listening to the question

As our little guy is beginning to cruise along the furniture and figure out how to open cabinets I can see his eyes fill up with questions. "Why are there pillows on the couch? Those work just as well on the floor." "Why can't we stay up all night?" and "I wonder what dog food tastes like . . . . ?"

Questions are a rudimentary method of finding answers or solutions to problems. When a student asks a question in the online environment we no longer have the visual cues that an instructor may have grown accustomed to. In online situations, take the time to listen to the question.

The following are four types of questions that you may encounter while teaching at a distance.

High order questions

A student that has a good understanding of the materials may be seeking  further development of the materials as a method to deepen their understanding. This student's question may not refer to the assessment but to further question the materials.

Take the time to provide encouraging feedback for their inquisitiveness and follow-up with reflective listening skills. A student demonstrating a higher-order of mastery of a subject  will appreciate an instructor that will engage in an online conversation of analyzing and evaluating content.

walking order

The lazy questions

You will have those students that ask questions that could have been found in the syllabus, a course announcement, or a discussion board post. A quick reaction would be to think the student has a lack of interest in the course or just didn't bother with the time to find what they are looking for.

When this occurs in the online environment take a moment to stop and think about the question that is being asked. Their may be more depth to the "lazy questions" for distance education courses. The student might be confused on the assignment, has trouble reading the materials, or can not locate an item within the course postings.

This student may not have yet developed the ability to ask 'good questions' in the online environment. This is a skill that students and instructors develop with experience. This is also the reason why other communication methods such as video posts and audio messages are catching on. They give back the ability to "talk" that early methods of online education took away from the educational experience. 

Besides answering the question, engage them into a conversation. The goal with the "lazy student" is to keep the conversation going. Ask questions that require them to refer to the course materials and apply their understanding of facts, NOT just the knowledge of them. If a student can not answer you appropriately then you know that they are struggling in the course. 

Provide resources, contacts to online tutors, and/or a meeting to help that student succeed. Students do talk, and having a reputation of an instructor that is devoted to student success will have your sections filling fast, more courses in demand, and become a mentor for fellow faculty. 

lazy smurf

The lost questions

This type of question may take the most time to answer. However, they are very important to address to prevent drop-outs. Instructors would be surprised to learn the number of students that drop a course because the online environment seemed too challenging. Even in the first week before they would even ask the teacher a question! 

A confused student may require some close monitoring and hand-holding to get through the initial issue. But usually if this first problem is handled well then the student will become more independent. Also, receive this situation as an opportunity to ask yourself if the course is setup logically? Do the titles of items make sense? Could I clean up the menu bar? Do I explain how to submit materials, ask questions, and send attachments?

Guide the student with the campus resources available to help navigate the system. Provide follow-up that they received those resources and ask if their frustration level has lowered. The goal is to prevent the student from becoming discouraged. A negative attitude will quickly become apparent in their coursework and can lead to a drop-out.

lost

The nothing question (silence)

The student that is silent. Asks nothing. Little to no communication, just what is required or even less. This is a problem. Do something to start a conversation. This will answer if the student is struggling or bored or doing just fine.

Ask questions, even directly such as within a discussion board. Another tactic is to require students to reply to each other so they must engage in a conversation with themselves. A recent topic in the news that applies to the course materials or a case study that requires a group discourse to solve the issue will help the silent students to participate. 

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