I have been having a look on the web for references to read for this course and i have found this site real valuable so i have saved it to my reference list.
http://members.shaw.ca/mdde615/index.htm
here are a few interesting ideas that i have read and found useful.
Key elements in communication
Many teachers new to online instruction believe that the opportunity to communicate with their students and the ability for students to engage in dialogue amongst themselves is reduced in the online environment. However, the reverse can actually be true. The opportunity for communication is greater than in the classroom because physical and temporal limitations vanish in the online classroom. Studies have shown that participation actually increases in well designed online settings. Shy students can be encouraged to participate in online discussions whereas they might never contribute in a classroom setting
Tips and strategiesBe clear and upfront about your expectations, while still being flexible enough to meet the needs of your students. Remember many adults are taking distance courses so that they can juggle family, work and educational pursuits. Humanize your content by focusing on your learners not on the mode of delivery. While online courses rely on computers and various technologies for many aspects of communication and delivery, the technology should always support your learning goals and your students.
This next article i read was very interesting and i thought about this for using blackboard
Encourage and insist upon participation by all students. Using a threaded discussion board is one means by which reluctant or shy students might feel comfortable contributing to online discussions. Start early with some sort of “ice-breaking”/getting used to the technology activity. This might, for example, take the form of brief biographical information posted to an introductory online conference or the design of individual web pages for posting to the course site. Make sure every student succeeds in this initial activity (you may need to email individual students to provide encouragement and assistance).
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