3 Ways to Make Your Online Content Stand Out

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As teachers, we need to create content for our courses, talks, workshops and just for our own notes.  Making content stand out is not only about what you say but its about HOW you say it. Luckily, there are many different ways to express what you are trying to say.  So, consider the following strategies -

Leaving Your LMS

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Ever feel constrained by your Learning Management System (LMS)? Are there activities that you want to do with your students but your LMS doesn't support them?  I use Moodle for my current classes and at times, I've found it a bit constraining. For instance, the Moodle discussion forums can be a little boring if you use them in the same way ALL semester long. Instead, what I do is change up my interactive activities every week. So, one week, I'll have two Moodle forums; the next week a group Wiki and a discussion forum; the next week a VoiceThread presentation with a Moodle discussion, etc. It works to break up the boredom of using the same Moodle tools. The trick is to not confuse the students with too much technology in too many places.

How Often Should You Communicate with Your Students Online?

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I teach several undergraduate online courses per year and have often wondered how and when faculty members communicate with their students each week. Some schools actually have guidelines (really requirements) for how often faculty should contact their students to find out how they are doing, but my school leaves it up to the individual faculty member.

I personally like to communicate with my students a few times each week. In looking at my faculty evaluations each semester, students always give me high marks for communication. When I ask them specifics, they have said -

How to Use YouTube's Search Filters

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YouTube is a great resource for teachers because there are videos on any subject to choose from. There are instructional videos, informational videos, documentaries and student-created material. This type of material can work for any class. I particularly like the video channels created by individuals and companies which primarily showcase videos on a particular topic.