, which includes daytime and evening hours. I also offer Office Hours on Saturday, which I understand seems out of the ordinary and a significant investment of my time; however, we live right now in extraordinary times. If I can assist and resolve a student’s concern with five minutes of my time, it is time well spent. When I began teaching online over 15 years ago, the institution I worked for required weekly Office Hours and it was instilled within me, as to the value and benefit it could offer to students. I’ve never forgotten it and even know what it was like from the perspective of being an online student, when instructors I had offered it.

What can also be transformative is your disposition towards your students. When you are in the classroom, engaging with learners via email or classroom messaging, be careful about the words you use. A simple statement in reply to a classroom message or email, such as “I’m here to help”, can change the disposition of a struggling student. I also include this statement any time I provide feedback, whether it is formal feedback for grading, or informal feedback to help guide and coach a student. Those words let the student know I am a resource and available for them.

Give Students a Reason to Feel Hope

If you are teaching online, it will not be easy at first to determine if your students are adapting well to the class, or if they are facing challenges related to the current external environment. As the class progresses, you may receive emails or messages which inform you of their status and challenges. The most difficult aspect of teaching online now is observing students who struggle and not knowing if it due to a lack of academic skills, motivation, stressors, pandemic-related issues, or any other number of reasons. During a “normal” or pre-pandemic time, you could provide resources related to the specific academic problem. But now there may be a number of factors interfering with the student’s progress.

This is when your relationship with students becomes even more important. In addition to availability, and the use of reassuring words, students will benefit from something beyond the scope of your instructional practice. This is the development of a mindset of hope. It doesn’t mean hope of a better life, career, or future, which is beyond the scope of the class. It is the hope their effort and time dedicated to classwork will mean something in the long term. If they feel hope, and they persist, then completion of a course will lead to completion of another. Eventually they will complete their degree and well on the way to completion of their goals.

How do you nurture a sense of hope in your students? You can implement at least one or more of the following strategies within your instructional practice to accomplish this goal.

Happiness as a Disposition: Students develop a sense for how you are feeling, whether you teach on-ground or online. This is reflected in the tone of your posts, messages, and emails, simply by the word choice used. My recommendation is that you make happiness a choice, every day you decide to interact with students. You can be happy regardless of circumstances around you, and maintain an authentic happiness, simply because you are able to teach. I look forward to interacting with my students, even when I am feeling the most challenged, and during the pandemic I was challenged. But I was determined to still maintain authentic happiness and you can too, just by the power of your intention.

Optimism as a Point of View: If you are going to help students feel a sense of hope while they work, then somehow you must also hold a point of view that is optimistic. This may go against every personal belief you hold, and yet, as an educator you need a different perspective during your instructional interactions. This is a time to promote a sense of what may come or what is yet to be, otherwise, why should students continue to work on their degree program? Keeping your beliefs out of the classroom and remaining neutral can be challenging, but this is needed if you want to enter into intellectual discourse with students. You need an objective lens from which to frame your discussions, based upon research and data, rather than bias and subjective opinions.

Positivity to Bring About Change: While happiness is a disposition, positivity is a specific strategy to be implemented within communication, posts, and feedback. There is quite a difference between a response that begins with “Student” versus “Hello Student”. A positive approach is one in which you, as the instructor, are viewed as approachable and easy to interact with, rather than someone who is to be feared and avoided. When students feel comfortable interacting with you, from the perspective of being able to send you a message or contact you, then you are presented with an opportunity to bring about change. This is when you can learn more about their background and the unique challenges they may be facing. I’ve heard of many who were facing pandemic-related challenges, which allowed me to work with them.

Encouragement to Develop Success: There is one aspect of teaching that I always believe in, regardless of societal conditions, and it is the use of encouragement. Whether I acknowledge a student for making an attempt or an effort, there always needs to be some form of encouragement within feedback provided. I know all too well, especially having been an online learner and not physically present to interact with my instructors, how it feels to receive cut and paste commentary that offers nothing more than rote statements. But a few words that seek to uplift can make all the difference in the next attempt made, and the decision as to whether or not the student will utilize the feedback provided. It all becomes a matter of building up the student’s confidence so they are able to become successful.  

You are a Beacon of Hope

This is a challenging time for you and your students. I do not want to minimize the potential for stress that you, as an educator, are likely to experience. My intent with this post is to bring awareness to the potential influence you have on students, along with the ability you have to help them during a time when they need your guidance the most. Somehow, you need to be able to manage the stress and emotions you are experiencing, well enough that you can become a source of inspiration and hope for your students. They may or may not look up to you now, but they do expect you to be available to help them, especially when they become frustrated.

A positive disposition can become quite challenging to maintain at times, especially given how long the pandemic has been going on. Yet if you can shine a beacon of happiness, optimism, positivity, and encouragement, you will help to create a sense of hope for students, especially those who are struggling to stay engaged and motivated. I’ve found this can become transformative not only for my students, but for myself as well. As I see my students feel uplifted, and develop a sense of accomplishment or improvement in their disposition, I too feel better empowered to manage the stress of my day. Even if you only help encourage one of the most discouraged students this week, this sense of hope you’ve helped to instill within them will lead them to success in your class and beyond.

About Dr. Johnson

Dr. Bruce A. Johnson has been working in the field of higher education and distance learning since 2005, with roles including Doctoral Chair and Committee Member, Faculty Development Manager, Core Faculty, and Faculty Development Specialist. Dr. J’s background also includes work as a Human Performance Improvement Consultant, and prior to 2005, he was a Manager of Training and Development.

Dr. Johnson is an inspirational author, writer, and educator. His life mission to teach, mentor, write, and inspire others. He has earned a PhD in Postsecondary and Adult Education, a Certificate in Training and Performance Improvement (TPI), a Master’s in Adult Education, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

As a scholar practitioner, Dr. J was published in a scholarly journal and he has been a featured presenter at an international distance learning conference. He has published three books related to higher education, including two about online teaching.  Dr. J has also published over 230 online articles about adult learning, higher education, distance learning, online teaching, and mindset development.

Come join Dr. J’s new group, Motivation for Transformation:

Any time of the day, visit this group to find your source of motivation, to be inspired and more importantly, have your mindset transformed: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9108352/

Dr. J offers transformative resources

Please visit the Books page and Store page for more details.

You can also find Dr. J on the following social media sites:

• Instagram

       

/by

Here’s Why Students Need Intellectual Curiosity to Learn

, ,

What causes a student to want to learn? Is it the same reason why students want to seek out course-specific knowledge?

The standard formula in higher education is to add students and an instructor to a pre-built curriculum, and the result is the creation of a learning environment. To bridge the gap between students and the learning process are planned activities, along with resources to help students engage with the activities. But intellectual curiosity, a process which cannot be controlled, is either inherent or prompted by completion of planned activities or involvement of an instructor.

Learning within a formal classroom environment can be an intellectual activity. When the intellect of a student is engaged, cognition is elevated from automatic thinking to higher order thinking, and possibly critical thinking. Intellectual curiosity then, becomes the desire to understand why, when reading new information, the search for an underlying or fundamental premise within what is read that may be new or different, the desire to seek out challenging views and perspectives, and a time when existing beliefs may be questioned.

As an instructor, you may find it important to understand why students need intellectual curiosity while engaged in your class, and what you can do to help prompt it. While teaching as a traditional instructor, it was easier for me to observe the engagement level of students who were present in class, and ask directed questions to help them think further about the course topics. However, as an online instructor this type of strategy needs to be adapted, and it’s something I’ve learned to do with time and practice. I’ve discovered you need to do more than just ask questions, there needs to be thought given as to how questions are asked, along with the perceived tone of the message posted. What you read next may help provide your teaching practice with new ideas and strategies.

Why Learning Activities are Important

The two most common learning activities built into a traditional online class are asynchronous class discussions and written assignments. The reason why these are the most commonly used activities are twofold. They provide engagement from an individual and group perspective. The purpose of an asynchronous discussion is to guide students to specific information and answer targeted prompts. The assumption built in is that the reading associated with the discussion will prompt reflection and warrant further investigation, leading to intellectual curiosity.

As to written assignments, the same underlying assumption applies. Students are guided to specific information and then the belief is they will reflect upon the information, and through the engagement of their cognition their intellectual curiosity will be prompted. This should then lead to a well-researched, well-developed, and carefully thought-out paper.

For discussions, the reality is that a majority of students write a reactionary post without having read the assigned materials, which means more is needed to prompt an interest in reading the material and an intellectual curiosity. As to written assignments, students who are newer to writing, or want to take the quickest route to completion, either use minimal sources, over-use sources with too many direct quotes, or use inappropriate internet sources. This is why the need for an instructor’s guidance is required, to help direct the attention and focus of students where necessary.

Why Engaging Intellectual Curiosity Matters

Consider first the perspective of casual reading. While the purpose may vary, the intention typically isn’t to gain extensive knowledge or acquire information for long-term memory. In contrast, formal learning is sought with a specific purpose, and the intellect takes on an important role in the acquisition of knowledge for the long-term. First engaged is cognition and mental processing of information while materials are read, once students read the assigned materials and then seek out supplemental readings.

When a student becomes highly engaged mentally, they are more likely to demonstrate critical or higher order thinking, or an ability to reason logically, and write at an elevated level. For example, they can take and process information, and synthesize its meaning. This leads to another condition, mental acuity, or having a sharply focused state of mind. This also comes about as a result of being intellectually curious. However, the ultimate goal of this type of curiosity is to seek knowledge, for the purpose of learning.

How to Prompt Intellectual Development Among Students

For any class, especially an online class, the person who has the most influence on the development of a student’s intellectual development and interest is an instructor. I’ve found it occurs as a result of my direct involvement in the classroom, regardless of the amount of time spent. I say this as I’ve learned to make every interaction with students matter, from demonstrating appreciation for their effort, to prompting their intellectual development. In other words, you don’t have to spend every day in the classroom to be effective. You can take time off and still engage effectively with students for the days you are online.

To prompt the curiosity of your students, perhaps the following strategies can be added to your list of teaching strategies.

#1. Leverage Your Expertise

A pre-built curriculum should never be viewed as something which replaces your experience and background, even if there is nothing additional for you (as the instructor) to initially add to your class. Where your expertise is most needed is with course discussions and feedback. In other words, all aspects of the course in which you are involved in can benefit from the knowledge you hold. What you know can help to make the course topics more interesting and engaging, and create further interest within students.

#2. Ask Frequent Questions

The use of questions can be an effective tool for prompting further thinking about course topics, if utilized in a strategic manner. For example, when I’m involved in course discussions, I always conclude with a question to help extend the conversation. I understand this follows the Socratic form of dialogue; however, I try not to be quite so direct in my approach, given the online class format. I’ve found it is very important to consider the perceived tone of the post and to be as inclusive and welcoming as possible. I’ll also ask a question that draws in the entire class, as I may not always post a response to every student each week.

#3. Become Familiar with the Course Materials

As a Faculty Development Specialist, one of the most common errors I’ve observed is a faculty member who does not refer to course materials during class discussions. I’m not suggesting there is a need to integrate course materials into every discussion response you post; however, it can be helpful to refer to specific points which are important to main topics for the week. I’ve found this useful whenever I find students have not reviewed the assigned materials or missed important points. In addition, if I can help to make the course materials seem interesting, I may be able to help engage students in those materials.

#4. Always Be Curious Yourself

Here’s something to keep in mind: You lead by your example. If you are curious about the course topics, and demonstrate a true excitement for what is being studied, it is likely to influence your students. You will often hear educators talk about being lifelong learners, and this is what it’s about, maintaining a curiosity and interest for acquiring new knowledge. It’s also about asking “why” whenever you read or hear something, along with wanting to learn new information about the subject or subjects you’re teaching. For me, it has been some time since I completed my degrees, which means I need to stay up-to-date in my chosen profession, and I do this by always seeking out new knowledge.  

#5. Use Feedback as a Prompt for Engagement

The task of providing feedback does not have to be straightforward, with a completed rubric and a few rote comments. Instead, you can use this as another opportunity to ask questions and share insight, and continue to prompt interest within your students. I’ll ask questions within my feedback, something as simple that begins with: Have you considered? What you want to think about is the student who has written the paper and made an attempt to understand what was assigned, and then process it in a manner which meets the required prompts. You can continue their thought process with your own prompts, and this includes a question or two. I’ve found some students will send me a message and respond directly, while most will continue to think about the topics and use what I’ve written as a point of reference.

Developing a Highly Engaged Learning Environment

All of the strategies provided above are done with the sole purpose of helping you to develop a learning environment that becomes one in which your students want to read the course materials, seek out information about the course topics, and become curious about what they are learning. I understand that students, as adult learners, should be self-motivated and have their reasons already for wanting to acquire their degree. However, as we know, the reality is online students are often non-traditional in that they are also balancing other responsibilities and likely trying to complete the minimum necessary as quickly as possible.

This means it is going to take the prompts of an instructor to help them become deeply interested and want to devote extra time. The good news is when I’ve made the effort, students do become curious and time becomes less of a factor as they do want learn more about the course subjects. This in turn makes the course more enjoyable for me to be involved in as an instructor, the discussions become more engaging and meaningful for all of us, and suddenly the spark of curiosity leads to a transformative learning experience. While there will always be some students who just want to get by, most students are going to respond positively, and become intellectually stimulated, by an instructor who is highly engaged and eager to share knowledge.

About Dr. Johnson

Dr. Bruce A. Johnson has been working in the field of higher education and distance learning since 2005, with roles including Doctoral Chair and Committee Member, Faculty Development Manager, Core Faculty, and Faculty Development Specialist. Dr. J’s background also includes work as a Human Performance Improvement Consultant, and prior to 2005, he was a Manager of Training and Development.

Dr. Johnson is an inspirational author, writer, and educator. His life mission to teach, mentor, write, and inspire others. He has earned a PhD in Postsecondary and Adult Education, a Certificate in Training and Performance Improvement (TPI), a Master’s in Adult Education, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

As a scholar practitioner, Dr. J was published in a scholarly journal and he has been a featured presenter at an international distance learning conference. He has published three books related to higher education, including two about online teaching.  Dr. J has also published over 230 online articles about adult learning, higher education, distance learning, online teaching, and mindset development.

Come join Dr. J’s new group, Motivation for Transformation:

Any time of the day, visit this group to find your source of motivation, to be inspired and more importantly, have your mindset transformed: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9108352/

Dr. J offers transformative resources

Please visit the Books page and Store page for more details.

You can also find Dr. J on the following social media sites:

• Instagram

       

/by

Here’s Why Kindness is Vital to Online Teaching

, ,

When you think about what it takes to be an effective online instructor, you may consider how to efficiently complete the many duties required each week. This would be a normal response as the online instructor is task-driven. From a purely classroom management perspective, there are always questions to answer, papers to evaluate, discussions to be involved in, timelines to meet, and so. Beyond the typical duties, an instructor will find themselves nurturing the developmental learning abilities of their students, and stimulate their intellectual curiosity. To be highly effective in the online environment, the instructor must have basic qualities, such as empathy and emotional intelligence. These are the qualities that are responsible for helping an instructor respond to conditions in the most appropriate manner.

Then there needs to be a quality or characteristic of an online instructor that is not dependent upon conditions, a basic human trait which can be applied to all situations. I believe that characteristic is kindness, which is an ability to have a positive disposition with all those you interact with each day. It’s a state of mind that has a direct impact on how you feel and perform, just as it does for your students when they interact with you. It’s also directly related to another quality I recommend every instructor demonstrate for their students, and that’s showing appreciation for them. But being kind should become an automatic response to everyone encountered, no matter how nice or aggressive their initial tone may be. If this isn’t a natural state of mind for your now, it is possible to cultivate it through intentional practice.

Kindness in a World of Strong Emotions

I’ve chosen to focus on kindness as we all need a reminder from time-to-time about the importance of our basic humanity, especially when this is a time when it is so easy to experience strong emotions from events of the world around us. I have found within my online teaching practice now, more than ever, there are pre-conceived ideas about who I am, what I will be like, and what it will be like to work with me. This is all based upon my photo and introduction, which clearly shows my race, gives an indication of my age (likely older vs. younger), and possible sexual orientation (there is no mention of a wife and children).

I am also sensing an immediate hesitation among certain ethnic groups to work with me, believing I will not be open-minded. Or I may be automatically viewed as “one of them” because of my race. This is very different than when I first began teaching online 16 years ago. Those who are willing to speak with me find themselves surprised that I can be very easy to talk to, get along with, and always accepting of others. I rely upon a basic act of kindness to begin with, which I believe every person is entitled to, regardless of how strongly their initial words may be. I know the learning process can be challenging for some, and the simple act of kindness can go a long way towards helping someone overcome their frustrations and begin to listen to the advice being offered.

Is Kindness Always Reciprocated?

I believe we know the answer to that question and it is a resounding no, and I never make my approach to working with students based upon a condition they must act the same way in return. While I do expect a level of professionalism and respect, in accordance with school policies for student conduct, I know that basic kindness is not always going to be a natural response for some students. In fact, if a student does not receive the grade or outcome they expected, believed they earned, or thought they were entitled to, they may act in every manner but kind. This is when I will continue to show not only kindness towards them, but empathy as well.

I’ve found there is an interesting reaction to my approach which has occurred over the past couple of years by students. I can be as caring and understanding as I possibly am able to be, listen to the student as they continue to explain why they were owed a perfect score, and yet some of them will not back down unless they receive the perfect score sought. It doesn’t matter if I try to explain the learning process to them, offer to spend time one-on-one with them, or any other strategy to help them from a developmental perspective, if they do not receive what was expected, I become their enemy.

This is frustrating for me as I know it shows up on the end-of-course evaluation, one metric used to evaluate my position. There will likely be comments written in retaliation, and a low rating score given. Then I’ll find myself having to explain why these comments were written, regardless of how many positive comments were received. There’s only one way to prevent this from happening, and it’s to grade without giving proper consideration to the scoring rubric. But to me, that is not the best approach and it is a disservice to the students in the long-term, from a developmental perspective.

Cultivating Kindness

Regardless of how I believe students may perceive me, or the disposition they may hold when I interact with them, I always want to be kind while communicating with them. The characteristic of kindness is a form of caring, and it is applied equally to all students. It’s also a form of patience, and when you make it part of your disposition, it helps create a measured reaction to classroom circumstances. The following strategies can help you cultivate this important quality.

Keep an Open Mind: Within an online classroom it can be easy to pre-assess a student simply by their name, which is the first visual clue an instructor has about them. But this is where a self-check is needed, a reminder to be open-minded and conscious of any filters that may interrupt your ability to be kind. What you want is to approach any student, in any situation, and be able to listen while expressing your support. You must be a role model for your students and demonstrate that you’ve created an inclusive and safe learning environment for all of them.

Invest in Direct Communication: The idea of speaking directly with students may seem to be something they would not want, and a commitment of time you do not have to offer. While both may be true to a certain degree, I’ve found that speaking with students, those who are willing to communicate with me directly, offers incredible value. I provide office hours that includes weekdays, weeknights, and one weekend day. When a student calls, I have an opportunity to start the call with a warm welcome and immediately set a welcoming disposition. No matter how the student feels, my goal is to make certain they understand I want to help them.

Never Respond When Strong Emotions are Felt: There will always be situations in which a student is going to send a message and use improper communication techniques. If you feel a strong emotional reaction in any manner, this is not the time to respond. You must give yourself time to find your sense of balance, so that you can approach the student in a kind and calming manner. If the student were to contact you direct, and they are extremely upset, do your best to remain calm. If you find the student will not change their tone, the best suggestion might be to ask them if you can look into the matter and respond back by a specified date.

Develop Kindness in all Communication: There are cues you can insert into your communication to demonstrate your ability to have a kind and caring disposition. Take for instance an email you’ve received and it is addressed only to your first name. Now consider the same email and it is addressed to your first name; however, there is the word “Hello” inserted before your first name. Can you tell the perceived difference in the tone of the two messages? The second message gives an impression the sender is starting the message in a much more open and inviting manner. The first message sounds much less personable. The same holds true for classroom posts, especially discussion posts. The manner in which you word your messages and posts can create an impression of what it might be to interact with you.

Don’t Mistake Kindness for Leniency

One of the challenges for being perceived as someone who can be easier to get along with is it can be mistaken for someone who is also lenient when it comes to due dates and missed work. What I’ve found is I can maintain a balance between a caring individual as a personality, and still be strict when it comes to upholding academic policies. I always keep in mind my students are people too, which means I recognize the fact with online students they are often non-traditional learners and have other responsibilities. Many of my students have pressures from life beyond their classwork, and they need someone to care about how well they are doing, is able to support their growth and development, and be patient with them. If you can develop a disposition that puts students at ease, you are going to find yourself approaching your work with much more enjoyment, and they in turn will soon discover how much you care about them.

About Dr. Johnson

Dr. Bruce A. Johnson has been working in the field of higher education and distance learning since 2005, with roles including Doctoral Chair and Committee Member, Faculty Development Manager, Core Faculty, and Faculty Development Specialist. Dr. J’s background also includes work as a Human Performance Improvement Consultant, and prior to 2005, he was a Manager of Training and Development.

Dr. Johnson is an inspirational author, writer, and educator. His life mission to teach, mentor, write, and inspire others. He has earned a PhD in Postsecondary and Adult Education, a Certificate in Training and Performance Improvement (TPI), a Master’s in Adult Education, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

As a scholar practitioner, Dr. J was published in a scholarly journal and he has been a featured presenter at an international distance learning conference. He has published three books related to higher education, including two about online teaching.  Dr. J has also published over 230 online articles about adult learning, higher education, distance learning, online teaching, and mindset development.

Come join Dr. J’s new group, Motivation for Transformation:

Any time of the day, visit this group to find your source of motivation, to be inspired and more importantly, have your mindset transformed: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/9108352/

Dr. J offers transformative resources

Please visit the Books page and Store page for more details.

You can also find Dr. J on the following social media sites:

• Instagram

       

/by