Student Communication

With Georgia Virtual school, we've had to be creative with our student communication.  We currently use the D2L Discussion tool to facilitate student "communication".  The students are required to participate in one discussion per module.  Typically teachers ask the students to respond to two students' posted discussions.  This plan is adequate, but I think it's very contrived.  When you "discuss" in a classroom you can potentially have a deep meaningful discussion in a matter of a class period.  Since online students are available during different times, they are required to post, check back, make a comment, and perhaps come back to check again.  It is not the same as a discussion.

We also use Adobe Connect (similar to Wimba) where students and teachers meet to review material live.  Unfortunately, we have had to stop making these mandatory.  So not all students attend.  This would be a much better method to facilitate "discussion".  Then students can submit a summary of what was discussed in their group. 

For my specific project, you could use this in a face-to-face setting where communication would be much easier.  They could work in their groups during the class period and get what they need.  I intend to let them use this activity for our online class as well.  The students will need to work together to get their project together.  I've started the communication process by incorporating a Google spreadsheet.  This sheet will be accessible by all group members.  Google docs would be a great way for them to create their final document.  This way the students can contribute to the overall summary and all members can see and edit.

I think there needs to be some live discussion and collaboration as these students complete the project.  If I were teaching it, I would either have them come to Adobe Connect meetings as a group.  Or perhaps encourage them to get Skype or Google Talk so they can have some real-time interaction about what they are doing.

The important part as a teacher is to include these requirements in the rubric.  I've been working on my rubrics and this is something I need to add.  I need them to include how they met and whether everyone participated.

As a parting thought...I've noticed in my own two teenagers that the increased reliance on cell phones and social media such as Facebook, are making their face-to-face communication skills suffer.  In the end, this is going to be an issue in the workplace and life in general.  I'm happy that they can utilize digital communication but I think we need to continually required actual collaboration so students also learn those skills!