1. Five Ways to Motivate e-Students Johannah Casey-Doecke, Ph.D. E-Course Designer and Online Lecturer 1.Be a Leader. Methods:  Provide clear directions that encourage every student to succeed. (Voice over Power Point, FAQ’s, Orientation activities)  Keep your FAQ page updated (Frequently asked questions)  Publish and keep online office hours and answer e-mail promptly.  Coach your students by offering corrections and suggestions before the final grading deadline. (Pre-grades)  Insist on good academic standards. (Spell Check, Grammar Check, proper use of references. Provide a link to a style manual.)  Promote the attitude that every student can succeed if they follow directions and ask questions as needed. 2. Know your audience and allow your students to know you. Methods:  The first submission should be a personal information questionnaire that is shared with the class. (Dedicated Chat Room, Forum, Messages) ***This is also completed by the instructor.  Gear your class material toward the student’s major academic programs. (Careful attention to student interests during course development)  LISTEN and note the ways your students relate to the material. (Adapt your course for your student’s learning styles.)  Promote open discussions (Chat Rooms, Forums, Debate, Peer Editing)  Encourage midterm course assessments and regular feedback. (Survey Monkey, Informal question(s) to the class.) 3. Make it Fun. Methods:  Use humor to motivate (Cartoons, YouTube Video, fun assignments, crossword puzzles)  Encourage students to co- own the course. (Collaboration, debate, peer teaching)  Offer extra credit “pop ups” that appear for 24 hours. (Current events, humorous readings, riddles, Penny- for-Your-Thoughts statements, Food-for- Thought articles)  Encourage students to take intellectual risks that will enhance their grade. (“What if” questions, future predictions and adaptations)  Encourage students to share their findings. (Show and Tell Forums) 4.Acknowledge learning differences and styles between students. Methods:  Allow students to pick different types of assignments to earn course points. (Written work versus exams, Collaborations versus Individual presentations, Field Trip Reports versus Individual Presentations)  Vary your exam length and styles. (T/F, Multiple Choice, Essay, Fill-in the Blanks, Take Home exams, Pop -Up Quiz)  Encourage individual creativity and research. (Projection papers that take a basic course concept and project its use in future applications.)  Frequently coach and offer extra test time to slow learners. (Special services students, Students with learning disabilities, English as a second language students) 5. Show Appreciation for your student’s efforts. Methods:  Give a nice balance of positive and negative feedback including “directed” constructive criticism. (Example: “Your paragraph will be complete when you add three more sentences.”  Highlight, discuss and post student work and ideas. (Best of Class notation)  Show you care about learning by rewarding good work. (Use games, e-greeting cards, videos)  Encourage high achieving students to become peer mentors. (Dedicated chat room page for student mentors.) References: Bain, K. (2004). What the Best College Teachers Do (Harvard University Press, 2004 ed.). Bruff, D. (2013). Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (Sotl). [Home Page]. Casey-Doecke, J. (2012). Using e-Rewards to Promote Engagement and Re-engagement in the Online classroom. [Quick Hits]. FACET Publication, July 2012. Faculty. (2012). Keeping it going! Engaging students throughout the doldrums of the semester! Retrieved from http://icoblog.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/keeping-it-going-engaging-students-throughout-the-doldrums-of-the-semester/ Hodges, C. B. (2004). Designing to Motivate: Motivational Techniques to Incorporate in E-Learning Experiences. The Journal of Interactive Online Learning, Volume 2, Number 3, Winter 2004, 1-7. Kelly, R. (2012). Five Factors that Affect Online Student Motivation. [Educational Methods]. Marcinek, A. (Nov. 21,2010). Ten Simple Strategies for Re-engaging Students Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/reengaging-students-andrew- marcinek Sull, E. C. (2013). Student Engagement in the Online Learning Classroom. [Online Learning Update]. Online Learning News and Research(Feb 18, 2013).