Communication Plan.pdf

8/14/2019 Communication Plan.pdf

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Communication Plan

Part 1: Routine Administrative Tasks

Telephone interview with parents/learner (K-12)

Check discussion threads for new comments or questions Answer/send emails

Check phone if applicable for age level

Grade assignments and upload with given feedback

Check upcoming assignments and due dates

Make sure grades are up to date/post grades if necessary

Part 2: Discussion Forum Strategies

1. Set Clear Expectations: Creating a discussion forum rubric will provide learners with clarity on

exactly what is expected from them. If they have any questions before or after their posts are

graded, the rubric can be reviewed with them.

2. Time Management: Allow yourself as the instructor to separate work from home life, even in

an online setting. Communicate with students from the beginning when you will be available to

respond to discussions, or how long it may take to respond. Being honest with yourself and the

learners will make for a better time management system for everyone. Also provide time

management information or suggestions for learners to ensure their best effort with discussion

forums. Too much information can be overwhelming when the discussion is open 24 hours a

day. It may be essential to review tips and methods of a discussion forum at the beginning ofthe course.

3. Relevance: Make sure discussions or questioning topics are relevant and will make sense to

all learners. Consider cultural backgrounds and differences that may alter communication and

lead to misconceptions.

4. Modeling: Ensure all learners are comfortable with discussions forums in the beginning by

providing models of ‘excellent’ postings and other teacher-created examples that did not meet

expectations. Depending on the grade level, some learners may not be familiar with

expectations or the role they are expected to encounter in an online discussion. Fairness andclarity can be given through the modeling of examples.

5. Introductions and Goodbyes: To build a strong sense of community online, allow real

connections to take place through introductory activities and concluding activities. Examples of

these are below:



Class Introduction:

I will introduce myself as the instructor to the class by recording a short video that describes my

background in education. This video will be embedded in an Introduction Module. Below is an example

of my personal statement that I would include in or along with the video

Hello and welcome to this course. I am Tiffany Galloway and it is my first year teaching in an

online setting. I have clear expectations for the course that you can locate through the syllabus.

I received my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and my Master’s degree in

Educational Technology, both through Boise State University. I have previously taught first

grade in a face-to-face classroom and have thoroughly enjoyed working with all grade levels.

This will be an exciting semester of learning and I cannot wait to embark on this educational

journey with all of you.

Original Idea:

In order for them to get to know even more about me, I will also have students complete an icebreaker

activity by telling two truths and one false statement about themselves. I will include my statements

first for them to guess which one is incorrect.

1. I have 3 cats and 2 dogs.

2. I absolutely love watching football.

3. I have never been out of the United States.

This icebreaker allows immediate connections with classmates and sets a tone for the beginning of the

course. It exemplifies similarities and differences that will be remembered through an introduction.

Critical Thinking Questions:

Please briefly answer the following questions with as much as detail as possible.

-What are your goals as a result of this class in mathematics?

-How do you intend on using what you learn during this class?

-How would you define your use of technology in your educational experience?

Discussion Forums and Communications:

Throughout this course there will be various forms of communication. Below you will find a description

of forums we will use both synchronous and asynchronous. Proper etiquette is essential in each way

communication is held.



1. Q & A Forum- This forum will be used when you need to ask a question that may be

answered by me or a classmate. Please post your question as direct as possible for the best

adequate answer. These should include questions or concerns going along with the course,

assignments, or technical problems.

2. Student Lounge- This is a chat room made accessible for you as peers to discuss educational

concerns or questions that regard to issues outside of the course as well as the course itself. It

is a place to socialize and get to know classmates better as well.

3. Discussion Threads- These threads are used when I assign discussion posts based on the

curriculum. You will communicate with me by replying and then you will also respond and

collaborate with classmates here.

4. Announcement Forum- This forum will be updated on a regular basis to inform the class

about upcoming assignments/news. A schedule will also be available.

5. Email- I will always be available by email and will respond as quickly as possible including

evenings and weekends. If there are further questions or concerns you can leave a message or

voicemail.

Email: [email protected] Phone: 208-238-4489

Part 3: Discussion Forum Assessment

This rubric will be used to help guide learners when they are doing their discussion posts online. This

may include participating in a reflection, responding to a question from readings, analyzing a criticalthinking question, or corresponding to a classmate through the discussion forum.

Link to Rubric

Part 4: Management Issues and Strategies

Online meetings will occur frequently throughout the course. General announcements will review

conversation strategies that have been represented in discussions, those that can be used, and the

issues that are occurring.

Some of these issues include:

Misconceptions: When there is a misconception occurring in a discussion forum an email will be

sent individually with further guidelines; however if it is multiple participants I will provide

further details to clarify in the original post and allow resubmission.

mailto:[email protected]



http://localhost/var/www/apps/conversion/tmp/scratch_2/Discussion%20Forum%20Rubric.pdf






Inactivity by student(s): Depending on the grade level, contact with the student(s) would be

conducted to see if they did not understand the expectations of participation in discussions or if

something else was going on. A plan of action would then be developed for the remainder of

the course.

Inappropriate communications: Appropriateness will be clearly defined with examples given

prior to the start of discussions. When inappropriate communications take place a reminder to

the entire class will be posted, then if it continues further individual learners will need

addressed. Discussion posts may need to be deleted or editing depending on the exact

circumstances.

Dominant student: For the respect of the learner and their effort, an individual conversation

with that student would be given with an emphasis of the need for everyone to be involved.

The need for given requirements may also be addressed and how it is important for everyoneto get their initial thoughts posted.

Accidently deleting discussion posts: Remind students that it is a good idea to type posts in a

word processor and save frequently, then they can copy their work to the discussion or vice

versa.

Clutter on forums: Various forums will be set up throughout the course. These will be for formal

and informal discussions. The discussions will also be separated by topics.

Rebellious student: A private reminder needs to be given that everything in the discussions are

public content and depending on the age level a parent notification may be necessary.

Late discussion posts occurring often: Late posts will happen, based on loss of tracking

assignments or personal reasons. However if this happens often, an email may be sent to the

entire class about following guidelines and checking discussions daily.

Security: In an online environment, learners may be reluctant to share too much information.

Teach your students at the beginning of the course about sharing their personal informationand what is appropriate. Add frequent reminders to an announcement forum if issues arise.

Documents

Communication Plan.pdf